THE DOWER HOUSE NEWSLETTER

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1 THE DOWER HOUSE NEWSLETTER Welcome to The Dower House s August s Newsletter. Last month we held a Wimbledon themed afternoon tea in the grounds, which was a lovely afternoon and the weather was very kind to us. We also held one of our popular cheese and wine evenings with all the drinks being sourced locally. We had a great turn out and lots of fun was had by all. This month we see the return of our annual Summer Garden Party which is set for Saturday, 6 th August We are delighted to confirm that we have Back to Swing to entertain us. Family and friends are welcome to join you at the Garden Party; please do let us know how many people have accepted so we can provide tea and cake for all. August Activities Wednesday, 3 rd August Maya with Piano Recital in the drawing room Saturday 6 th August Summer Garden Party Wednesday, 10 th August Freda Bates returns with a Talk on Westminster Thursday, 11 th August Holy Communion Wednesday, 17 th August Anytime Club, will be showing the movie The Lady in the Van Thursday, 18 th August Gardening Club, tour round the garden with Joe. Tuesday, 23 rd August Matteo Lewis Piano Recital in the drawing room Wednesday, 24 th August Suba Crafts. A demonstration of flower making from net fabric, foam material and recycled plastic This month we will be showing The Lady in the Van. Film Synopsis: The Lady in the Van tells the true story of Alan Bennett's strained friendship with Miss Mary Shepherd, an eccentric homeless woman whom Bennett befriended in the 1970s before allowing her temporarily to park her Bedford van in the driveway of his Camden home. 1

2 This month the Olympics take place in Rio and here is some history of the games: According to historical records, the first ancient Olympic Games can be traced back to 776 BC. They were dedicated to the Olympian gods and were staged on the ancient plains of Olympia. They continued for nearly 12 centuries, until Emperor Theodosius decreed in 393 A.D. that all such "pagan cults" be banned. Olympia Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games, is in the western part of the Peloponnese which, according to Greek mythology, is the island of "Pelops". Pelops was the founder of the Olympic Games. Imposing temples, votive buildings, elaborate shrines and ancient sporting facilities were combined in a site of unique natural and mystical beauty. Olympia functioned as a meeting place for worship and other religious and political practices as early as the 10th century B.C. The central part of Olympia was dominated by the majestic temple of Zeus, with the temple of Hera parallel to it. The Games and religion The Olympic Games were closely linked to the religious festivals of the cult of Zeus, but were not an integral part of a rite. The ancient Olympic Games were initially a one-day event until 684 BC, when they were extended to three days. In the 5th century B.C., the Games were extended again to cover five days. The ancient Games included running, long jump, shot put, javelin, boxing, pankration and equestrian events. Pentathlon The Pentathlon became an Olympic sport with the addition of wrestling in 708 B.C., and included the following: Running / Jumping / Discus Throw 2

3 Running Running contests included: the stade race, which was the pre-eminent test of speed, covering the Olympia track from one end to the other (200m foot race), the diaulos (two stades - 400m foot race), dolichos (ranging between 7 and 24 stades). Jumping Athletes used stone or lead weights called halteres to increase the distance of a jump. They held onto the weights until the end of their flight, and then jettisoned them backwards. Discus throw The discus was originally made of stone and later of iron, lead or bronze. The technique was very similar to today's freestyle discus throw. Wrestling This was highly valued as a form of military exercise without weapons. It ended only when one of the contestants admitted defeat. Boxing Boxers wrapped straps (himantes) around their hands to strengthen their wrists and steady their fingers. Initially, these straps were soft but, as time progressed, boxers started using hard leather straps, often causing disfigurement of their opponent's face. Pankration This was a primitive form of martial art combining wrestling and boxing, and was considered to be one of the toughest sports. Greeks believed that it was founded by Theseus when he defeated the fierce Minotaur in the labyrinth. Equestrian events These included horse races and chariot races and took place in the Hippodrome, a wide, flat, open space. 3

4 The Gardens in August August can be the hottest month of the year and this makes watering essential. Baskets and pots can dry out quickly in the summer sun, so, unless we have a good downpour of rain Terry will be watering three times a week to ensure that you can enjoy the pots right up to the end of summer. Throughout July our wildflower meadow was an enormous success. We had plenty of comments from residents both here, and those who pass through from Headbourne Worthy House. In fact, many residents from Headbourne Worthy House made the trip down specifically to gaze at the vast array of colours that were on show. Below are two photos that Sharron took that show the meadow in all of its glory. August in the garden is a time for our late flowering plants to come into-theirown. Most notably would be Dahlia Bishop of Llandaff at the far end of the Physio Bed and the purple rosette Dahlia in the Shrubbery. Dahlias are invaluable to any summer border and many varieties will continue to flower until the first frosts. The Indian Bean Tree (Catalpa bignonioides) was late to flower this year, however, the scent that drifts through the grounds ensures that it was well worth the wait! Despite its name, the Indian Bean Tree does not come from India and does not grow beans! It actually originates from the Eastern United States. 4

5 The Indian in its name refers to the local Native American tribe near to where the tree was recorded by a European Botanist in the early 1700 s. The botanist s transcription of the tribe s name, Catawba, was incorrectly recorded as Catalpa. MAINTENANCE The refurbishment of the Admin Office is almost finished, please do pop in and see how it now looks. Editor s notes Here is a short poem to finish: Spring is sprung the grass is ris I wonder where them birdies is The birds are on the wing, But that s absurd; the wings are on the bird. Philippa Thompson General Manager 5