Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Dustyevsky

Sorry you have what's (hopefully)  a minor, annoying lurgy, Farway. An Indian summer might cure it, but are we really going to get one? Every day I see some sun on the chart, but like 2p, we're not receiving our share of global boiling.

Speaking of boiling and Indian weather...Curried eggs? Hmmm, I remember those, and the alleged dangers thereof. They were just a side-dish; nothing Major I think one of those side effects was grey skin and a desire to eat far too many peas. 

Gardening pregrets....Chinese artichokes. If they'd really been flatulence-free, we'd all be growing them! 
It's actually sunny out there now.  An hour ago, I was basking in the dawn light at 13c. The chart looks set fair until next Wednesday, so maybe it'll be catch-up time. I know what you mean about the unproductive busyness around tea provisioning, taff. The same happens with waiting for people to arrive and do whatever job they've been booked for, especially here, where they don't always show on the day in question. This week, things have happened on time or ahead of schedule, so we're up-dated batwise, and we have this thing ready at the end of the garden to store items until structural reports are done etc. As you can see, one of the local itinerants is already trying to take possession, but we have it padlocked!

Yeah, whatever happened to my levelling skills?

Farway

Blue sky & warm and set fair for the weekend, allegedly.

Lurgy came to nothing thankfully, but still sneezing, so I wonder if it's some sort of Hay Fever? 

Never know these days, everything seems to come with some sort of warning, seems even going in pub gardens could be lethal now. Best not mention upper deck of buses

Nice to see the "wonky" container has arrived, Dusty, and on it's bargain sleepers

pink_poppy said:

We were out last night and when we got home about 11.30pm the stars were amazing - we just stood there staring up at the sky   I love stargazing and I think even my DH was impressed. I've since seen pics of the aurora from 11pm last night, but I never thought to check my phone to see if it was visible here - I wouldn't know how to tbh...

They were good last night, I looked out about 0130 and the moon was low with stars. I even made out The Plough constellation, looking just like it does in books, without the connection lines of course.

Another night I wish I had my camera set up, one night I will have.

Jobs today, carry on pear pruning and maybe pick more blackberries, if any left

pink_poppy

Yep, spotted The Plough here too, Farway. I haven't seen the sky looking like that for a long time.

Dusty, I bet that architect, George wotsisname, would make your container into a bijou home as soon as look at it. It's a good size, so you should get plenty of storage out of it. The sleepers look good - I could do with some of them for the garden.

YBE, I follow Argyll Auroras on Faceache and that gives local'ish alerts. I'll have a look at the Ventusky app as well, thanks. I don't actually know enough about my phone at the moment to understand what settings I have to use to 'see' the aurora. Night settings maybe. I'll figure it out eventually.

We've had heavy rain this morning, puddles everywhere.

Farway

The sun has ducked in for a rest, but not before I managed to prune my pear tree, all fruit trees now completed summer pruning.

I need my loppers to attend to some buddleia branches, a job for another day

pink_poppy said:

Dusty, I bet that architect, George wotsisname, would make your container into a bijou home as soon as look at it. It's a good size, so you should get plenty of storage out of it. The sleepers look good - I could do with some of them for the garden.

Seems quite a common practice, one I saw was hard work because they wanted the container in the back garden, without a rear access

Huge crane had to lift it over the house

They use liquid tanker bodies in the Arctic, the round shape is stronger and cuts wind, build up of snow on a one area etc. Same idea as an igloo.

Picked two of my netted, unknown early, apples, well TBH one was windfall but at least with a net nothing had a go at it on the ground

Dustyevsky

Farway said:

pink_poppy said:

Dusty, I bet that architect, George wotsisname, would make your container into a bijou home as soon as look at it. It's a good size, so you should get plenty of storage out of it. The sleepers look good - I could do with some of them for the garden.

Seems quite a common practice, one I saw was hard work because they wanted the container in the back garden, without a rear access

Huge crane had to lift it over the house

Someone built access for a 40' lorry here last spring. That was lucky!

Mind you, the two big guys could probably have lifted it over the hedge themselves!

I will show what I have in mind for the sleepers another day. Certainly worth £90 to do the job I have for them.

I saw the moon and the plough last night too. No idea when it was. A man of my age tends to conduct most nocturnal missions on autopilot. The cat had other ideas, though, and demanded to be let out of the front door. She has a cat flap on the back door, but leaving by the front is so different and exciting, she will even wait half an hour just to have the experience!

Working_Mum

hello everyone,
I've just had a massive catch up - I've been experimenting with working from home since last Friday which means I can't log into MSE from my laptop. I've tried re-setting my password etc but no link comes through. the WFH has been good so I'm keen to do it again.

My brain is frazzled so I'm sorry I can't recall everything I want to say to you all but I love your steps YBE - Bob the Builder was busy when I swung by - they look exactly as your drawing said it would!

I love your big container Dusty - I must have missed what your plans are for it (and the sleepers afterwards).

