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Fenland Orchid Society |
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Newsletters |
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Tea and Hailstones with the Queen
7th of July and my daughter and I set off on the train for London. Today we were off to have tea with the Queen at Buckingham Palace. I was to accompany my daughter as her guest as it was her who had the official invite to the Royal Garden Party. The comment of the ticket collector on the train was “you look posh, and like your hats”.
Queues formed to go through the very tight security but once through into the gardens we made for our marquee. There were three in total, one for the Queen, one for the dignitaries who had been invited and the third for us the commoners. Tea, wine, sandwiches and cakes were all laid out for our consumption and very nice too. There was a small rain shower but even this passed over as the Queen made her way through the invited throng and I was lucky to get close to Her Majesty as she passed by.
After seeing the Queen and having enjoyed the tea we decided to go for a walk to look around the grounds, oh what a mistake, for suddenly the heavens opened up and hailstones like moth balls came hammering down and in no time we were like drowned rats as we made for the shelter of the marquee’s. Still even though we got thoroughly wet it was a wonderful day and one I will remember for a long time. Gloria Wade
LAST MONTHS MEETING KIEKIES, SEEDLINGS SALE AND DISCUSSION
In the absence of our Chairman David, Richard Hirson took the chair for the meeting. He opened by suggesting we stood for a minutes silence for member Tony Richardson who died last month, then also conveyed all our best wishes for a speedy recovery for David who is very unwell at the moment. Apologies were sent from Brian and Jill Hill and also from Marie Roach who were unable to attend the meeting this month. It was an In House Meeting this month and David had previously suggested we had a kiekies, seedlings sale and discussion on growing evening. A few members had brought along seedlings, divisions and kiekies, and Brian Redman was doing the selling and with his extensive knowledge and expertise was also advising and telling us how to grow them, he also answered questions on each plant that was suffered for sale. There were plenty of takers for the plants and as all of them were only £1.00 each the lucky buyers also got a bargain. All aspects of each plant were discussed and Brian did this with easy to follow instructions and he also made it interesting.
A fair range of plants were brought along, Laelias, Dendrobiums, Pluerothallis, Coelogynes, Oncidiums, Cadetias and Scaphosepalums. Brian also told us how he grew some of his, keeping some outside from May to September then bringing them into the greenhouse, it was mainly Den. Kingianum and a couple of others. It was a very enjoyable evening and I feel we should have more like it. Richard finished off the evening with some humorous remarks and I think everyone went home with a nice satisfied feeling. Richard had brought along to the meeting a huge photographic mosaic of many of the orchids he encountered on his trip to Ecuador, this had been mounted and framed for a wall hanging and was most interesting.
Brenda
I would like to thank all committee members for the effort put into making this an evening that was constructive and instructive to you the members. I am hoping to get to the next meeting when we will have Lawrence Hobbs telling us all about the ‘Weird and Smelly’. There will be one of the above next year, it will be held in November.
David
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September 09 abridged |
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Odont. Golden Rialto X Eric Young |
