Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Dustyevsky

Farway said:

Looks like steady & cold work with those willows Dusty, would some sort of nut bushes suit as replacement? Only asking because of me getting one on offer, the one I've ordered is a fancy red Filbert, I expect the squirrels will love them while us humans have to settle for young red foliage & the red catkins.

https://www.blackmoor.co.uk/hazel-red-filbert-p15569

We have a red or purple hazel in the garden, not far from the ordinary green cobs. I could propagate from that, but I won't be replacing willows with squirrel food! This year, we had our first good crop of walnuts on the tree by the willows.....until the squirrels moved in and swiped the lot. They've never risked going there across open ground before, but obviously, they thought it worth it this time. I've found a few walnut shells in the hedge I've been cutting. Something red would be good, though, so maybe a Prunus  ceracifera, 'Nigra.' I know that produces plums, but the squirrels never seem to bother with those, or the bird cherries in the mini wood.

pp and 2p, your ostriches and reindeer are really cheerful and fun. I didn't expect to see something similar when I went to the dentist today, but look in the grass!

If you think this impressive, (there's more in the car park!) you should see the dentist's house!

Wort, your lilies look splendiferous. I expect you know more about the nut tree rhyme, so I won't spoil it with the story behind it, about trade and power in the days when Kings wuz Kings, with a capital K!

OT: Met told me it was 6c today and the car said 3c. They couldn't both be right, but the wind was light and I got plenty of mowing done without feeling chilly.

pink_poppy

I'm awake ridiculously early having paracetamol, thanks to my lovely DH giving me his horrible cough and cold. As if I haven't got enough ailments to cope with...

The 'ostriches' post appeared again on my FB page, with lots of people asking (and not getting an answer) what the beaks were made of. Someone suggested spraying the birds pink and turning them into flamingos. Someone else suggested it was the bird from the film 'Up'.

OT - it's dark, but doesn't feel as cold as it did yesterday. Still only 11 point something in the front room though (with the storage heater on). Time to have a serious conversation about ASHPs or new SHs, I think   In the meantime I'm going to wrap myself in a blanket on the settee and hopefully go back to sleep.

pink_poppy

Sorry, forgot to mention your Christmassy dental surgery, Dusty. How lovely that they've got a herd of reindeer on the grass and OTT Christmas decorations    

Thanks for the little nutmeg verse, wort, I do remember it now   

YoungBlueEyes

Morning all Sorry you're poorly again pp, seems like you need a new DH for Christmas ha haa!  Your dentist really goes for it eh Dusty, I like all that nonsense meself  

Can't remember now what else I've just read. We're not on the clock Farway, it's a book you write your name and in/out times and it doubles as a fire register. Dogs are Plan C, after car detailing at Plan B, and sticking this place out cos it's so handy (presuming I can …realign their expectations… ) 

I like all the wooden reindeer/ pine cone bird fandangles! I love how inventive people are with bits of stuff. That hot choc does look good I used to make my own hot choc. Heat a mug of milk in the microwave, and smash up a choc bar into wee bits and sling them in. Stir ‘til melted. Yummy yum yum. Speaking of cookery things, my ma used to make Guinness scones and jeez they were good. There must be a recipe out there somewhere… And when I baked wee buns and cookies (always choc) I’d add a couple of bits of herbs to the mix and they were delish. Thyme usually, just a couple of leaves. You can’t go mad with herbs cos the oils make the dough go funny and not bake properly.  Yummy yum yum. 

That's some heavy duty gardening there Dusty, fingers crossed you get the weather to finish your trees

No gardening here. The garden is still out there, quietly sulking and going mouldy. This weekend better be nice for I'll need to out there the whole time to get on top of it. 

My wee robin is getting very brave, he comes closer and closer for his crumbs. The blackies gave it up as a bad job though, they see me and aren't a bit bothered There's pigeons as well, and a lovely fluffy collared dove, but they don't care either. Here’s my robin (handbag flap to show closeness) - 



OT It's forecastedly warm but unforecastedly drizzling. We're losing the lovely high pressure now too, but that's fine if the air dries up a bit :fingerscrossed:

Dustyevsky

pink_poppy said:

I'm awake ridiculously early having paracetamol, thanks to my lovely DH giving me his horrible cough and cold. As if I haven't got enough ailments to cope with...
Still only 11 point something in the front room though (with the storage heater on). Time to have a serious conversation about ASHPs or new SHs, I think   In the meantime I'm going to wrap myself in a blanket on the settee and hopefully go back to sleep.

I hope you managed to sleep again, or at least snooze. There's a quartet of viral ailments doing the rounds this winter. This is no surprise to me, but I can't elaborate beyond saying the current situation was predicted some years ago now. Outdoor exercise away from enclosed environments full of other people must be helpful, and that's about all I can say. There's plenty of research showing the addition of a few cheap supplements to one's diet, especially in winter, is definitely worth doing, but people have to DYOR. I can't say the NHS is overly helpful there.

As for under 12c in the occupied parts of the house, that isn't good. Even if your SHs aren't the best, the heat energy's escaping somewhere, which has to be considered as much as what sort of system you choose next. I'm not asking you to reveal anything, but a Victorian/ Edwardian house with high ceilings, non cavity walls and maybe a lot of gaps around skirtings, floorboards etc, is a different proposition from the 70s bungalow we inherited here, or even the 40s semi we had before.

OT. Looking like It is another cold, grey day out there, but at least it's dry and not overly windy. Time to release the hens. Like the Fieldfares, they're enjoying the over-ripe apples we stored, and which didn't keep.

