It was getting tough in 2006 and the workhouse still threatens us in 2011

Mrs_Veg_Plot

I thought that there has not been many pages added since I last logged on as I did not notice the lock on the bottom of the thread page until the last page.

Tudorose "Yes Grey Queen you are right, they still mine salt in Cheshire.I live less than a mile from the mine"

My OH used to work there and I remember the year the local council took the road from the roundabout to the enterance of the salt mine (up a bit of a hill) off the gritting route and the lorries could not get to the mine to collect the salt because the roads were so bad :rotfl:.

Winchelsea

Hope you soon feel better redlady_1 - makes you feel so awful, doesn't it?

I have a tomato question - my plants have flowers, and have had for a week or two, but nothing seems to be happening. Shouldn't I be seeing some thickening up at the bases of the flowers by now? Do they need pollinating? We have plenty of bees and hover flies around, but I don't see them near the tomatoes.

What can I do, all you clever experienced gardeners?

Mrs_Veg_Plot

Ok have just finished reading the new thread.

I have harvested 16lbs of what I think are wild plumbs. I think they are Mirabelles. They have gone from green to red to yellow and are like a very large cherry. They have a plumb stone inside them and taste like a plumb. I was all ready to make jam with them when my dad turned the offer of them down and now I am not as confident that I have identified them correctly. I have bagged them up and frozen them for now. Any ideas anyone.

welcome scattyspice. I think your gift sounds very nice and definatly not mean.

HariboJunkie

I've already said it elsewhere but ope you are completely recovered soon RedLady. xxx

Winchelsea, the tomatoes appear as if by magic but it can seem slow as the flowers last for ages. The flower will either fall off or spread out and you will be able to see a tiny green pin pr ick at the centre. This is your tomato. Things speed up a bit after that.

ChocClare that place sounds lovely. Could it have been an old orchard? Our house was built 100 years ago on estate land and lots of the neghbours have big apple trees in the garden.

Welcome ScattySpice. Your gift sounds lovely. You could also offer to babysit or cook a meal for the new mum. You could even make a little gift voucher to that effect. There are plenty of templates online.

I'm away for a few days so won't be posting. Be good everyone.

Gigervamp

Mrs_Veg_Plot wrote: »

Ok have just finished reading the new thread.

I have harvested 16lbs of what I think are wild plumbs. I think they are Mirabelles. They have gone from green to red to yellow and are like a very large cherry. They have a plumb stone inside them and taste like a plumb. I was all ready to make jam with them when my dad turned the offer of them down and now I am not as confident that I have identified them correctly. I have bagged them up and frozen them for now. Any ideas anyone.

They sound like cherry plums. There's a picture here as well as a recipe for cherry plum wine.

mesh

scottishminnie wrote: »

I have a bit of a dilemma - my late grandmother gave me her Singer treadle sewing machine about 12 years ago. She gave it to me rather than anyone else as I used to sew a lot and she considered that I took good care of things. It's in full working order, the wood could do with a bit of restoration but it still looks great. It's been on display since the day I got it however it doesn't really fit in with the style of my house. I can't bring myself to get rid of it though. I checked the serial number and found it is listed as 1891:eek: which would be about right. Granny got it as a wedding present in 1939 and said it had been a wedding gift to her mother in law in 1914 and wasn't new then. My mum (her daughter) thinks I should advertise it for sale but I feel so disloyal so at the moment it's heading for the garage with a cover to protect it. I'm not overly sentimental normally but I can't bring myself to let this go for some reason. Silly, I know:o

Off to catch up on the rest of the thread now:)

a lurkers response here... why not take the wooden top off the base and attach a piece of marble/granite or whatever takes your fancy as an offcut from a stonemasons and use it as an outside table?:cool:

CRANKY40

The small person and I were picking the ripe stuff from the garden this evening when he said "Goodness mum, it's like you're growing enough stuff so we can hibernate this winter." He doesn't eat much fruit and I have to hide his veg usually (unless it's carrots), so I try to involve him in what I'm growing - when he eventually decides it's edible, he will know what to do:rotfl: He's only six though, and him mentioning winter preparation has really made me think.

Redlady Take it easy - gastroenteritis can leave you with a delicate tummy for quite a while after you start to feel better. You'll be delighted to know that our grey cat came in with a blue ear this weekend gone. I hope whoever's paintwork she stuck to doesn't see her again until she's back to normal!

mamaninie

hello to everyone on the new thread:)

still eyeing up the absent and derelict neighbour's apples - they're fattening up nicely! I think it will be a race between us and the neighbour on the other side.....

What do I need to do to prepare to store oodles and oodles of apples??

Also, I've got lots of chard - can I freeze it? because the slugs are having a bit of a feast at the minute - or is it better to leave it in the ground and keep harvesting the new leaves as needed??

xx

ceridwen

Manaminie

Perhaps one of your neighbours has a dehydrator and you could all pick and divvy up the apples between you and take turns at using the dehydrator of whichever one of you owns one.?

Mind you - if there IS only one other neighbour - then a half share of those apples each still comes to a lot of apples to preserve LOL - and enough spare to put a box on the pavement outside with a "help yourself" notice as well.

[Deleted User]

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