Food Folk Group - October 2013
Every month members of Mickleover" Food Folk" prepare a recipe on a set theme, and get together to have a good feed.....as well as swapping recipes and having a good chat! Twice a year, however, half the group prepare a dinner for the whole group, and this Autumn the theme was Canadian Food. Vancouver Chicken was followed by Salmon en Croute, Pecan Tart and home made ice cream, coffee and Rocky Mountain Bites. All accompanied by "Not so Canadian" wine. We really enjoy our meetings, and recommend others starting up a group. Be careful with numbers, though; you have to fit around the table.
Consall Forge & Nature Park - October 2013
Members and associated fellows of Mickleover WI garden group met at the Black Lion Pub, Consall Forge, Wetley Rocks, Stoke-on-Trent on Sunday 20th October. The Black Lion can be accessed by boat, railway or road; by road it's necessary to navigate narrow lanes and the odd pot hole or two. Once parked up, the canal and Churnet Valley Railway line has to be negotiated. The agenda for the day was to eat first, ramble later, so everyone enjoyed a sumptuous and substantial meal, the lamb shank and pork dinners are to be recommended. Mine host and staff, although very busy, made it a memorable visit.
All considerably fed and watered we made our way to the Consall Nature Park, where we were able to plan our walk through the forest. The ranger on duty suggested we took the red route as some of the other paths were waterlogged. As we set off, the sun was shining and we admired the beauty of an autumnal day in wonderful surroundings. The forest was damp and there were many fungi of all sorts of shapes and sizes.
As we are nearing the festive season, I feel I must relay a story told by one of our associates, David Gibbons: Growing in the wood was a mushroom called Amanita muscaria (fly agaric), a large red fungus which is poisonous to humans but not reindeer. The story goes that the Nordic people fed these to their reindeer and then drank their urine, the mushrooms have hallucinogenic properties and so they thought they were flying on their sleighs. So that is what Santa gets up to the night before Christmas.
During our meander, the weather turned, the thunder clattered, and the heavens opened, trying to shelter under a tree was impossible the rain ensured we were all thoroughly soaked. To add insult to injury as we emerged from the wood and saw the Nature Park hut, the sun popped its head out!
Although basic the Visitors Centre has clean toilets, good parking and lots of books about the area, but no restaurant facilities. Feeling very soggy we returned to our cars to make our way home, without a nice cup of tea, but we had a brilliant and exhilarating day, certainly cleared away the cobwebs.
All considerably fed and watered we made our way to the Consall Nature Park, where we were able to plan our walk through the forest. The ranger on duty suggested we took the red route as some of the other paths were waterlogged. As we set off, the sun was shining and we admired the beauty of an autumnal day in wonderful surroundings. The forest was damp and there were many fungi of all sorts of shapes and sizes.
As we are nearing the festive season, I feel I must relay a story told by one of our associates, David Gibbons: Growing in the wood was a mushroom called Amanita muscaria (fly agaric), a large red fungus which is poisonous to humans but not reindeer. The story goes that the Nordic people fed these to their reindeer and then drank their urine, the mushrooms have hallucinogenic properties and so they thought they were flying on their sleighs. So that is what Santa gets up to the night before Christmas.
During our meander, the weather turned, the thunder clattered, and the heavens opened, trying to shelter under a tree was impossible the rain ensured we were all thoroughly soaked. To add insult to injury as we emerged from the wood and saw the Nature Park hut, the sun popped its head out!
Although basic the Visitors Centre has clean toilets, good parking and lots of books about the area, but no restaurant facilities. Feeling very soggy we returned to our cars to make our way home, without a nice cup of tea, but we had a brilliant and exhilarating day, certainly cleared away the cobwebs.
Felley Priory - October 2013
A few members of the Mickleover garden group attended the Felley Priory, New Plant Fair on Sunday 6th October. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, more befitting of a summer's day than an autumn one, and rather than being bundled up against the cold and rain, we sat in the beautiful gardens for a while and took in the sun.
The plant fair had a vast array of sales, and although some members were determined not to make any purchases, the pull of the range and quality meant that everyone came away with a bag or two, even if they had no idea where said purchase was going to be planted. The tea rooms were extremely busy but we managed to fit a cup of coffee and delicious homemade scone, before heading home.
The plant fair had a vast array of sales, and although some members were determined not to make any purchases, the pull of the range and quality meant that everyone came away with a bag or two, even if they had no idea where said purchase was going to be planted. The tea rooms were extremely busy but we managed to fit a cup of coffee and delicious homemade scone, before heading home.
Stapenhill Gardens - August 2013
The Mickleover garden group's evening walks program should have continued the previous week, but in true garden club style the weather was abysmal. We were, therefore, delighted when "the sun had got his hat on", for our meet at Stapenhill Gardens, Stapenhill Road, Burton upon Trent, on Wednesday 7th August. This completely free amenity was a joy, beautiful landscaped gardens full of summer blooms, the back drop to the ornamental swan that apparently hosts numerous events throughout the year.
