Robert Killington

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Dear Robert,

Happy New Year from a snowy Standen. I hope everyone had a good Christmas. Thank you very much to all those who helped at Nymans and Standen over the Christmas period, especially those who replied to last minute pleas. We have been busy everyday with the car parks always getting full. Just one more day tomorrow then the teams start desembelling the Christmas displays.

I have the first of my January wellbeing walks at Standen on Wednesday, 2-3pm. The forecast isn’t quite as cold as today (thankfully!) but if you wish to join me please wrap up warm. The cafe will be open if anyone wants to get a hot take-away drink to bring with them. It may still be frosty so I’m hoping that means the woods will be less muddy so we can explore there, please wear sturdy shoes / boots. The Nymans wellbeing walk will be on Friday 23 January, 9:30-10:30am, likely round the garden. Anyone wishing to join either walk can book on myvolunteering via local meeting or just show up. We will meet by Goose Green (Standen) and the Welcome Hub (Nymans). Volunteers from both sites are welcome at both walks.

The next Portfolio induction for anyone new to Nymans and Standen will be on Monday 12 January, 11am-1pm in the Riding House Cafe at Nymans and Wednesday 21 January 1-3pm in the South Spare Bedroom at Standen. Please book via local meeting if you wish to attend, the content will be the same at both sites so please pick the time that suits best. There will be more dates in February.

A reminder to all Standen volunteers that the whole site is due to be CLOSED MONDAY 12 AND TUESDAY 13 JANUARY with no access to staff and volunteers for drive works. Volunteer rotas can’t be ammended to take out odd days so you may see these dates available to book. If anyone has booked a shift at Standen on 12 or 13 January, can you please cancel yourself from the rota and take the day off. If anyone is having difficulty cancelling, please contact your volunteer manager.

Kind Regards,

Laura.

Laura Cooper

Community, Participation & Volunteering Coordinator

Nymans & Standen

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Snow at Standen this morning, and at Nymans just as the sun was coming up yesterday (credit Emma, Nymans Assistant Business Services Coordinator).

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Nymans & Standen Portfolio

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Autumn colours at Standen House

The joys of being in early at my volunteering role at Standen House. Visitors are unlikely to see these amazing views.

Hellebores in flower.

Currently reading: Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman 📚Slowly working my way through this book. I’ve reached the start of the fourth week of meditations. I allowed myself to be diverted to read Time Surfing that was mentioned in the meditation for day eleven. I’m enjoying it. Recommended.

Finished reading: Time Surfing by Paul Loomans 📚which I got after it was mentioned in Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. An interesting read which provides a template for daily life. I found it more or less reflected much that I’ve grown to believe over the past 50 years or so. Definitely one that I recommend, especially the part on how to deal with interruptions or “drop ins” as Loomans calls them.

Starlings clearing the bird tables. They had left within a couple of minutes.

Test post from Drafts

Afternoon sun making the garden glow.

Afternoon sun and bumblebee on the mahonia.

Autumn colour at Wakehurst Place, which is the country home of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and its Millennium Seed Bank. Had a walk around in pleasant company. 🙂

Autumn colour at Wakehurst Place, which is the country home of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and its Millennium Seed Bank. Had a walk around in pleasant company. 🙂

Currently reading: Writers and Their Notebooks by Diana M. Raab 📚I’m drawn to yet another book about the use of notebooks. This is a collection of essays by writers on their use of notebooks.

At the end of chapter one in Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman the message I’m taking away is “Good enough is perfectly acceptable”. 😂

Currently reading: Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman 📚Just arrived and I’m reading the prologue. Question I’m asking myself is: do I read it over a couple of days, or do as is suggested and take four weeks? I’ll find out tomorrow when I start reading chapter 1 and maybe chapter two, etc.

Penshurst Place colours

Early morning in the garden

Bother! I’d intended to take some photos of Standen House kitchen garden where I have spent the day weeding the beds. Meeting other volunteers and chatting drove the idea from my mind. Maybe next time…

Finished reading: This Time Next Year We’ll Be Laughing by Jacqueline Winspear 📚If you’ve read her Maisie Dobbs books, you’ll see where some of the stories came from. An enjoyable and at times emotional read.

Dahlia still in flower this late in October. Is this usual? It’s my first time growing dahlias and I have no idea what to expect. These were grown from seed: Bishop’s Children.

Went out earlier to clear the leaves from the drive. I even did the neighbour’s drive too.

A couple of hours later and there’s another fine layer of leaves on the drive. Ho-hum! Glad I have a leaf blower and can make leaf mould to use in the garden in a couple of years 😎

Finished reading: Principles for Newsletters by Cj Chilvers 📚A short and interesting read. Lots to ponder. I’ll no doubt be returning to it for more ideas.

Recovering from a day spent in the Kitchen Garden at Standen House and Gardens, a National Trust property, near East Grinstead, Sussex.

Playing with my new iPad Air with the keyboard and pencil pro. After an initial set up hitch, and waiting for Notes to sync, I’m impressed with the set up. The typing experience is probably better than on the keyboard for the iPad Pro I have for work.

Seems to me that the term Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an oxymoron. AI is definitely artificial, but is it intelligent?