Awful weather - typical Brits talk

twopenny

Ok so dry and bright. I finally got to snipping all the plums off the tree just leaving a large one per bud to see what happens.
There were a couple of blossoms on there too 
It took ages!

Had a look at where I wanted to increase a secluded seating area in the shade about 2yrs ago. I reckon the ground is soft enough to shift plants. And there's a lot of cleaning up plants after the drought.

As a boost to the short days here's some flowers coming into bloom 

And some already blooming 



And yesterday I had to avoid stepping on fat daffodil shoots
It's all getting slightly crazy but it is a sign that spring is around the corner 😊

YoungBlueEyes

Morning all, on the Day of the Poinsettia

I've only just read back but I've forgotten what everyone's said. I'm glad everyone's bits are all working again, and no-one had serious damage from the storm. I was thinking of pp @pink_poppy cos the worst of it was up there I think, but plenty of it for you left hand siders. 2p, Dusty, Less, wort, all ok? And wasn't arb @ArbitraryRandom down near you BottomLeftLandia dwellers..? 

The plague has hit Shawshank Patch. Himself came home Wednesday night just as I was getting home - the flu has ripped through all the fellahs. Of the 8 lads that were working for bossman on that site, 6 have the flu and 5 are in hospital. The one who brought himself home was heading straight to Hull Royal he was that bad. Good job I hadn't a drink cos I had to take PF home so she wasn't exposed to it. We'll see what today brings. 

OT weird weather continues. It was 10'c when I got up this morning! It's just wrong that the warmest point of the day is so early in the morning Dry today apart from the showery lunchtime part, bit breezy, but humidity will stop any washing going out. 

twopenny

Sorry to hear the dreaded lurgy is with you 😕
What is different about this flu nobody has said? Or is it that people aren't used to it or the media has hyped?
We used to sleep it off in the old days along with honey and lemon and aspirin to make us sweat it out.

8c here and overnight rain but no wind, just gloom.
8 days to the solstice 🙂 and then we're on the up and heading towards spring 🌼 

Dustyevsky

twopenny said:

Wort hope it went well. I'm guessing your birthday search wasn't for a lawnmower 😆
Dusty you were right. It was selworthy beacon car park. A great spot for sunsets and walks with lovely views.
Tomorrow is MOT day so I've been saving the chores because I can't walk far to do anything else.

I think it was taff who was going with OH to search for a birthday gift. And with his poorly ankle, surely he deserved something good.

Selworthy's where I hope to reach next summer for some walks, along with Porlock, Bossington etc. It's quite a stretch for us, though. 

Here's hoping your MoT went well. Awkward timing just before Christmas, but the date is usually inherited with the car. Loving your potential fruit salad, with the strawberry, apple, and developing plums!   Edited! 

AI is seductive, Farway, but I agree with 2p, it's too perfect. The problems will come when it learns to build-in random imperfections! 

Sorry I didn't return yesterday; it was a mostly frustrating day, though I had one bit of luck. Visiting a GC off my normal route, I purchased a small Ilex crenata 'Golden Gem' (golden leaved holly) for £3, and after getting it home, discovered 'it' was actually 3 plants!    Slow growing, but I'm patient. The rest of that trip was very annoying. I got within 250m of home, only to find 3 telecommunications vans blocking the road, so it was another 3 mile detour to go around them.  Bad enough, but the burgers were actually on our land at the time, having climbed in via the neighbour's garden. That was an extremely tough route to reach the telegraph pole, but if you don't ask....! 

Anyway, my plan to make a last grass-cut of the year came to nought....the belt fell off the ride-on! Grr! 

YoungBlueEyes said:

The plague has hit Shawshank Patch. Himself came home Wednesday night just as I was getting home - the flu has ripped through all the fellahs. Of the 8 lads that were working for bossman on that site, 6 have the flu and 5 are in hospital. 

Sorry to hear that. It's still localised down here, and our rural area appears not to be badly affected yet. Hope Himself stays clear. It's very odd for fit, strapping guys, used to an outdoor life, being so hard-hit.

twopenny said:

What is different about this flu nobody has said? Or is it that people aren't used to it or the media has hyped?

 There's always an NHS panic in the run-up to Christmas, but this wave of respiratory illness has come early and the bug, or bugs, are said to be extra-infective/virulent. They also seem to be affecting children more than usual. Cases could peak early, or continue rising. As one who follows medical research, I'm surprised how little publicity is given to protective measures people might take well in advance of this season, and indeed, all the time. 

Not much Hog News. An unmarked individual walked by twice last night without stopping.  Tomorrow I'll put the feet on the two hog houses and take a photo. More shopping today. 

OT: Looks nice out there, and at last we're seeing a return of the blackies. Also, we have the usual escapee male pheasant seeking refuge. 

Today's photo.....Marmite!!! 

Yeah, but NO! 

Farway

Dull & grey, roll on the Solstice

Hope YBE household keeps lurgy free, seems the flu is bad strain but I've no real idea, I don't think it's just a Lemsip job with this one, DDIL had it, and it really floored her, and she is normally bursting with health

I console myself with having been jabbed and hoping all goes well, that said do have scratchy throat and irritating cough as well as wonky knee, suspect it's just a Winter cold though, solved by TV & armchair

Great, early garden 2P, things to come

Just refreshed, a good outing Dusty, at least in parts with the Holly, I suppose they bung extra in the pot to make it look bushy and sell quickly, bit like the potted herbs in supermarkets

My contribution to the winter colour, the hyacinths that came back to life, I have a flower spike coming along. 

Will it make it for Christmas?