Awful weather - typical Brits talk

wort

YBE sounds like you’ve got an aviary not a garden, glad of the plum pic I was imagining 4 trees each for a letter🫣 
Dusty the colour on that first dahlia is stunning, especially with the dark foliage.

Poured down last night, looking very overcast at the moment.

YoungBlueEyes

I'm glad we don't get infested with tourists here, it's a pretty village but not chocolate box pretty. Most folk head for the coast I think. Or head into 'Ull. The news last night said it was quiet the other night, but one thing I did like was that folks came out to protect the ...targets... from the rioters. Good on em. One of my favourite quotes (which I sadly can't attribute to anyone) is "If only people would realise the power they have" and this is a perfect example of that. Made my heart smile when I heard it  

Plum Crazy tree will stay, I've unwiggled the clips and taken out the bamboo poles so it can please itself now. I'd really have liked it to work just for the fun of it. I'd really have liked all my trees to 'say' their name but it’d probably be years of work to do apple + pear + cherry x2 + plum. My dog-coloured swish rose has lots of new bendy branches though… hmmm.....  

So that Rottery Acres is a bust. Ah well. I didn't see that it was about to float away, good spot 2p. Maybe I'll have a look round that there french France, that'll be warmer. Well we don't need to be up near Barnard Castle as all our eyes are fine And as for poncing about in a Range Rover - you now look like Prince Phillip in my head Farway (I don't know how old you are but I think I've put a few years on you there, sorry )

You're the only person I've ever heard talk about patty pans Arb, I've never heard of them outside this thread. Even though they're the wrong shape, were they tasty? They look like you could just bite right into them, like a queer looking apple   Good luck with your tatties, sans rodents and blight I think they'd be fine.

I've heard nothing about the blood tests yet pp, so maybe it's good news. They said give it a couple of weeks or so and if we haven't rung you there's nothing startling shown up. Then we'll ring you after that to talk through more tests or next steps or something. I'm just glad I'm not sick very often. How you feeling today anyway? Have you caught some filthy lurgy from kissing dirty boys? The kingfisher - well we do have a little brook/burn/beck along the closed end of our cul-de-sac but it's often dry so I doubt there's many fish in it. Even when it's in full flow it's only maybe knee deep and 5ft wide at it's widest parts, but I spose you never know.

I like your dahlias Dusty, the stamens on the pink ones look like flames I wonder what your cream one will look like.

The birds don't all come at once wort, sadly, but it's nice to know they're there I think the most I've seen at any one time is half a dozen. Unless it's squirrels and pigeons then it's getting closer to a dozen grrr  

OT nice out there now but it was another warm sticky night. The rain they gave for yesterday afternoon arrived at bedtime and there was plenty of it, judging from the sound on the conservatory roof   Anyone that's cold and damp just hold on, there's a heatwave coming up in the next few days. Very possibly. Anyone who wants my share can have it! 

Dustyevsky

pink_poppy said:

What are the chances of three of us all posting at exactly the same time?!

They were higher than usual, as it seems there was rain in most places yesterday, but still very unusual.  We had another piece of synchronicity here, when a grumpy business email to someone crossed with her long overdue response to us. We were 2 minutes apart, but she was first.  

Still cloudy here, though the rain's stopped, and we're promised sunny intervals with 20c later by the Exeter crew. The only news is an outbreak of red spider mite on the dahlias I grew from seed in the polytunnel, though as Tom Jones would say, "that's not unusual" by August. I plonked them outdoors in the rain, where they should have been. Now the slugs will get them. There are many more of those this year than we're used to.

Having run out of pictures from the last week's open gardens, I'm returning to a large garden visited a few weeks ago and one or two sitooteries there. Here's a posh one in a sunny courtyard.

With the white wall, tiles, fig, and pencil junipers there's a definite Mediterranean feel. The shelter's actually  750' up on a Devon hillside, so they have a wood burner in there too!

Dustyevsky

Those UFO summer squash can be lovely Arb. We inherited some here, grown well among the chaos by one of the youngsters. Attempts to repeat didn't do well; they seem to need a warm summer, whereas courgettes come good whatever the weather. Then there are the metre long Trombocinos, taff mentions. I've seen locals growing those, but I've stuck with the conventional winter squashes. They are supposed to be F1, but I've noticed variations this year, so some are going for the usual 5metre dash, while others are already into 5 fruit and barely out of the starting blocks. Can we rely on the descriptions we're given for seed nowadays?

You might put your grape socks on today Farway, and I might see something resembling a grape, but I doubt it.

Did you head into the hills, far from the madding crowds, 2p? Driving over Exmoor last week, we realised it had been a few years since we'd ventured right on top, and how far it's possible to see when the visibility's right. We were surprised too, how quiet it was in the touristy bit approaching Oare that might otherwise have been avoided. No need. No backing-up in the narrow lanes. Perhaps everyone was at the beach? 

-taff

Hmm...my winter squash are being recalcitrant and not very forthcoming so far. I have one portimarron approaching real size and none on the black futsu, which I chose because the fruits are the same ish size. Neither are particularly romping anywhere..Building work gathers apace, my tea duties take up a large part of the day so I'm not getting much done, not even proper watering except the greenhouse but hey ho...

Arb, those patty pans are meant to be picked quite small, say palm of your hand size roughly, for maximum scalloped edginess..I reckon with our collective pool of knowledge we could definitely compile a list of goers and a list of only if you want to plays...

I second a look at that there France, I've wanted a proper chateau for years and only recently gave up on ever having one. It is what it is.

What is it about dahlia's Dusty? [Lovely ones by the way] Everyone who I've listened or talked to about them give e rolling eyes at the difficulties in growing them..I had a lovely one once, a lovely shade of strong burnt orange but that was left behind in one move..It was one of the bishops I think.

