make do and mend for tougher times

GreyQueen

Phew! Water subsiding. It's a grassed area with a concrete lip and once over the lip it was only a meter to the front door. It was topping over but thankfully the rain stopped in the nick of time and it has (mostly) soaked away. I sincerely hope that there are no more cloudbursts in the next few hours or I could be in trouble as the ground is saturated and she cannae take it any more, Cap'n

It's such a shame about the Kestrels. I've been growing this variety for about 5 years now and am very happy with them. They have violet eyes - like Liz Taylor - although you only really notice the colour strongly when they are just out of the soil. I normally have them slowly dying back in June and dig them up on the first weekend in July. Last year was a freak and they weren't ready to harvest until the 3rd week of July. They had no watering in last year's drought but did very well.

Like Kittie, I have concerns about what may be going on underground vis a vis slugs, those nasty smaller grey ones which are in the habit of tunnelling spuds. Because the tops are so green (they're also in flower) I'm expecting that the tatties themselves will be well short of their potential size, but better to have a smaller yield than have the blight get into them.

Tonight I ate the last of the 2011 broad beans from my mini freezer and within the next week, I shall be blanching and freezing the current crop. My broad beans are this year's star performers, growing on last year's tattie patch which was well-fortified with farmyard manure (mixture of pig and cow, bought from a local farmer and delivered by tractor and tipper-trailer). This farmer delivers to a lot of the site, and several people have had his stuff on previous years and it has all been without hitch.

After that to-do a couple of years ago with the contaminated manure, you become a bit wary about what you introduce to your veggie patches. One gent I knew had his asparagus bed, which was just about old enough to yield, ruined. He was livid.

One thing I do notice is that I'm fishing binder twine and plastic scraps from the manure as I'm spreading it. Farmers are messy so-and-so's in my experience, but they're working hard and it's no biggie if I have to pull some plastic from the soil. Makes a change from Early Neolithic knapped flints, anyway.

Hope everyone is dry and well-fed this evening. Laters, GQ x

fuddle

Our very own slug knackering archeologist

Do you both not get tempted to have a bit of a dig about to see if there has been blight or slugs? I mean just one little quick rut? It would be purgatory for me to just leave them wondering.

GreyQueen

They're well-earthed up, Fuddle, and it's best not to meddle with them until you intend to harvest a root as the connection between the tuber and the root is rather brittle and easily snaps. But yes, I am desperately curious to know what's going on under there. In 24 hours all will be revealed.

I always enjoyed harvesting the tatties as a kid. Ideally, you want a warm dry day with a good breeze and will dig them up and let them rest on the surface for a few hours to dry out and harden off the skins, somewhat. I'd then examine each one to make sure it was sound before putting it in the basket and thence transferring to the sack.

You never know what you'll find. One monster spud and three marbles? Several of similar size and shape? Will they be as smooth as a baby's bottom or will they be covered with common scab? This is unsightly but doesn't affect the eating quality. Will you find one distorted by squeezing past stones so that it appears to have a body and a little head?

Kids love the comedy-value of h.g. tatties.

Sometimes you dig under a perfect-looking plant and there is NOTHING and sometimes there is a treasure of potato-y goodness. Last year's crop were nearest the pavement and in clear view of passers-by and several people said Look at the size of those f*****g things! My lottie site is in the heart of a very rough estate and some of the language you hear is nothing you'd want to repeat to your children..........:rotfl:Mind you, the shock and awe value of my harvest provided some amusement for the neighbourhood, so that was worthwhile.

shegar

Sunshine and showers, sunshine and showers and dam more sunshine and showers, lovely when the sun do come out, but then 10 mins later the showers again,at least the temp is around 20 so dont suppose I should grumble but I will.............6 wks left of summer then away we go into autumn....:eek:

Wheres all our usual posters gone on here.? I know I dont post too much espeically during the day, I cant find the time to get on here, but theres 5 pages going everyday so quick its a job to catch up........Weve lost so many long standing posters and I do miss reading of a evening how your all getting along............Perhaps you read more than you write..??.I do hope your all okay........

Ive spent the whole day in counselling to do with people who have suffered brain damage one way or tuther, its so very tiring, and theres so many people out there that suffer in silence, not knowing if theres help for them and there carer, I do quite a bit of charity work, as I cant work full time anymore,.... ......But at least these day we are so fortunate to have computers and be able to find a wealth of information and every subject going.............When I first got the puter I thought id never get use to it, but I find it so useful and quicker than reading books for info..............Sometimes its scary what you do find to read , espeically medical things..:eek:..............
I hope your all getting through okay.........

maryb

I was doing the hokey cokey with my washing today as I had several loads to do, but it was still worth putting it all out in the dry spells as it was so breezy it dried pretty well. But I stayed in the kitchen as I can hear as soon as the rain starts on the conservatory roof and can dash out and bring it in.

Went out around lunchtime just after one of the heavy showers had finishedand the road was steaming in the sunshine so much that it looked like early morning autumn fog

Byatt

Shegar, did you sort out your travel insurance problem in the end?

Ellie83

SDG31000 wrote: »

Ellie and MrsRodgers I had DS1 at 21 when we had no money and DS2 at 24 when we had no money. We still have no money but wouldn't be without them for anything (Well I might swap them for Hugh Jackman )

That's what my mum is telling me but I think she may be biased: she is dreaming of becoming a grandmother

MrsRogers wrote: »

Hi Ellie - DH & I have just turned 31 - For us we have been saving hard and spent time clearing debts. We officially started trying last year and nothing has happened so far .. I have had tests and have PCOS and am over weight and have a stressful job so GP basically said no wonder not concieved yet!!:mad: Anyway our time will come but in the mean time we are focusing our efforts on our finances and that when we do get preg we can make the most of the time

We're almost the same age then. I am 29 and although it is not old in the grand scheme of things, I don't want to wake up one day realising it is too late. We're lucky in that we don't have debt (apart from husband's student debt and hopefully a smallish mortgage soon), but it is my lack of employment that worries me. If I could secure a part-time job for a few years before we TTC, it'd be ideal. (I can't work full-time as I am a part-time student as well and uni won't let me work more than .6)

Maybe soon, who knows :rotfl:

Byatt

Good Luck for tomorrow for all having interviews!

xxxx

katieowl_2

Just heard from my friend, she's been given some kind of deferred reposession, so she has until the beginning of october to find work, they also suggested that if she can't, she rents the flat out. Lots to take in, but she's in London, and if she can't pick up NHS work (she's a midwife) then care home work should be a real possibillity, especially as she'd rather work nights - she sounded mighty relieved...and TBH so am I!!! I'd have been having sleepless nights about her being on the streets, and at least this gives her plan B and something to work towards. Not sure if DD will hold off until October to maybe get a dog though, she's got her eye on a rescue locally already Hope this goggie doesn't mind a friend!!!


Kate

fuddle

Some breathing space katieowl. Here's hoping something turns up for her.

Good luck from me too for our interviewees tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

More spring chickens on the thread Yey. Can I call myself a spring chicken at 32? Oh I dunno. Ellie, was it you who mentioned you were going to crochet a christmas blanket on the christmas thread? I might be mixed up. So many young'uns are crocheting, it's great.