Awful weather - typical Brits talk

pink_poppy

Less, your sunset looked like it was on fire
And well spotted (groaning pun intended) on the ladybird/hopper thing!!

Dusty, those marigolds are amazing.
I forgot to say, I did laugh at your skinny emojis the other day    

October accommodation now booked - phew...

Weather still changeable.

LessImpecunious

Dustyevsky said:

LessImpecunious said:

Is that a ladybird on your bramble leaf Dusty?

I think it's a hopper, or similar. I doubt if I go back this afternoon it will still be there!  Didn't notice it at the time of photo because it was dusk, and I was hurrying.

Thought it looked a bit like one of the little brown ones I vaguely remembered seeing on an ID website - but you're prob right (having had a quick look at some pics), and especially if seen at dusk, think they're hiding away by then... 

Coincidentally I spotted two (well, probably the same one twice) 7-Spots while beginning the "summer" pruning of my apple trees (Farway has been making me increasingly guilty for not having started, though it was October last year ... As it's been the best years for apples for yonks here, maybe it didn't matter... Best year for yonks for Ladybirds too, we rarely see them here...

YoungBlueEyes

Mmmm brambles Dusty Honestly it's come to something when you have to come on a weather thread to see sight of brambles and toms ha haa! Have you seen the price of brambles in shops? It's the same as rhubarb when it appears - I look at the price and think 'My god, I've eaten/given away an actual fortune over the years'   Mr Canute isn't learning then? Well done for not planting Russian vine, it'd ruin your karma would that. So the marigolds aren't eating your whitefly? Erseholes. I thought that's what marigolds were for - sacrificial companion planting or something…? 

Congrats to Number One DGS on his driving test Farway Are you crossing your fingers for a Rottery win so you can buy him insurance? Are parents getting all itchy about his long drive/moving out..? Yep fig tree is in the conservatory but it's cooling off in there now, so I'll lug it up the stairs and it can sit in the little bedroom at the front, should be warmer in there for it.  Mmm pork pie washed down with homemade crumble = ambrosia  

All those jobs offers means your employable and in demand pp Is there a time limit on the offers you don't want in case the job you do want doesn't come through..? Jeez that's a good sunset, you could sit forever watching that eh. Ah you got accommodation sorted I was gonna say, I don't know which island you're talking about, but according to 2p's forum they rate Mull over Skye for a go-to place. Practically the same scenery but cheaper with it. 

Ooh I didn't think of ladybirds as being particularly geographically minded Less, I thought they went/bred wherever the conditions were right?  Imagine not usually having ladybirds    Are you up a mountainside or somewhere that's inhospitable to them? Good luck apple tree pruning, did you get a good harvest this year then? 

Well I lost the Battle of the Lights. Orangey light decided m+s cookies were most acceptable and turned off, but the really bright white ones are holding out for something better. The lads were perfectly amenable when I went round, but when I went round again re the white lights (which are the ones I really wanted turned off) they got all prickly. Those 2 MUST stay on for security purposes Lucky I'm off today cos I've gotta go blind/curtain shopping *sigh* I'll not be starting a thread on the In My Home board gb cos they won't back down I don't think.



OT we got another storm yesterday, mid aft for an hour or so. It was mostly rain with a bit of liveliness in the middle but it was better than nothing Today is just cool and sunny with a wee bit of a breeze. It was really cool last night - not helped by the humidity tbh - and I ended up putting once of those cheapo fleecy blankets over the bed. It's not actual duvet weather yet. 

greenbee

Air rifle YBE *

*This is most definitely NOT legal advice and is intended as a joke... 

Dustyevsky

Mr C is being deliberately provocative, Bluey, so my response is something less obvious. After all, I could be planning to make elderflower champagne, or just getting so old and crotchety, I don't get around to jobs I did before.  "Don't poke the bear!" is a lesson others could learn too.

Marigolds are supposed to deter whitefly, but I've no idea how prolific the whitefly would have been if I'd grown the toms without them.  The flowers draw in all sorts of insects, and they look nice, so that's good enough.

'Security' is a great excuse for many things, or so it seems.   Commiserations about the lights. They're probably not close enough to create a 'statutory nuisance.' My bargaining chip is slightly more legal than GB's....three very pongy comfrey barrels, regularly stirred! "The answer, my friend, is blowin in the wind." 

We don't see that many ladybirds either, Less. Hopefully, we may see more now  there are sheep and coos around us rather than crops with attendant spraying. Insects are definitely more prolific this year, but the weather probably played a major role. We're seeing a tremendous number of Large White butterflies just now, and not just on the Lythrum I pictured recently:

My old alma mater's Bristle, although I studied elsewhere most of the time, and only climbed the hallowed steps once, to receive my piece of paper at the end of 4 years toil.   Good luck to your DG,  Farway, especially with the rents they charge there now!  As for the driving, about 2 years past, Mrs D and I vowed never to go there again without a young person escort. All the old ins and outs are changed, gone, or taxed!   

OT: A nice day in prospect, but the rain blobs may intervene, and running out of various comestibles will certainly curtail whatever it is I've not planned. 

Farway

There was actual sun at sunrise this morning, it's been tipping down past fee mornings. The sunrise was nothing spectacular though, just sunny. 

Now for an important OT announcement, Full Lunar eclipse on Sunday, Blood Moon. Cameras on red alert.

I've just won an argument with Chat about this  , I asked if any eclipse visible this week, told No, but there is one on Sunday, sirry irriot!

Pointed out the error and actually got the robot to apologise 

Actually he / she / they turned out very helpful, gave me exact timing for my locality, so if you fancy your chances, ask Chat for your area, and will also give you likely weather if asked. Mine is clear & fine, yay.

The total eclipse is below horizon, but will still be in eclipse when visible from UK.

