Chitchat thread #24

[Snoop Puss]

I shall whisper this only once as they say on ‘Allo ‘Allo ….we could actually do with a bit of your rain here Snoop…

It really is a problem when there's no rain. We'd had no rain for months and everyone was getting very worried here. Last year, someone quite close to us had to give up his veg patch in August for lack of rain. Our well is a miracle, but we only had about half a metre in the bottom till these last rains, and I was starting to wonder whether it was worth putting all the effort in this year. Fingers crossed you get some soon.

[bramble]

Good morning all.
The temp went to zero overnight, its 9 degs now.
Gory Shop this morning and taking care of my grandson this afternoon.
Maybe a bit of work in the greenhouse in between.
Have a good day all.

[mothhawk]

Afternoon all.
Did a grory hop this morning and also popped into B+Q for a new loo seat. The old one was getting very wobbly and loose and had lost the plastic thingies the lid rests on when it's down. I went out without a coat and regretted it. Doesn't feel like almost May.

You're lucky having a well, Snoop. I have to get the hose out, and without an outdoor tap, and with the kitchen at the front of the house, it's a bit of a palaver having to run the hose right through the house, and across the living room to the back door.

[Snoop Puss]

Using the well has so far meant getting the generator down to the well to fill up barrels, from which I take water by dipping in a watering can. Plus pushing the generator back up to the house. It's quite labour intensive... This will continue for one area of veg, but the other, I'm hoping, will be watered by means of a leaky hose fed by a solar pump. That's going to be quite labour intensive for Mr Snoop...

But you're right, at least I don't have to run a hose through the house.

Is it feasible for you to get a tap fitted at the back? It sounds like not, but maybe your bathroom is at the back?

[Nicos]

That sounds quite a palaver MH
Having said that, I’ve been known to push ( very carefully) the lawnmower through the kitchen and utility room from the back garden to the front as a shortcut

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all
Had to smile at the image of gf’s bathroom!

DIY shopping again today. Hopefully I’ll have time later on to play in the garden.

Enjoy your day peeps - can’t believe it’s almost weekend again!

Kettle’s on - help yourselves.

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Very bright out there at the moment. I've just looked at the rain forecast and am going to pretend I haven't. Dear me. I hope the weather folk have got it wrong. I'm never going to get my huerto done at this rate. Some friends went to buy some plug plants from our local supplier and came back pretty well empty-handed as the shop has got next to nothing in. Not because they've sold it all but because they think there's still no point. None of the experienced old boys are buying anything.

Anyway, Mr Snoop says he's on the case for building a couple of compost bays with pallets today. That got me laughing with glee and the smiles all grinning too. So they set off spinning and wheeling. Oh, and another reason for the mirth is that we have at last heard our first cuckoo of the year. Not the same one as before though, evidently. This one sounds like it has got French hiccups, as it clearly calls hoquet, hoquet, with a little gasp on the quet part.

And while he's doing that, I've got a load of work to get through.

Have a great day, everyone.

[greenishfing]

Morning all. The sun is actually shining and for the first time in ages we are hopefully getting into double figures today.

The washing is going out on the line next, bedding and towels, as I think it might actually dry outdoors. I have now got plenty courgette seedlings growing and squashes just appearing. 43, out of 50, sweetcorn are now growing strongly in the bathroom and the other 7 no shows have just been given dire warnings about what happens to absentees.

Snoop, our local garden centre has been selling plug plants for weeks and weeks now, obviously so that the customers have time, and weather to kill them two or three times, and rebuy before it will be warm enough for them to actually grow.

I will have to eventually buy some tomato plants however due to my useless Suttons seeds, unless one of my neighbours at the allotment wants to do swapsies for aubergines, cucumbers or peppers. I actually dreamed about tomato plants last night. As soon as Mr GF is organised ( he's still in bed) the allotment is where I am heading....lots to do....and some half decent weather forecast to do it.

