Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Dustyevsky

pink_poppy said:

I survived the wee stroll yesterday (10 minutes turned into an hour) and I managed to not fall into the loch   I did notice that I can't walk in a straight line though, unless I really concentrate...

Dusty, your words of wisdom weren't directed at me in particular, it was just your comment about the 'real winter weather' that struck a chord. I've been known to stay indoors for days at a time, so that's going to stop and I'll make a point of getting outside for a walk every day, come rain or shine.

The sun has just come out here and the tree (I think) next to the pruned cherry tree is looking gorgeous with its red leaves bathed in sunlight   Can anyone tell what it is from this rubbish pic??

The tree might be a Malus, but it is hard to know! I don't think an Acer would do well in your location, and it's the wrong shape for a Liquidambar.  I like the big, rocky hump in the background; my inner child wants to climb it and set up a spying base!

Regarding going outdoors in winter, we didn't do it that very often until it became a necessity on the smallholding. While not exactly 'townies,' living in a city semi, meant there was little reason to brave the elements. We put our plants to bed about now, and apart from cranking up the propagator for a few seeds in February, not much input was needed till late March. There are jobs here that are best done in winter, or can only be done then, and once we started doing those, it dawned on us, winter wasn't so bad after all!

Walks in the countryside, or in country-like places, have been scientifically proven to boost mood, and improve thinking, compared with urban walks of similar duration. Most of the regulars here are lucky, living close to, or within easy reach of lovely and/or interesting places; just look at your seals, for example! Great fireworks photos too! I forgot it was November 5th, and we didn't hear or see a thing. OTOH, there was a shooting contest just up the road last Sunday, and they were firing constantly from about 10.00 till dusk.

I'm late this morning, having finally negotiated big hedge-cutting for Friday. If not, then Saturday, though with diversions the road is a bit busy, so it might have to be next week.

If you're going away soon, you'll need a car, Bluey. How about this one which pitched-up on our drive parking area yesterday? I seem to remember you saying you wanted a blue one. It really belongs to a travelling nurse, but I've swapped the plates out, so the police will never guess!

Working_Mum

I've had a lovely week reading everyone's updates - I've had a few things going on here which has meant I've only had time to read and "like".

I loved your G'dad Edwin's marrow pic Farway! I think actual photo's are such a gift - i love looking through them. My daughter regularly prints off loads from her phone each month via some app or other so she has the physical pics - " in the old days Mum" she said!

I really like the look of the Vallota Lily Less but think it may be a bit temperamental for my "stick it in and see" approach to gardening!

Thanks for the mistletoe pic Dusty - I seem to recall I found some mistletoe under the same tree last year but didn't think to look up to see where it had come from! Just thought the yoofs who hang out on the field at night listening to their music and eating takeaways had dropped it 

I'm glad the symptoms of your vertigo are subsiding PP - seems to take time and a bit more time to tread carefully out of all the symptoms I think. I love that you're still getting out and about (albeit carefully) and second the need to get out every day - it is so good for VitD and MH during winter months (my view, not medical opinion etc)

You have done so much to your allotment Taff, you can really see the potential there. I love that you've done it with a reduce, reuse and recycle mindset, I hope you'll keep us posted as it develops. It'll be stunning.

Have a really smashing holiday YBE 

I had a little wander down my garden this morning and found this self seeded cosmos - I think the trough it is in had a box of wild flowers dropped planted carefully in there a couple of years ago. Cute colour though



I planted some Japanese anemones in the new bit at the bottom of garden and they're going great guns. I love them and hope they'll spread.


I'm hosting my Book Club tonight so am manically getting my house clean and have a fat free vanilla cheesecake baking in the oven for later.

OT its cool, still and overcast here today. I've got some plants due from Su77ons over the next few days (can't recall what I've ordered) so am hoping to get them dug into the garden this weekend.

Have a lovely Wednesday everyone.

WM

YoungBlueEyes

A blue 3 door Swift! That's all I want in the world Are you fetching it up to me or will I come down and get it...?  

