Chitchat thread #24

[Jay22]

Evening, beautiful sunny day here today, long may it continue. More rubbish cleared from the loft, we will be getting charged by the dump soon. Anyone else notice how early it’s getting dark now…nights are fair drawing in!
Hope you all had a lovely day. Catch you tomorrow. Night, night. x

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

Another summer day here I’ll have a bit of a look around the vine then off to do things.

enjoy your day.

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Odd weather here. Could go any way it wanted. Hot, cold, wet, dry, sunny, cloudy. Snow is unlikely, though.

The toads were out last night, croaking away, competing with the cicadas. Today there are clouds of flying ants everywhere. Must have been waiting for damp soil conditions before taking flight. They've been waiting for months, then, so it's hard to begrudge them their freedom, but there are rather a lot of them...

Lots to get through today, but gardening (or rather, weeding) time is in sight.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all
We were up early this morning as the camper needed a service, so fingers crossed it’s straightforward.
It’s very hot,humid and no breeze at all. We sat out having a casual breakfast and I had to come inside!
Yesterdays breeze was refreshing but it’s as still as a mill pond out there. Actually, that reminds me- I need to top up the bird bath.

I noticed our crickets chirping away yesterday, and for the first time midges or something congregating beneath the magnolia tree.
We sat out with the firepit last night until around midnight. Saw loads of satellites but no shooting stars. I did hope, but it wasn’t to be.

I sat out yesterday for a couple of hours and there were loads of bees on the sedum, plus one of those bees with a fluffy orange bottom.
Suddenly an Asian hornet appeared and grabbed one of the bees by the scruff of its neck and flew off with it - poor thing. I feel quite protective of my bees now as we have so few. Can’t believe how few bees there are on the fallen Perry pears- and not one wasp
Its really quite worrying isn’t it?

I’m off to deadhead and weed the border at the front of the house now. It’s in the shade at the moment, so the perfect place to work.
Its not work really is it?

Enjoy your day peeps - see ya later!

[Jay22]

Morning, well fell asleep on the couch last night and woke this morning…on the couch!!! Had a great nights sleep.
Sun’s up and lovely and warm so going to sit in the garden for a bit then who knows, more loft clearing or ironing, each as bad as the other.
Enjoy your day and the lovely weather. x

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Very sunny again Have a good day

[greenishfing]

Good morning.

Sunny again. I felt really off it yesterday afternoon and actually went to bed for a couple of hours.....and slept. The trouble was I then didn't really sleep well last night.

I did the grory hop earlier and got some shopping for my brother-in-law which I have now delivered. I decided to go early while there was some nice shade. We were back in time for elevenses.

At some point today I'm going to make some small Christmas puddings for a different brother in law. They are "birthday puddings" as it is his birthday tomorrow and they are his favourite puds. I've double checked that I've got everything I need. I might be ultra sensible and use the electric steamer outdoors on an extension lead to keep all the steam outside.🤯

[1batfastard]

Hi All,
Glad to hear everybody is taking life in they're stride, the weather has been very good of late this must be the hottest summer on record everybody keeps banging on about that brings the hosepipe bans etc. Honest we get a bit of a downpour and it's the worst rain on record, we get a bit of snow again worst on record etc. etc. etc. and still lots of other countries have far worse yet we in the UK seem to go in meltdown when others just get on with it,

I really do think it's just a matter of no investment in preventions along with no being prepared for any eventuality, which quite honestly this country should have spent money on the proper kit instead of going in to panic stations when we have a serious problem and not coping with whatever when the sh$t hits the fan.

Apologies all a bit of a rant but it relieved my stress at least . Anyway how are you all ? I hope that life is treating you well, any illness is short lived and that life in general is good, Ahh! Christmas a time that brings many different emotions to all personally I love it, Carols, Crimbo themed music, Crimbo dinner, Watching others open theirs etc. etc. etc. But in the back of my mind remembering those who do not have this and Christmas past but wait a minute it's SEPTMBER!!!! .......

I suppose everybody gets ready in they're own way and you always forget something on the day, everybody have a good week and treat yourself if you feel down especially if your ill self comforting is better than no comfort and it'll brighten your mood up for a bit.

Stay safe and cool,
Geoff.

[Nicos]

Too hot. Just too hot. It’s 32C outside and I’m hiding indoors. What a waste of sunshine
A least it’ll help ripen the peppers and tomatoes

Wise words Geoff

[bramble]

Good eveni g sll.
Just read an article somewhere this morning warning of the threat of the Aisean hornet to our own bees.
Also the threat to our native ladybird by the larger European ones.

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Haven't slept for most of the night - scorchio! Not used to it at all. It's cloudy this morning, but still very warm. I don't know the temperature as Alexa is not talking to me. She must be in a grump with the heat.
Thinking about it, I haven't seen a ladybird this year!
Have a good day

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all

Really scorchio here overnight too Flo..
I kept thinking ‘stop being a wuss cos Snoop has to cope with this sort of thing on a regular basis’
I’m off out in a sec to crack on with more gardening before it gets too hot again. We had 33C yesterday and it is forecast hotter today
I’ts only here for the week and next week it’ll be back to autumnal weather. We can cope..

right - best head off….

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Weather conditions here are a bit extreme in comparison with others, yes. But in part you get used to it, in part you adapt and in part old houses here are built to withstand it. I wouldn't like to live in a city in Spain, not with climate change coming for real. Much too hot and much too humid, especially for cities on the coast. The best thing I do when nights are really hot is get a flannel or cloth and get it good and wet, not so wet it drips everywhere but not completely wrung out either, and just drape it over part of myself at night. Doesn't matter which bit. If the cloth is wet enough, you might even feel a bit cold as the water evaporates and it's certainly enough to distract you from how hot the rest of you feels. Even if you feel a bit daft wearing a flannel to bed, effectively, it makes it much easier to drop off to sleep.

You're right about the ladybirds, Florence Fennel. We had lots in the spring, but the hot, dry weather has done for the plants and hence the pests and ladybirds.

Got a busy day ahead with loads of work to get through, but am determined to get that banana cake baked at long last...

Have a great day, everyone.

[greenishfing]

Good morning.

It's hot here and sticky too. We're forecast to be in the low thirties by Saturday.🥵 I think things are supposed to return to normal next Tuesday.

I've seen quite a lot of ladybirds this year, maybe because we've had what seems to be everybody else's rain as well as our own. I've rescued quite a lot from inside the car this "Summer".

Not sure what I'm up to today. Maybe a trip down the M1 to deliver a birthday present. A nice job as long as the aircon is working in the car.

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

Another one here who was too hot to sleep, we’ll be back to normal soon.
My sunflowers are starting to collapse they always look kind of sad when that happens, but I’m saving the heads for the birds so they don’t go to waste.

enjoy your day