Page 77 - BR September 2023 (1)

September 2023 September 2023
OVER THE HILL
OBITUARIES/EULOGIES

her body slowly succumbed in 2023 and she passed away on 10th It is Sunday the 6 August as I write this article as my contribution to the parish
th
July. magazine. The sun is shining and on my arrival home from an afternoon service,
Yet you know, if Diana could be hear to guide you through these difficult which started at 4.00pm and was lead by Sarah Welton on this Lamas Sunday. It
days, she wouldn't want you to be sad for long. She'd rather you remembered was wonderful to see how many members of the congregation there were, even
better moments than this: what you shared with her and not what you've lost though over half of them arrived in the last five minutes before the actual start
without her: She'd want you to think of all the joy and happiness across her time.
lifetime, taking all those memories together all the love vou had. And then, do You never know what is going to happen today, not only in church but
as the poem savs, smile, love, and go on. everywhere. We are having to live in such an incredible world, a place where we
are never sure what to expect with Global Warming being such a huge influence

Remembering Diana on our lives. However it is not all bad news. When the sun shines we are
experiencing some wonderful weather and this seems to be every other day or
Diana was born just down the hill from here - in WinterborneAbbas, right at the so. So we mustn’t complain when we see and hear on our televisions what other
beginning of 1943. Her parents were Daisy and Reg Crabb, a dairyman, and people are having to contend with weather wise.
she had a much older brother Austin. She grew up in plain, simple, 'basic'
surroundings: the outside toilet was simply a hole in the ground, they had to May God look kindly on them and may mankind help those, who are in trouble.
draw water from a pump in the yard, there was hardly an electric light in the
house to speak of. But to Diana it was magical! She wrote about these times in We have so much to be thankful for. Currently we are looking out upon a dry and
a series of letters for her grandchildren to read, and they resonate with sunny sky, with reasonable temperatures and a peaceful world generally. Looking
excitement and joy at everything she saw and did. out of the window from where I am sitting, I see trees in every direction heavily
laden with foliage. It is a surprise to me that we have not seen severe damage to
For instance, she talks about the water as being as pure and sweet as nectar, the arboreal world because of the high winds and heavy rainfall we have been
even if (in the winter) the pump would freeze and they'd have to beg a experiencing. When the weight of the masses of foliage, we can now see, plus
neighbour for a pan of boiling water to thaw it out. This bucolic idyll was at the the addition of the weight of the rain that remains on the leaves together with the
heart of the way Diana grew up to see the world. Her whole life was lived in additional new growth that has materialised this years, this a tremendous amount
the beauty of rural Dorset and her letters gently reflect on how everything in to contend with.
the modem world seemed to have changed, yet she continued to value and
enjoy the traditional ways of living - a little frugally (make do and mend), and The new growth is very weak because of the rapid addition of expanding new
cells, with high water content. The structure of new cells in the roots, trunks,
in harmony with the countryside and her community.
branches and leaves under these conditions can be very hazardous for all trees
At school - the local secondary modern - Diana was mainly a modest student, adding huge burdens on them. The fact that there is rapid expanding growth also
although she excelled in home economics and needlework: let’s face it, means that seed production has to
these skills were probably in her genes! Her mother was an excellent take second place, which can
seamstress: Diana talks about how she adapted her plain white confirmation mean a poor harvest not only in
dress with borders of colourful embroidery to inspire trees and shrubs but in all other
her It must have, for John remembered all sorts of plants including grasses and here we
clothes she made for him and his brother - from must include the cereal crops, which
pyjamas to shirts and jumpers and even outfits for not only may have reduced yields
their Action Men! She loved cooking too. Colin and but may cost a lot more to dry. In
John both recalled the comfort- and calorie-induced great growing conditions why should
comas that they'd all sink into after eating her a plant worry about reproduction,
legendary Sunday roasts, complete with a glass or when it can live such a good life.
two of her home-made hedgerow wine!
Of course when we think of trees,

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