A butterfly enjoying the lovely lavender in the garden.
“We’ll talk of sunshine and of song,
And summer days, when we were young”
(‘To a Butterfly’ by William Wordsworth)
Welcome to Wardington House’s latest newsletter
I’m sure like us you have not only been ‘talking of sunshine’ but have been thoroughly enjoying the wonderful weather. It has been delightful out on the patio dining and enjoying the entertainment surrounded by fluttery butterflies flitting from all the gorgeous flowers in the garden. May these beautiful summer days last
Activities
You could compare us to flitting butterflies in June with so many fun activities taking place.
The month started with a show from Tickled Pink Productions “We’ll Meet Again – 80th Anniversary” with the residents singing along to well known songs from their youth.
From singing and dancing to the tranquil tones of the Bodicote Bell Ringers who played some well known songs for us to sit back and calmly enjoy.
Then a complete contrast as we had an afternoon of Bhangra dancing with In2Culture. They also taught us about the clothing worn when farming the fields and participating in Bhangra dancing.
We then had the honour of ‘King Charles’ visiting us for a few days for his Birthday. Apologies to any visitors who may have been startled by his presence in the hallway.
The residents enjoyed a coffee morning ‘fit for a King’ out on the patio, with bunting, music from Trooping of the Colour and some Union Jack themed cup cakes.
From Britain to sunny Spain – some of the residents created Spanish dancers using their fine motor skills to create miniature fans for their skirts.
These creative crafts were then used as table decorations for our Tapas afternoon tea. Many residents relished a selection of meats, cheeses, olives and sweet Spanish treats.
Not quite the Spanish horses but still a joy to see were the Shetland ponies, Moomin and Lollipop, who joined us for an afternoon of excitement and surprise… that was for the ponies of course by the sight and taste of our glorious grass lawn.
We also had the pleasure of more adorable animals joining us later in the month. We had a real treat when Lucia’s Tiny Farm visited us with her baby bunnies! We also saw Coco the dog a few days before she had a litter of six puppies! I’m sure there will be some interesting photos to see when Lucia visits next.
We mustn’t forget the sheep and lambs… they’re back! Not so little and cute as the Spring Lambs we usually see but still just as lovely to watch grazing in the field.
“This month we’ve been busy with watering cans, hoses and sprinklers. We’ve been perspiring, drinking copious amounts of water, trying our best to work in the shade and dreaming of a career working in the fridge section of Waitrose… anyone else?
This weather is proving very agreeable to the greenfly population and as a result their community has exploded. I’m a big believer in letting the ecosystem balance itself so where possible I will leave the green fly alone. Allowing the natural predators including ladybirds to munch away on them free from chemicals ensures their populations thrive in the future.
A big job at this time of year is cutting the banks on the drive. The daffodil foliage from spring needs to die back slowly to return energy back into the bulbs. Leaving them untouched does look a bit untidy but it’s so important to leave the cutting for as long as possible to prevent the bulb from being depleted and ensuring the flowers flourish in future years.
Deadheading is an ongoing task and is vital to keep plants producing more flowers and not simply going to the seed production stage. I don’t know about you but this is probably one of my favourite gardening jobs. Who wouldn’t love looking at flowers for a few hours, smelling the roses and sweet peas, filling a trug with beautiful petals and enjoying the hum of bumblebees and the flutter of butterflies. It’s a quiet time to take a breath before going back to zooming about the garden.”
The Month Ahead
With so many exciting sporting events happening in July – Wimbledon, Tour de France, the British Grand Prix, The Open Championships (Golf), UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, King George Weekend at Ascot (Horse Racing) and England v India Test Match (Cricket), ‘Sport’ is going to be our theme for the whole month.
We will hold a Wimbledon themed coffee morning early in the month where I’m sure there will be a succulent strawberry or two to enjoy with a slice of cake.
For arts and crafts we will be making paper medals and trophies as well as bouquets from the flowers in the garden.
I’m sure we will see some people’s competitive streaks when the remote control car and sport themed games on the Magic Table take place. Throwing and catching games will also take place, hopefully on the lawn if this wonderful weather continues.
With all this activity I think an afternoon tea with the opportunity to create our own banana splits will be welcomed.
The following regular activities will also take place this month:
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Singing with Tristan Pate (weekly) and Katie Holland (monthly)
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Exercise Classes with Alfie (fortnightly)
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Bonnie the Dog visits (fortnightly)
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Afternoon tea at Harley Equestrian Cafe (monthly)
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In-house Church Services (weekly)
Care at Wardington House
If there is anyone you know, who might need our care, please tell them about us and we will be happy to help.
Wardington House Contact Information:
Telephone: 01295 750622
This goes to the office during the working day, or to the nurses’ office during evenings and weekends.
For general or administration queries, please email Jane Worrall at: [email protected]
For Accounts, please email Julie Linzey at: [email protected]
For George Tuthill, please email: [email protected]
Compiled and edited by Gemma Shaw
