8th-13th May - enjoying cow parsley, cricket and Rusthall library
Hello, happy Friday and welcome to my weekly diary of life in and around Rusthall, a village on the edge of Tunbridge Wells in Kent.
I love walking at this time of year. There is something so dreamily romantic about the common, paths and snickets when the sun shines on the lucid greens of the grass and trees, and the white lace cow parsley flower heads gently sway waist high, threaded through with forget me nots and buttercups and the last of the bluebells.
Rusthall Common, May 2021
On Sunday I walked over to Langton Green and enjoyed some Pimms while watching a friendly game of cricket between Langton Green Cricket Club and the Langton Green All Stars. Conditions were idyllic - just look at that blue sky! - and it was great to see lots of villagers of all ages sat on the bank to watch the match. It is the first time cricket has been played there for three years, following the work done to the drainage of the recreation ground and Covid. The cricket club are keen to raise their profile in the village and welcome more players and spectators - find out more on their website here. I took some photographs for the next issue of Langton Life and enjoyed the sight of wild garlic in the snickets on the way home.
Monday was my son’s birthday, and another beautiful sunny day. He had to go to school, but in the evening we walked over to Langton Green again, to have dinner at The Hare. This felt a little extravagant but no more expensive than throwing a birthday party was when he was younger, and so very much more civilised and enjoyable for me! He had hake with chorizo, I had crab linguine and his sister had the children’s menu burger. From the window in the conservatory we could see the curved avenue of blossoming cherry trees, and also spotted members of the Village Fete committee making a trial run of putting a billowing white marquee up and down - it’s good to know they are in practice, they made it look easy!
While The Amelia Scott has been very naturally turning our heads, it’s important not to forget the fantastic branch library we have in Rusthall. I went in on Tuesday morning to take some photographs of the Playground creative play session led by artists and musicians for babies under the age of two. One parent who was at the session also told me how important sessions at the Rusthall Children’s Centre were for getting out with her baby and meeting others - another vital community resource.
While I was there I chatted to librarian Sally Liddle about other groups and activities in Rusthall Library. Sally was really keen to tell me about re-starting Baby Rhyme Time sessions on Friday mornings. I loved these informal, no need to book, nursery rhyme singing sessions when my children were little. They were the first place I started to meet other parents in the village, the first building block in my community network. The first session will be on 17th June 2022 at 10.30am and they will be most Friday mornings after that - check with the library for more details. There is plenty going on for adults too - Knit and Natter on Friday afternoons from 2pm-4pm, a Family History Group every third Thursday of the month, and an Embroidery Group on the first Thursday of the month. They are also looking to rename and restart their Talk Time session, but need a volunteer to run it. I was also given the go ahead for my idea to starting a magazine exchange at the library, so hopefully I can get this started soon.
One more library thing - because all human life is there - Rusthall village resident and Tunbridge Wells in Bloom medal winner Grace Pennell has made hanging baskets for the library in red white and blue colours, ready for the jubilee - see them hanging outside the windows as you come in.
For the rest of the week I have been busy pulling together articles for June’s Langton Life, as well as starting to getting ideas in for the next Rusthall Life in July. Included will be news of the Tunbridge Wells Yard Sale on 11th June, which already has three sellers registered in Rusthall and one in Langton Green. I really enjoyed this event a few years ago when I walked around stalls in the village area of Tunbridge Wells and picked up some bargains. There will also be a round up of local artists taking part in the June South East Open Studios, cricket, sheep shearing and much more.
Every week I hope that I will be able to get to Better Life Yoga on Thursday evening at the Rusthall United Reformed Church. Parenting always seems to conspire against me, but one day, one day…! Happily there has been time for planting wildlife friendly perennials bought from the Venture in our garden, and enjoying the playground at the Southwood Road Recreation Ground after school.
I was glad that the 281 bus can now run normally down Major York’s Road again after emergency gas pipe works were finished. It was great to hear the news that David and Suzanne at KMJ are now grandparents. At my daughter’s school the PTA are preparing for the Spring Fair which sounds like it will be a lovely fundraising event on Saturday 21st May, with storytelling, a book stall, forest school activities and poetry writing sessions. The Environment Committee were asked if we wanted to have an information stall at the Village Fete on 25th June - sounds like we do, so look out for us there with tips on keeping your house warm in ways that reduce carbon emissions and bills.
Today, my parents are arriving to visit us from North Wales, so I’m looking forward to spending some time with them out in the countryside. I hope you all have something to look forward to this weekend too.
Jayne
