Friday, October 25, 2013

Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree ... We have triplets!

In Memory of Lucy and Belinda
In May last year I posted Candles for Lucy, about how the horse chestnut tree planted by Lucy had been covered with candles, and how it brings back memories - because she died before it was big enough to flower. We will always remember the cruel way that our society sometimes treats those with mental health problems.

Last year's harvest of conkers was disastrous - because the heavy rain during the flowering season kept the insects away. This year was different - plenty of candles in May and I have just harvested a magnificent crop of conkers. A large container is brim full - possibly 500 nuts. They included this triplet - with three fully-grown conkers in one case - the first I have seen.

While the tree has gone to town to bring us cheer I note, with some distress, that this year most visitors to this site have kept their hands very firmly in their pockets - even when I have spent many hours digging out answers to their questions. Last year donations to this site raised £775 to help the mentally ill of Hertfordshire, in memory of Lucy and her sister Belinda. This year, with only two months to go until Christmas, there is only £160 in the online collection box - despite the fact that the current economic situation means that the demand for the services has significantly increased. If you have found this site useful, and have not yet donated, please consider donating now, so the site can help even more of the county's mentally ill to have a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year.

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This is the newsletter for the Genealogy in Hertfordshire Web site. Comments on this blog are moderated and may be transferred to the web site where appropriate. If you have a local or family history query you want answered you must use "Ask Chris" - See box in right hand column. Anonymous comments cannot be answered.