On our return journey from Hastings, we passed Iford and my friends thought they saw a dead dog on the roadside. I wasn’t driving and did not see it, and we could not stop as it was a dangerous area and lots of traffic on the road. I did however phone someone I knew, who lived nearby to tell them in case they knew if anyone had lost a dog. Hopefully it was just rubbish alongside the road.
On May 13 on my way to the dentist at about 2.30pm yet again at Iford I was startled by a swarm of something going over my car. I would like to know if anyone else saw it because it wasn’t bees or birds, both of which I have experienced in the past. I can’t really describe what it was, only that it made a noise like small stones being thrown at the car and looking up briefly I saw white/cream-coloured objects about the size of a small hard-boiled egg cut lengthy ways (oval shaped) going over. It all happened so quickly I was quite shocked. It was a large swarm, and could have been insects, but what sort of insects that size?
Also, on May 13 I was told that another car had gone through the wooden fence that had just been repaired at Northease on the left-hand side going into Lewes early in the morning. The farmer must be fed up with this happening, but the locals are not surprised because of the speed drivers are going at along this road.
On Wednesday yet another accident outside my house, at the junction of the C7 and The Street. This is a blind junction and is very dangerous to come out on, especially if you are turning right in the Lewes direction. The people concerned were not hurt, and seemed ok at sorting things out so I didn’t get involved but carried on cleaning my car.
There is a mirror opposite the pub which helps a bit to see what traffic is coming if it’s not covered by greenery, and if people drive at 30mph as stated through the village, it does give you just enough time to see anything coming out, if you are going in Newhaven direction. I will not drive out of my driveway turning right as I find it too dangerous, but like many others turn left to the dirt road and turn there.
A brief list of what’s on in our Parishes taken from our Parish Magazine. On May 31 from 1pm-10pm there is a Beer Festival, in the Pavilion at Kingston. That will surely be a popular event. Iford has community teas (PCC Host) at St. Nicholas Church on June 7, 2pm-4pm. Rodmell has Open Gardens on June 8, (2pm-5pm). Southease has Open Gardens on June 14, 12-5pm and June 15. Rodmell has Coffee Club on June 18, at 11am at the Abergavenny Arms. Rodmell has a car Boot Sale on the Cricket Field and Pavilion with teas etc. on June 28.
Iford has a Badger Wood BBQ and Swanborough has a Picnic on the Green (both to be confirmed) I shall be able to give more details on all these dates nearer the time.
I understand Anne and Jenny have been having trouble with their printers, so Parish Magazine was a little late this month. We should all appreciate the effort these two people put in to keep our village in touch and our church going. Thanks Jenny and Anne.
There are quite a few houses for sale in the village at the moment, including Merlins next door to me. As people may have to locate to jobs outside of London, we get more people moving in this direction, as we have regular trains to London, sailings to France and Gatwick airport not far away. Bus services from Lewes are also good but could do with improvement for villages. In this week’s Sussex Express, Lewes had a very good write up as being the second-best place in the UK where most are likely to own their own home outright, this is according to a new study.
From all the pictures in last week’s Sussex Express, Lewes and surrounding areas really went to town and made spectacular efforts for VE day.
With the weather being warm one day, cooler the next, my poor plants don’t seem to know what is coming to them. I’ve been picking strawberries from outside, tomatoes and aubergines from the greenhouse but the sweet peas seem to have come to a standstill for want of water.
My greenhouse garden room which I set up during Covid times has given me and my guests much pleasure. It smells wonderful at the moment as all the petunias are flowering madly, and my big geranium is one big mass of flowers, whilst this years plants are coming on well. It’s a lot of time spent watering though. I see from some magazines that my idea of making a greenhouse into a garden room has taken off as a fashion. I can recommend it, as I spent many lovely hours in mine all year round.