General Chat

It has been a beautiful day out there and is now 21 degrees so too hot for gardening. I have spent around three hours out there today and am reasonable pleased with what I have achieved. My main job was to clear up the weeds and cut back dead grasses in the pots down by the bottom patio, including all the hosta pots. The hostas are just starting to show their tips so I had to be careful. Thjis has always been my job so not any different to usual, except I also had to shif the pots that T had decided to move around and (shock, horror) he had planted crocus in what he thought was an empty pot but it has a hosta in it!! So I had to sort that out. I then tidied up a bit of rambling rose and some of the clematis on the trellis, then weeded my way down the right hand side (facing the house) of the garden. Having a love hate relationship with celandines as they have spread even worse this year. Trouble is at the moment they are flowering and look so pretty with their bright yellow flowers. So I dug some up and left some. then came to the wall garden outside the conservatory and needed to cut the fuschia down even more.
I will continue tomorrow but in the morning I have a U3A friend coming round for coffee in the garden which will be nice.

Vera, sorry to hear you are not feeling too good. If you have a migraine tomorrow I don't think they will do your second jab will they? anyway, I hope it is a minor headache and not a migraine.

Ann and Mel, hope you got done all you wanted in the garden. Mel you didn't answer my question about the sweet peas.

Afternoon All,

It's a lovely day here too so I am starting with some planting of seeds and a bit of pruning after posting this.

Sorry you haven't felt great Vera, but it's best to keep off the screen a bit as you say. Congratulations on your 58th Anniversary, a much nicer day than your wedding day weatherwise! Glad you liked the pictures, they were very different from each other but more good practice for me.

I have always been a great fan of Audrey Hepburn too AnnG and always wished I had her looks! That was a great saying and very positive! Don't try to do too much at once outside. I think it's supposed to be good weather for a few days now.

That's good you have an appointment at the doctor's tomorrow Gill and I hope the gardener eventually turned up. Maybe he had a long day. It sounds like things have started to progress now which is good.

It's a shame you had a bad night Mel, but good the food is all dealt with. I can't remember when I last saw Bridge rolls either. I must get my sweet peas planted today.

does anyone know if you can still buy Bridge Rolls. Mum used to buy them but I hav'nt seen them around for years now?

Wipe down done in record time but I did'nt have a lot this week. The one thing I forgot to order last week was my big bloomer loaf so that was the first thing I put on for this weeks order but it did'nt cpome and when I looked at the order it was'nt on there. Must have disappeared into the ether.

Its really quite warm out there today and oh is up my border cutting down the big fushia I asked him to cut down two years ago so that will be a big help. It will grow again but it was taking over a big space. I just hope he has'nt trampled my precious pink low growing geranium I have been trying to get a cutting off of to put on the rockery bit with the mauve one I have.

Lovely quote AnnG :-)

Ann, your pictures just keep getting better. The cottage is pretty but it’s the vase of flowers that I really love. It’s brilliant.

I’m pleased that things are beginning to move on a bit for you Gill. Get your boiler in and a couple of the other jobs done and it will really start to feel like home. Has Sandra moved in to her flat yet?

Frank, please take up loose mats and rugs. It will make your home safer and you can’t afford to keep falling over.

I had a large Tesco order yesterday and was well pleased. It arrived early, there was nothing missing and only 1 acceptable sub. The wiping down didn’t take very long either.

It’s our wedding anniversary today, 58 years. What a change in the weather! Today is beautiful but then the snow and ice from the long winter of 1962/3 had barely thawed so it was slushy everywhere. It poured with rain all morning and stopped just before our 2 pm wedding. It was cold and grey and by the time we reached the reception the slight train on my white velvet dress was caked in mud.

I haven’t felt brilliant since Saturday and my head is quite bad today so I won’t be staying and looking at a screen for long. I don’t think I’ll be doing anything much in the garden either although it is lovely outside. Tomorrow it’s our second jab and Thursday it’s the dentist so not a lot to look forward to this week.

Enjoy your day whatever you are doing.

Good is'nt it Anng. Bought it a long while ago and found it tucked behind a tray when cleaning so hung it up.

I like that quote too Mel and so apt.

O meant to say thats a lovely quote Anng.

I have one hanging in the kitchen which says:-

God made rainy days, so gardeners could get the housework done.

No Mandy yesterday??

Morning Anng, Gywin and all,

Beautiful sunny morning here too and washing on the line already and another lot waiting to go out.

I have the big wipe down today but after that I shall be in the garden this afternoon.

Could'nt drop off to sleep last night and lay for quite a while before I dropped off. Kept thinking about things like Frank does and got cross with myself as I worked hard inthe garden yesterday and thought that would knock me out. It coulds be to do with the hour forward I suppose. Still takes me a few days to adjust to the hour difference.

