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Book Club Review – November

‘I’ve always believed in inherited pain’

This month our chosen book is The island of Missing Trees by the Turkish writer Elif Shafak, shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2022. It is about the Cypriot civil war and how the trauma of such a war imperils future generations as well as uprooting ordinary lives. It is also a Romeo and Juliet story of the passionate love affair between Kostas, a Greek Cypriot and Defne a Turkish Cypriot and it centres on the story how their daughter Ada comes to terms with the past she has never known. Continue reading “Book Club Review – November”

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St. Mark’s Church News – November

Parish Church of St Mark the Evangelist

So, what has been happening in and around St. Mark’s?Well, we had a lovely Harvest Service on 25th September. We sang the old favourite Harvest Hymns and felt that everything was ‘safely gathered in’. The school had also had their Harvest Service, so we had all their produce displayed in the Church. Nowadays the gifts that are given tend to be the packet and tinned variety, rather than fresh produce, as it all gets taken to the Food Bank for distribution, where it is very gratefully received.
The flower ladies had done their usual excellent job of decorating the Church, so that was a lovely welcome, and we thank them for their faithfulness in doing the flowers.
There was also a beautiful exhibition of Harvest pictures by the school children displayed in the Nave of the church.
Continue reading “St. Mark’s Church News – November”

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‘An Evening With Pete the Pond – The importance of Wildlife Ponds in our Environment’

A ‘Supper Talk’ not to be missed!!!!
‘An Evening With Pete the Pond – The importance of Wildlife Ponds in our Environment’
Presented By the Hadlow Down Horticultural Society.
October 12th. in the Village Hall
‘Pete the Pond is a local legend who has worked tirelessly for many years to help sustain and restore many of our local aquatic ecosystems, especially ponds, which are critical to the health of local nature and wildlife. In the process he has built up a reference collection of aquatic plants in his back garden which is unique in its range and diversity and is now an immensely valuable asset in maintaining local biodiversity.’
With his wooden leg and often seen with a parrot on his shoulder Pete has also understandably been called ‘Pete the Pirate’
Pete will possibly be bringing some of his pondy friends with him.
There are still some tickets left for what will be a memorable evening with the usually excellent meal and an amazing speaker.
If you would like to attend the supper please contact Kathy by phone 01825 830616 or by email (kathy.cracknell48@gmail.com) to order your tickets. They are £8.00 per person and £12.00 for a non member.
Wine will be available and of course our lovely raffle, plus we might also have a small plant stall, so please bring cash with you.
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Hadlow Down Book Club Review

We had our usual summer holiday free choice of books in August and an interesting and diverse number to discuss ranging from 18th century to July 2022 and encompassing Africa, Venice and indeed the entire planet.

A Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland Samuel Johnson (1775), a weighty account of his eighty day journey through the Highlands and Islands, full of witty insights and powerful moral judgements. He is more interested in the social conditions with Enclosures just beginning but shows an 18th century lack of interest in the scenery.

Donna Leon’s novels set in Venice featuring the likeable Commissario Brunetti. If you haven’t read these novels you are in for a treat with well-rounded interesting characters, good plots and of course descriptions of wonderful food against the Venetian backdrop. If you want to read them in order start with Death at La Fenice (1992) but the novels get better as the characters develop. Continue reading “Hadlow Down Book Club Review”