And fingers crosssed for cars working, stitches coming out on their own, tile sharing, grape cossetting and plans...

twopenny

Quick dip in as yet more crisis to deal with, thinking of gettin in a exorsist, will have to read all later.

Arbs, potatoes used to be stored in dry compost overwinter so as long as you keep the soil dry and free from nibbly bugs they'll be just fine.

Baby squash/courgettes are lovely sliced and fried. Used to have them in Oz.

Bluey, if they aren't in a hurry to tell you there should be no worries.

Dusty, not going anywhere due to car.

Cool, cloudy, not enticing out there.

Sees you later

Farway

The rain came along yesterday, not bucket loads, enough to prevent gardening unless desperate, also a mighty wind did blow, result of which is a tilted tomato out the front , the cane has rotted & snapped. 

Luckily there is a handy not very nice, from seed, dahlia that I've lent it against, should last for a bit longer.

Dustyevsky said:

The other startling contrast dahlias to look out for are the Mystic series.

https://planthaven.com/collection/mystic-dahlias/

I think Rozanne will give about 3 months of colour if treated well. The offsets I took from our big clump this year have really romped away.

Those dahlias look good as well Dusty, I can see me having to dig deeper down the back of the sofa for cash because I doubt Morries or Home Bargains will have those beauties

Thanks for Rozanne offset update, I was about to ask because that is part of my Cunning Plan for 2025

YoungBlueEyes said:

 And as for poncing about in a Range Rover - you now look like Prince Phillip in my head Farway (I don't know how old you are but I think I've put a few years on you there, sorry )

I've heard nothing about the blood tests yet pp, so maybe it's good news. They said give it a couple of weeks or so and if we haven't rung you there's nothing startling shown up. Then we'll ring you after that to talk through more tests or next steps or something.

Some extra years , older than Cliff, more like Keith Richards, without their money in both cases  

But I couldn't prance about on stage as they still can

Sounds like blood may be OK, no news etc. Wasn't there some super, but not easy, diet just announced which can “fix it”? Anyway, let's hope all's well in the end.

Dustyevsky said:

You might put your grape socks on today Farway, and I might see something resembling a grape, but I doubt it.

Could be, but today is MOT day so need to be in phone grabbing distance and not groping grapes down the bottom of the garden

Today is my sweet corn thingy, no sign of cobs lower down, but I guess they wait for the male bit to get in the mood first

YoungBlueEyes

Just quickly popping on (friend is late for lunch - grrr bug bear 😠) 

Glad I didn’t offend you with the Prince Phillip comment Farway! Which reminded me of a funny. 

For every pack of fags you smoke, Jesus takes a year off your life and gives it to Keith Richards  

OT  sunny and breezy and warm. 

Farway

Quick folks,

Mr F has all seeds for £1 packet, P & P applies [£1.95]

Ends midnight Monday 12th August. Discount will be automatically applied at the checkout.

Could be handy for that expensive variety you wanted, and if made of money, free P & P over £50

YoungBlueEyes said:

Just quickly popping on (friend is late for lunch - grrr bug bear 😠) 

Glad I didn’t offend you with the Prince Phillip comment Farway! Which reminded me of a funny. 

For every pack of fags you smoke, Jesus takes a year off your life and gives it to Keith Richards  

OT  sunny and breezy and warm. 

I'm far too old to worry about age remarks , and, tip for when you get older, playing up the silly old duffer in shops can be advantageous, and gets a seat on a bus as well.

I forgot to feed the pot pants this morning, so did it after lunch, I have another sweet corn thing popped up as well

MOT update, car cancer near rear wheel arch. 

Welding it as I type, I'll get pennies change from £300, which I suppose is fair enough for another year's motoring and given the age of the car with only £35 a year road tax.

Dustyevsky

Farway said:

older than Cliff, more like Keith Richards, without their money in both cases But I couldn't prance about on stage as they still can..........

Did Keith ever 'prance?' He always struck me as not the type to work up a sweat. I loved his answer when interviewed, maybe 20 years ago now,  at some big event. The reporter asked "Are you pleased to be here?" With typical laconic brevity, Keith replied: "Man, I'm just pleased to be!"

The fittest 80 year old front man might be either Mick Jagger or Roger Daltrey. My money's on Daltrey, because he farms, fishes, and he isn't much taller than me. I've forgiven the tinnitus.

With Arb's Patty Pans and your corn tassels waving enticingly in the breeze, no one can accuse this thread of lacking diversity and inclusion, especially as corn reproduces with its ears.  

Anyway good luck with the MoT. I've just looked at today's mail, and Mrs Dusty's car tax reminder is there with the words, "Tax It or Lose It!" emblazoned on the envelope. Today's goverment servants (?) really know how to engage positively the public, don't they?

twopenny said:

Quick dip in as yet more crisis to deal with, thinking of gettin in a exorsist

Oh dear! They usually come in 3s, you know. You should only panic if there are 66 of them, or possibly just 4, if they're on horseback.  Besides, why use an intermediary? You can dial straight through now. If you do, please mention Farway's car, Bluey's and pp's results, and my spider mite-infested dahlias. Thanks. I'd do it, but my phone's not set up for roaming beyond the mesosphere. 

To get back on-topic PDQ, I'll add it's partially sunny here, but still quite grey and windy overall. 

Here's a puzzle picture to finish, shot in the posh village a few weeks ago. The Oriental poppy is 'Patty's Plum' but what is the unusual shrub with shiny leaves forming the backdrop?

PS I've done something wrong with the quoting here and my "body is 10 characters too short," apparently. Hoping this will fix it, if not my body!