You make me feel so young

Juan thought that the neatly-bordered wild flowers in the meadow section of Poppleton Park were looking particularly lush at the mohment.

J.W.’s been busy mowing and bagging up grass @ the church. It’s like the Forth bridge – as soon as he finishes, he has to start all over again.

And there was an incident in the Food Hall at Lewis’ & John’s earlier this morning, as an “unidentified item in the bagging area” transformed into a U.F.O. when Granny Smith flung the carrier bag expertly across the room.  Maybe her ‘shopping rage’ will catapult her into the Olympic Shot Put team.

Not cutting corners

You expect Moh and Juan to do a thorough job, don’t you? They’re professionals after all. So you might be shocked to discover that they’ve missed a bit!  Deliberately!

They’re leaving several areas of Poppleton Park’s grass unmown, to display carpets of bluebells and lesser stitchwort, and primroses and violets, and celandines and daisies.

Indeed, they’re also keeping the lawns lusciously long this year – it’s quite the fashion!

Sowing seeds…

The staff and pupils of Poppleton High seem very keen to grow sunflowers all of a sudden.

Poppleton Council have given them permission to take over a roundabout,  and Moh Ahmeddoh and Juan Mann have been helping them plant a van Gogh scene right at the heart of Poppleton.

“We’re keen to look at the Fibonacci sequence in nature, and see how it’s used in other areas too,” Murray Merryweather said.

Year 11 Student Maria was unavailable for comment – she was busy listening to her MP3 player and wielding her trowel.

Stake π & peace

Tim Panini had been to a very interesting Gardener’s Question Time @ Poppleton Park yesterday.  He’d got all fired up about hanging baskets and pots and raised beds and borders,  and went forthwith to the garden centre to get everything he needed.

Simon had heard that it was National Pi Day.  He decided to have a π and a pint at the Flying Pig,  and see what was going on there.

And Prue Vidor nipped up to Snodding Hall to borrow one of Lord Rupert’s vests. She intends to wear it tomorrow.  Just in case.

Arrivals

Juan Mann noticed that the hawthorn had joined the daffodils in delivering their Springtime splendour.

Alistair Crookes has been keeping watch over his flock by night,  and taking delivery of the first lambs of the season.

Rosie Barriclough’s been out delivering cards, letters and parcels.  There’s a big one for Jenny Darling.

Mrs. M.P. Robinson’s Hedge Fund has been significantly augmented with the arrival of six million trees to plant.

And the Dew Drop Inn is once again fully booked, welcoming guests for a comfortable stay.   The region is teeming with visitors eager to see the standing stones,  the castle,  the Biscuit Line and Lord Rupert’s Pile.

Birds, birds, birds

Keen ornithologist,  Juan Mann had spent his afternoon off in the bird hide at the far end of the park.

He’d bagged some great sightings,  including:

• a 3arn0wl

• a grey heron and

• a kestrel.

And having spotted a wren with a pair of great tits,  he really fancied a shag.

All in a spin

Moh and Juan were busy planting up a sharp triangle of Betula Jacquemontaii at the far end of the park. At Morning Coffee time, Juan opened his snap tin to find that the missus had put some home-baked Cattern Cakes in.  He shared them with Moh.

Millie Boinet’s lunchtime fashion show at Poppleton High was going well. The audience found the hats she’d made, errr,  fascinating!  There were, of course, biscuits all round afterwards.

In the afternoon, Emily Appleby took some along to Alistair, and caught him singing to his flock! Honestly!  Sometimes she thinks he cares more about those bloomin’ sheep than he does about her.

And The Spinners (Tribute) were playing at The Place for one night only.

But could Fred fix Catherine’s wheels? :-/