SNV30239

SNV30239

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Friday 13 November 2015

the day we planted an oak tree

"So what are you doing this weekend then, Bridget" asked my friend Tim at the end of a meal to celebrate Diwali last Friday.

"Oh this and that...but tomorrow we're planting the Jubilee tree in our village" I replied casually.

Tim was intrigued..."oh, what jubilee are you celebrating?"

When I told him we were marking the Queen's Jubilee, he burst into fits of laughter asking if there was a time warp in our village - after all, we were three years late .

I suppose we are a bit behind with the tree planting, but we did have a lovely lunch on the village green at the time of Her Majesty's actual Jubilee (click the following link)

http://thinkingofthedays.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/jubilee-days.html


And we have a lovely tradition of planting Jubilee trees in our village. We planted one to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee way back in 1897, and it stands proud on our village green.


Tim wanted to know why there was such a delay.

 I'm not sure, I know we did have an oak tree.....but it was mislaid. Before you ask how is it possible to lose an oak tree, I have no idea...but it was. Then there was the question of where to plant it and that took a fair bit of discussion. And by the time another tree had been found, it was the wrong time to plant it etc .but Tim still thought it was hilarious, until I reminded him that the Jubilee Square in Leicester was only finished last year, two years after the actual Jubilee too.


Anyway, last Saturday, the rain was lashing down in the village, and the wind was howling, blowing leaves off the trees already planted around the village. It really was a foul day. But by 1pm, the time of our gathering, the rain had stopped. We were all in the village hall, fortifying ourselves with hot soup and rolls.

That's one thing we always do well  in our village. Food. We love our bring and share events in the village, and on Saturday,there were home made soups of every persuasion.... tomato and basil, spiced parsnip, roasted red pepper and butternut squash soups. With plenty for everyone....and then we were off to the hedge beside the village hall for the ceremony itself.

Phil, Reg,Mark and Reg had dug out the land before and done most of the hard work the day before,



so it was up to young Oliver, to firm the ground around the tree...



And he showed Gabriel how to do it...



Iona however decided she didn't need a spade and used her bare hands.....





while the grown ups clapped and then chatted, catching up on all the news....









And even the youngest villagers were there to join in...





And we all took home our hand designed and decorated bone china mugs which had been specially commissioned a few years before by Georgina who also organised our tree planting day....












OK, we may do things differently and at our own pace here in our village, but it was good to meet up and mark the Queen's Jubilee. Once again, the day reminded why I love this village so much,  and it will be interesting to see this oak tree grow and thrive in the years to come.

 

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