Awful weather - typical Brits talk

Davesnave

Never got to buy rolls, as I was a lidl late and my friend was already parked-up in the public place behind the burger van. However, not being silly burgers we'd brought our own cheap healthy lunch.

The sky cleared and it was a sunny, if cool afternoon, so we explored some of the trails in the area which pass through woodland, fields and even a small abandoned industrial area, mostly near the river. Cunning planning meant we had no hills to climb for 3 miles and I'd worked out a punishing but short return route, instead of a long, steady climb....but I mis-remembered  that bit.

Struggling up an awesomely steep slope for a footpath, we cursed the nasty people who'd placed a barrier across our right of way, climbed over it and pressed on, but  then I began to notice some very choice shrubs and it slowly dawned on us we were in someone's garden, albeit  like the foothills of the Himalayas. I was glad it wasn't mine anyway! When their water butt and greenhouse came into view, we paused, wondering whether to go back. Being us, we went for it, nipping behind the shrubs, ducking past the windows and running up the front drive like the hounds of hell were in pursuit.  I don't think anyone was in, but it was scary, especially as we're supposed to be in Lockdown2. I could see the headline " Lockdown Defying Pensioners Held "

Anyway, it wasn't the short cut and we trailed back for another mile along legal routes, getting the rest of our exercise, which surely ought to last a week or two. Actually, tonight it feels like January might not be too early for the next walk!

Black_Cat2

Lol D, what will we do with you? 😹😹😹

Davesnave

Well, you aren't going to lock me up, that's for sure!

There's a serious side to this, which is that non-vulnerable, slightly older folk like me ought to keep exercising to the fullest extent and not stay hiding away if they have access to safe places. Lockdown2 isn't like the last one and the government acknowledge this by allowing gardens like Rosemoor, Wisley and NT places to remain open. We can also travel 'a reasonable distance' to visit places of interest. The alternative; sitting indoors with the central heating on, never protected anyone from anything, except chilblains. Ah, those were the days, standing in the school yard in the morning, wondering if your hands or toes would get them first!

Farway

Sunnyish, not raining anyway, flu jab day so off to Dr's

Very well organised, in at front, heat gun scan of forehead, hand squirt, jab, out the back, if hadn't been for CV I expect it would be military style, all lined up with one arm bare

Agree about the exercise D, which is why this time I'm determined to go out daily and take at least one photo, although my resolve not yet tested by howling gales etc

I spotted RHS etc are open, had intended to go to Hilliers over near Romsey to see the Autumn colour, but last weeks gales will have depleted that.

I have been before in Autumn so nothing I've not already seen

Next time may well be Spring now, carpets of crocus if timed right

Update from Hermes / Parkers, parcel now with Hermes. Being live plants [roses] I expect it to sit for a week or so in a hot warehouse 

Hilliers 2019 Autumn

Apodemus

Davesnave said:

There's a serious side to this, which is that non-vulnerable, slightly older folk like me ought to keep exercising to the fullest extent and not stay hiding away if they have access to safe places.

Quite so! I did my usual route to a local beach yesterday, which included about three miles in bare feet across salt marsh and along the beach. At the furthest extent of the walk I met a much older guy, dressed in the briefest of shorts and carrying his t-shirt, whose opening line was "another 15 minutes and I've got my day's quota of Vitamin D"!

Davesnave

There wasn't a lot of vitamin D to be had here today, but at least it didn't rain and I managed to secure some worn edges of our polytunnel before the winter gales arrive to test its 10 year old cover. I'm in a dilemma over whether to re-cover it or go for something else now we've ceased production in a semi-commercial way (gate sales.) If we decide to get planning permission on our barn, the tunnel will end up in its garden anyway, so  a major refurb would then be a waste. There's quite a lot of timber that would need renewal. Anyway, the side-screens are in for winter and the inner sanctum made with bubble polythene is ready to receive our more tender things. We don't heat anything nowadays.

Our farming partner came to see if the ram had made any progress and agreed that it didn't look too hopeful so far.

If we can get wind of a decent day, we might go over to Rosemoor soon. Lots of stuff seeding now.

[Deleted User]

Morning All 🖐 

Yesterdays cold start actually gave way to another lovely day, after running the usual Saturday errands i just pottered around outside, and being a low maintenance garden i spent more time sat coffee drinking than exerting any real energy 😋

Sadly today's back to the wet stuff and forecast to stay til lunchtime so after refilling seed and suet feeders, in a minute, i'll be forced to do some housework  🤨   

One thing i must do today is pot up a bay tree that a friend gave me, she'd taken a cutting last year and gave me this one as an early xmas prezzie, it's a good 20cm tall now 🌳
That and the little oak, i'll have a veritable forest soon 🤣🤣

Black_Cat2

Lovely pic F, ty for sharing, keep them coming to brighten up even the dullest days, like today - dreary and wet here. 

D & A, good point, its essential to get out there walking and *ahem* other exercise during Lockdown and afterwards ofc.  Draw the line at walking barefoot though A lol, unless it's around the house... or the Mediterranean 😸

Housework can wait C, enjoy the weekend and delay that until a week day 😊

Farway

Dull & mild here, no rain

Yay, the Parker's parcel arrived after lunch yesterday. As anticipated the roses were a bit dry but apart from that seem to be fine with nice root system anyway

The "free" daff bulbs appear to be a decent size & no soft ones noticed so far

Roses went into a bucket of water overnight and this morning I've loosely put two in a used grow bag until planting time on Tuesday

The other one, the runt of the pack, I've planted in my garden, squeezing stuff in, as you do

Finally I accidentally, took some grape cuttings.

It happened as I was dead heading "Deep Secret" rose, secateurs slipped and cut the vine as well, silver lining is it made three hardwood cuttings, outside in pot to overwinter & hopefully strike

Here's the Peace rose newly planted

PS Dave, Tuesday is supposed to be decent here, which is why it's pencilled in for planting the roses & daffs at volunteer spot

Apodemus

Black_Cat2 said:

Draw the line at walking barefoot though A lol, unless it's around the house... or the Mediterranean 😸

I'm generally with you on that, but this particular walk really needs at least two different types of footwear - firstly there is a couple of miles of forestry track, so ideally walking boots; then half a mile of salt marsh and tidal mudflats, so ideally wellies; then as far as you want on sandy beach, ideally bare feet/flip flops or back into the walking boots. Since the water on the salt marsh section is too deep for the walking boots and I don't really want to do seven or eight miles in wellies, the best compromise is to take the boots off at the end of the forest track. At this time of year, after the first couple of hundred metres, its fine, as the feet are completely numb!