Awful weather - typical Brits talk

twopenny

Glad my tree is only 6ft!

It has little lights that show through my bedroom window which is cheering in these dark days.

Big full moon in the sky this morning with a rainbow effect all around. You know what that means

Not a lot to report as the Christmas nonsense continues - last day for me I think then peace.

It's a chilly feel though made it's way from 5c-7c this last couple of hours. Wild winds and rain predicted so more of the same.

The most gardening I can do in this weather is pick some varieties of chives to chop with cream cheese and neatly arrange on cheese straws for the last gasp at celebrating the end of the year at photography group.

It's our best photos of the year to show - pretty sure there won't be much to compete with some of the ones we have here

Dustyevsky

twopenny said:

Big full moon in the sky this morning with a rainbow effect all around. You know what that means

The most gardening I can do in this weather is pick some varieties of chives to chop with cream cheese and neatly arrange on cheese straws for the last gasp at celebrating the end of the year at photography group.

It's our best photos of the year to show - pretty sure there won't be much to compete with some of the ones we have here

Missed the moon, but caught last night's portentous 'sunset.'

Like garden clubs, amateur photo groups may not achieve the highest standards, but who cares, if they succeed in bringing people together socially? Keeping traditions going is one way in which we can kick back against those in high places who seek to destroy our heritage, allegedly to replace it with 'inclusive' guff. No one's excluded from our club, but sadly, the younger members we'd love to have are doing something else.

Rain here soon. I've just concreted-in a post to hold back a section of our wood barn that was almost blown out by the last storms. I hate the expense of Postcrete, but it does go solid quickly!

Farway

Hard frost first thing, ground & roofs, all white, to quote Humza Yousaf

No gardening today, too cold for that sort of thing

twopenny said:

Big full moon in the sky this morning with a rainbow effect all around. You know what that means

The most gardening I can do in this weather is pick some varieties of chives to chop with cream cheese and neatly arrange on cheese straws for the last gasp at celebrating the end of the year at photography group.

It's our best photos of the year to show - pretty sure there won't be much to compete with some of the ones we have here

The morning moon here was OK, but no halo, just fuzzy blob style

Reminded me, I spotted chives still growing near my steps, and I have cream cheese. Meals make themselves at times.

Yes, photos on here are excellent I think, plenty of variety & educational as well.

I found photo groups very off-putting, always someone who knows it all & wants to demonstrate just how great his ones are by knocking others, couldn't be doing with it so left.

Postcrete, one of those "Does what is says" items, and not begrudged because it works so well

Braced for early fight into Morries, for the poinsettia. Natch, all sold out now

Settled for some Blacksticks cheese & tootled off to local GC that I can't stand, but needs must etc. 

It was not too busy but was only 0930ish, Santa stuff everywhere, a few kids & parents turning up for Woodland walk.

They were low on poinsettias as well, so decided on a couple of nice indoor cyclamen, one white & one red, sort of Christmas colours I suppose, and matching Santa's suit anyway.

On my return home, My Robin was waiting near my garage, and this time so was my camera.

Here he is, with matching breast & lettering

Dustyevsky

Farway said:

Hard frost first thing, ground & roofs, all white, to quote Humza Yousaf

.....decided on a couple of nice indoor cyclamen, one white & one red, sort of Christmas colours I suppose, and matching Santa's suit anyway.

Ah, dear old Humza, on his uppers and passed-over for the Boots ad as well. Yesterday, he was asking the Scottish Government, “whether it will provide further details on the implementation of its social isolation and loneliness strategy.”  He could always join a gardening or photo club.

I must say, your robin looks much more cute than ours, which continues to defecate on our cars if we park them anywhere near the front door. With angry crows and aggressive pheasants, this has definitely been the year of the birds for us.

IMO cyclamen are a much better choice than poinsettias, and maybe they'll survive outdoors later. We planted-out last Christmas's cyclamen, and they've loved the dry bank in the side alley. Coming into flower soon, by the look of them.
OT: Peeing-down here. Potted-up Mrs Dusty's Abies koreana (not procera after all ) but only after taking photos of the mangled roots! It was planted in something close to sand as well. Methinks we'll be taking it back to the nursery in spring and seeking a refund! Grrr!

twopenny

Okish weather but coming back 3.30 torrential downpour and of course instant flooding across the road because the land is sodden.

