Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Dustyevsky

pink_poppy said:

Dusty, those berries really are incredible. My compliments to the photographer

And I really liked this plant that I saw in a communal garden - I think it's a Hellebore??

The Callicarpa's good this year. No idea exactly why, but the weather must've suited it. Your plant is a hellebore; probably the one that flowers around Christmastime, Helleborus niger. It's good you're keeping up with the walks, even if times are chillier.

I hope all those with ailments are recovering. It might help that the shiny yellow thing in the sky is back.   We were slightly 'white' out there this morning, but that was a great improvement on the murk yesterday at dawn....

Good news on the septic tank drainage front. There was a silt blockage we couldn't shift down in the field where all the treated water goes. The digger soon fixed that! It looked awful , but the whoosh of trapped water and silt was only temporary! We opened up and cleared out the pit, checked the water had gone through the drainage filter channel properly by digging another hole at the end of it, and left everything to settle down again. Near the end of the week we'll have  gravel and new pipework to repair the pit, fill it all in and, hopefully, not need to look at it again for another 12 years! Happily, when we constructed this soak away and drainage line, the last thing we did was measure where the main parts were located, using triangulation. Had we not done that.....

pink_poppy

It's definitely chillier, Dusty. I'll keep getting outside for a wander though, as I do feel better for it. Thanks for the Hellebore ID - I thought that's what it was. I've been wanting to take a photo of it since I first saw it last week, but it feels wrong to take photos of someone's garden - I did it sneakily yesterday     

I love that photo of the pussycat - so atmospheric did she know she was getting her photo taken??

I'm glad we don't have a septic tank, it sounds like an awful lot of fuss, even if it is only every 12 years.

I'm in a quandary again about the smart meters after hearing about the North/South divide on the news yesterday. Why did that not surprise me. I know I need a new meter, but I would like one that works...

We were supposed to have FOG today, which then turned to MIST on the BBC website. It's actually quite nice out there, just a bit grey. I'll get myself layered up and head out for a walk, then it's domestic nonsense for the rest of the day.

Farway

My turn for bright sunshine & blue sky, but colder and no thermals

Love that misty cat photo, Dusty, could do with some red Devil eyes post-production

And congrats on the septic tank, and twelve years is a long time between fixes.

No rose photo, it's not ready yet. 

But I do have bumps appearing on the spuds I have out to sprout, which would have been for Christmas if I had got my bum into gear sooner. I suspect they may become Easter spuds now.

And, my Christmas cactus has baby buds , I'll get a photo later. Perhaps it'll make it for the Big Day.

pink_poppy said:

I'm in a quandary again about the smart meters after hearing about the North/South divide on the news yesterday. Why did that not surprise me. I know I need a new meter, but I would like one that works...

Never knew of N / S divide on meters, so I looked it up.

To save anyone else, it's radio signal versus mobile signals. Radio Norf, mobile Sarf

As usual Beeb has half the clickbait story, FWIW if you go through the Energy board on MSE you'll find plenty of non-working smart meters, both N & S, it's very much Location, Location & location. And the gas one piggybacks on the electric one, so may or may not work.

I've still got dumb meters, for no reason except it may be more hassle & problems, which I can do without, very much if it ain't broke etc. for me.

twopenny

Love the photos Really cheered up my morning

Sunny but chill that goes through you.

I managed to mow the front lawn yesterday - I 'swept it' with a yard broom to get the water off then left it to dry till later. Had to be a lot later because neighbours poor son had to work early yesterday and he needs his nap after   No idea how I managed dog walking, work, dog walking, shopping gardening and cooking in a day!

Anyhoos I've swept the back lawn and hope it will dry enough to mow later.

I see that the bulbs I thought I'd dug up that didn't work last year - have thrown up bulblets or somesuch but they're back. They may stay or they may go depending on muscle status.

Poppy I got talking to a lady in the Tesco car park (well I went up and asked her) where she got her lovely classy walking stick and got everything I needed so I'm going to order some. They fold up small for a bag and are so pretty.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/supregear-Adjustable-Lightweight-Portable-Disabled/dp/B0BBGLGYW1

There are lots more in this line and cheaper but just picked this one as an example.

Thought it would do for when my leg suddenly gives up randomly.

So far I love my smart meter - got it because if anything happens to me and I'm carted off there's no one to ensure that the home is still functioning when I get back. Also it was 'read the meter every month' - Very reluctant but cost of running stuff an eye opener. What costs a lotta and what you can leave on all evening. Only for electric so far. The gas still does 3 mtly but we'll see.

 You want red eyes Farway? I have a redeye photo and will find it tonight.

pink_poppy

I'm not going to make any decisions about a smart meter until after Christmas, I can't be doing with the hassle if it doesn't work properly. The example the BBC gave was a customer in Glasgow onto his sixth smart meter because the first five didn't work. The sixth one only works because the energy provider put him onto the mobile signal.

Sweeping the lawn to get the water off is a genius idea, twopenny.

I've looked at those walking sticks and they're really pretty - I would definitely go for a flowery one. Today's walk wasn't too bad for me, wobbly wise or nausea, so fingers crossed my ear lurgy is getting better. Hope your leg issue improves, it can't be nice not knowing if it's suddenly going to give way.

