Chitchat thread #24

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all
Just got back from the market and a grory hop. The rain held off after a deluge overnight.
Hens now have plenty of food and shavings too. I noticed Lidl are selling pansies at a very good price, but not the orange colour I prefer , so I was looking elsewhere but there weren’t any even at market. Plenty of time. Also no daffodil bulbs yet for planting.
Maybe I’m ahead of myself but….it IS the Autumn Equinox isn’t it?

Thanks for the heads up about olive oil Snoop. I’ll get a stock in as mine is actually getting a bit low.
Glad your JCB man has finally turned up!

gf- I too had a rubbish nights sleep - was still wide awake at 4am when Hibou brought me one of her toys for an early breakfast. Finally got to sleep not long after that but only had about 4 hrs sleep. Can’t cope with that so I’ll have a siesta this afternoon.

Glad your car passed bramble- our camper is due for one in November….always a concern about any hidden problems and costs isn’t it?

Time for a brew - anyone care to join me?

[mothhawk]

Afternoon all.

Went for an eye test today, and was pleased to find no change needed in my prescription, though a slight concern about the back of my eye prompted the optician to recommend a hospital check-up, as my mum has macular degeneration.

Back home and made some seedless raspberry jam with the fruit I picked over the past two days, plus some crab apple juice to help it set.

Rary, have you considered acupuncture for your carpal tunnel syndrome? It's supposed to be quite effective.

Done the ironing yet, Nicos?

Happy Equinox, everyone.

[Nicos]

MH…. Shhh🙄🤣

[Nicos]

Good to have spotted any changes early MH…let’s hope it’s not serious x

[Bren In Pots]

Its been lovely and sunny today so I've spent the afternoon in the garden, lots of little things plus removing the GH shading.

[rary]

To whom it may concern. Excuses, excuses, and possibly a guilty conscience.

Good evening, church coffee morning this morning, then went to collect my new glasses, held in four old pairs, as I was assured that it went to charity, after that we went for lunch before heading to visit our friend, dry all day till heading home about three and the usual, heavy rain as we arrived at the door, so unable to get out to the garden, the rain eventually stopped, but had to make the tea, after which as it was still dry I got out to the garden, 6inches of water in the barrow which was empty on Monday so a lot of water recently, unfortunately with all this water the weight added to the soil moved a couple of slabs, suppose better now than once I got everything finished, Hove now moved all the slabs into place, though still 3 short but hopefully will pick those up soon,
Have a good night and hopefully a good sleep. Goodnight

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Forgot to say yesterday, rary, that I'm glad the gardening club presentation went well. Did you add any info you gleaned to the companion planting thread? I must go and have a look. And that is a lot of rain if your barrow was empty.

Fingers crossed everything is OK, mothhawk.

Went to bed last night and it was lovely Lake District rain, really small drops but falling heavily, the kind of rain that gets you soaked through in next to no time. Sunny now but cool. Everywhere smells herby again after the recent rains. Delicious air!

Busyish today. Mr Snoop off on an errand run, me holding the fort with the dogs and working away, but at a steady pace. The smiles could see what a jolly mood I'm in this morning and set off with an extra little skip.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Bren In Pots]

Morning a dry start to the day here more rain this afternoon.

Rary I've got a bucket under my outside sink it was full to the top with just 2 days rainwater from the sink and draining board.

[rary]

Good morning, not raining just now but roads are wet and it's overcast, we get quite a heavy rain fall here Snoop, though 6 inches is a lot of rain, not really exceptional, if it was caught and shipped to other places, we could make a fortune from water if it stays dry today I will get some holes drilled in the concrete to drive in some metal pipes for the holding the slabs in place though I do think I will need to move some of soil to ease the weight a bit, I was hoping to leave it piled up on two of the new beds till I got the flower beds cleared, unfortunately not going to work out that way, as I also want to clean out the tomato bed, this was its third year and the tomato crop was not that great this year, though on reading up on companion planting I am now wondering if that is, due to the trombo plant growing in the same soil, possibly taking a lot of the water and nutrition, as that plant is huge, though I am not going to risk leaving the bed in place to find out next year, right all right for those who have nothing to do, I am busy, need to move or I will get a load of housework to do, have a good day and if you have nothing to do enjoy some me time

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All and Happy Friday I must stop saying that now it's just the same as any other for me! Sunny, but a definite nip in the air. Have a good day

[greenishfing]

Good morning. A sunny 12°C here.

I too have somehow got an ironing pile beckoning which is making me feel guilty, mostly shirts.

I got a wonderful night's sleep last night. Never heard a thing until 6am....and then went back for another 2 hours. JOY!!

Last night I fancied watching something on TV and ended up binge watching the 4 part House of cards with Ian Richardson playing Francis Urquart. I thought It was brilliant. I was hooked. I know I read the book when it was first published, over 30 years ago, but I'd never seen the televised version.

[bramble]

Good morning all.
Bright and breezy but a cool 11degs.
Out for lunch today with my two friends.

Snoop, that was a lot of rain you got in one falling.
We get quite a lot of rain here as well and buckets left outdoors fill up so fast.

Rary, regarding companion planting, I plant marigolds with my tomatoes to deter whitefly.

All my ironing I'd up yo date, like GF, it's mostly shirts.

Mothhawk, I hope your eye test results are nothing serious.

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all
We had another amazing storm last night- one thunderclap was almost directly over our house.
Sunny and very windy this morning. No real plans for today but there’s a huuuge long list of jobs needing doing.

Best crack on then!

Remember to post piccies please in the competition - just over a week now until it closes
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...table-showcase

See ya later!

[rary]

Good evening, I got my beds sorted out, I decided to lift 4 of the retaining slabs of the two problem beds out the way and let the soil fall onto the concrete base which will be a path, which made for easier shoveling, secured some planks round the remaining edges which allowed me to pile up the soil, then cleared the area I needed, finished up I had to saw some of the wood at the bottom of the bed, I then bored through the concrete base, three holes at each slab the center hole for a retaining pipe, (stainless steel pipes) and a hole ether side for a bottom retaining pin, I then bored holes at the corners and bolted metal securing straps at each corner, plus bolted flat bar where the slabs meet on the straight everything now OK and strong enough to hold the weight.
After I had my tea I was out crushing up some charcoal, which I then placed the crushed charcoal into a bin and poured some comfrey, seaweed tea and worm juice into it, I will now leave this over the winter to hopefully soak into the charcoal before spreading it over one of the beds, just as a trial to see if it helps with feeding the plants, as I always say, you will never know till you tryso with that I will wish you all a goodnight

[Nicos]

I’d love to see any before/ during/ after photos of your beds Rary if you have any? They sound amazing!
I best go to sleep now too as it’s an early start for me tomorrow.