It was very dark too, I'd have taken a photo but it was just grey mist everywhere, couldn't see a thing.

So that was one scarey drive.  HOpefully that's my 3rd thing and life will quieten down now

I prefer Cyclamen Farway. I've had one in a large pot  along with a qince and lambs ears. My neighbour gave it to me as indoor but it's thrived with a bit of shelter. Bloomed earlier this autumn but it sort of blooms when it like.s

There's a couple of dead fairies in there too..........I think the gale had something to do with that    

wort

Hope the mad house was endurable Wort. Are you working Monday as well?   Yes 2p luckily Xmas eve is my day off so that was a fluke, though I was asked yesterday if I wanted to work it, cue total silence 🤐 followed by I’ve made plans now.
Farway I’ve had Blacksticks blue sort of a mild Stilton if I recall right.
Dusty nice Xmas night photo, it would be a blur if I tried it.
OT pouring with rain today, but I’ll be at work so not bothered 😆

Farway

Wet & grey, as expected mid-winter's day, I doubt the Druids saw much of a sunrise

Zero gardening today, not even indoor type, but I do have a Christmas cactus in flower, so I'll try & get a photo off that, and hopefully try out my Christmas font on it at the same time

Only other progress, I've sampled the ginger cheese, very nice, it's Cheddar with crystallised ginger implants, called Ginger Spice

Sort of cheddar gingery version of Wensleydale /cranberry

Nothing as gloomy as dead fairies 2P, wasn't there a song about fat & forty fairies?

Found it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi4muhme1P4

twopenny

Oh I remember that

No gardening, picked up car. Not impressed by the 'cleaning' but 2 new tyres, oil change and a little rust patch done beautifully. Unfortunately I then found  a couple of chips had been bodged hand done prob by previous owner. Still just annoying, not major.

Will insure it tomorrow as it's safe on the drive.

Did have a peer at my broccoli while testing neighbours fence. Something for the Christmas dinner.

And the bulbs are coming on a pace. 1-2" high.

The sprout plants however, still the same size they've always been. Maybe ready for next Christmas   

Off to the pantomime now. Thank heavens for a good laugh

Dustyevsky

Farway said:

Nothing as gloomy as dead fairies 2P, wasn't there a song about fat & forty fairies?

Fair, fat, female, fertile, and forty.....oh, hang on, that's an NHS mnemonic for learning gallstone risk factors! Nothing to do with fairies, unless they get gallstones too. Don't ask how I know, either!

Terrible day! It's been mostly non-stop wind and mizzle. We were promised sunshine by 11.00, so I didn't fret too much when the van wouldn't start. Flat battery. Mrs D had the car, so I had to walk to the village market. Leaving there at 12.00, the wind was then in my face, and it was still mizzling. I was soaked by the time I reached home.....to find the cat had been sick!    Worse followed. Looking through my purchases, the West Indian Hot Gherkins were missing, and instead there was a jar of something sweet & fattening. Shoulda paid more attention!

That was my morning. The afternoon was better, but no gardening done. I opened up the big gates, as we're promised winds to 60mph soon, did the hens, fetched the logs......and then saw a tile had slid down in the strengthening wind. So, up to the roof with a long batten to push the errant tile back. Luckily it went, meaning not much climbing. Hurrah!

Mrs Dusty still isn't back from shopping. I've a feeling our flexible friend will have to be extra supple in January!

Another job done this lunchtime was taking in the bird feeders front and rear before they cut loose. This guy doesn't go up on them, but like the blackies, he picks up whatever the others drop.

twopenny said:

 Off to the pantomime now. Thank heavens for a good laugh

I wish we still had one here. We'd probably all be arrested for wrongspeak if we did, but there again, who'd report us?

LessImpecunious

Intrigued by the delicious-sounding Hot Gherkins..; and a wagtail which visits bird feeders - we see one or two intermittently, but only ever on our rooftop or in the front yard...

Hope the rest of your roof holds up!