A Happy New Year to you all.   I hope you had a good Christmas and managed to steer clear of the many 'bugs' in circulation.    If not, our best wishes for a speedy recovery.   That message also goes to everyone who is or has been unwell, at home or in hospital.

        Although the days are getting longer [by the way, British Summer Time begins on the 30th March], and the evenings are drawing out, the weather has been horrible!   Wet, windy, dull and depressing, even the odd clap of thunder to disrupt our power supply, but it has remained very mild.   Climate change?   Global warming? Nothing is new!

"It is strange what weather we have had all this winter;  no cold at all, but the ways are dusty, and the flyes fly up and down, and rosebushes are full of leaves, such a time of the year as was never known in this world before."

Samuel Pepys Diary:  21st January 1661

        Easter is early this year, very early.   In fact, since the Newsletter began in 1989, on only four previous occasions has it been in March and then the earliest was the 27th in 2005.   Certainly, I can never remember schools having a long week-end for Easter and then breaking up in April for the Easter holiday! 

        So with it on the 21st March it is covered by this issue.    A few years ago, 'fixing' the date for Easter was mooted, but this idea seems to have died a natural death.

        Items for April will be needed by Monday, 17th March please - earlier is always helpful, later not so helpful!   Contributions, written and drawn, for this issue are much appreciated - thank you everyone.   The cover, by Nigel Mason, shows Pitt Hill, with the cottages and The Globe.

        The bulbs are well on their way now and there is a sprinkling of early flowers, spring IS on its way.   In the meantime, my best wishes for Easter.

 Ed.