We meandered through the gardens, a lovely walk along the River Trent and under St Peter’s bridge, which had not gone unnoticed and was also covered in huge bouquets of flowers. A sign to the "Greenhouses" caught our attention, but unfortunately or fortunately it was closed for the day (knowing our gardeners we would have probably come away laden with plants). It was a very pleasant way to pass a beautiful summer's evening.
We meandered through the gardens, a lovely walk along the River Trent and under St Peter’s bridge, which had not gone unnoticed and was also covered in huge bouquets of flowers. A sign to the "Greenhouses" caught our attention, but unfortunately or fortunately it was closed for the day (knowing our gardeners we would have probably come away laden with plants). It was a very pleasant way to pass a beautiful summer's evening.
Honduras Baby Project July 2013
Our members are wonderful, written by Jill Edwards
Well who would have thought that a chance remark "I think we should have a Charity Project!", at the Mickleover Craft Group Programme Planning meeting in January, would generate such an enthusiastic response.
Jenny Cox, who was due to speak at our July meeting, has sent us a newsletter detailing the work of the Children of Honduras Trust which mentioned 'Baby Bags'. On further investigation we established that many newborn babies are taken home from hospital wrapped in newspaper and the families are so poor that basic baby requisites are not affordable to them. The decision was made.
At our February meeting a flyer was distributed to every member of our WI, fifty in all, detailing our worthwhile project. members were asked for donations, however large or small of towels, baby clothes, blankets and cardigans (which did not have to be new), petroleum jelly, soap, feeding bottles, soft toys and anything else "baby" that could be put into the bags the craft group would make. We all had materials in our cupboards that had lingered long enough and now they would be put to good use. We were aiming to fill 20 bags.
Well members had taken the plight of these Honduran women to heart and the response was overwhelming. At every meeting, March until June, bags of goodies arrived, not only used items but new and beautiful hand knitted cardigans and blankets. Many members had started knitting again after years of stagnation and others had put their hands in their purses and purchased soap, petroleum jelly, feeding bottles and many more useful baby accessories.
At this stage we felt 20 bags would not be enough to accommodate all the generous donations so we made 30 bags instead (even more of our long-unused materials had come in useful).
One member stored all the "goodies" in the cupboard under her stairs and was relieved when the 5th July arrived. This was "pack up" day. A second member offered her large house for the operation. Everything was placed on dining tables, trestle, garden chairs, settees and any available surface that could be found and seven craft group members had great delight in gathering all the beautiful useful and necessary items for each bag. There were many "how lovely", "how sweet" and "look at that" comments and although all of us are over child-bearing age there were a few "broody" moments even a possible request for a daughter-in-law to have another baby. (As if this would be an option!)
In our usual methodical and organised way we made the bags up in one and half hours and packed the remaining items in labelled bags leaving us time for a well earned cuppa. Six members then took the donations home to be returned to the monthly WI meeting on 11th July when Jenny Cox would surely be amazed as would our members when they saw what we had achieved.
Thank you all so much for all your support - didn't we do well
Jenny Cox, who was due to speak at our July meeting, has sent us a newsletter detailing the work of the Children of Honduras Trust which mentioned 'Baby Bags'. On further investigation we established that many newborn babies are taken home from hospital wrapped in newspaper and the families are so poor that basic baby requisites are not affordable to them. The decision was made.
At our February meeting a flyer was distributed to every member of our WI, fifty in all, detailing our worthwhile project. members were asked for donations, however large or small of towels, baby clothes, blankets and cardigans (which did not have to be new), petroleum jelly, soap, feeding bottles, soft toys and anything else "baby" that could be put into the bags the craft group would make. We all had materials in our cupboards that had lingered long enough and now they would be put to good use. We were aiming to fill 20 bags.
Well members had taken the plight of these Honduran women to heart and the response was overwhelming. At every meeting, March until June, bags of goodies arrived, not only used items but new and beautiful hand knitted cardigans and blankets. Many members had started knitting again after years of stagnation and others had put their hands in their purses and purchased soap, petroleum jelly, feeding bottles and many more useful baby accessories.
At this stage we felt 20 bags would not be enough to accommodate all the generous donations so we made 30 bags instead (even more of our long-unused materials had come in useful).
One member stored all the "goodies" in the cupboard under her stairs and was relieved when the 5th July arrived. This was "pack up" day. A second member offered her large house for the operation. Everything was placed on dining tables, trestle, garden chairs, settees and any available surface that could be found and seven craft group members had great delight in gathering all the beautiful useful and necessary items for each bag. There were many "how lovely", "how sweet" and "look at that" comments and although all of us are over child-bearing age there were a few "broody" moments even a possible request for a daughter-in-law to have another baby. (As if this would be an option!)