"This looks like an excellent night to catch the Blood Moon. Clear skies and mild temperatures set the stage for a memorable sighting"

Back to gardening, envious of your toms Dusty, and the tagetes as well, even if they don't work they look nice.

If sun keeps out I'll pick some more of my cherry ones at the front, I was thinking they were over but the Jesus gene has kicked in. [Second coming, with acknowledgements to YBE]

Well done PP, on both sun pics & getting accommodation.

Less, apple pruning, I suspect it can be geographic, depends on wood ripening, I think I'm sometimes too early because I have had secondary growth in the past, so have “tidy up” up” mid-October

My next lot of pruning are the buddleias, no rush on them, but I think those in the know can adjust next year's flower timing by this year's pruning. 

Another job I must do, get slug pellets around my new pansies, ideal lush food just waiting

Morries had young wall flowers, in bedding trays, £3, or on a 3 for £6 offer. I may get some next time I'm there, Spring being planned already!

YBE, sorry about the security light loss, bummer, but I'd guess that is part of their insurance requirements, lighting up their yard. No chances of angling them downwards bit, slip, some hob nobs in the bribe mix?

Just refreshed, a good lot of butterflies there, Dusty. I, and my nasturtiums, are breeding next year for us all

pink_poppy

Aw, cute ladybird, Less. I very rarely see them here, probably just one or two a year at the most.

It's job interviews, not job offers, that I'm being offered, YBE. I've sat and worked out that I've applied for 8 jobs in the last 3 months and was offered interviews for 5 of them. I was unsuccessful for the interview I had a couple of weeks ago (no surprise there, I was absolutely dire ), I've got another interview booked in for next week (if I don't cancel) and the other three I decided to withdraw from before the interviews). I know I look good on paper, but interviews are another story   I'm still waiting to hear from the last application I made (and typically that's the one I want)...

We probably go to Mull a few times a year - I love it there. Sometimes we just go on a booze cruise as foot passengers on the ferry and have a few drinks at the Craignure Inn and come back again. Other times we take the car over and drive to Tobermory or Fionnphort, where you can get a wee ferry over to Iona. We've only been to Skye once and it is beautiful, but the roads were a shocker with potholes galore. We're going to the Outer Hebrides next month. We just passed through the islands last year when we were en route to other places, but this time we're staying over for a few days.

That is a bummer about the lights   Do you know how long the builders have got to go before they're finished?? I like Dusty's stinky Comfrey idea, although I suppose the wind has to be blowing in the right direction. greenbee, don't put ideas into YBE's head   

Lovely flutterby photo, Dusty.

Farway, that's funny about Chat getting it wrong about the moon and then apologising   I'm not even going to attempt taking a pic of it - I'm rubbish at moon pics.

taff, if you're lurking, can I ask what Lavazza coffee you get?? I saw you mention it on another thread, but when I looked in Tesco the other day there were a couple of choices and I didn't know which one to try. I've been gifted a coffee machine that takes beans or ground coffee (I like my coffee strong and black) but haven't found a coffee I'm happy with yet.

twopenny and wort, hope you're both okay??

OT - sunny at the moment and a wee nip in the air.

Farway

With the sun out, I went on a camera patrol around the back garden, here's a couple

The honey suckle came out blurred, so binned that one, looks like another patrol coming up

Here's my Jesus figs, to give guide on size. I doubt they will ripen but maybe, just, maybe.

And I just had to get a blackberry having seen Dusty's yummy ones

Dustyevsky

pink_poppy said:
 I know I look good on paper, but interviews are another story   I'm still waiting to hear from the last application I made (and typically that's the one I want)...

twopenny and wort, hope you're both okay??

OT - sunny at the moment and a wee nip in the air.

You'll be fine if you're yourself at interviews. I know it's hard, but only the real you will come across well.  And if they don't want the real you, you won't want to work there anyway! 

 Hope Working Mum is OK too.  Perhaps they're all 'safe haven positioning.' I know I would be, if only I could. And what a day for the Investment Minister to resign, eh?  No, not her.... . You didn't know?? 

Speaking of things I shouldn't, on the way to the consumer emporia today, I heard a whole Radio 4 programme about geoengineering; that thing I got into trouble for mentioning maybe a year or so ago.  Must be mainstream now... Do you think I'll get one of my lives back? 

While perusing the clearance items in a certain supermarket, I came across these at a quid each, and couldn't resist:

Four units in each pack. Sadly, I can't guarantee you will find similar.  It looked as if they'd cleared out that room along the corridor, past the water pipes, where Doris goes for a quick drag in her break .....

Farway, those second sitting figs are much larger than mine. I may as well retire from fig husbandry for this year. The one I had was superb, though! 

LessImpecunious

YoungBlueEyes said:
Ooh I didn't think of ladybirds as being particularly geographically minded Less, I thought they went/bred wherever the conditions were right?  Imagine not usually having ladybirds    Are you up a mountainside or somewhere that's inhospitable to them? Good luck apple tree pruning, did you get a good harvest this year then? 

I think that's it - the conditions are not right for them here normally! We are on what they call a mountain in some parts not far from here, though a slightly elevated ridge is more accurate, but temperature maps put us on a par with much more northerly areas... In many years we haven't seen ladybirds at all, but must be approaching double figures now over the past couple of years, with a range of species...

Reason for ladybirds may also be reason for good apple harvest this year - warmth! though I'd like to think my several years of attempted renovation pruning of defunct apples might have something to do with it... will have to see how it goes over the next couple of years...

Farway I looked into summer pruning dates last year (needed to remove watershoots especially after my too vigorous renovation pruning   and realised I'd left it a bit late) - conclusion was it was better to do it late rather than not at all, as long as leaves were still green on the trees... and I've had regrowth too, doing it earlier...