19 April 2020

Ranches Ladies Newsletter

Cherry Blossom Time

The lockdown has been extended for an additional 2 weeks in UAE. Please follow all the guidelines and stay at home to keep everyone safe

To All BRITS In The UAE

If at any point you need to return to the UK urgently / for an emergency then please email: uaeconsular.escalations@fco.gov.uk
with the following details: Full name, passport number, visa status (tourist or resident), contact details, details of your particular circumstance

RL Circles News

Please contact Jackie on circles.ranches.ladies@gmail.com with your pictures, suggestions and activities. We love to see what you are getting up to during this unusual time. We would especially love to hear from past RL members who have left UAE and are living in other parts f the world. What are you doing during the worldwide lockdown?

Gardening

With so much free time on their hands the Gardening Circle is keeping busy propagating, which is something we can all do at home with the plants we already have.

Carole from the Gardening Circle has pointed out that Desert rose bushes are very popular, because they grow so well in UAE and come in so many colours, but they can be expensive to buy. It is easy, however, to grow them from cuttings. You can easily increase your collection and save some money

If you love coleus plants they will soon start to suffer from the hot weather. Plants in pots can be moved indoors but what about those in the ground? Coleus cuttings root quickly in water and can then be planted in small pots. Grow them indoors and then plant them out next autumn when the weather cools.

Finally this week, if you have the lovely Four O’clock plant (mirabilis) in your garden, look out for the seeds. They are very easy to grow and will survive the summer in a shady spot of the garden or indoors. If you don’t have this plant, pick up some seeds from Jackie – after the lockdown!!

Quilting

Anshu is assembling her latest quilt, which shows that the design of a quilt is an integral part of the process. She is ensuring her colours and the tonal balance of the blocks are correctly placed to create harmony. This can be the most difficult part of quilt making and is a skill which comes with time.

Art

Rajul, the silk painting leader, has been designing these lovely patterns and using coloured pencils. Colouring books for adults are all the rage but you don’t need to buy a book. Rajul has drawn her own design but if you don’t have her talent there are many colouring in templates you can download for free from the internet

Members of the art circle are still producing lovely work. Rita has been drawing her daughter and using her family members for inspiration is clearly paying off.

Keeping Fit

Here is Carole after completing the 30 minute fast walking YouTube video. Last week she challenged other Ranches Ladies to do it. Start with the one mile in 15 minutes the first day then move on to a faster pace. 5 Scottish dancers took up her challenge of completing the half hour fast walk. We haven’t heard from any other Ranches Ladies. Are the Scottish dancers the fittest circle?

https:///watch?v=njeZ29umqVE

Books

The Times newspaper published this selection of books chosen by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in her role as patron of the National Literacy Trust. This is a great compilation, with some familiar titles. This is a wonderful opportunity to catch up on our reading.

And we have some fantastic news from RL member Kumkum Ramchandani who has a book of illustrated short stories which will be published this summer in Canada. It will be available on Amazon or as an eBook in a few months. She also painted the picture used on the cover

Congratulations Kumkum