Category: Country Life

Jimper’s Jottings September 2014

JIMPER’S JOTTINGS

A good summer, very dry, following the wet winter. What are the odds on a dry winter this time? If this happens we could be in trouble. Water shortage and a hose-pipe ban I bet. All that water last winter and no one thought to save a few million gallons. Get it out to sea fast, that was the order of the day. Nothing wrong with that if there are provisions made to save some of it but we haven’t have we? Same old reservoirs, no new ones. How many houses have been built since last winter and the government say we need many thousands more. Has anyone Continue reading Jimper’s Jottings September 2014

Jimper’s Jottings

2014 and already our food growers are wondering what is going on. The second week of January saw my gooseberry bushes bursting their buds to form leaves. A blackbird built its nest in the ivy on an old damson tree and laid four blue speckled eggs. All the mallard duck were paired off by the end of the month, as the shooting season closed a good month off other years. In my wild-bird seed mix a certain brand includes peas, even in January, any of the peas that fell to the ground and were not eaten by the pheasants started to sprout. Continue reading Jimper’s Jottings

Jimper’s Jottings

Swim wade or paddle, the people of Hythe, Romney Marshes, Rye and Hastings wanted to avoid of these summer pastimes during the bad weather of December and January. The low depression in December that caused a tidal surge that almost topped the defences in many places between Folkestone and Hastings. Continue reading Jimper’s Jottings

Tilling Green Residents Association

Following on from last years successful Bonfire night event at the Tilling Green community centre, TGRA events committee, Rye Town Amateur Boxing Club and invited guests will be kicking off this years Rye Bonfire night celebration at the Tilling Green community centre. Tilling Green being the starting point for this famous annual event. Continue reading Tilling Green Residents Association

Jimper’s Jottings

At last a real summer, nature always has a habit of catching up. This year was no exception, a month late getting started then wallop! Sun and heat. The combines started to roar by the middle of August and clouds of dust followed in their wake. The quality of the corn is good and yields are average which is surprising after all the wind and rain the crops had to put up with. Continue reading Jimper’s Jottings

Old Time Cinque Ports Dogs

PART TWO

By Arthur Woodgate

Now, here is a dog I have never met, his name is “Benjy”, he belongs to a nurse in Rye hospital, and they live together in Main Street, Appledore, and her name is Kay. Somehow I got very friendly with them and we would write to each other, she was a very good artist and would draw a picture of him with his tongue hanging out to indicate licks with me. Continue reading Old Time Cinque Ports Dogs

Editorial

Easter comes early this year and, if the weather is kind, Rye traders could get the shot in the arm they so badly need after the hard times they have endured throughout the tough winter weather and financial blizzards that have been blowing through the High Street. Continue reading Editorial

Things Long Ago

Jimper Reminisces on a Lost World

Once on Romney Marsh not so long ago, it was a very unhealthy place to live. There was a dreaded thing that was called the Ague, a disease we now know was a type of malaria, caused by the mosquito which lived in the water that covered a lot of the flat land. The local remedy for the Ague was said to be to swallow a spider, whole, wrapped up in its own web. The sheer thought of doing so must have made many people suddenly recover from the illness rather than take the cure! Continue reading Things Long Ago

Damian Lewis visits Port Lympne Wild Animal Park

Star Of Hit TV Series Homeland Meets Wild Animals
Damian Lewis visits Port Lympne Wild Animal Park

Damian Lewis, star of hit Channel 4 TV series, Homeland – takes his family to Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, near Hythe. Continue reading Damian Lewis visits Port Lympne Wild Animal Park

The Day I was Born

Jimper’s Early Years

The world was in darkness the night I was born, not a light was to be seen, and then, as I grew and could walk and run, the lights came on all over the Kingdom.

The war with Germany was over, the marsh was crying out for laughter and joy to return. Five years of war in the front line had left it scarred by ack-ack guns, trenches and pillboxes.

Many areas were out of bounds owing to minefields waiting to be cleared but before then the top priority were the towns to be made safe, and there was still the war with Japan to win. Continue reading The Day I was Born