Awful weather - typical Brits talk

pink_poppy

Oh, so it wasn't just my naughty schoolgirl sense of humour then   

I was so confused with your pic of 'my' back garden, that I completely failed to notice the woodpecker on your bird feeder, Less. It was only when twopenny mentioned it that I thought, I don't remember seeing a woodpecker and sparrow, so had to go back and look. Cool photo.

I agree, that is a very nicely framed 'Dreary Evening' pic, Dusty. I hope the fish and chips were nice - I'm definitely overdue some.

Nice cherries, Farway and twopenny. And wow to the apricots, twopenny. I will definitely not allow my naughty schoolgirl sense of humour to go there...

That's a very impressive tomato support structure, Dusty. I really, really want a polytunnel. And chickens.

It's been a lovely day and completely different to what the forecast said. I should have got out into the garden, but I'm just too tired today.

pink_poppy

Have I really got wheat growing in my MiL’s pot??…

Dustyevsky

pink_poppy said:

Have I really got wheat growing in my MiL’s pot??…

You have...and a cotoneaster hanging out with it. There could be a common link to both, but it involves what comes out of birds, rather than Cowes! 

pink_poppy said:

Wow to the apricots, twopenny. I will definitely not allow my naughty schoolgirl sense of humour to go there..

And following your fine example, I won't mention the potential confusion Less's comment about removing testas from his nuts might generate. 

pink_poppy said:

That's a very impressive tomato support structure, Dusty. I really, really want a polytunnel. And chickens.

It's a support we build every year, tied into the tunnel frame. Much as I like the size of the tunnel, I'd swap it for our old 25' x 10 cedar greenhouse.  We won't get another of those for £150! 
Our day here wasn't as advertised, either. Blimmin' cold and windy again this afternoon. 13c? My donkey! 

Farway

Woe is me, my internet has gone belly up on the PC, again.

Luckily bought a spare Desktop when it happened before, back in March I think, so now I'm on the Spare and frantically looking for passwords etc

Spare is at least Windows 11 so Our Bill will not keep nagging me

I will keep photos etc on the old one, similar to Dusty, one problem at a time.

What a PIA 

Back to topic

Dull but brightish, dry and warmish, and not raining which is good.

Has any one seen last weeks GW? The bit about tomatoes? 

I was pleased to see Monty's toms were worse than mine, gives me hope there, like finding slugs at Wisley

Managed to pot on the little Japanese acer from Morries, it really has settled in and doing well.

Amazingly my small Japonica / quince has an embryo fruit on it, now I have to decide, keep or remove?

Doubtful if any gardening today. I'll be PC mucking around.

Found my pics on old PC, here's yesterdays ones.

Farway

Yay, I'm back 

Used search on other PC, sledgehammer option was reset network connection on duff PC

Nothing to lose, it was duff anyway

Reset network connection & Bingo, it's working  

Fingers crossed it will stay fixed

In the meantime, I will seek out some transferable password gubbins to put my passwords etc on a USB stick 

And, to cap it all, the sun has come out, probably shining from my bum 

pink_poppy

Dusty, I wasn’t going to mention that one… your naughty schoolboy humour is still alive and kicking 😂

I think it was you that identified the rogue cotoneaster in the pot a while back and I did say that I was going to relocate it - I just haven’t got round to it yet 😗 in my defence, the pot weighs a ton and I don’t think I have enough muscle to do it on my own 💪🏻 

Glad you got your PC working again, Farway - mine seems to be okay after I dropped it the other day… ☀️😉
Lovely clear photos - I wish mine turned out like that.

OT - it’s been pouring with rain this afternoon ☔️ 

Dustyevsky

Farway said:

Woe is me, my internet has gone belly up on the PC, again.

Luckily bought a spare Desktop when it happened before, so now I'm on the Spare 

I will keep photos etc on the old one, similar to Dusty, one problem at a time.

What a PIA 

Has any one seen last weeks GW? The bit about tomatoes? 

I was pleased to see Monty's toms were worse than mine, gives me hope there, like finding slugs at Wisley.

Computer woes are especially awful.  Like you, I bought a third computer about 3 years ago. It's just sat there since, so it'll need a massive update. I'm tempted to sell it on for £50 and buy another more modern jobbie, rather than faff about with Bill's digital sticking plasters. After all, we'll be flush now that kind lady has promised to reinstate our winter fuel allowance. (Other promises are available, but not always kept. )

Ooh, I might have a butcher's at Monty's if they're small. Some of mine are about 3', but size isn't everything, of course. 

I think they use Oompa-Loompas, working through the night armed with sweet corn skewers, to cull the slugs in Rosemoor, but their weed control has gone downhill in recent years. They can get away with saying it's rewilding, but no one re-slugs....yet!  In this month's 'The Garden' they've a page on how to make a cosy home or earwigs, describing them as beneficial, and they might be in some respects, but that won't go down well with dyed-in-the-wool dahlia enthusiasts! 

