Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Dustyevsky

Bluey said: Morning all - happy St David's Day :) On This Day In History President Kennedy set up the Peace Corps…

I think we need to rename this thread, all the chatty interesting stuff is nothing to do with the weather 😄 I wanna know what Mr New is/was doing in the Impenetrable Woodland Dusty! Is Mr Canute up yet? Can you see the digger from your side of the fence, or maybe a top bedroom window…? What does he think is gonna be on that camera? Isn't that against privacy laws or summat?

Hmm, that Kennedy Peace initiative did well. 😏 You're right, we ought to focus more on the weather, but if we did that, maybe we'd drift into areas that are not allowed, like Gee O engine earring. So, it's safer to chat about loony neighbour nonsense, unlegal upsets, and throw a plant in now and again. 🌷

To answer briefly, Mr New returned yesterday, to plant trees in the area he cleared, which is definitely gardening.😇 I'd say he's intending to regenerate the woodland. Whether that means starting from scratch everywhere, remains to be seen. The only certainty is Mr Canute will hate whatever he does! As for Mr King's cameras, I believe they're legal, as they focus on a hedgerow between open fields, not a private space. Ironically, it's only Mr King who thinks a field should be 'private!' 🤣

Yesterday I had more pressing matters in the form of a water trough with a failed ball valve, flooding the surrounding area. A typical '90s design it doesn't have a simple flap to lift to reach the valve, so it had to be disconnected, emptied and taken to the workshop. I won't bore you with the rest, but even when I'd found the right tools, it took an age. Grovelling around on the ground set off sciatica too. 😕 At least it was warm, and apart from a heavy shower at dusk, dry.

With one Alder down, I've discovered their wood turns a bright shade of orange when exposed to air. I must get a photo. It was so bright I thought I'd left the chainsaw out! 😄 Meanwhile, here is a rather poor photo of the flowers. The hanging down catkins carry the pollen and the sticking-out part receives it and develops into little cones later in the year. This tree ought to be taken down now, but it's too large and close to other valued trees/fences etc, so we'll need a pro to do it. 😪

It's supposed to be dry today. We began with misty rain. Now, with the drunks predicting solid cloud cover, we have sunshine. Well, 12c is OK by me, and there's no hint of frost. ☺️

Farway

Morning folks, back from pruning at DS, with all fingers intact

Found that DGS, being a Modern Yoof, and, as per Dusty, PS2 generation could not keep the male hormones in check once handed a pair of long handled loppers and a tree to lop 😂. As most will attest, lopping branches can get addictive. Once he got the hang of it all, leverage etc. he was away.

The main tree looked good after it all, down to shoulder height, branches escaping over neighbours and shed lopped off. And looks like loads of fruit buds left. I have left instructions on next stage, water shoots etc. but hope to return for all that.

Very sod's law, DS pear tree, one of four fruit trees, bought no doubt from newspaper Garden Ex8888s ad, is perfect columnar, no pruning needed, just has a slim trunk with blossom buds all the way up. bet it will look like the Photoshopped ones in the brochures🤨

YBE asked Isn't that against privacy laws or summat Not a lawyer etc, but GPDR ? If you have the time and bloody mindedness, CCTV rules goes on to another link with templates to really get up the nose of neighbour request further information. Let's hope it does not capture young GC in swimming cossies, that could be years of grief👿

Dusty, Divinity toms, I like them, and I was trying to think what to sow next, and now you have answered my question 😀I'll try and sow a couple this afternoon, seed is T & M 2024 so should be fine

I had hoped to add fertiliser to my rhubarb and figs etc in pots, but it's wet & miserable out there, so just sow a couple of tom seeds looks like the total gardening today, unless Dusty sunshine creeps along the bottom edge

twopenny

Mild, windy and damp but didn't rain which is a bonus. 11c.

Bluey I think we got diverted by mid winter and eternal rain and there wasn't anything outdoors to talk about but we're back on track. ☔

Well I haven't got any gardening done. Over did Friday when I could wizz around and buggered the last 2 days. I just don't learn!

Farway sounds like that was a good and productive day. Well done 🙂

Dusty it must have enough intrigue going on there to make looking at world news fade into insignificance ! 🕵️ But you still seem to get lots done. Lumping water troughs seems a little far added though. Aren't you tempted to sneak across those cameras? But guess you don't need to with new neighbour upping the agrivation stakes. I'm beginning to feel a twinge of sympathy for Mr Canute 😉

Unable to do anything today but I did bring in some wisteria seed pods with a view to growing. Then I looked it up and they take 15 yes to flower 🥲 I probably won't be around to see that so not wanting to waste I may plonk them in somewhere where they can get on with it and maybe give someone a surprise in 20yrs time.

Drained the rain out of my seed trays. An inch overnight 😐 so fingers crossed 🤞 they survive. So tiny it's not fair.

