General Chat

Hi all, Nothing to report, a nice lazy day with my book and paper.

We have had a daily dose of rain after the sunshine and OH was just about to hang the washing out in the bright sunshine when a dark cloud loomed so it is still in the basket. The window cleaner turned up so that was a bit of a waste too!

That sounds like an interesting challenge Island. :-) Could you send me details please? I may not do it just yet as with being away I am all behind catching up with homework for my 2 online courses.

Mel, thanks for that interesting info about the mining and gorgeous pic of the fern gold. We saw some of the arsenic pits at Botallack one year when we went to look at the engine houses and I hadn't realised before that they found arsenic too. I would love to be able to go back in time and get a glimpse of what everywhere looked like in those times. Speaking of that, the local news has mentioned that the smallish village of Belton (350 odd residents) near Nottingham has a proposal to build 6,000 new houses!! Will everywhere just be a concrete jungle with little green space and scenery in another 100 years? :-S

Uh, uh, the rain is lashing down again! I've sorted and paid OH's car insurance for him and printed off his certificate so better get my paints set up ready.

OH made me chuckle earlier. With the things he says to me I said I'd better write my own eulogy for my funeral when the time comes. 'Ah well' he said, 'you do always like to have the last word!!' :-0 :-0 Cheeky bounder! lol.

O Island you popped in before I could post and so did Ann.

Mining started in Devon in the 12 century I think.

Try this for the fern gold.

https://www.pbase.com/hajar/image/154677233

Morning Anng and all,

It started bright and sunny but now it has turned to rain.

Anng there were lots of mines in Devon and Cornwall mining lead, silver, arsnic, copper, tin and Lithium. I think the lithium is the most thing thats mined today for use in our batterys.

There is also a very special gold that is like fern leaves and only found in Devon.

History relates that gold in some quantity has been actually found in three Devonshire districts, namely near North Tawton, North Molton and Combe Martin. Scattered grains have also been occasionally picked up by "tin streamers" on Dartmoor, previous to the cessation of tin mining there in 1808, and enclosed by them in quills, as their custom appears to have been since the time when Carew wrote "Tynners doe also find little hoppes of gold amongst their owre which they keep in quils*". Copper miners have also found small specks of gold in gossands in various parts of the county.

So Combe Martin also had small deposits of gold.

I have rellies in North Tawton and have rung the bells there many times too.

Mole Valley is coming today at some point with more potting compost for me and chicken food and wild bird food so I have to keep my eye out to tell the sriver where to put it.

Morning Ann & Ann

Bright sunshine at 6am here but now it's overcast with wet stuff threatened for the rest of the day.
I'm not going to attempt to do anything outside. Instead I'm staying indoors, starting a seven day sketch challenge via FB - you don't have to be on FB to do it so if anyone wants to join me let me know. It's as simple or detailed as you like..

Morning All,

Slept well and the sun is shining and I think I will risk getting the washer going. Is your washer all mended now Mandy?

I've fed the toms and checked the courgettes which I put outside and they seem to have stood still while we were away......they don't like wind and rain. No sign of the window cleaner yet and OH is tapping away on his laptop. We are having a frozen lamb lunch I've never tried before and with extra veg today. With the painting course this afternoon I wanted something quick and easy. We have the most strange, busy picture to paint, a sort of mosaic of broken tiles covering a wall and a vista of city buildings behind. I will be interested to see how the teacher simplifies it!

I didn't know that about the silver mines AnnG. I suppose all the silver has been mined now. I hope you have a good day today and that you get some sunny spells.

Better get that washer going now and start looking at OH's car insurance for a good deal. His requote for this year is already over £67 lower than last year due to less mileage, but what to put for his mileage this coming year........who knows??

Thought you would Mel but none of us were aware of silver mining here. I assume if you went to school on Devon you would know. Was it just in this immediate area or other places in Devon?


