Happy as Larry, Waspish, Good Juice & Crucial Conversations

Taken from Lynne’s weekly column ‘Green Scene’ for the Western Mail
16^th September 2023

Happy as Larry

Every now and then I have a resounding success in the garden (and life) – this year it has been this beautiful rose.

It flowered profusely during the hot weather in June but then the remaining blooms were left brown and soggy by July’s rain, so I cut it hard back ‘early’, to regain the view down the valley.

And now look at it.  It is absolutely smothered in the most perfect beautiful, blousy, big blooms and looks as happy as Larry (who was Larry?) – and as a consequence, so am I.

I couldn’t possibly leave ‘Who is Larry?’ unanswered.  It transpires that Larry is Mr Foley. Larry Foley was a boxer in the 1890s who, before boxing was fully legalised, won the largest awarded prize of the equivalent of a $150,000.

A newspaper article in New Zealand ran the headline “Happy As Larry” and the phrase simply stuck.

Waspish

There is a saying ‘If wasps build their nest high then winter will be long and harsh.’

Interestingly, most of the wasp nests we have found this year have actually been in the ground.  I wonder if that is connected to the increasing amount of vole and mole runs that seem to be in gardens now. Despite their apparent ‘pent up energy’, wasps are not good at digging so they take over vole, mole and rabbit runs.  As these runs are close to the surface they also provide voids in the soil, which means plant roots are often disturbed and are more susceptible to drying out.  ‘Treading the runs in’ – just pressing the soil down lightly with your feet – will encourage root growth and deter wasps from squatting.

I was telling my brother that studies have shown wasps can actually recognise faces and even remember them for up to a week.  He started to look a bit worried before I finished, ‘but only other wasp faces’.  Apparently while wasps all look the same to us, close examination reveals there are obvious differences in the colours and patterns that cover their faces.  I’ll take the researchers word for that.

There aren’t as many apples around this year as previous years – not in the gardens and orchards I look after anyway. It’s probably a combination of a ‘resting year’ and the bonkers spring weather, which played havoc with ‘setting blossom.’  However, there are some and, as always, the windfalls on the ground are often wonderfully embellished with wasps ‘celebrating’.

Windfalls coincide with the worker wasps being made redundant from a busy summer of feeding larvae. In return for being fed, the larvae excrete a sugary substance that feeds the ‘Deliveroo’ wasps.  It’s a wonderful system, however when the Queen stops laying in late summer, the worker wasps are basically out of work, and craving sugar. Not a good combination for anyone.  As well as providing a great sugar hit, the fallen apples provide fermented sugary juices as they rot, which makes the wasps drunk.

So now you have drunken, sugar-craving, homeless, out-of-work wasps who also know that death will befall them before the winter. It’s not much wonder that they are bad tempered and ‘fighty’.  These wayward wasps will also seek other sugar sources, which is why you will often have an annoying single wasp harassing you while you eat outside at this time of year. They may be disillusioned, drowsy and hung-over, but that doesn’t mean they are any more placid.  They are often more aggressive, so please take care if picking up windfalls and just give the stressed stripey’s a wide berth if necessary – you don’t have to attend every argument you are invited to.

Good Juice

If you are lucky enough to have a surplus of apples, a wonderful lady called Susy Arnold, from Sirhowy Hill Woodlands CIC – a community interest company run by volunteers – will be delighted to collect them from you, within around a 20 mile radius of Tredegar.  Or, of course, you could drop your apples to them at Thomas Ellis Way – it is a beautiful spot and well worth a visit, with apples or not!

The Woodland Group also run fabulous juicing events with a scratter, 3 manual presses, and a little press which is a great hit with the kids. I’m sure if you have a substantial orchard, they would be happy to arrange to spend a morning or a day with you – what a great family or community event opportunity and a chance to make your own juice.  Surplus juice is pasteurised and sold to raise funds and will keep for up to two years, although Susy says it’s usually all gone by Christmas.

You can find out more about all the fabulous work, events and the beautiful nature reserve at www.sirhowyhillwoodlands.co.uk, or connect with them on Facebook.  Offers of apples can be emailed to info@sirhowyhillwoodlands.co.uk or you can call Susy on 0792 983 0966.

Please don’t just let your apples rot and intoxicate wasps – much better to put them to ‘good juice’.

Crucial Conversations

Every now and then I write about something that has a very tenuous connection with a ‘green scene’ but is nonetheless something I feel passionate about and that I think will benefit readers. This week is one of those weeks.

Here goes … if you haven’t written a will, please do. It is one of those things, like the menopause and mental illness, that people don’t like to talk about but is so very important to discuss – and whilst you have the luxury of doing so.  Equally important is your ‘List of Wishes’ and details for your funeral.

Having just having gone through the process myself, there is something very liberating and empowering about taking responsibility for such a difficult thing.  It is almost as though acknowledging your own death frees you up to focus on life. It’s a weird concept, but knowing that I have taken a lot of the practical burden off those I care about is very satisfying.  As is knowing what those I care about want – ‘the’ conversation with Mum revealed that she doesn’t want a photo of herself on her Order of Service but a photo of the spring flowers she loves so much.  That is quite an important thing to know.

It doesn’t have to be a depressing conversation, keep it light and purposeful.  Taking responsibility can be a refection of great love and generous gift. After all, none of us are getting out alive.

Please, have that conversation and make some notes, at the very least.