Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Dustyevsky

Late today, thanks to various things happening together, as they tend to do.🤒 Some news is positive, but there are concerns as well. OT: The weather's glorious.😍

Focusing on the positives, DD1 has just put an offer on a house. If accepted, she'll be moving 100 miles closer to us, and within socialising distance of other family.😃 Mind you, I can't imagine why she wants to leave Birmingstanham! 🤐 The house is modern, but it has a decent, south-facing, walled garden, with two or three sitooteries. Am I jealous? Well, yes, but she's worked very hard, and fully deserves some good luck.

Mrs Dusty has been diagnosed with an inner ear malfunction like that experienced by pink poppy. She also has increased other difficulties related to arthritis, so the future for our current modus operandi looks uncertain, regardless of my grumping about my own leisure-time restrictions;

middlewife: Dusty, i share your frustration re long walks, my pessimistic physio keeps saying I won't get very far until I have my knee replaced, but I'm going to eek it out as long as I can before achieving full bionic status

The physio thinks I might stave off the bionics, but with no recent X-ray it's a guess, based on the fact I don't have constant pain. Pain and stiffness comes on after a time. It goes away when I rest, or do some knee bending exercises, so it may be more muscular/ tendonular than jointular.🤔

There's more, but that'll do. We have a lot to be grateful for too. I was reminded of this when sitting in the car at the Health Centre watching the wildlife we always have around us here. Up above, the swifts were screaming and chasing insects, while at ground level, a wren was going about her day, ignoring the various cars and their occupants.😊

Sitting, observing carefully like that in our conservatory two days ago, Mrs D realised sparrow-like birds were raiding her thalictrum in the border, pecking off the buds.😮 I was summoned to photograph them; no easy thing at that distance and through a glass door. A couple of pictures were just about good enough to make a tentative I.D. We think they were chiffchaffs. What do you think?

Best of luck with the fridge hunt Farway. Ours is 11 years old and a Bosch. I'm saying no more! 🤐 We have a Heinz 57 in the boiler room for when guests are here, but it's switched off most of the time, so doesn't count.

wort

What on earth is this ?

I've planted the seeds for this pretty thing but can't remember what it is ? Can anyone remind me please

greenbee

The first one is self-heal. It's a wildflower that I tend to let do it's own thing in the grass and beds, and pull up if it gets in the wrong place.

No idea on the second one, but they're pretty 🤩

Dustyevsky

The second is Lavatera, wort.

https://premierseedsdirect.com/product/lavatera-rose-mallow-trimestris-mix-new/?attribute_pa_seed-count=350&srsltid=AfmBOooAHUeRFW14-1eincE60dfRHY0OacIJbVJjXRNxRZxi1pr8rxG9qhc

I like the wild pink ones we have sowing themselves here. I'll get a photo soon. 😉

twopenny

Bird, female Blackcap?

I'd suggest getting the Merlin app. You'd be surprised what's out there.

Been a lovely day, bit warm at 25c but a bit of a breeze. Did some pot feeding out the back and watering. My gooseberry bushes are suffering again being in the fence shadow with tree roots under. I must pay more attention.

Cleaned the birdbath and disinfected the bird table and feeders. So many small birds, youngsters I think because they aren't very skilled at landing on the feeders and there's been the odd collision.

Just in time I noticed the blackbirds having a go at the raspberries. I shot out there and did a quick pick , they are big enough but lack juiciness and flavour despite some watering. The air is just too hot and dry.