Last week of March

 One of the nicest things about being retired is being able to visit pretty towns and villages that are not far from us.

We live about 45 minutes drive from Rye on the Sussex coast, just next to Camber Sands beach.  This little town is steeped in history but I like it for it's old fashioned shops, pretty little houses and cobbled streets.

 Rye was ideal for smuggling as close to France, surrounded by marshes and built with narrow winding streets and secret passages designed to evade the authorities.  The name Rye is thought to be derived from the Saxon word meaning 'island' due to the landscape at the time and not due to the windmills, fields of grain or its storage in the general area. 

Some of the buildings go back to the 11th century, have deep cellars that no doubt were filled with stolen goods during the smuggling days, some are now open to the public to explore.

It was very cold the day we visited and some shops had not yet opened for the coming tourist season, we had coffee, a wander round and headed home - too cold to stop at the beach.

Originally this was a busy harbour until the Romney marches expanded and separated it from the sea.  In 1336 Rye was made a cinque port, exempt from certain taxes in return for maintaining and providing ships for defence.  It was later used to export wool and also for a time known for its pottery ('hopware').

There is a little castle there, not of any use due to the change in the landscape but originally thought to be a means of lookout/defense from hostile ships.  

I will visit again in the Summer when it will be nice at the beach, we used to take our sons there for days out - the tide goes out a very long way and the beach is a lovely soft, smooth sand.

More info here:    The History of Rye, East Sussex

Other interesting fact:  at nearby Peasmarsh, Sir Paul McCartney lives on his 160 acre farm.

Other news of the week:

Its been bitterly cold here this week, I wore a jumper and a quilted coat/scarf for an hour at the allotments last night for our weekly gathering (I took whisky!).  We had a log burner on.

Despite the cold I have planted and fleeced mange tout (shop bought plants) and got my first early potatoes into the ground.  I had planted a large number of flower seeds and bulbs in the previous week but few have germinated despite being in the communal polytunnel.  Mice have eaten my courgette and sunflower seeds!  No wonder I found a cat in there the other day!

My son made a little wooden box when he was a 13 year old boy.  It got left here when he moved out and I couldn't part with it - I chalk painted amd waxed it and am using it to keep my seed packets.  I like it despite its imperfections because he made it :)

Mollie cat was unwell last week (her glands needed emptying so the vet took her out the back to resolve, I suspect there was some manhandling out of sight as she is not cooperative).  She hasn't forgiven me yet and creeps about avoiding me, understandably as her visit to the vet was distressing but she is getting back to her usual self and is  bringing me a mouse nearly every morning.  

Ive been swimming a couple of times this week, booked a holiday for later this year and hunted for nice books in our local Oxfam charity book shop - found this one which gives growing advice and recipes for plants in season, so ideal for someone with an allotment like me!  

Recently I painted a bowl at a pottery shop, my sons girlfriend treated me, its a water bowl for Mollie.

In the garden we cleared a border of an invasive hedge/weed and I have planted rosemary and lavender there   

Looking forward to warmer days, walks in the woods and seeing my allotment and garden bloom!  Best of all, I'm so glad the UK clocks go forward an hour tonight, as I am waking at 5.15am every day and when the clocks change my sleep pattern will improve.

 How has your week been?