Chitchat thread #24

[Nicos]

Wow…we’ve had a lovely day pottering in the garden. It hit 20C so we just sat in the sunshine for a while.
OH did what he could so he’s quite chuffed with himself.
I promise to share it with you when I can- sorry to hear you’ve still got rain GF

It seems that not just the grass has been going bonkers- so too have the brambles. I had to stop as I was getting shredded to bits.

OH got out the Cuprinol for me, so I’m hoping tomorrow I can give my plastic tubs a coat or two.
They were given to me by someone moving back to the UK. Not my choice tbh, but I like the idea that they can be painted , they are light enough for me to roll around to move them, and that being plastic they don’t evaporate as much as some of the pot ones do when it hits the mid 30Cs and above, and also that they won’t shatter/ shale in the frost.
I do like their shape so I’m very content. I might even have become converted apart from the fact that they will only slowly biodegrade over the centuaries and then turn into microplastics
Ah well, they are second hand

Right , I best get my PSB cooking- We both fancy an early tea - I think OH particularly so as I made a large bread and butter pudding using some of bread the neighbours sent over for the chooks pity I’m on a strict diet

Hope everyone has had a grand day?

[Bren In Pots]

Evening, sounds like you had a good day in the garden Nicos. We’ve had rain since this morning so no gardening here. Never mind theres always tomorrow.

I finished those crochet those finger less gloves and started on a lacy cowl. Not sure if I’ll ever make anything larger though.

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Not sunny, but not raining and not cold! Good day to have Frank. Have a good day

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Bright today here. With any luck, though, I'll be swapping our sunshine for your rain. Next week is going to be wet. Phew. March and April are our rainiest months of the year. Just about the only water the ground has seen so far this month is dew. I've told the smiles to dust off their sou'westers in readiness, so it better had rain. They were quite excited at the prospect.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Bren In Pots]

Morning, it looks like being a dry day here today, I'm sharing your weather Flo. We've had lots of rain so good to have the water butts full.

Enjoy your day.

[greenishfing]

Good morning all.

No rain here yet, it's not forecast to start until 11am today.

Another night of not very restful sleep. When I woke up this morning I was having a dream where I was back at school and hadn't done my homework ....glad to wake up. My school days were not the best days of my life.

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all

Today started with a heavy mist- and it’s reluctant to lift.
I heard the deer barking again this morning. Lovely.
It actually looks like it might rain- so whoever has got the sun today- enjoy!

Fingers crossed you get rain Snoop.
Last week we were told that our local aquifer is finally full after several years of being on yellow - red alert for water shortages.
I think I’ve got into some good habits now re saving and reusing water.
I solved the 4ish litres of cold water in the pipes when running the kitchen hot tap- I collect it in a jug and we use a Lifestraw jug to filter it. None of it goes to waste - drinking it cold or boiled in the kettle for a brew.
Water in the bathroom is collected and used to flush the loo, as is the shower and bath water.
It felt very strange at first but it’s become very natural now…and sensible.
Drought resistant plants in the garden too where possible, putting any tubs in the shade and covering the soil with gravel to reduce evaporation….and now we’ve finally got into mulching the beds. Still sorting that out as one or two things rotted last year ….

Quick grory hop for me today. We need more milk.
A rat has chewed holes in 6 x 1 litre cartons of longlife milk… Talk about a mess in the cellar. We’ve been storing it there for 16 years with no problem. Ah well…it’s probably disgruntled it can’t access the hen food anymore since we bought the treadle feeder. They’ve eaten candles before now but never cartons Yep - we’ve set a trap. Along with the one at the other end of the building near the bathroom ceiling


So…I best get a wiggle on.
Enjoy your day peeps!

[greenishfing]

I'm back again. As if on cue it started to drizzle here about 10 minutes ago. I've been looking online for some summer weight loose trousers for Mr GF for the last hour. A pair are now ordered.

I'm calling round to see my brother in law later. I'll take him some bread pudding and I'll call at the freezer shop en route and treat him to some nice ice cream to go with it. I wonder what else might just jump into my trolley.😇😉

[Nicos]

I’m hoping chocolate will jump into mine gf!
Apparently one square of 70% or higher dark chocolate daily is actually good for you.
I used to buy Lindt chilli but can’t find that anymore- so I’ve moved onto mint or orange and almond. One small, thin square a day.
Hard to stop at one though….

I’m guessing you’ll be buying prawns… oh!….….how are you off for magnums?.

[Snoop Puss]

Blue cheese is well known for its jumping ability, GF.

[greenishfing]

You all know me too well. Actually I've gone off magnums. At the moment my ice cream of choice is clotted cream ice cream with a 99 flake broken over it.

The freezer shop doesn't sell blue cheese at all. Maybe my trolley will behave today.😇

[Containergardener]

Afternoon
Weather is a bit grim again, colder too. I can't seem to get warm today.
Certainly not a magnum eating day.

[Bren In Pots]

Afternoon we have sunshine

Hope you sort out your rat problem Nicos, one of MrP’s friends found rats had eaten all the carbolic soap from under the workshop sink.

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all
Just waiting for OH’s nurse. Too early! Looks like this is the last time though

Bren - OH left the movement sensor wildlife camera out near the traps and it spotted two rats wandering around…action stations now as we don’t want loads more in a few weeks.

Yesterday afternoon actually turned into another sunny and warm day. Got loads more weeding done- but this time of the driveway where thousands of sycamore seedlings have suddenly started germinating.
* *Take note anyone…NEVER plant a sycamore tree near a gravel driveway
The warmth of the last three days has brought out all sorts of blossom. The wild cherry, the espalier apple and pear trees, some of the plum trees are all just braking bud. It was lovely weeding beneath the cherry tree to the hum of the bees and insects.

OH managed to do a proper short cut of the lawns/ field yesterday - suddenly, what with the blossom and daffodils out all over the place it’s staring to feel much more that we’ve left winter behind. I’m not fooled though
I actually ordered some solar string lights yesterday for our patio area…roll on BBQ and firepit evenings…

Hope everyone is ok?….I spotted the smiles just now- how come they set off so early Snoop?

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Bright at the moment and supposedly should stay like this all day. The rain forecast for next week has already halved...

Mr Snoop off out for a grory hop today. Me, I'll be working away. One of our farmer friends came round yesterday. He and his wife have recently retired. He's rejuvenated. His wife was our butcher and a lovely woman. Never had a holiday, worked all hours including the weekend. We were sorry, as was the whole village, when she closed her shop, but no-one would be begrudge her her life now. She's got a pair of new knees and she's off gadding about left, right and centre. With any luck that'll be me soon I hope, but gardening, not gadding.

Anyway, busy day so better get a move on. I've just made tea so help yourselves.

Have a great day, everyone.