Edit - I've spent all morning saying kind and helpful things on the housing board to balance out the sarcastic-but-true thing I said on there the other day. So with my karma rebalanced I deserve that car. I can be in all day to take delivery, or I can come down cos they're rare as hen's teeth!

pink_poppy

YBE, that car is definitely for you, after all it's got your name on it, thanks to Dusty    

Hope you're going somewhere warm and peaceful - I was just thinking that you hadn't mentioned the shouty neighbours for a while Would Kyrenia be possible (I had to google that too and it looks beautiful)??

I think I might have scrambled up that big, rocky hump, Dusty. DD and I walked over that way 3 or 4 years ago and I seem to remember it wasn't easy - the terrain was definitely more suited to sheep than humans.

W_M, I love Japanese Anemones too. My Mum and Dad used to grow them, pink and white. I tried a few years ago but they just disappeared. That's something else to try next year. Your garden is looking very pretty btw.

Ooh, and enjoy your cheesecake

wort, you've got me wondering now whether the red leaves are actually leaves?? I don't think they're berries though. I'll have to have a wander that way for a closer look.

Thanks, Dusty & Farway for the tree suggestions. I'm pretty sure I saw a couple of Acers on my walk yesterday - lovely red leaves and both looked quite established. I'll try and take a sneaky pic the next time I go that way and I'll report back when I get a closer look at the tree down the road.

A walking stick was suggested, Farway, but I'm managing with keeping focused on what's ahead of me. I was definitely Vera-ing again today    

It sounds like you'll be in need of the TB later, taff, with wood delivery shifting and compost moving.

I managed another walk today, although it was quite fretty and I didn't have my hat on so I ended up looking like Crystal Tipps (anyone remember Crystal Tipps and Alistair??) with frizzy hair. It was a nice walk though, very quiet and not cold at all.

Pic of a Cormorant, anyone?? It wasn't doing a bat impression today...


Edit - I'm not 100% sure it is a Cormorant, it might be a similar looking bird that I probably won't be able to name on here    

Dustyevsky

YoungBlueEyes said:

A blue 3 door Swift! That's all I want in the world Are you fetching it up to me or will I come down and get it...?  

Edit - I've spent all morning saying kind and helpful things on the housing board to balance out the sarcastic-but-true thing I said on there the other day. So with my karma rebalanced I deserve that car. I can be in all day to take delivery, or I can come down cos they're rare as hen's teeth!

Oh, sorry. I didn't get that bit It's a 5 door!   Never mind, I'll know better next time.

Didn't see your housing comments. I'm sure they were needed, though. I rarely go there. Back in the day, it was like the Wild West, and I remember getting some harsh, yet fair, advice. It was acted upon....and here we are!

Working_Mum said:
Thanks for the mistletoe pic Dusty - I seem to recall I found some mistletoe under the same tree last year but didn't think to look up to see where it had come from! Just thought the yoofs who hang out on the field at night listening to their music and eating takeaways had dropped it 

I planted some Japanese anemones in the new bit at the bottom of garden and they're going great guns. I love them and hope they'll spread.

Yoofs employing mistletoe, WM? I didn't think they were as bashful as we were these days. Come to think of it, we weren't that bashful either!  Fine anemones. You'll soon have plenty of those! Posh Euphorbia, and a classy Cryptomeria supplying great back-up too! 

pink_poppy said:

Pic of a Cormorant, anyone?? It wasn't doing a bat impression today...
Edit - I'm not 100% sure it is a Cormorant, it might be a similar looking bird that I probably won't be able to name on here    

In case anyone needs help here (unlikely!!! ) you've reminded me about the worst pop group in the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thHcvTDGWvg&list=OLAK5uy_mRK5lEZ1YX3rJ4pPTzAjexFaz5kNs3bgs

OT: Damp  afternoon here and I'm whacked after doing some digging. More about that anothr day

twopenny

The Common Cormorant or shag
Lays eggs inside a paper bag.
The reason you will see no doubt
It is to keep the lightning out.
But what these unobservant birds
Have never noticed is that herds
Of wandering bears may come with buns

And steal the bags to hold the crumbs.

