The summer has raced by and soon autumn will be upon us. So, what’s been happening in the village? Well, many of the villagers have been away on exotic holidays abroad, grandparents have been spending time with grandchildren, those with green fingers have been industriously beautifying their gardens, and those more practically minded have been growing loads of vegies.

The Dogwood field has been mown and the hay-squares bundled and taken away. A few days back there were cows in the field. The apple orchards beyond that, toward Frith Wood, have been a hive of activity with machinery spraying the trees continually for pests and disease: can this be healthy for the villagers though, especially when the wind is blowing from the east?

There will soon be lots of blackberries for the picking and the walking paths are full of blackberry bushes. The new path and steps down Ochre Hill where it comes out near the notice board by the pub, has unfortunately been washed away with recent rains. There are some new foals in the fields by The Sparrows.

Extension work is being carried out at the pub but business continues as usual. The floor of the Memorial Hall has been re-sanded and polished and activities there have resumed. Services have been faithfully continued at Christ Church, and a welcome is extended to you to attend Sunday morning worship at 9.30am, and Wednesday village prayers at the same time.

I was intrigued to see a hot-air balloon sailing low right over my house last week and wonder where it landed.

It’s time again to support the 675 bus service that runs through the village: the Herefordshire Council have announced that there will be a reduction in spending for passenger transport over the next three financial years, and they are inviting the public to take part in a consultation reviewing the bus services. Please go to www.herefordshire.gov.uk/public-transport and fill in the questionnaire asking for the bus service to remain.

And a thought to end with: ‘Bees do have a smell you know, and if they don’t, they should, for their feet are dusted with spices from a million flowers.’ (Ray Bradbury).

Have a splendid week!

Valerie Clark