Wed 27th Oct 2021 - Pan Country Park, Newport. GG # 858.

 Terry's Photographs.

So many GGmers today that

we managed to over-fill the car park..!

Clearance work in the small copse.

Loading up the arisings.

Serious tree pruning..!

Time for tea and a chat....

...then back to work.

Now...doesn't that look neat and tidy 👏

It has been some time since Team GG was at this venue, Mark did have a dig in the archives and came up with this from the blog 

https://iowgreengym.blogspot.com/2014/11/wed-12th-nov-2014-pan-country-park.html   - I am not sure if that was our last visit there as we have also been back with the Wildlife Warriors hat on. Certainly there are a LOT more houses and roads there now..!

As with most areas we work at, the job was relatively simple,  trim everything back and give it all a good tidy up. Certainly there was a lot of dead wood to cut back and a lot of coppicing to do so a good job we had a excellent turn-out today 👍. Considering we are almost at the end of October, the temperatures are still holding up well although we didn't see a lot of the sun due to a rather grey, cloudy sky. 

Mark mentioned that our next meeting is likely to be at the orchard area, next to Sandown Golf Club and the water treatment plant. As per usual, keep an eye on your e-mail box for the final details.

Many thanks to Terry for the photographs, hope the leg heals quickly..!

For those interested in going along to the Christmas Dinner this year, please have a word with Vivian who is very kindly making the arrangements - please see her email below.

Hi Everyone,

We recently decided to have our pre Christmas dinner at The Griffin in Godshill. This is booked for 8th. December, probably after a morning working at Mundsley Bog..

This year the Griffin are not planning to serve a carvery.

So the choice will be the Griffin pre Christmas Dinner ( £29.95,  Buy one get one free) see menu attached,

or

your choice from their ordinary menu. (order on the day)

The Christmas dinner must be pre booked. so I will be bothering you for your choice by the 17th. November..

I hope that you find something to your taste!

                                   The Griffin Pre-Christmas Menu  

                                              £29.95 per person

                                                Buy 1 get 1 free

                          

                                                     Starters

S1             White Pudding, Brie, Red Onion and Balsamic Chutney Stack.

S2                       Garlic & Thyme Baked Field Mushrooms. (v)

S3                            Home made Leek and Potato Soup.  (v)

                                 All the above served with Local Bread.

                                                  

                                                Main Course

M1                 Traditional Roast Turkey served with Pigs in Blankets, 

                                         Sausage & Cranberry Stuffing.

M2                 Cod on Papillote with Spinach, Caper and Lemon Butter.

M3            Home made Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash & Courgette Tagine.  (v)

                         All served with Roast Potatoes & Seasonal Vegetables

                                                  

                                                    Puddings

P1                        White Chocolate & Winter Spiced Ice Parfait

P2                          Apple & Blackberry Crumble with Custard

P3                           Christmas Pudding with Brandy Custard

Please write your selection on a slip of paper and let me have it by 17^th. November.

Payment is on the day.

Wed 20th Oct 2021 - Flowers Brook, Ventnor. GG # 857.

 Terry's Photographs.

This is the bit where Mark tells us NOT to let

the wind blow us over the cliff edge..!

Working along the banks of the stream.

The top of the cascade.

Always plenty of arisings to drag away.

Time for tea and talk of Xmas lunch..!

Cuttings from the cascade.

Raking up the grass.

and finally...a job well done 👏.

The Cascade.

The start view from the top...

somewhere under there is a cascade..!!

Cutting down into the undergrowth.

Deeper and deeper.

A view from the bottom - job well done👏

The weather forecast for Wednesday morning didn't bode well.....

The email message from Mark, issued the night before, had these reassuring words... 

"Flower's Brook is tomorrow's destination and a mixed bag is forecast I believe! Still...just think how invigorating it will be! 😉😋". Mark is definitely a 'glass half full' sort of person.

Although there was very heavy rain overnight (Tuesday into Wednesday) it did stay dry for our GG session and we all managed to avoid being blown over the edge of the cliff 👍. Our main task was to cut the summer growth from alongside the edges of the stream and the pond plus give the cascade area vegetation a serious trim. I think that Terry's excellent photos show the scope of the tasks undertaken during the session.

Mark did mention that next week we may be at a new venue in Whippingham or perhaps at Pan Meadows so please keep an eye on your email in tray for confirmation.

Wed 13th Oct 2021 - Millennium Green, Ryde. GG # 856.

 

This is where we worked this week.

Mark doing the pre-session briefing.

Terry's Photographs.

It's hay making time.

Time for tea..!

We always seem to find toads when we work here.

More work needed on the camouflage 😂.

One nicely cleared meadow.

The areas to the side of the boardwalk were cleared.

This week we found ourselves back at the Millennium Green but this time we were concentrating on the area known as the butterfly meadow. Prior to the Covid shutdown we had worked for many years to clear this area of the brambles and shrubs that seem to thrive there. Equipped with scythes, shears, loppers and mattocks.... we were soon tackling the problem areas in an attempt to reinstate the meadow.

Considering we are well into October now, the weather is still dry and warm...perfect for tackling the more physical tasks at Green Gym 😅.

Many thanks to Terry for taking the photographs this week.

Mark thinks we will be at Flowers Brook, Ventnor for next Wednesdays's session... always a firm favourite with Team GG.👍

Wed 6th Oct 2021 - Birchmore Pond Areas, Blackwater. GG # 855.

 Terry's Photographs.

Peacock and Red Admiral butterflies.

Common frog.

Adjacent fields full of sun flowers.

I am afraid that the editorial will be lacking a little this week.....I did get along for the start of the session but was called away. The plan was to work our way along the several sites we had visited recently around this area to have a final check on the Himalayan Balsam situation. Mark has assured us that this will be the FINAL pesky plant pulling session of 2021...👏. 

Many thanks to Terry for the photographs.

From Geoff. (Look away if you are squeamish...!)

You might like this to add to the next blog.

Sparrow hawk enjoying pigeon for lunch on my lawn this afternoon.