Good morning all wet again, supposed to be wet until lunch time, think we are going to Ilfracombe later

Yes Anng knew that.

Just going to watch Call the midwife.

Rain stopped here about 30 minutes ago and it has brightened up.
Mel did you know there used to be silver mines here and some of the silver is in the Crown Jewels.?

Lucky you Mandy. Its still raining here.

Oh I meant to say the day has been quite sunny with just one shower of rain .

Evening all,

Nice to see Ann and Frank home ,what a time you both had on the roads ,I wonder what next week will be like as its Bank Holiday and the schools break up too.

Ann it sounds like every thing was very well organised with them doing the deep clean ready for you to go in ,shame the weather wasn't to good but it must have been nice to have a change of scenery.

I've been very careful coming down the stairs since I slipped ,my ankle is still a bit sore .

We have had a lazy day as we've had a busy week getting the new blinds up but they are all done now and look nice .

Oh Vera I hope your toms will be ok ,I noticed we have a couple of runners the the wind has caught and the top has bent over but we always put in a few spares so should be OK.

Family didn't come today but we did see them yesterday for Jakes birthday ,it seemed so strange to go in doors but we all kept our distance and we only stayed for half an hour .

I'll get this posted as i did a post after lunch ,I touched some thing and it had gone .

Yep pouring here too. From where we are we look down the valley of Combe Martin to the sea in the distance last night we looked directly at the sunset. No sunset tonight.

Shot a bunny this morning too. I have aloso had a little one going under my car and then round the back of the bungalow.

Thats right. Still pouring here and windy.

That makes sense of when we get your weather then as it moves north.

Anng I think its about 35 miles to Coombe Martin from here maybe a bit further.

It was nice you found a couple of tops and a pair of trousers in M & S. Been to Woolacombe when a child with mum and dad.

How far are you from Combe Martin Mel? We seem to get your weather about thirty minutes after you. Don’t know if it has rained all day here as we decided to drive to Barnstaple and have a look round the shops, parked in the multi storey over the Green Lanes shopping centre and were surprised that it was only 50p an hour for the whole of May. Had a look round a few shops then headed for cafe Nero and had a coffee tables well spaces and we tucked into a corner well away from everyone. Coming out, and it was still raining, we had a look round Mountain warehouse, I didn’t buy anything, the M&S where I did. I bought two tee shirts and a pair of trousers, I was pleased to find a grey pair like a pink pair I bought in Gloucester a couple of weeks back.

We bought sandwiches to eat for lunch in Greggs. So, back to the car and drove to Woolacombe and parked looking over the beach, still raining and the surf was high but couldn’t see if there were any surfers. Could not believe how many people were walking on the beach in the lashing rain. I have been to Woolacombe before, T and I spent a long weekend there and walked the length of the very long beautiful beach.

We drive home through the very narrow winding country lanes wth many stops to let approaching cars through

Frank pleased you got home safely, not a lot of fun at the moment on the M5 is it?

Vera hope you have not lost the tomatoes, could they have been frosted?

Annx it sounds as though your plants survived you being away, that was good.

Welcome back holiday makers! Where did that week go?
I can't believe it's only three weeks tomorrow since we had our break - staycation? LOL, I do think that's a silly word.
Sorry you've had such poor weather. it seems to be general.
I fooled the weather today by not going out when it was dry and now it's raining well ya boo sucks Mr Rain Cloud, you missed me. LOL It is depressing to start some gardening and have to come back indoors.
I haven't check my shed veg today Annx but all was well yesterday, some of the runners are about 12" high and all in need of hardening off but I don't want to leave them to the mercy of torrential rain yet. I still have some discomfort in my ribs but not real pain.

I hope your toms survive Vera, if not is there a local grower where you could get some plants? It would be a shame not to have any at all.

I do believe the sun is breaking through so I'll check the shed.

I hope Mandy is ok after her stumble on the stairs and not strained or sore.