See bluey, it's more interesting talking about other people 😉

YoungBlueEyes

Morning all :) Search - Oscars 2026 countdown 🤔 Well I won't.

Ah so Mr King is keeping watch over his open private fields then eh Dusty? He's the sort of person who's amusing but only from a distance, a pain if you're anywhere near him. How will Mr Canute react to the planting of trees… Did you get a pic of your orange wood? I don't think I've ever seen that, sounds interesting 🙂 I love your catkin tree, we used to call them Lamb's Tails 😍

Lopping nearly went too well Farway 😄 It is addictive once you get going! You'll have to get back for a pic of the Sod's Law perfect pear tree. With a bit of luck you've awoken the gardener in DGS and he'll see it right🤞

I reckon you're right re the diversion we've taken 2p but I like a diversion. It always amazes me what people have in their heads, I love it. Deffo plant those wisteria seeds cos you never know. Maybe with Global Boiling they'll be done in 10 years and you'll get chance of enjoying them 😊 I heartily agree it's interesting talking about other people. Which is funny cos at work I can't stick the relentless drama and gossip. Doesn't help that there's only a few people older than me, and one of them is the worst for it 😏

Well I didn't get Tutus washed yesterday cos it came sunny and breezy and that's not good car washing weather. I got a good pic though, showing a few things. Seems I'm getting multiples of things - my blackie a trois from last year is now a septuple, I've ladybirds galore, and where did all those pigeons come from?! No BeeBums, but I did think I heard one.

OT 8'c but WoC is 1, reckon the sobers. Not even close 🙄Dry all day though and a goodly Southerly breeze. It's been dry and breezy all night, the place is drying up lovely. Right I've a couple of pics from yesterday then I'm off to hang a wash out. And then go to work, again.

YoungBlueEyes

Lovely sunny day yesterday, and the ladybirds were basking in it. Also captured my rambling rose throwing buds out like a crazy thing, and whatever that thing is I planted that considered Valhalla for a year before deciding to make a go of it -

Next was going to be a pic of my acer buds for they're a lovely colour in real life. I was gonna turn the pot round so I could get the label in but it was stuck to the soil :grimace: So whatever the green flat-bladed things are that look like grass are bulbs coming up from underneath. I've left it in situ cos I've ripped a pot up before and the bulbs died on me. Lovely soft moss too, I like moss ☺️

Farway

Nice & sunny, supposed to be Spring all week, fingers crossed for that

2P wisteria, I think seed grown ones are hit & miss, like apples from pips. Wait ten years and the result is mostly rubbish, but sometimes it's a jackpot. One of those if you have time & space enough worth a bash

YBE, your acer is just a tad ahead of mine, it's all coming to life now the longer days are here.

Sowed the Divinity tom seeds yesterday, I only had three seeds, sowed them all, that is how to finish up with a forest, again.

Also sowed a couple of Paul Robeson toms. I've never had any success with beef steak types, but stumble on regardless, in the blind hope that one year, maybe this year with planets aligning and a full moon? PR is heritage & supposed to be a good one outdoors for UK, bt I've heard that tale before

Found some of my own Castor oil seeds, Ricinus, a couple of years old, I think I'll give them a go later, they make nice & unusual foliage plants and I found them easy & trouble free

With the sun I hope to get out and add fertiliser to the outside pots this week, hope the tub of Q4 is what it says & I've not used it all. Still I have BF & B from Home Bs as plan B

Photo, my Sutton broad beans, just for taster, not fill freezer. Started on damp kitchen roll 2nd Feb to germinate, then into these pots to grow on a bit in unheated conservatory. Probably plant out to final spot beginning of March

The blank pot has one in, it's just a bit tardy and sleeping and hopefully NOT dreaming of the fiords 😁

Dustyevsky

Farway said: Dusty, Divinity toms, I like them, and I was trying to think what to sow next, and now you have answered my question 😀I'll try and sow a couple this afternoon, seed is T & M 2024 so should be fine

Strangely, or perhaps not, my seed was T&M bargain stock from 2024. I forgot to sow it last year! 😏

Bluey said: Ah so Mr King is keeping watch over his open private fields then eh Dusty? He's the sort of person who's amusing but only from a distance, a pain if you're anywhere near him. How will Mr Canute react to the planting of trees… Did you get a pic of your orange wood? I don't think I've ever seen that, sounds interesting 🙂 I love your catkin tree, we used to call them Lamb's Tails 😍

I just find King's contradictory behaviour amusing. “I want privacy, but yours is irrelevant.” With a long history of problem behaviour from him, this doesn't score more than 2/10, so we'll ignore what's looks like pathological insecurity. Mr Canute's very similar, which is why what we'll do to cope with the problematic boundary will, hopefully, avoid upsetting his equilibrium too much. You've probably come across people through your work who think nothing immediately beyond their property boundary should change. Mrs Dusty and I lost count of the properties we walked away from because we saw permanent concerns with the surrounding land. You can fix houses…..😉

I did get a photo of the alder trunk, which is being split now for firewood. The chainsawed surfaces go orange, and the rest follows when exposed to the air, but it's a very white wood until then:

Yesterday, Mrs Dusty and I were doing a similar job to the one Farway tackled on Saturday, but probably with much less finesse. 😧 We 'pruned' many orchard trees…with the chainsaw! Mrs D would point and say “There.” Then I'd cut, focusing on not being hit by branches or falling-over. 😄 It was very effective, but there's a hellava mess to clear up now! More firewood too. 😇

Today seems less windy than yesterday, but with added dullness creeping-in soon.