Update: I see your 'puter's fixed now. Good!  I hate that “Reset network connection,” or anything requiring one to burger with settings. Why isn't there a “Just leave this computer as it is! “ button? 

pink_poppy said:

 your naughty schoolboy humour is still alive and kicking 😂
OT - it’s been pouring with rain this afternoon ☔️ 

Being small, indulging in schoolboy humour was a form of self-defence. It didn't work in rural Dorset, though.  I have theories about that, which will have to remain unshared. However, putting it another way, when one girl in that school passed the 11+, we had a party and celebrated most of the afternoon.

I dithered over one last attempt to zap the thistles this morning, but this afternoon it looked fine enough to give it a go.No sunshine like Farway had, however. More prickly stuff had come up in the last few weeks, but I got 'em, along with about 10 docks and 2 ragwort. I reckon we're 2 weeks from cutting the hay now. It's a mixed bag, with  ahigher % of coarse grass than usual, but the sheep to control it were absent in the winter.

There's a little rain coming through tonight, but our stream's dried-up. Looking forward to the warmer days and nights promised, when we might harvest a few outdoor courgettes. The strawberries don't appear to have minded the coolness...there's a huge crop of those this year. 

Today's photo is a holly for those who hate prickles. It looks fearsome, but it's a jolly thing with no sharp spines and a touch of the chameleons. This is its spring/summer appearance, but in the winter it looks more like the photo below

PS Also known sometimes as 'Mondo.'  Slow growing. About 1m tall and 0.75 m wide when full grown.

twopenny

Nice Holly.
Having spent years clearing up the prickly stuff I'm still wary.

Got a lot of dead heading done out front 2 days ago but there was more to be done yesterday 🫤
Haven't even started on the back which is a mess of petals in the wind we have been getting.

Fleece won't stay on cherries nor netting on strawberries.

It's so dry that the indestructible lemon balm has withered.

Farway did you know borage is a 'pick-me-up'? Look up why teens used to buy it.
Might be worth a tissan while you transfer your passwords 😉

Farway

Computer remains reset & working, phew. 

A mystery, what Gremlin comes along & alters the settings which are hidden under multi layers of menus?

Probably sprinkles slugs on the way to the house as well 

Dull, light grey & a bit windy, warm and expected to get warmer. 

twopenny said:

Fleece won't stay on cherries nor netting on strawberries.

It's so dry that the indestructible lemon balm has withered.

Farway did you know borage is a 'pick-me-up'? Look up why teens used to buy it.
Might be worth a tissan while you transfer your passwords 😉

Have I mentioned to use clothes pegs to clip fleece / netting to branches / twigs? I do, and meant to say it here.

Borage, had a look about using it. I'm a bit wary because they do warn about being pregnant or breastfeeding.  More pertinent for me though is blood thinners warning, however I may sprinkle some flowers on my salad, supposed to be cucumberish taste.

My Lemon Balm remains indestructible and is going strong

I like the Dusty holly, think I've seen it somewhere, Wisley probably.

The mixed annuals I sowed last week are just showing green bits, and the dwarf dahlias from seed, which suffered from poor compost and root development, some are growing away now.

From about a dozen I have approx six left, not as I planned but hey ho, that's gardening

The Bishop dahlia I potted up last week, on offer, has shoots above the compost now, all's well so far.

Today's pic is some apples, probably waiting to drop off now Junes here. Actually it's normally a very good cropper with tasty & juicy early apples.

Variety is unknown, another wrong label.

Working_Mum

Hello everyone,
I've been AWOL over the last week as I've been super crazy busy with work and then unable to get into the garden for any respite as the weather hasn't been playing ball.

I shan't comment on everything I've read - suffice to say it has kept me sustained in a v challenging week -  it actually  took me until Friday last week to read everyone's post and catch up. I've loved reading everything - so much seems to happen to everyone else - I clearly need to retire and live a fuller life (December  2026 I have my eye on you!).

I used to live down on the south coast when I was 8/11 as my Dad was in the Royal Navy - Southwick, Pompey and Southsea have a special place in my heart! About 10 years ago we took a family cruise from Southampton and stayed at the Premier 1nn at Southsea - we walked along to a pub close to the docks and everyone got very drunk. My son and nephew were fishing / crabbing off the sea wall. My dad fell over and gave himself a black eye on the way back! My sister and I took the kids to the Isle of Wigit (as we used to call it too YBE!) on the hovercraft and had a mooch. It was a lovely trip down Memory Lane.

OT I'm at Mums and this was the view as Rome0 and I had our daily walk around the wind turbines - all seasons in one picture