[JanieB]

I've gone for 3 lots of freeby tomato plug plants. I really don't need 36 tomatoes so as they're free i'm giving alot of them away. They are mostly very small toms so the rest of my plants are ones i've grown from seed.

Re the jukebox. It's being picked up next Wednesday. I have no idea which records are included. And as a bit of a pedant the records and cds i already have are on a database I built myself. 'Cos i can.

[greenishfing]

I have had a lovely afternoon at the allotment. I have chopped the undergrowth back, earthed up the early potatoes that were trying to peep out above the soil, weeded, strimmed and generally tidied up. Also picked the first of the asparagus....which tasted amazing.

Tomorrow I hope to get even more organised. Hope is amazing......

[rary]

Good evening, sorry I haven't been on recently, I have been a bit busy as well as a bit lazy, usually over to my sister's for a few hours, then trying to catch up with greenhouse/garden work, I have about 300 bedding plants to pot on along with some bulbs and ofcourse a number of different veg, I am trying 4 different verieties of cabbage, starting with Durham early, which I know, is a spring cabbage, but want to see how it performs sown and planted now, a veriety called Duncan which is an F1 which I hope will sit well and will pull as needed, a veriety called cabbice which is supposed to be mild enough for use in salads, will wait and see, and the last a pale red one which I can't remember the name of, but supposedly good for coleslaw, but more important I want to find out if it is also slug resistant as red cabbage seems to avoid such damage, with all the plants requiring watering I am having a bit of a problem maintaining moisture in the trays as at present it is very warm during the day and even with 8 auto vents fitted the greenhouse was up a 35°c the other day and though bright sun there is a bit of a wind at times which can be a problem. As for my sister she thankfully seems to have rallied a bit, last week the doc thought about 2 days as she has had cancer for over 20 years, and it has spread through her, also the after effects of covid and phumonia, but having seen my mother confounding the doctors for 5 years, I know my sister is just as strong, well need go and get some computer work done, so keep well and remember to pass on some smiles, there will be others feeling a lot worse than us, and a smile might help them. Goodnight and God Bless

[greenishfing]

Good morning all. I was up with the Lark today and am in an optimistic kind of mood. The sun is shining but it's only 4°C at the moment. I am hoping for a good day at the allotment today, basically just doing more of everything that I did yesterday.

Virtual hugs for your sister, Rary. It doesn't sound to me as if you've been lazy. Don't forget to look after yourself too.

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Big virtual hugs to you and your sister, @Rary.

Low of 7.5 ºC last night. Cloudy out at the moment, but the forecast says dry today and tomorrow. So going to try and make the most of it with a bit of gardening. Golly gosh but I feel like a kid at Christmas (I presume I'm allowed to say that word seeing as it's so far off). Also, very impressed with my no-dig beds from last year. It really has worked. Mind you, Mr Snoop is feeling a bit stymied even though he agrees with my assessment. I suspect he feels the same way about rotavating as he does about ironing, which he likes doing (unlike me).

The smiles were pretty excitable too and set off in a tizz. They'll have been with you in next to no time, the rate they were going.

Have a great day, everyone.

[JanieB]

Good morning. What a beautiful day. I need to hang out the washing but it can wait until after the next cuppa. Kettles just boiled if anyone else wants one, I’ve got posh coffee as well.

Virtual hugs Rary and sister.

Today I’m going to clear a space for the jukebox, and I have to go out. I ordered a collett from Toolstation over a week ago but haven’t picked it up yet. It’s a pita getting there due to roadworks that have been going on for more than 2 years now. People are trying to avoid them so causing traffic jams where I need to go. I’m also having some regard for the fuel situation.

I think I’ll have a biccie with this tea. Laters.

[bramble]

Good morning all.
Well disappointingly its raining.
Beautiful weather for the last weeks and looks like a wet bank holiday weekend.
Some work to keep me going in the greenhouse.

Rary glad to hear your sister is improving.

Have a good day all.