Awful weather - typical Brits talk

wort

Weds improved and was sunny after lunch, so I collected a bag of leaves for leaf mulch. Last years are still there, not very mulched yet but possibly because in years gone by I had my leaf blower that chopped them smaller. It will get there eventually.
I also did some chopping and filled the green bin, mainly more of the Escallonia
which had been flowering,it has a clematis in flower running through it so I was trying to be careful I didn’t cut through that, when of course I did break a large tendril off full of buds 🥹
I sawed a thick branch off the weigiela, and cut the tree peony stems down. 

I prefer my tea in china cups, mine are also normal sized and the tea strong and hot. My dgson says I have an asbestos mouth because I’ve drunk my tea before he has taken more than a sip because it’s too hot.

wort

Pp finally the house has been sorted and given exchange date for next week ! She now can give a months notice on her rented place. Which is slightly annoying because it’s another moths rent she could do with for the new house. But so relieved it’s finally sorted . To say that probate was granted over 2 years ago and it’s family house the solicitor was taking the Michael.

twopenny

Brightishbut 4.5c !!!
Rain squalls that beat heavy. I was surprised it didn't break the windows last night.
Just woken up due to neighbours 4.45am start and finally getting to sleep again so on the grumpy side as I'm late for everything.

Wort, I used to collect leaves in bin bags. Sometimes they'd rot over winter and sometimes I'd have to compost them the following spring.
I wonder if it's due to moisture content?

Good news about house. From my solicitor office days between info and replies not coming through, the families not agreeing and the whole shenanigans passed from to another it takes an age almost always. But she has time to get excited now 🙂

Any gardening will be awhile until this lot dries out so it's a bit of pleasure and a bit of homemaking today.
Might just have Gardeners Question Time on while I do some of it.

Dustyevsky

You did well, on Wednesday, wort.  Not sure many will have done any gardening yesterday, even if Benjamin wasn't such a bad boy. All I did was hoover and mop in readiness for the arrival of the Outlaws.   They feel the cold more than us, so I suspect today will be officially 'light the wood burner day.' Mrs Dusty and I would normally hang on till November for that. 

I see the Exeter imbibers have rolled-out a 'new look' forecast today.  As it doesn't give a whole-day immediate overview, I switched it back to the old model, which is still an option, fortunately.  One look at the rainfall radar told me today will be more sunshine and showers here, with no certainty where or when each will occur. It's going to be gusty in the showers, and feel like 8c, so I don't imagine much outdoor gardening will occur. 

In the polytunnel, I've had interesting results with Chilli pepper 'Habanada,' which is purportedly a mild, wee, conical, orange thing you can nibble straight off the bush. Well, that's how one turned-out:

However, the other one is of somewhat different appearance:

It's much larger and more traditionally chilli shaped. The good news is the impostor tastes mild too. Neither seems to produce many seeds, so that's probably why the [packet (T&M) only contains a few. 

Dustyevsky

On house buying, it seems around 1/3 of transactions never go through, and a goodly proportion of the remainder have problems along the way. 

Our DD1 had delays caused by buying an underpinned house, and DD2 was some time negotiating over the one recently purchased. Not only did the latter have an erroneous 'contaminated land' mark against it, but a finance company had a major interest, yet no apparent desire to move swiftly. The eventual result was a sale at £36k below the original asking price, which was definitely worthwhile, but frustratingly slow.

Matters which put off other buyers can be a good thing if speed isn't a priority. Now DD1's house is well past 30 years since the underpinning, that should drop off the radar for her, when she moves on.

OT: Sunny at present and not windy. I'm off to muck out the hens.......

Farway

A bit late arriving, had my bits N Bobs to sort, including collecting my prescription. 

Sun's out, but colder, the heating came on this morning, that's it, Winter is here

But despite that, I managed to pick more outdoor toms on my way back indoors, including two of the larger mystery ones.

Plus, noticed the Alliums I planted in pots the other week, are now growing, or at least I have leaves up, which is a bit further than some of my previous allium growing has got

No actual gardening today, it's too wet.

Well done on Hot Lips PP, gives me hope to try again with mine, so far every cutting has snuffed it, despite being "easy"

Next door has a Purple ones, I might just snip some when I sort the wheelie bin later

Seeing your Chilies Dusty has reminded me I have one in the conservatory, not checked it for a bit. I know the pepper is ripening, time for photo soon

Pictures is not playing again, should have been Begonia time 

wort

Sun and showers here, I gave up on salvias because the slugs loved them . Might try again next year it’s been a while ,maybe the salvia eating slugs have moved on. 

Dusty don’t envy you mucking out.
I do understand the house buying can take time but given the bungalow belonged to Gdad, who left a will. Plus all inheriting were in favour of dd buying ,no chain. Wanting quick sale ,everything signed and sent back immediately. Then the solicitors kept losing things and having to be redone. It seems a really long time.
I cannot get photos to load at all, not sure if it’s my phone or the site. I’m a bit worried it might be my phone🫣 it’s around 8 years old and not holding charge much. 

twopenny

Have a cheery picture when things are going downhill weather wise 
The last rose of summer?
The one I accidentally lopped off when pruning 😮

greenbee

Bitterly cold here in the wind, but also gloriously sunny. 

Stinky has been walked and I'm now defrosting before going to get the washing in and contemplate some gardening. It's not warm enough for the greenhouse vents to open, despite the sunshine! And there's a lot of work to do in the veg plot - cardboarding/mulching/weeding/possibly even sowing something if I can work out what out of my vast collection could usefully go in now. But I might just plan... 

Dustyevsky

wort said:

Dusty don’t envy you mucking out.
I do understand the house buying can take time but given the bungalow belonged to Gdad, who left a will. Plus all inheriting were in favour of dd buying ,no chain. Wanting quick sale ,everything signed and sent back immediately. Then the solicitors kept losing things and having to be redone. It seems a really long time.

Oh, I didn't want to imply your DD's experience is normal or acceptable. It is a really long time!  I was just pointing out that glitches can sometimes work in a determined buyer's favour. 

Here, one of our vendors was in jail and generally hostile to the idea of selling, but we were lucky with the partner's solicitor being realistic. As for our solicitor, we said to the EA, “You want this sold, and we want in while it's still summer, so recommend someone who will get it over the line, pronto.” He did, and she was brilliant.  Retired now, sadly. Probably won't see her sort again; they all have secretary gatekeepers now! 

Mucking-out is quick and easy, as we do it every day rather than allow a build-up. We have a dying hen this morning, though. It's old age. I thought she was gone a month ago, but she rallied. This time, nature will take its course.