Hope you both get lots done in the garden today. Go and enjoy the fresh air.

Love to all.

Good morning all.

Ann, What a lovely saying, - so full of hope and promise.

The sun is shining brightly and we are forecast higher temperatures today, so I hope to get something done in the garden.

Good morning all.Well yesterday was not really a good day for me, One of my 'down' days. But this morning the sun is shining and it looks like it might be a lovely day so I feel better for the thought of that.
And I found this lovely quote yesterday evening on a leaflet tucked into a magazine.

"TO PLANT A GARDEN IS TO BELIEVE IN TOMORROW" Audrey Hepburn.

I love her, have a large canvas picture of her on the wall up the stairs, so serene and beautiful and I thought that is a very uplifting saying.

Mel, have you planted your sweet pea seeds outside in the tub or plants? And will they grow ok without bringing them on?

I am not sure where to start out there today, There is a patch of garden to weed and a shed to be cleared out. and the compost to be stirred and the worst part of the garden to be sorted behind the trellis in front of the greenhouse, where things get 'dumped'.

It was so windy, dull and cold most of yesterday that, by the time the sun showed itself at 3 o'clock I could not be bothered with the garden, but I did make two cards so all was not lost.

anyway nothing will get done with me sitting here.

Iv'e been gardening all afternoon and did'nt come in till quite late. I have planted my sweet peas in their tub and bunged a few in the two clematis tubs. Weeded those two big tubs too but the secxond one was hard because it has so many scilla bulblings in it I kept pulling them out with the weeds. Knocked one flower off at the bulb but could'nt throw it away so its on the windowsill over the sink in a little vase so I can enjoy it.

Then I cut back all the achimilla mollis that grows outside the bungalow and swept all that up and cut back the huge fern that planted itself out the front. swept up loads of stuff and had two barrow loads to take over the rough bit down the side of the orchard.

Cut oh's hair when he came back from digging up all the mole hills and then had another sweep while he was in the shower and then came in and cooked dinner. I think after that I should sleep well tonight.

Its surprising what you can do when the sun shines maybe becasue you don't have to have layers of clothes on to keep warm. Never had a coat on out there at all today.

Ann those pictures are lovely and the roses are great. I love the pattern on the jug which has worked very well and looks like it has been glazed.

So annoying Gill when these people don’t turn up. Maybe he got held up and will contact you but it happens all the time.
We didn’t get any sun until about three o’clock I did go out and did a small amount of gardening mainly trying to tidy a clematis but I really don’t know what to do with them. There didn’t seem to be much increased activity around today I walked down to post Easter cards and take charity stuff but only saw one couple out walking. Probably because our weather waS not brilliant.

I've got a doctor's appointment for Wednesday at 3pm, but thankfully the symptoms have gone now, but I still want to get checked out just to be on the safe side. It gave me a scare and I don't want to go through that again.

I'm still trying to find a builder to take the chimney out and think I've found one, they're coming here a week on Friday to do a quote. I found them on the Federation of Master Builders website. Not sure how much it's going to cost though, I can't see them being cheap, but at least I know they'll be good.

Going to get something to eat now as OH is going to work in a hour. We've been waiting almost an hour for a gardener to turn up, he should of been here at 5pm but it looks like he's not coming now. To be honest it would save us money to cut the hedge down ourselves, even if it takes us most of the summer to do it. We'll just have to keep an eye out for birds nests.

Afternoon All,

The sun's just managing to peep through here but it was dull and windy earlier and blew one of my tops off the rotary line! I was up late too Mel. Didn't sleep well and didn't need to get up today so I had a lie in. That's a nuisance with your thumb. In winter mine sometimes hurt right at the base joints, but those are double jointed so move more than is usual and more than is probably good for them. Thanks for that about the bees. I have read up some about them and thought the watering and raking wouldn't work very well as they are among rocks and on a slope. I did see it suggest a powder so I'm giving it a try first. I am just worried about stepping on them in my sandals or crocs and getting stung as they hang around right close to you.

We got someone in when we got masonry bees under the window on the front. It was right where we unload the car boot and I had read this which worried me a bit.

'Masonry bees can cause an issue. This is due to their tunnelling through soft mortar, mainly targeting older properties. Large groups only tend to occur rarely, but because vulnerable structures tend to be repeatedly attacked, fairly sizeable damage can occur over several seasons.

Modern houses with good mortar can not be damaged by the masonry bee'.