Christopher Isherwood

I've been driving the moors for peace and photos but not much going. The animals and birds I've noticed, like to shelter from the cold, damp winds as much as we do

Then not far from home I saw the most beautiful red and gold tree in someones' garden. Photo sometime and see if we can identify cause I'd like one.

Bluey, lots of scarlet Swifts for sale here second hand.

-taff

I don't know what your tree is sorry PP...beautifu colour though! thumbs up for merely swaying..What's fretty? I loved crystal tips and alistair. I especially liked the way she ran and did the splits at the same time. And I dunno about he ird, looks like a duck to me, but then my sister has tried to explain what a swallow, swift, kite etc are and I still don't know...

ybe, I wouldn't worry about your karma, look at Cissie, I doubt she needs it either you could have worse role  models

I did try to listen Dusty but gave up after about thrity seconds. They really are awful. ! Was the digging anything to do with the cess pit?

And that's a proper surreal poem right there...

weather grey and cloudy with very fine drizzle. Stacked wood, can't find my lovely little hatchet, discovered I've been using it for 13 years! Bought another one exactly the same and the price has gone up by 2 pounds fifty. Not bad...Stacked wood today, then went to that place and shifted yet more compost, disturbed a big bumble bee so had to carefully move it back to the heap. I hope it finds another home now that I've come in like evil developers and displaced it...Not a lot fo compost left to shift now, maybe seven or eight barrowfulls, next job, dig a little bit, then chop up stuff for new compost heap. And sow the bloody beans! [Field beans btw...]

wort

WM ,my white anemones have gone over a while ago, I’m still scared to move them from a pot because I don’t want to loose them. The cosmos looks like mine ,the full packet of seeds I planted this year and thought they weren’t bothering. About the same stages as yours same colour too. I’ll try get a photo.

pink_poppy

I'm not even going to open that YT link, Dusty, I dread to think what they sound like    

That's a funny little poem, twopenny. And I see you can use that word on here after all   

taff, fretty is probably like your fine drizzle, I would also call it spitty. Well done on getting all those jobs done yesterday.

I had my (pink) anemones in a pot, wort and they just vanished. I'm going to buy some more next year and try again.

DH is ill. He said yesterday he had 'my' sore throat. Hmm, I had a scratchy throat over a week ago before I got my cold, so I don't think it's that. It's more likely he's picked something up (hopefully not covid) from the concert he was at (along with at least ten thousand other people!!) at the weekend...

It was all starry first thing this morning - first time I've seen stars in a while as it's been cloudy every day for at least a week. Today is yet more cloud and up to 15 degrees,

Edited to remove link.

Dustyevsky

-taff said:

I did try to listen Dusty but gave up after about thrity seconds. They really are awful. ! Was the digging anything to do with the cess pit?

You lasted 30 seconds?  I was in a couple of bad bands, but not that bad!

Cesspit? Those are not discussed in polite company nowadays, having almost been outlawed by the regulations, but many of us rural dwellers have septic tanks. These require a drain field, where the partly-treated water goes, and we are renewing ours very soon.

However, yesterday's digging wasn't drain-related; it was to improve the entrance to our barn. This has been a right of way since the 1980s. Like the new entrance we built recently, it crosses our delightful neighbours' communal land, but a few of them don't want us to upgrade it, or make its use easier. Recently, 3 trees appeared on the land; one of them not exactly assisting access by larger vehicles....

Planting a tree and a pile of rocks in that position was an obvious challenge. Once again, we engaged politely with their 'management,' and that tree was moved. So, to emphasise where we think our access splay should be, yesterday, we began cutting away the turf that's grown over the original stoned track:  (Photo Removed)

I'm not saying we anticipated these problems, but we happen to have a few spare tons of ballast on hand to put down when the top surface has been cleared away.

Oh, the joys of country living! Perusing Rightmove last night, as you do, I spotted one of our farming neighbours has just sold, so we'll be getting a new landowner along most of our boundary to the south. Fingers are crossed. The current one has his own ideas about where that boundary is, but we get along well by just ignoring each other.

Today, it remains as grey as the sky in the photos here, with added mist, and no change envisaged by the Exeter experts until next Monday. It's quite breezy for 'settled' weather.