-taff

Blimey there's a whole load of industry going on. Love the viburnum pic Dusty, the flowers are so interesting in their stages and colours.

Interesting [where's that button again?] stuff about trees in general. Luckily no need for me to prune any for a long time, nd lotment neighbour has said he will do a damage to mine, must go and see and take more cake…Well done your dgd Farway for taking power tools by the horns. Interesting stuff about figs, I will take note.

Gosh, it's all happening at Dusty Towers…I'm confused about who's where even with an explanation. Such a load of faff about boundaries and what's mine is mine and some of yours too. What's up with people? I mean it's not as if MrC hasn't got a large amount [ relatively speaking] of land anyway and as long as it's mostly obvious it's his, why sweat the small stuff. And ah….the famous abbey, should have known :)

2p, it's easily done though, the gadding then the inactivity because it's so nice to be mobile it's easy to forget the payment in the future for being mobile. Sometimes worth it though. I'm very impressed by your dexterity with crutches too as well…you've got skillz…

Got to agree with synchronicity thing too, good things usually happen in response to making an effort too or being a friend, or doing what used to be your societal bit. Well done Less too for being a headliner :)

Lovely to see ladybirds basking too, means they're ramping up to eradicate tasty aphids :)

Sun here all day apparently, which means I will probably finally Do Some Stuff, not sure yet what though.. I have opened my seed suitcase [ very small flight thingy] and realised there is no way I am ever growing all of the ones I have, but I can't bear to chuck out. Might have to take some pics and farm them out to other takers, or be a one woman seed swap shop…

Enjoy the day if you have a good one…

Dustyevsky

Missed your Acer, Bluey.Congrats on keeping it, but a repot looks like it would do it good, bulbs or no bulbs.😉The other thing whizzing-up among the ladybirds is a clematis. When ours sulk, they don't return. Mrs D kills them for a pastime.😥

2p said: Dusty it must have enough intrigue going on there to make looking at world news fade into insignificance ! 🕵️ But you still seem to get lots done. Lumping water troughs seems a little far added though. Aren't you tempted to sneak across those cameras? But guess you don't need to with new neighbour upping the agrivation stakes. I'm beginning to feel a twinge of sympathy for Mr Canute 😉

There's world news? 😦It'll be the same nonsense, I expect. Gave it all up six years ago, when I finally realised we were being fed hogwash.🤐

The water trough was plastic, fortunately, so not heavy. If it had been old-fashioned zinc, I could have fixed it in situ, so swings & roundabouts.🙃 Fortunately, after a bout of sciatica and feeling weak from the cellulitis, I'm feeling much better. The weather and the way nature is waking-up again, helps.

I wouldn't say Mr New is engaging in aggravation, just creating a new woodland, and making his land accessible for dog walking etc. Mr King has no argument with him (yet! 😅)

LessImpecunious

Just found this which I typed last night and obvs forgot to press send, it was a long day (not in garden)🙄

YBE said:

I think we need to rename this thread, all the chatty interesting stuff is nothing to do with the weather 😄 I wanna know what Mr New is/was doing in the Impenetrable Woodland Dusty! Is Mr Canute up yet? Can you see the digger from your side of the fence, or maybe a top bedroom window…? What does he think is gonna be on that camera? Isn't that against privacy laws or summat?

Me too😀

Spuggies are sparrows Less? I would have guessed slugs 🤨 Is spuggies regional to where you are then? Goosegogs I did know, I think that's universal. Do they still eat them now…?

Yes, to the latter. First came across spuggies in furtherupnortheastland than where you are now, but never had occasion before now to wonder whether it was specific to that or any other region…🤔 Beware Sky, spent 6 months arguing with them when they messed up a similar deal, finally sorted and now they are doing a large mid-contract price hike (as mentioned in latest (I think) MSE weekly email…)

And, this morning Farway said:

Photo, my Sutton broad beans, just for taster, not fill freezer. Started on damp kitchen roll 2nd Feb to germinate, then into these pots to grow on a bit in unheated conservatory. Probably plant out to final spot beginning of March

Nudge - it IS March - funny how spring suddenly creeps up!😄 (though it still looks like winter out there here…)