It may be cold outside in February but as usual the atmosphere is warm and friendly in the village shop. Our hot drinks machine has been going at full steam ahead during December and January while we had a free hot drink offer but now we are back to charging again it is still a really good way to warm up and at only £1, and with a free biscuit if you’re lucky, it is very reasonable.
We all need some small treats at this time of year and with Valentine’s Day coming up soon it may be time to treat your nearest and dearest too! We know from our …
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Archives for January 2017
News From Payhembury Provisions – February 2017
Payhembury Badders Open Session
Sunday February 5th
2pm to 4pm in the Parish Community Hall
Come along and play badminton at the Parish Community Hall Sunday 5th Feb !
Last year badminton court markings were laid down in the Parish Community Hall, and high-quality net and posts were purchased. It’s now a fantastic facility which can be used by all. Badminton is a great game to get the blood up, and can be played by all ages, all abilities, unaffected by the light or the weather. It can be a game for two, or doubles for 4, and we hope to be able to offer a ladder and …
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Tea and Bingo – February
We held our first meeting in the Six Bells in January and very nice it was too. We were all cosy in front of the fire and had our usual tea and cake – thanks to Marjorie for the lovely offerings!
Many thanks to the pub for looking after us so well, we do appreciate it and look forward to our February get together. On the subject of which, don’t forget the first Wednesday IS the first of the month! Hope to see you there:
Wed 1st February 2.15pm in the Six Bells
Don’t forget if you need a lift or have any questions, call Marjorie (841110) or …
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Farewell to the Daymonds
At the end of this month Douglas and Vera Daymond leave Victoria Dairy Farm in Payhembury for Honiton to be nearer their two daughters.
Their departure will end a link between the Daymond family and the village that began in 1894, when Douglas’s great-grandfather bought the farm (then called ‘The Ridge’), and began running the Six Bells pub. He also built the cottages on the top side of the village triangle.
Douglas was born in the Six Bells in 1935, and met Vera Tucker – from Plymtree -at the Young Farmers Spring Ball in Cullompton in 1952. …
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Churchmouse – February
Dear Friends
I hope you can see Parchina and me playing in the snow. We really enjoyed a slight covering the other day. We really wanted more! We hope you all had a jolly New Year, we mice had a great celebration and we went to visit our cousins and stayed the night.
This year Mum and Dad allowed us to stay up until midnight and we danced in the field by our cousins’ nest as the clock struck 12. Oooooh it was such fun. Then we came inside for some lovely hot apple punch Auntie Dot had made, it warmed us up right to the end of our chilly toes. …
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Alan’s Nature Notes – Observations from January
Hello everyone, Haven’t we experienced some lovely Winter days recently? Margaret and I spent a couple of hours at Rutland Water a week or so ago. It was lovely and sunny, but windy and cold! However, we walked round the lake, and saw some good birds, including golden eye ducks and a red kite.
We also visited Topsham, and again it was a super day. The tide was in, so the birds were forced nearer to the shoreline. We saw over forty species, including lots of avocets, a couple of snipe, shovellers and many others. I can recommend a walk round …
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The Writing Wall – February
Thanks to those who sent in writing on the topic ‘The Challenge’. I realise that, with Christmas and all, I gave very little time for people to write. I am therefore giving you longer to create writing for the next task, Manufacturer’s Regret. Please have a go - this is not for established poets but for you to have a shot at writing creatively. I am very happy to receive drafts and to give feedback before you submit. The first two of the entries for The Challenge appear on the right. More next month.
The next writing task - Manufacturer’s …
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Alan’s Nature Notes from December
Hello again, and compliments of the Season!
A female sparrowhawk flew into our garden the other day, and sat on the birdbath, looking around her. She is larger than the male bird, and browner, the male being bluey grey. There were no feathers splayed about, when I ventured outside, so she didn't get a meal!
Andrew Renshaw tells me he sees goldcrests in his garden, and has also seen lapwings in the fields, plus a large flock of golden plovers in the sky. The last time I saw these plovers was in the south of Ireland, where they spend the winter …
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Churchmouse – January
Happy New Year friends, we do hope you had a lovely Christmas. We had a great time; our nests were decorated with lots of pieces of tinsel that we found lying around in church. We used holly berries as well, but we don’t like the leaves, the prickles are just too much for our little noses.
Mum and Dad had collected some very special goodies for us to eat, we never know where they get them from, do you think it might be the village shop? We had a huge party on Christmas Day, we invited all our field mouse friends to come in and join us, and …
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Parish Paper and Website
Our three editors have done a great job again this year making the Parish Paper fresh and interesting and with some eye-catching front covers. Thank you to you all, and special thanks to Claire McMurtrie who is now hanging up her editing pen after several years on the editorial team. Luckily for us Christine Thair has stepped up to take over from Claire; please try and make life easier for her and our other editors by getting your articles to them well before the deadline every month.
Thank you too to Lin Horrocks for managing our advertising …
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