I am loving your fruit nets Farway - I got my sewing machine out at the weekend (made a windbreak for my nephew as an engagement gift and covered the cushions on some Freecycl3ed chairs I picked up) so am in the mood for making.....and I hope to have container apple trees next years.....so a perfect solution is to make my own fruit nets and use up all my bits and bobs of ribbon etc!!

I love stargazing Poppy - sounds like you're up north and closer to those lights than I am. I can while away many an hour it has to be said.

I'm not a massive tea drinker 2P but will buy some of the pigs for a work colleague who has been told to pull right back on the caffeine due to high blood pressure! It's good that you can make some tweaks to your diet and lifestyle YBE and wrestle the Type 2 under control. I'm learning carbs are quite complex little bu66ers and can have  a negative impact overall if not treated with respect.

I've loved catching up on everyone's news of home grown produce - my tomatoes are still flowering but haven't ripened yet. I've decided to chop the tops off this weekend and then place them in the sunniest part of my garden and hope that they'll go red in this predicted Indian Summer we are due.

A chap reversed his arctic lorry down our cul de sac yesterday and collected the slate monolith I'd put up for sale. His trolley didn't help him navigate the patio steps - he literally lugged the thing up the patio - he reckoned it weighed at least 400lbs! I haven't heard from him but I am assuming he got home safely! Now it's gone it means I can order another ton of the cobbles and fill in all of the gaps in my new courtyard area.

My Mum's 81st birthday party went really well and everyone loved my "new" greenhouse!

The weather is still and warm here at the moment - am thinking I'm going to have to water the garden and my pots in the morning.

greenbee

Dusty, my cats will stand by the door NEXT TO THE CATFLAP and demand that it is opened rather than make the effort themselves. They just like to keep the staff in their place. 

Some friends have a container in their garden (husband's idea, much to his wife's disgust) for storing tools securely after they had their log splitter stolen. She's had it clad in wood, and it actually doesn't look too bad (she's also managed to hide most of it between a garage and a shed!). 

twopenny

Been reading what everyone's been up to and had a few chuckles.

Yup, I agree Bluey, I'd rather have smaller portions of what tastes good than more of the other stuff.

Love the container garden feature Dusty, could be the next big thing

Not much gardening to report as I've spent two days doing the stuff you really don't want to do and planning more of the same.

We've actually had bright light here today but with strong winds but it's bought mist. It looked beautiful over the moors all greys in layers but not enticing you to get nearer. Unfortunately the Devon beach I long for seems to be misty as well.

Supposed to be sunny tomorrow and I may just skip down there and leave the pruning for the weekend if it's true. Not wildly warm but I'll take what I can get.

wort

Well I was wrong last Sunday, the stay at home while raining 🌧️ day, turned into a half hour walk dropping into a drink or 3 listening to a live singer, then a walk back in the sun.
BH was working, very busy. Then had 2 very cold days, with drizzle , today came out of work and everyone’s in shorts again!

That’s a big container Dusty, and bargainous sleepers , we bought the proper greased up sleepers when we did the garden , used in a path and a bench type thing. Still going strong after 20 odd years. The grey sunset was something I’d put on the wall.

Farway shame about the apples, but you make up for it with the beans , maybe you can supply the local shop.

YBE I was about to say I drink my tea strong with a teaspoon of skimmed milk, and now I know why my teeth aren’t happy. Gawd but I love carbs. Hope you get it under control.

YoungBlueEyes

That's a beast Dusty, what's the plan for that then? Actually I'm more interested in what you're gonna do with the sleepers... Is cat being helpful and trying to hide the gap, or sitting exactly there to draw attention to it...?  

Good to hear the lurgy has s0dded off Farway. Have you tried your unknown apples? I pulled mine before the storm hit and tried one but it wasn't quite ripe. Or it was ripe and it's a bit of a sharp one I've got them sat on my front windowsill, see if that ripens them up a bit :fingerscrossed: 

I reckon most people only use about 20% of what their phone can do pp, same as brains innit. Best thing is to find someone who has the same phone and get them to teach you. Fingers crossed you get good aurora shows soon. Don't forget to look at it through your phone when you do

Glad your mum had a good birthday wm, you got nice weather for it Agree the carb thing is complex - your body needs quite a lot of carbs, but quit eating so many carbs! My toms were a bit like that, still producing flowers and only diddy wee toms. I snipped off about 90% of the leaves so the sun can get into them and they're doing a bit better now. If that helps..?

Hopefully the weather behaves and you'll get to your chosen beach today 2p

I'm almost afraid to ask gb but what would happen if you just opened the catflap for them when they're demanding, rather than the door?

Could you eat more cheese wort, or a supplement maybe? I've taken a cal+vitD one daily since my dentist told me that and it's helped no end. That was not medical advice etc.

OT lovely and sunny here, it’ll get up to 21’ later. Possibly. I’ve done nowt in my garden recently, all I ever seem to do is weed and chop dead bits off living things. And scowl at my recalcitrant toms. Then feel guilty and tell them they’re doing great and to keep going!