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IoW GG links

To look at the Isle of Wight Green Gym web page (contains details of sessions etc) please use the following link :- www.iwgreengym.org.uk.

The link to Twitter is https://twitter.com/iwgreengym

If you would like to leave us any comments then please use this link iwgreengym@gmail.com

Wednesday 25 November 2020

Wed 25th Nov 2020 - GG Virtual Session # 025.

 Those attending this week's Zoom session....


As mentioned last week, this Zoom session is number 25 which means that half our GG meetings this year have been on line. Hopefully, with the arrival of the New Year and a vaccine, we will soon be able to get back to what we do best...beating up the countryside..😁.
Although the numbers of those attending was down a bit on recent weeks, there was a wide array of topics up for discussion ranging from picking sloes and bullace through to the long term effects that Coronavirus will leave us with. For those who were uncertain of exactly what bullace is, see below....

Late summer bounty - geograph.org.uk - 243791.jpg

The bullace is a variety of plum. It bears edible fruit similar to those of the damson, and like the damson is considered to be a strain of the insititiasubspecies of Prunus domestica. Although the term has regionally been applied to several different kinds of "wild plum" found in the United Kingdom, it is usually taken to refer to varieties with a spherical shape, as opposed to the oval damsons.[1][2]

Unlike nearly all damsons, bullaces may be either "white" (i.e. yellow or green) or "black" (i.e. blue or purple) in colour, and ripen up to six weeks later in the year.[3] Though smaller than most damsons, bullaces are much larger than the closely related sloe.[3] Their flavour is usually rather acidic until fully ripe.


The question of wether we will be able to hold our traditional Christmas Bash at Shide Quarry this year was raised - at the moment there are just too many unknowns but let's all keep our fingers crossed.

Take care everyone and stay safe...😷.




Wednesday 18 November 2020

Wed 18th Nov 2020 - GG Virtual session # 024.

 Well readers...I am sorry to report that I didn't manage to log on to this week's Zoom session...😒.

I sat down just before 10:00, found Mark's email and clicked on the link to Zoom...just like I have done every other week.. but all I got was this...

Tried all the usual tricks including "turn it all off and back on again" and even reloaded the Zoom software...all to no avail...😡. Occasionally I could hear the others talking but certainly no video. If anyone who did attend would like to send me a brief summary of the topics discussed then I'll be glad to post them here.

We usually hold 50 GG meetings through the year - 52 weeks minus 2 weeks for the Christmas break. I noticed as I started this blog today that we are on virtual session number 024 so, if we have another one next week, then half of this year's meetings will have been on line. Fingers crossed that the New Year brings us a vaccine and then we can get back to some serious work..!!!

Stay safe 😷💉.

 

Wednesday 11 November 2020

Wed 11th Nov 2020 - GG Virtual Session # 023.

 

The was the happy bunch on this Wednesday morning....


The numbers for this virtual session were down a bit on other weeks but there was lively discussion on a wide range of subjects...not all GG related..!As we are back to complying with the lockdown Covid regulations, it has been deemed that it wouldn't be prudent for a large group of us be seen together even if we were following the rules to the letter. The general consensus was that it would be better to defer any outdoor sessions until at least the 2nd of December and review it all again then. Mark does have some possible sites penciled in for future sessions including our traditional pre-Christmas one at Shide / Munsley Bog. Fingers crossed for December.
Bob (the weather) had proposed that interested parties might like to partake in an unofficial beach clean, just to blow the cobwebs away. This is still under discussion.
A couple of weeks ago, the County Press ran a story about the car park at Bouldnor Car Park having restricted views due to overgrown trees and undergrowth. Some of you will remember us working there in the past and Mark is going to look into if our services might be needed once again.
The conversation then opened up into discussions about the pandemic, St Mary's hospital / roadworks and flu jabs .... never a dull moment when we all get together 😀.

For those GG members who have had to endure my everlasting ramblings about my latest lockdown project, here is a photo of the progress to date...


The Sinclair C-5 has undergone successful road testing and the custom built transporter has been adapted from an old boat trailer.... Well it is GREEN transport...!

Take care and stay safe.

Wednesday 4 November 2020

Wed 4th Nov 2020 - GG Virtual Session # 022.

 This week's Zoomers....


In light of the ever changing Covid pandemic regulations, it was decided that it would be best if we didn't hold a "proper" session this week..... maybe by next week the situation regarding volunteering will become a little clearer. So, it was back to staring at the computer at 10:00 on Wednesday but it is nice to see so many smiling faces 😀😁😊😂. Now we are back in full lockdown, this might be the only contact we get with the outside world.
Because I live local, there was the usual questions as to how the St Mary's intersection is progressing. Difficult to explain exactly what they are trying to do right now but the same advice holds good...AVOID THE AREA UNLESS YOU WANT TO SPEND AGES IN A TRAFFIC JAM...! I will add that if you want to travel through there at night then check the local web sites. Sometimes, when they are working overnight, the whole thing is shut down and you have to detour via Carisbrooke 😕.
The conversation then moved to last week's session...building the pond at the school. Apparently the staff are delighted with Team GG efforts and there might even be some coverage about it in the County Press. Everyone is wondering how much water is now in it after the recent heavy rainfall. Once it is full and the liner has stretched then perhaps we can get a return visit to plant it up?

Mark has been digging around in the cupboards at home and come across the trophy that GG received from the Queen's Award for  Service some years ago. As we don't have offices or an HQ to display it at, Mark wondered if any GG members would like to have it (on loan..!) to decorate their mantelpieces. It would really impress your visiting friends.... but, oh dear...we can't have anyone around to visit..lol.
Unfortunately I had to leave the session early but I am sure that there were many other scintillating conversations in my absence. 
As before, during lockdown, keep an eye on your emails in the hope that Mark will be able to arrange a "real" session sometime soon.

Stay safe by staying alone 👤.