Green and pleasant

Malago's July meeting was a triumph - hot weather, beautiful gardens, and a glut of jolly banter and generous cake. The Ethicurean folk could not be lovelier, and we thank them for their hospitality.

August - we're making felt beads so be prepared to get your hands soapy. We'll show you how it's done, give you a chance to make a few of your own, after which we'll make a few bits and bobs with more beads. If anyone has any fleece tops (balls of fleecy felt wool not old jumpers, you understand) bring them along to add to our multicoloured wool mountain. But we have a request - WE NEED CAKE BAKERS! Please come forward if you can muster up something delicious for August, drop us an email.

Looking forward, September is Jane Brocket (woo hoo!) and October is our 4th birthday party. Both these meetings involve a temporary relocation but we'll give you all the deets nearer the time. And if you've been wanting to get more involved with Malago, we're recruiting for new committee members - come and say hi if you think you might like to join the Malago gang.

See you on Wednesday 29 August,

MWI x

Always on my mind

Yo, Malago!

After June's relaxing meeting, we've been feeling the benefits of Jackie Hawken's mindfulness techniques, and, despite the endless rain, have felt inner calm and a peaceful guesthouse. Jackie mentioned quite a few books during her talk and we'll put them up on the site just as soon as she sends us the deets.

And we passed the WI Olympic torch, received from Westleaze WI on their Raleigh Choppers, on to Dundry WI who plan to take it onwards via tractor.

July - a special treat lies in store. Rather than our usual Methodist Church meeting, we're going on a trip to The Ethicurean at Wrington. One of the most fabulous places in all the land, we'll tour the beautiful walled garden, hear how the restaurant was born from its chef/owners, and sample tea and cakes of a different variety.

Malago WI will cover the cost of this meeting, but we ask you to contribute £5 towards the coach cost. Places are filling up fast - you have until 9 July to confirm your place, after which we'll open the list to non-members.

Drop us a line for more info, or pop your £5 in a named envelope through Lottie's door.

Until then, stay dry,
MWI x

PS If you don't already get our email newsletter, sign up via that there box over on the right ----->

Midsummer Malago

Wasn't Lia lovely? May's meeting was a wonderful combination of gardening talk and potting up with the Guardian's gardening guru, Lia Leendertz. All very inspiring. If you want more of the same, have a look at Lia's blog or follow her on Twitter (you ARE following us, aren't you?), and have a gander at Alice's ever-wonderful pics from the night.

June's meeting is a chance to take stock and ponder, much in the vein of our Happiness meet at the beginning of 2012. On Wednesday we'll welcome Jackie who will introduce us to Mindfulness. The way we handle our feelings plays a big part in how we cope with challenging experiences in life. Mindfulness is a potentially life-changing way to alter our feelings in positive ways, and an ever-expanding body of evidence shows that it really works. Find out more about mindfulness before the meeting, or learn everything you need to know on Wednesday.

We'll also be welcoming the ladies from Dundry WI who will be receiving the Avon WI Olympic(ish) torch. A few of our members took receipt of this fiery chalice last week from Westleaze WI - pics on the Flickr if you fancy a nose. In honour of this summer's sport extravaganza, we'd love it if you'd dress with a nod to those famous rings - have a rootle through your wardrobe for the following colours and wear with pride on Wednesday: blue, yellow, black, green, and red.

And looking forward to July, we'll take Malago on the road with a visit to The Ethicurean, voted the UK's best ethical cafe/restaurant. Housed in the most beautiful walled garden in Wrington, we'll hear all about the Ethicurean ethos from the chefs and take a tour of the veg patch. More details at Wednesday's meeting, and we'll be sending out an email nearer the time. There may be subs to pay for the coach, so if you could bring along a fiver to the June meeting to secure your place we'll be able to book our transport in advance.

See you on Wednesday 27 June, 8pm.

Don't forget - we're meeting tomorrow

Malago Maybugs

This is your last minute call for our May meeting, where we will be learning everything there is to know about container gardening from a true master - lovely Lia Leendertz, of the Guardian.

Lia will be showing us how to grow edibles in containers, and we'll all be doing a bit of planting up too. As well as covering edible gardening from all sizes of gardens from pots to plots, Lia will answer all your green-fingered questions.

We have a few containers, but please bring along whatever you have - cardboard boxes, pots, or any size of tins, washed and de-labelled, even baked beans ones will be fine.

And if you have a glut of plants or seedlings at home from your own horticultural endeavours, bring them along to add to our plant swap. Swishing again :)
 

Can't wait to shoot the breeze over some shoots and leaves,
Malago WI x

Spring is in the air...

...which means not long until the Art Trail!

 But first let's talk blogs. March's meeting was a splendid effort. Who thinks Lindsay has a future career as a chat show host? We loved the living room set, and it certainly seemed to put our esteemed panel members at ease. They were fantastic speakers, and the subject matter was fascinating.

Thanks again to Josephine of Slummy Single Mummy, Bethany of Bristol Craft, Laura of Side Street Style, and Catherine of Bristol Parenting Cafe. Check out Alice's lovely photos for a visual round-up of what took place.

We've managed to unearth a few bloggers in our midst, too: Lou writes Little Green Shed, Moira is the author of Stuff and Nonsense, Gareth is the face behind Just Gai, and Lottie's blog is Oyster & Pearl. A talented lot indeed - let us know if you'd like to go public with your blog.

So, onto April's meeting - A New Taste of Spring - which a change to our advertised programme. Spring and early summer can be a big challenge for cooks making the most of fresh, local and seasonal ingredients. Shannon Smith, an experienced food and cooking tutor, shows how to enjoy wild greens, salad herbs, and fruit leaves, in a cook-and-taste session featuring something savoury and something sweet. Nettles, sorrel and blackcurrant leaves are likely to be on the menu – along with other refreshing and potent flavours. Members are invited to bring samples of new green things from the garden, allotment, or gathered from the wild, for tasting and inspiration.

And back to the Art Trail. Don't forget to bring along any completed projects to the meeting on Wednesday 25 April. We'll also be taking down the names of you wonderful volunteers who will be manning the caff and making food for us to sell as part of your 'hour a year' commitment to Malago WI - thank you all in advance.

We're going to produce a 'save the date' email invitation for you to send round to friends and family - we hope our Stormy Teacup cafe will be as popular as our last Art Trail effort so any promotion you could help with would be ace.

Evening craft sessions - we've put dates in the diary for these, so if you can make any of the following sessions then drop us a line:
Wednesday 18 April
Monday 23 April
Thursday 3 May
Wednesday 9 May
Tuesday 15 May

For more details, email us - wearemalagowi@gmail.com

Does anyone have any of the following they could donate or lend for the weekend itself (19-20 May):
Furniture - small tables, stools, old chairs, random drawers from old pieces of furniture
Cutlery or crockery
A bell tent or yurt

Think that's all for now.
Toodle pip
MWI x