I walked a different route today and it was warmer than it looked outside and not a breath of wind. I had my warm coat on and I was positively glowing when I got back    There were so many misty spider webs - I took photos, but none of them came out very well. I could see low cloud in the distance - I don't know if they're classed as cloud inversions, although I suppose if you're above them in the mountains they would be...

Working_Mum

Hello everyone,
I've been reading along and loving all the pics.

Dusty that Camelia is beautiful - I have made a note to check out and see if i can plant one in my garden. I've got some spaces and  think flowers at this time of year will be great to have for the pollinators etc. Your septic tank repairs look full on! Mind you 12 years since the last intervention is not bad. My parents used to have a house in rural France and they had a septic tank - my Dad used to have BIG posters all over the bathrooms saying "TOILET PAPER ONLY DOWN THE LOO PLEASE" 

I am definitely going to look out for Shooflowers next year - I have a feeling I might have some knocking around in my garden Farway but am not 100% sure!

I didn't know we had Thrush and Mistle Thrush here PP  Lovely pics and definitely Christmas card worthy. Starlings are joyful aren't they! My friend gave me a half coconut filled with fat as apparently starlings are going mad for it in her garden - I put mine up and all I have had are a few sparrows on it but they are racing through it so will have to buy some more for the winter time. 

I cannot fathom why people would put a cat on a lead 2P - I am with the labrador thinking WTH!

Hope you gammy eye is on the mend Wort - my little dog got stung by a bee in his eye a few weeks ago and he looked very sorry for himself all day. a human anti-histamine sorted him out good and proper though! It's his own fault as he disturbed a nest when out walking whilst staying at my Mums!


I stopped by the local community orchard at the weekend and picked up a bag of apples. The trees are bare now. I've been making apple butter yesterday and today.

OT it was lovely to see shadows this morning as it meant the sun was actually out!! Feeling a bit chilly out there though so who knows what is in store over the weekend.

YoungBlueEyes

S’too hot. Am mafted. Am also getting a bit addicted to lemon+ lime vodka and whatever it is they give me when I ask for agua tonica. 

 Here’s some cheerfulness. 

twopenny

Ohhhhh! WM! That's such a sad looking dog with a sweet face. It must really hurt.

My pooch got stung by a bee on her real bum while walking in sand dunes. She refused to go on that bit of path forever more.

Bluey! That's a surprise     If it's too hot for you - I'll swap places?

Been a northerly wind here with clear skies last night so brrrrrrrr! Turned Easterly this after which was actually warmer !!!

Got the back lawn mowed. But you know darn well with the damp it will be back up again in a couple of days.

Still, with the big windows looking out at the garden at least at least I'm not looking a job waiting to be done for a short while.

Dustyevsky

pink_poppy said:

   I love that photo of the pussycat - so atmospheric did she know she was getting her photo taken??
I'm glad we don't have a septic tank, it sounds like an awful lot of fuss, even if it is only every 12 years.

The cat isn't one of ours. It was up to no good, but I spoke to it kindly, so it would stay for the shot!   The worst thing about a septic tank is that strong germ-killers, like bleach, can't be used. It's otherwise no biggie. We hire a guy with a lorry every other spring to pump out some of the tank, but the cost of that is offset by not having to pay sewerage charges. The soak away is in the lower field, about 100m from the tank. It's basically a rubble filled pit dug in a rocky area, with a long gravel-filled sausage of geofabric leading away from it underground. A lot of the water percolates into the rock, but any surplus goes along the gravel 'sausage' and into the surrounding soil.

Thanks for the smart meter info, Farway. We are all smart here, and despite dodgy mobile coverage, even the barn seems to communicate with wherever it is.

Working_Mum said:

Dusty that Camelia is beautiful - I have made a note to check out and see if i can plant one in my garden. I've got some spaces and  think flowers at this time of year will be great to have for the pollinators etc.
I cannot fathom why people would put a cat on a lead 2P - I am with the labrador thinking WTH!

If we hadn't seen the single Sasanqua camellias at Rosemoor we'd not have bought that one. The big blowsy doubles invariably get water and/or frost damage, so we're not fans of those. I'd guess the cat was on a lead for the same reason as our ferrets.....lack of obedience! The ferrets don't like beaches, though. There's too little cover and the waves are scary!

Your poor wee dog looks very unhappy about his close encounter! 

OK Bluey, we hear you about the heat! On my trip to civilisation this morning, the car was showing the temperature in the big valley as 4c at around 11.00. Dig the Bougainvillea, climbing a...cactus???

A rather wishy-washy sunset here tonight. Yesterday was better:

Good old horse always helps me out!  Took about 5 or 6 goes to get him to stand still enough, though!

EDIT: That was a very atmospheric photo you took today pp!  What a great range of subjects we picture on here.

LessImpecunious

Dustyevsky said:

EDIT: That was a very atmospheric photo you took today pp!  What a great range of subjects we picture on here.

Agreed! and that reminds me - one or two I took last night, trying to capture a very distinct halo around the moon, with ferny foreground for added interest, and another tryout for the nightvision function in 2nd shot...