Cafe brews up forOrchard clear-up

LIP SMACKIN’ACE TASTIN’FUND RAISIN’BIG BAKIN’CUPCAKES

AVENING textile artist LouiseWatson created the Buzz Bee forthis edition; just one of herexquisite embroideries inspiredby nature (see back page). Louiseis also the talent behind theillustrations in the Cafe’s LittleBook of Baking, copies of whichare still available and cost just £5.Have you got a bee for The

Buzz? Get in touch!

THE Cafe will be out in force tosupport the Avening Orchard clear-up at the Playing Field on SundayNovember 1st with tea, coffee andcakes for all of the volunteers.The Orchard is the brainchild of

Phoebe Carter and is funded bydonations and a grant fromGloucestershire County Council’sThriving Communities Fund. Theclear up will help remove bramblesand undergrowth from aroundexisting trees and begin preparations

for planting new trees early next year.‘Now more than ever, it’s important toprovide spaces for people to relax,collect fresh produce and reconnectwith nature,’ says Phoebe. ‘It’s thebest time of year to clear up areaslike this and we’ll minimise the impacton wildlife while we work.’It you’d like to get involved with the

clear-up, meet in the Playing Field at10 am. Please bring your own glovesand tools - and a mug if you’d like acuppa while you work.

A newsletter from Avening Community Cafe. Published on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month

The

27th October 2020

BuzzATLANTA Rayner (pictured) enjoysa Cafe cupcake with her brother-in-law; perfect for a family get-together.Sandra Hetterley, Christine Howell,Mandy Slater and Clare Bebbingtonbaked over 160 cakes for the BigBake for Longfield fundraiser. Morethan 40 boxes of cakes were sold,including four bought by Jo Harris forthe teachers at Avening School.Over £100 was raised for the charity.

Bee Happy!

Fan-’tache-tic Mr YoungWord reaches us that theallegedly facially-hair-challenged Richard Young isgrowing a ‘tache to raisemoney for Movember, a charitydedicated to improving men’shealth. Here’s hoping for a fullTom Selleck rather thansomething more, er, Adolf-y.

The WI’s hyacinth bouquetThere’s been a buzz and a lot ofjoy about the hyacinth bulbs sentto every member of Avening’s WIto celebrate its 90th birthday.Shirley Hand came up with theidea and Soo Rolfe gave it a 2020twist: the hyacinths will bloom inall the colours of the rainbow as atribute to the NHS.

Olga sends her loveLovely to catch up last weekwith Olga Scott, who was onlythe second person in thecounty to be hospitalised withthe virus. Olga is on a longroad to recovery, and althoughshe isn’t yet able to come to theCafe, she did want to say a bighello to friends via this column.

Net losses for SarahWhat do you miss most? Hugs?Friends and family? For SarahCoe it’s all of the above, - andtennis too. Not just no Wimbledonthis year; she also had to cancela trip to Barcelona to see herhero, Rafa Nadal, play. So,Sarah, with our love, here’ssomething to sugar the pill!

DiaryOctober 31stHalloween Haunted House Hunt.Raising funds for FOAS.Tickets £2 and must bebooked in advance. Contactfoasavening@gmail.com

November 1stClear up the Orchard. Details onFacebook. Pop-up Cafe, 10amat the Playing Field.

November 3rd and 17thPop-Up Cafe. Outside the SocialClub, 10-11.30.

November 3rdCafe Curry Night at The Bell.Wetake a table for six for Cafefriends and guests. ContactClare on ccbebbs@gmail.com

November 10th & 24thCoffee morning at The Bell. Opento all, 10-12.

November 17thCafe Walk. Everyone welcome.Route or routes will depend onwho signs up! 10am at theSocial Club.

All monthRoadside Library. Outside 6 OldHill.

You’re the only person I knowwho gets excited by dandelions!What do you see in them?Colour. I use them to make naturaldyes. And elderberries, onion skins,sunflower petals, golden rod,….anything from my garden or thehedgerows and fields aroundAvening. Nepeta is my favouriteplant to print with right now.Your jars of dye look like just 50shades of brown. How do youknow what will emerge?You don’t. Everything starts with an‘I wonder’. It’s not just a matter ofnettles giving you one colour, onionskins another. In spring, nettles giveyou a bright fresh green; in autumnit’s greyer and more muted. The firsttime you use a dye bath made fromonion skins it will likely create a rich,dark umber; the second time it’ll bea delicate mustard shade.Bit of trial and error at first, I bet!Of course! Experimentation is partof the joy. I started off by learninghow to spin. Back then I acceptedany old fleece that people wouldgive me but I’m fussier now with mysheep, alpaca and goat wool; every

year I get a fleece from a Jacobsheep in Wotton. She’s called Tulip.Do you think the master weaverliving in your cottage 300 yearsago knew his sheep by name?Hah! He would have got the woolalready spun somewhere else in thevillage. They may have given theirsheep names. Perhaps not Tulip.Back to the dyes…the yellows,greens, ochres and plums worktogether beautifully….When I was a little girl the wife ofone of my Dad’s dental patients, MrsHedges, took me round her gardento keep me occupied while herhusband was having his teeth pulledout. As we were looking at herplants she said to me ‘When you’reembroidering and choosing yourcolours, remember to look to nature– because nature never gets itwrong’. She was absolutely right.OK – I’m sold! How do I start?There are a few things you need toget to grips with – for example howyou prepare the cloth or wool fordying. But making the dye is easy –you just need some onion skins,water - and time!