In our usual methodical and organised way we made the bags up in one and half hours and packed the remaining items in labelled bags leaving us time for a well earned cuppa. Six members then took the donations home to be returned to the monthly WI meeting on 11th July when Jenny Cox would surely be amazed as would our members when they saw what we had achieved.
Thank you all so much for all your support - didn't we do well
Uttoxeter National Gardens - June 2013
The Mickleover WI Garden group visited Woodleighton Grove Gardens, part of the National Gardens Scheme on Wednesday evening, 12th June. Woodleighton Gardens, Uttoxeter, are 2 houses situated side by side called Karibu and Apollonia, Karibu belongs to Graham and Judy White, while Helen and David Loughton reside at Apollonia. The gardens are very different; Karibu is formally landscaped with a natural stream running the length of the garden, with pathways going this way and that, interspersed with antique horticultural and agricultural tools. Apollonia is less formal but just as beautiful with unusual planting including bamboo, banana and hosta.
Graham announced one of the group was the two thousandth visitor; Kath Charlesworth picked up the honour and was asked to say a few words for their publicity material. In what is becoming "true traditional garden club style" the weather was unduly inclement; although during the time we spent viewing the gardens the rain stopped temporarily. Tea and cake was served, and as the weather had turned again, we retreated to the tent that Graham has erected for such eventualities, and despite the weather, we had a lovely time.
Graham announced one of the group was the two thousandth visitor; Kath Charlesworth picked up the honour and was asked to say a few words for their publicity material. In what is becoming "true traditional garden club style" the weather was unduly inclement; although during the time we spent viewing the gardens the rain stopped temporarily. Tea and cake was served, and as the weather had turned again, we retreated to the tent that Graham has erected for such eventualities, and despite the weather, we had a lovely time.
Kurling - April 2013
Mickleover WI enjoyed an evening of Kurling for the April Meeting, which was perfectly organised by Kath Charlesworth. Those assembled were either in the Red team or the Blue team, Kath then split us into several groups of 4 Red's and 4 Blue's and we played 3 ends each (several times). The aim, to manoeuvre the Kurling stone by any means possible to the target at the opposite end of the hall. This was no mean feat, the stone with 3 casters and a plastic handle, had an agenda of its own. However the teams battled on and as members became more proficient, the tension between the Blue and Red teams increased. Initially the blues took the lead, but with gritted determination and some excellent players the Red's won. Not to be biased the writer of this publication was on the Red team. The evening was rounded off by a scrumptious faith supper, fabulous!
Skittles Evening at Royal Oak, Ockbrook - March 2013
Members of the Morleston group of WI's signed up for a skittles evening at the Royal Oak Ockbrook, organised by group convener Des Noon. For a cold wet and miserable Friday night it was a good turnout, thirty members. Steve, the adjudicator, divided the assemblage into seven teams, groups of four and three persons. Mickleover fielded two teams, the Mickleover One and the Mickwalls. Mickleover One: Mary, Jenny, Marika and Pat, the Mickwalls: Des, Lesley and Lin. It was a flying start for the Mickwalls who took the lead in the first round, after the second round the Mickwalls were still in the lead, things were looking good but the Mickwalls were the only team to have played the joker, so perhaps the joke would be on them. Last round, Marika for the Mickleover One, smashed through the skittles and took a strike in 2 balls (the only strike of the night), Mary who won highest consistent scorer, made certain the Mickleover One took the lead and were crowned champions. The Mickwalls came a respectable second, so out of seven teams, Mickleover WI did ok. Steve thanked Des for organising the event, (here here); it was an extremely enjoyable way to spend a cold damp March evening.
Hodsock & Dukeries Garden Centre - March 2013
There was a touch of spring in the air, so the garden group ventured forth for their first visit of the year, Hodsock Priory to see the snowdrops and hellebores. The priory was in a state of renovation, so we were not able to visit the house, however the marquee provide us with a welcome cup of coffee before strolling round the grounds. The snowdrops were still in abundance even though this was the final weekend; there wasn't much of a showing of hellebores, however, we couldn't complain the entrance fee was reduced by £3, so we enjoyed a very pleasant morning for £2 (including the parking).
Next stop Dukeries Garden Centre for lunch. There is an excellent restaurant tucked right away at the back of the garden centre, not mentioned on the website or well signposted, but well worth a visit, good food at reasonable prices. A few purchases were made, before we set off home after a lovely day.
Next stop Dukeries Garden Centre for lunch. There is an excellent restaurant tucked right away at the back of the garden centre, not mentioned on the website or well signposted, but well worth a visit, good food at reasonable prices. A few purchases were made, before we set off home after a lovely day.