Travelling On

Alchemilla

This does sound interesting, and better than travelling oneself at the moment.

Suffolk_lass

Here you go - the RHS page on looking after your witch-hazel

It suggests to me, without saying explicitly that once you start pruning it, it responds by putting up suckers or fast growing "water spouts". So once you start, the need to do so will increase in frequency. They are lovely though. We have one in a half-barrel, outside the sitting room patio door, underplanted with lavender that really needs replacing

Alchemilla

@Suffolk_lass does it smell good, Witch Hazel?

Suffolk_lass

Alchemilla said:

@Suffolk_lass does it smell good, Witch Hazel?

It's supposed to but to be honest I don't think ours does. The RHS site suggests it smells spicy. Of course it has been used in linaments and poultices for millenia. RHS has some recommendations if you look at their page about witch hazels. My recommendation is to plant in a big pot so it's growth can be constrained

Karmacat

Thanks for that, SL!  Mine doesn't smell either, I think it must need to be quite intensively processed (distilling etc) before that lovely smell becomes noticeable.

I can appreciate the "once you start, you need to do it more", but it really is shading a lot of the garden, I can't just let it grow and grow.  For planting a new one, I can understand the container recommendation, but if I was going to go to all the trouble of regular watering in a container, I'd plant something that was more useful, even as pretty as it is.  But this one was here when I got here, and it's very lovely when it's in flower, so I'll work with it.

Karmacat

So, today ... I'm getting hungry!  Got the Olympics on in the background, I can't sit and watch it, but I do like it.  

One load of ordinary washing done, and WOO HOO I have curtains on a cool wash in my washing machine!  I'm taking the opportunity while I have to tidy away for the double glazing guy.  This stuff has been up a loooooong time.  Windowsills are still to be cleaned, I didn't do them yesterday.  

And I'd like to do a bit of pruning, as the bin is being collected next Tuesday.  I have a little 25cl prosecco bottle from Christmas to use up - might have a nice night tonight  

Karmacat

Don't want to do any huge jobs, so I'm doing bitty jobs from February's list (not yet posted here - I told myself I'd make a new diary thread, and I sort of don't want to   So, I have:

- experimented with the old flash drives, that I accidentally put through the washing machine, oops.  Seem to be taking new information - I'll use them as backup to backup, always good to have the chance.  Takes ages, they're a bit old, so best to do while doing other stuff.

- SL did my witchhazel research for me, so I copied the pruning paragraphs from RHS onto a little document, and it's ready now.

- brought the washing in - it *didn't* rain, but it looked like it was going to, all afternoon, so I brought it in so I didn't have to worry and keep an eye out.

- updated phone.

- read yesterday's draft of Sains letter, and it's good, ready to be written out and sent.  I may try to find the exact figures for certification of the passport copy and the delivery of recorded post, it would be better to be exact.

- Oh!  Just found an email they sent on 19th November promising to respond within 4 weeks.  I think it's legitimate to follow that up  that can be included in my letter.  Will redraft, and look again tomorrow to rewrite it.

Very happy with that.  I'll carry on experimenting with the old flash drives, but otherwise I'll break for the day  

greent

Just catching up (as usual!) - sorry to hear about your aunt x Love the tapestries - can that textured one with the Xmas tree 🎄  boat be displayed in a box frame? - would protect it whilst still keeping it visible

I also eat way old stuff here... I even chance  freezer stuff which is way past the recommended times- especially fruit and veg but I have eaten chicken frozen more than a year before and it was good! 😋😋

badmemory

As long as they are frozen cold enough I have never had a problem.  The biggest problem I've found is that sometimes they get a bit dehydrated.

Karmacat

greent said:

Just catching up (as usual!) - sorry to hear about your aunt x Love the tapestries - can that textured one with the Xmas tree 🎄  boat be displayed in a box frame? - would protect it whilst still keeping it visible

I also eat way old stuff here... I even chance  freezer stuff which is way past the recommended times- especially fruit and veg but I have eaten chicken frozen more than a year before and it was good! 😋😋

Hello sweetie   thanks for your good wishes on my aunt -  we suspect that we're going to be informed of the funeral a couple of days before it happens, which will make it impossible to get up there in time, because its so distant.  We're not *sure* that politics are being played, but that's how it feels.  We'll see.

The box frame for the Christmas tree boat piece of work is a great idea!  I'm longing to get all these housework-admin type things done with so I can get on to my own projects, some of which are based on half finished projects of my mum's 21 items to do this month, including biggies like "weeding"  and a start made on 3 or 4 of them, so here's hoping.