I have also been looking at wasps on the same site as I have always said those that stung me everywhere that time had browny legs so not quite like the usual yellow legged wasps we see. Well it looks like the culprits were European Hornets!! They get mistaken for our usual wasps, have browny legs, are about the same size and also nest underground!!

Frank, glad to hear you have had no more mishaps. Ros puts in some hours in the garden to make it beautiful doesn't she and really enjoys being out there. Good idea to sit outside with your book and and get some fresh air. It will do you good.

I'd better get something done now. I had a text from the surgery for me to complete some information they want updating. I don't use the internet on my mobile so will have to type out the huge link on my laptop to do it. I wish they used emails and didn't assume we can all access the internet on our phones.

Had lunch and did'nt realise it was so late and just can't get my head around this hour forward. Yes I did remember to put the clocks on last night but only one and thats on the micro but the leccy went out this morning so I hade to reset it. Glad you popped in Frank so we know you are both ok.

Anng I am sorry to say we have glorious sunshine and blue sky as far as the eye can see. I'll send some up to you.

I have washing on the line and have to clean out the bantams water thing and then I am going to do some gardening.

Good afternoon Frank, sadly no sun here, very windy and grey and 13 degrees. Certainly not a day for venturing far outside with that wind. I think we have an East/west divide with the weather. all the plants ros is putting in you should have a lovely garden in the summer.

Afternoon all, Thought I had better pop in, to stop you worrying. I had a bad night with my back. Overtime I turned over it woke me. I have taken extra pail killers, but it doesn't seem to help.

I had a long shower this morning, hoping that would help, nut is didn't.

Ros is in the garden putting in plants she bought on Saturday .She just loves being out in the fresh air, and doing her garden. I wish I could help, but I wouldn't be standing, I would topple over trying to do what she does.

It's a bright sunny morning here, and warm in the sunshine. I hope it's like this where you are too.

We have the rest of the pork to use up tonight, not sure what Ros will come up with, but I am sure it will be nice.

Did you all remember tp put the clocks FORWARD yesterday/ ??

I am going to start a new book and sit in the conservatory, to I might even sit on the Patio, in this nice sunshine.
See you later. xxxx

Afternoon Anng and all,

Gosh I got up late and with the hour springing forward made me even later. Just as I came in the kitchen the internet went out. It keeps doing that and Em and Ed next door have complained about it. It has'nt been so bad this week but the week before last it went out at least four times during the evening from about 11pm through to 1am.

Ann they just can't be left out of anything can they? I bet he would'nt ask if they were for him if they were ladies products though. Yes left thumb joint aches with useing it in different ways. Can't open jars very well now either as I can't grip with it as it aches so much. Its not always like it but is when you don't need it to be. Mum stopped knitting cos of her thumbs but started again much later in life and found she could do it again without any pain. Strange.

Here's a bit about bees if anyone is interested. We get masonry bees in the wall and I love wtching them when doing the border. Time wasters as I get lost in their little world of in and out of the holes in the wall.



Bees


1.
Overview
2.
Mortar, masonry bees and mining bees
3.
Bumble bee
4.
Honey bees

2. Mortar, masonry bees and mining bees

These bees are small bees with a similar shape to a wasp - they are frequently confused with wasps. They're active during April, May, and early June with the peak of activity in May - too early to be wasps. Mortar or Masonry bees are slightly smaller than honey bees but similar in appearance, though they are a little hairier.
Are they harmful?

These bees are harmless, they do not sting, do not pester people and do not damage buildings.

Mortar bee activity can be discouraged by re-pointing areas of damaged mortar on walls and chimneys. Mining bee activity can be discouraged by watering and raking over the ground where their holes are evident

Many of the calls received by Pest Control in late April and May for wasp problems are solitary bees. Solitary bees are however beneficial insects and non-aggressive and the Council does not, therefore offer an eradication service.

Furthermore, the spraying of insecticide is generally unsuccessful as:

The bees are only found in sunny elevations and insecticides break down with UV lights
The eggs are protected from the insecticide as they are sealed into their chambers

good morning all, grey and 11 degrees here but I think it is going to stay cloudy here today. Tomorrow it is supposed to be sunny.
Annx, at least I can order what I like now on the shopping although that is a small consolation. Actually T never questioned what I bought.
I think I have arthritis in my left hand around my thumb joint, it has stopped me finishing the hat I was knitting.It is quite painful sometimes especially whe I need to grip a jar when opening it.
I slept well last night, woke up about 7 Not sure what I will do today. i want to sort the shed out a bit and see if there is stuff for the dump as daughter and son in law have booked a slot for when they are here. They will go on their own as can't have three in the car. and anyway I have a Tesco delivery that day. Also want to put a load of old pots in a bag to take to the nursery/garden centre that recycles them.