Daydream thread... without the rose-tinted specs

Davesnave

Some of the hens don't like being confined in their alternative orchard, so they have flown over the 2m fence into the one they've been in for the past year.....:(

I am not clipping wings. They can just get on with it...

I_have_spoken

Cleaning out the fridge and found a packet of slug nematodes I'd been storing until the soil warmed up, so sloshed them on today while the soil is moist.

Looks like overcast & drizzle in Scotland all weekend

Am off to an architectural reclamation yard, seen a sandstone carving which I may use to replace one of the temperamental acers.

EDIT. Loads of interesting stuff at architectural reclamation yard but the carving wasn't realistically transportable being a 'cube' of sandstone rather than a plaque so was easily 75kg

Plan B was to purchase Aucuba japonica ‘Marmorata’ and Taxus baccata 'Standishii' to replace the acers which I'll give a 2nd and last chance in pots. Hope these two will cope better with the shade and the evergreen spotted laurel/golden yew will add interest to the garden through the winter. I've been trying to avoid 'obvious' choices like Aucuba japonica in the garden, but needs must...

Am still battling to get coverage for the fences in the garden, so also got a cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) which I'll plant alongside the verbascums to help disguise the fence while the climbers grow.

moneyistooshorttomention

Bought me some more plants for planting out in the garden today, but that's as far as progress went. I will have loadsa varieties of food of various descriptions planted out over the next few months...planning on a positive cornucopia.

Today's thoughts have focused more on "I see a possible nascent plan here....now I'm getting some idea of whats what..making some contacts....can I make me some money here and help out the community whilst I'm on the subject?" Early early early days and have planted the "seeds in my mind" and waiting to see what will sprout and bear fruit...whether I'm being realistic here.

I do like having a good network of contacts and that and some spare time (now I'm retired) and yer nevair knows....been a dream of mine for many a long year of having a worthwhile and properly-paid "career" of my choice, once retirement released me from the tiresome obligations of "making a living at a sh*t job with sh*t pay"......time will tell.....early early early days....

Okays....positive thinking time here. Has anyone got any Tales to Tell re someone who never had much of a job and never got much of a paypacket for it whilst working age, but come retirement = Boy Look At Them Go? I've done the "Boy Look At Them Go" with unpaid work in a variety of aspects whilst working age, but it never ever translated into paid career for me (some people made money out of my ideas, but it didn't include me......). So maybe....

lostinrates

Four or five different roses have a bloom on in the north garden now, and several In the white and the rose gold garden.

Lots of balled ones though, I might peel some tomorrow to start them. Might not bother.

Probably going to try sowing some annuals tomorrow for colour among the weeds in the back garden tomorow. Bit late, but....never mind.

Davesnave

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Has anyone got any Tales to Tell re someone who never had much of a job and never got much of a paypacket for it whilst working age, but come retirement = Boy Look At Them Go?

I'm not rubbishing the idea, because plenty of people oner 60 have started good businesses, but those with entrepreneurial drive tend not to wait; they run a business alongside the day job!

When I was teaching, a number of colleagues had other jobs beyond, say, coaching, or teaching an instrument. For some, the sideline eventually grew to become more profitable than teaching. It was a sound strategy for those in a job which many would prefer not to do in late middle age.

The plant nursery I ran with DW traded for 12 years. We didn't make big profits, especially when we were new to it, but we survived just selling plants in the final few years.

The difficulty with starting a business late is that the first 3 - 5 years are about learning and building connections; the essential ground work which makes expansion and profitability possible. Expansion usually means significant investment, which older people might be reluctant or unable to make. If fitness is good and the business isn't too physically demanding, there's more chance of success.

moneyistooshorttomention

The way my life has sometimes gone to date Dave has been Have Blimmin' Good Idea that will benefit the community, the community gets it, other people get to make money from it (and not the originator:(:cool:).

We'll see...

Davesnave

Some lovely still evenings this past week.

On the whole, I'm still quite pleased to be living in an ordinary, dull, non-National Park or ANOB area of the county!:rotfl:

I_have_spoken

Better weather than forecast here, so added some plants -

- Cardoon
- Hosta 'Royal Standard'
- Some white snapdragons
- Moved a self-seeded holly
- Moved and planted some more ferns
- Planted out many candytuft which self-seeded last year and I kept in coldframe

Off to London tonight, sadly not going to Chelsea

ukmaggie45

Just come back from the lottie after about 2.5 hours - it was too hot to do much! OH weeded the garlic, and I chased bindweed roots as deep as I could dig down to round rhubarb and tiny flower bed, but the whole plot was in full sun. When we got a bit of shade by the shed I took OH's hooky thing for cleaning between paving stones and started cleaning the patio up a bit, mainly to stay in the shade. OH will go back this evening to water and then treat with nemaslug, but not sure I've any energy left. The peony we inherited is looking fantastic! :j

lostinrates

I seem to have pear leaf blister mite in my beautiful pear trees.

I have wept. Pathetic but true.

Garden centre sold me something which makes the fruit inedible, but RHS says nothing works, so not sure what to do. .