Daydream thread... without the rose-tinted specs

lostinrates

Black elders are beautiful. Knowing how well elders do here maybe I should consider one. I feel I should dislike them on principle as I spend so much time fighting elders.

Mind you, I just suggested to DH maybe we just roll with the bind weed in the white garden. It is after all, a white flower.

alfie_1

evening peeps ............. WHAT TREE IS THIS ?

lostinrates

alfie_1 wrote: »

evening peeps ............. WHAT TREE IS THIS ?

Tulip tree.


Gorgeous things. Nice leaves too.

alfie_1

lostinrates wrote: »

Tulip tree.


Gorgeous things. Nice leaves too.

well iv got a biggun :rotfl: did a double take when i walked past it, nevr seen one before !!:o

Davesnave

alfie_1 wrote: »

well iv got a biggun :rotfl: did a double take when i walked past it, nevr seen one before !!:o

And I used to have one here, but it wasn't really suited to the windy climate, fell ill and had to be felled.

The wood is an absolute b*gg*er to split. Never had anything like it. So, although we have burned all the smaller pieces, pieces of the main trunk are still with us. The splitting maul just bounces off! :rotfl:

Davesnave

The kittens are now settling-in. No doubt it was traumatic, being taken from their former 'world' in an old feed shed to be deposited in a completely new environment.

We were worried because the timid one didn't eat or drink for a long time and just cowered at the back of the dog cage we have them in. But at lunchtime today she finally decided we were OK, came out and had some food.

Now, we've connected the dog cage to the chicken run that goes with the broody coop, so they have loads of room and things in there to explore. Lucky our living room is none too special! :rotfl:

alfie_1

Davesnave wrote: »

The kittens are now settling-in. No doubt it was traumatic, being taken from their former 'world' in an old feed shed to be deposited in a completely new environment.

We were worried because the timid one didn't eat or drink for a long time and just cowered at the back of the dog cage we have them in. But at lunchtime today she finally decided we were OK, came out and had some food.

Now, we've connected the dog cage to the chicken run that goes with the broody coop, so they have loads of room and things in there to explore. Lucky our living room is none too special! :rotfl:

im guessing by pics that these kittens were raised so far in a cage ? and now have to be slowly introduced/socialised with the big wide world.? how sad they didnt have a "normal" start... im sure they will rapidly aprove of love and affection those first few weeks are so crucial to thier social etiquet later on. i know with fox cubs the 9 week mark is the point of no return . wild or tame . im tempted to get a cat again but think i will get an older one if i do

choille

Davesnave wrote: »

The black elder comes in a couple of forms and there's a few golden ones too. The latin is Sambucus nigra, then you want the varietal name as well when Googling.

Black forms are Black Beauty & Black Lace. I used to have both, but now I only have the latter. They all root easily.

Gold forms include Sutherlandii, which is cut leaved, like Black Lace, and another one that isn't. I don't know what the plain one's called, 'cos I got mine in Lidl's car park! :rotfl:

Yes, CTC the kittens are here now. FK, we only had two of them...the torties. We always have torties.

Thanks for that Dave - I did have a yellow cut leaf one but it died.

choille

Tulip trees are gorgeous. There;s one in the walled garden at the big Hoose. I think they take a while to flower & grow even. I planted a hard shell thing that I think had come from it, but nowt happened.

Been relisting stuff on ebay until I'm cross eyed. Not much seems to be selling at the mo.

Davesnave

alfie_1 wrote: »

im guessing by pics that these kittens were raised so far in a cage ? and now have to be slowly introduced/socialised with the big wide world.? how sad they didnt have a "normal" start... im sure they will rapidly aprove of love and affection those first few weeks are so crucial to thier social etiquet later on. i know with fox cubs the 9 week mark is the point of no return . wild or tame . im tempted to get a cat again but think i will get an older one if i do

The conditions they were raised in were typical for a smallholding, but being just outside the back door, they saw plenty going on and were visited frequently, by humans, dogs and other cats. They couldn't be raised in the house, as there were 5 puppies born around the same time.

I think the temperament of the mother is crucial, and Pumpkin was a very laid-back Mum, despite these being her first kittens.