KEEN walkers took one Tuesday in their stride at the first Café Walk to NagsHead via Mays Lane. Sources close to the walkers claim the photo is blurrybecause they were walking so quickly...The next ramble is on November 17th when Beverley Rymer will lead a walk of

about two hours to Three Cornered Bit, Cherington and back. A shorter walk willalso be organised. Walkers need to wear appropriate footwear and bringrefreshments. Please contact Beverley on 01453 832100 if you are interested.

The Buzz is published online twice amonth by Avening Community Cafe.Editor: Clare Bebbington, 07403006106Contributing editor: Ellie SaundersThe Buzz is distributed online with hardcopies available on request and at thepop-ups, The Bell and outside 6 Old Hill.

Elizabeth OliverCaught by The Buzz

Fan-’tache-tic Mr YoungWord reaches us that theallegedly facially-hair-challenged Richard Young isgrowing a ‘tache to raisemoney for Movember, a charitydedicated to improving men’shealth. Here’s hoping for a fullTom Selleck rather thansomething more, er, Adolf-y.

The WI’s hyacinth bouquetThere’s been a buzz and a lot ofjoy about the hyacinth bulbs sentto every member of Avening’s WIto celebrate its 90th birthday.Shirley Hand came up with theidea and Soo Rolfe gave it a 2020twist: the hyacinths will bloom inall the colours of the rainbow as atribute to the NHS.

Olga sends her loveLovely to catch up last weekwith Olga Scott, who was onlythe second person in thecounty to be hospitalised withthe virus. Olga is on a longroad to recovery, and althoughshe isn’t yet able to come to theCafe, she did want to say a bighello to friends via this column.

Net losses for SarahWhat do you miss most? Hugs?Friends and family? For SarahCoe it’s all of the above, - andtennis too. Not just no Wimbledonthis year; she also had to cancela trip to Barcelona to see herhero, Rafa Nadal, play. So,Sarah, with our love, here’ssomething to sugar the pill!

Nicola Metcalfe, left and Mel Stronach take a well-earned break

focus on these little bursts ofpositivity in an otherwise difficultand uncertain time.Use a notebook or download a

journaling app to record just a fewthings you’re grateful for every day.It’s something small, easy to do,and provides a moment ofmindfulness.

Ellie Sanders

People

IT may seem we have little to thank2020 for so far and, like many, I haveat times felt as though this year hasbeen a write-off.However, last month I decided to

start a gratitude journal; noting downthree positive things every day.These have ranged from somethingas simple as a perfect cup of tea to aday out with my family. It helps me

AS with coals to Newcastle, so it wasthat Longfield Big Bake cakes foundtheir way back to the Longfield shopin Minchinhampton - courtesy ofAmanda Sanders. The charity is dearto many hearts in Avening andalthough Covid-19 has thrown upmany obstacles and has withoutdoubt had an impact on footfall,Nicola, Mel and their wonderful teamof volunteers continue to work hardfor the hospice.‘I had a few spare hours on my

hands as a result of the pandemic

Sweet treat surprisefor Longfield team

Ellie’s grateful for rule of three

and decided to volunteer at theMinchinhampton Shop,’ saysAmanda. ‘It’s a lovely place to work,so I could think of nothing morefitting than taking in a couple ofboxes of cupcakes baked by ourbrilliant Cafe bakers. I think thesurprise was well received!’The Longfield shop at 1 High

Street, Minchinhampton is anAladdin’s cave with many hiddengems and well worth a visit. Covidrestrictions apply. Please call first ifyou want to make any donations.

Ingredients225g butter (room temperature)550g cooking apples, quartered, peeled and thinly slicedJuice of half a lemon225g light muscovado sugar300g self-raising flour2 tsp baking powder1 tsp ground cinnamon4 large eggs1 tbsp full-fat or semi skimmed milk

MethodPre-heat oven to 1800C (1600 fan, 3500 F). Grease a

30cmx23cm traybake tin and line with baking parchment.

Put apples in a dish and pour over lemon juice.

Put butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, ½ teaspooncinnamon, eggs and milk into a large bowl. Beat for abouttwo minutes until smooth and light.

Spread half mixture evenly into the traybake tin, lay halfthe apples on top and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon.Spoon over rest of cake mixture and level the surface.Scatter with rest of apple slices.

Bake for 40 minutes until well-risen and golden brown.Leave to cool for 10 minutes before removing.

Dust with icing sugar and cut into squares.

Sandra’s Spiced Dorset Apple Traybake

Buzz Food

Sandra Hetterley is one of the Cafe’s most popularbakers and bakes like this - ideal for eating outside atan autumn Cafe Pop-Up - is just one reason why.

LOUISE Watson’s ‘perpetual nature journal’ is a delight. The idea, she says, is to dedicate a double spread in asketchbook for each week in a year and add drawings of whatever is in flower or observed that week. As the yearspass you add to your observations and the pages slowly fill up. ‘You build such an interesting record of the firstfrost, or first swallow and it gives me so much pleasure to see the year unfolding, says Louise, who is now in thesecond year of her journal. She hopes to have her journals displayed next year at Rodmarton at theGloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen’s annual exhibition. You can also follow her work on her Instagram page.