EDIT: Didn't refresh and missed your post, Bluey. Speaking of Guinness, I was shocked and stunned at how good the alcohol-free one is. We still have our territorial robin, who'll spend half the day fighting himself and carping on the car, so we have to park it elsewhere. Saw the first pheasant of winter in the garden yesterday. If it has the sense to stay here, it'll be safe. Mrs Dusty has just begun feeding the wild birds, so maybe it'll hang around for the seeds that drop.

Dustyevsky

I tried to dig out a new robin photo to go with my post earlier, but failed. So here's another cutlery sculpture bird, which might be a robin, though it probably isn't chubby enough!

twopenny

Morning folks. Another cold one 7c but a dusting of that Northerly wind every now and then. Despite the heating everything you touch in the house feels cold.

Handyman didn't come yesterday but at least he let me know. Heating guys, 4th go at dodgy heating this winter and no news from them.

Nice to see you Bluey. That job sounds like many I had at odd times. Stick with it and see it the extra time is occasional and necessary or taking the mick. Are they a nice bunch to work with? That counts for a lot in the scheme of things.

Poppy sorry you've snagged something else. I guess as you were already not 100% fit lately that you are a sitting target. Everywhere I go someone is coughing or sneezing in my direction. I move away when I can.

Hoping that you are having them all at once while the weather is horrid/torrid and will be fighting fit and full of antibodies when the days turn brighter.

Dusty that's some humour the dentist has. Ours have just got some decorating done after 2yrs, sheesh it was a pig sty. They did put a thin trail of fairy lights up over reception but you're too busy concentrating on the forms and bill

Farway, pipe cleaners are called something else but I've seen them in the craft section of Works and Poundland so they are still about.

At least the plants have gone back outside (re wind) but it's odd without my trellis and the hedge sans leaves. But I'm not so keen that I'm going out to sort it yet.

Tomorrow the wind is supposed to turn Southerly - but there's the TTs do in the morning and a living nativity late afternoon when I'm herding/driving so it won't be done then.

Washing to go out and fingers crossed there's some use to this weather and my thermals dry.

Been looking for a warm and sunny photo as no one wants to see more of this disappointing weather. Not quite what I wanted but this was a surprise when I went into town shopping

Dusty, just seen you post........love the cutlery things......we have someone who sells wind chimes and such as the bird in the local market. I've been so tempted but I can't help thinking that a windblown knife or fork is an accident waiting to happen

Farway

Dull but milder

Snap on going to dentist, I went this morning & mine only had a knocked down wall in the car parking area and absolutely zero decorations

And I booked a tooth hole filling in January

Dusty, would a red / back elder Nigra suit for your hedge? Or too tempting for purple bird poo on the cars?

I've planted one at the volunteer place, but it's only recently started fruiting so purple poo is not yet a problem

Went into Morries on way home from Dentist, the GC area is a disgrace, but the cheese area was good this morning, plenty of choice at reasonable sizes. 

No indiction if cow f@rt free or not, but TBH at my years and decrepitude a few extra hormones / drugs / chemicals will probably make no difference to the Final Outcome:

When I got home I had a friendly robin inspecting the garage door area, but by the time I thought of camera it was too late, seen him before so next time I will be ready

No gardening today, but here's a 2008 photo with flowers & reflections, plus back to gardening, it is now a Slug & Lettuce so quite on topic.

Dustyevsky

twopenny said:

Dusty that's some humour the dentist has. Ours have just got some decorating done after 2yrs, sheesh it was a pig sty. They did put a thin trail of fairy lights up over reception but you're too busy concentrating on the forms and bill

The dentist's building is a 1960s abomination, but the service is fine. Being on the cheapo NHS side, I get the youthful ones, not long away from from uni, though the last one stayed for years until a happy event. The new lady pronounced my gnashers A1, so I got off lightly @ £26.Yay! 

Farway said:

 I booked a tooth hole filling in January

Dusty, would a red / back elder Nigra suit for your hedge? Or too tempting for purple bird poo on the cars?

I've planted one at the volunteer place, but it's only recently started fruiting so purple poo is not yet a problem

Went into Morries on way home from Dentist, the GC area is a disgrace, but the cheese area was good this morning, plenty of choice at reasonable sizes.

Hard luck on the filling.  January sees me facing the Health Centre's MoT. If I don't need too much welding, there's every chance nurse might let me loose for another year.  Nevertheless, one worries; not that I'd tell her. "Anxiety?" she'd say, "I've a questionnaire to give you a score for that! " 

We have a Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace' in the garden. It got to around 15' before we tamed it last winter, but you're right, we should take some cuttings this winter. The willows are about 25' tall, so they really need companion trees of similar eventual stature. I think we'll replace on a rolling basis, because I'll have to protect each sapling from sheep = 4 post enclosure.

I'm still consuming my Morries cheese, full fart, or not. However, I shall shortly investigate the cheese shop in the nearest market town.It's survived, so it must be good.

No gardening worth the name today. Mrs Dusty had me grousing grouting tiles most of the time. Wall to wall grey continued. Now we have 'mist,' otherwise known as being in a cloud.

Messed-up here somehow! Won't let me post unless I add more characters.... Bring back phpBB!!!

twopenny

Think I've got the same cloud as Dusty

Left the washing out because no forcast of rain - and it rained. It can stay there for now.

So still cold 7c and wet with thick cloud and mist.

So instead of gardening I'm reading one of my Christmas novels to see me through the 'festivities' and gloom today. It's called Gardens of Delight

There's some good quotes which I'll pop in later.

The lights are strung around the garden and reindeer out standing guard to make it look like I'm not a Grinch 

Today is 'a fun morning with nibbles' at TT's and a swim/sauna and see if there's any light left after lunch to do something but this wet and gloom doesn't look like lifting.

Re reading Farways post perhaps I'll see about an afternoon photographing robins.......as a relief from 'being jolly' to order