Fork Handles - Page 93

Well it pained in the night-I am supposed to be playing around on Thursday and the forecast keep changing-but it just might be a dry morning-I need the exercise

Will have a wander in a mo and see if the slugs are still up.

Kate -I thought this was the county of the cornish riviera?-ask for a refund

Looking quite bright here at the moment - I might manage a dry trip to the plot! Have lots of weeding to do - the weeds like the rain. Runner beans are still only halfway up the poles though, and only a couple of flowers. They are normally well away by now.

I left the lid off the coldframe and the ants nest seems to have got washed away!

They will be back

Hi everyone,

Today is a bit dreary; grey sky, some wet drops and no sunshine at all.

We were very lucky last Saturday, when SIL got married. The sun was out early and we only had two drops of rain just after the ceremony; OH said they were the tears of his Mum and Dad in heaven. SIL had rented an old castle and the official ceremony was outside in the garden, veeeerrry romantic.

OH and I needed all Sunday to recover and I was still tired yesterday but we have a beautiful day to remember.

So today I wanted to do some gardening but looking at the sky I do not think that it'll happen. Hopefuly Thursday will be better because I'm going to visit the Floriade that day together with Mum and Aunt. I'm very much lookig forward to that 'cos the photo's I've seen so far are showing a lot of magnificent greenery and flowers. I'm also looking forward to all the architecture.

@Lottie, ants do not like wet places that's for sure. I've noticed that they go crazy from copper as well so now I have very thin copper wires to chase them away from where I don't want them.

No chance to do the lawn after all. Pulled back the curtains to see it'd rained again in the night &, by the time was on route to local shops, down it came again! At least OH wont now get fined for late library books!

Have treated myself to a coffee at M&S & just had a choc pot for my daily treat. So not as grumpy now.

Tis our wedding anniversary today. OH had forgotten, but i'd put his card into his rucksac so he was suitably humble. Apparently I forgot our first- but have no memory of that- & have not been allowed to forget that.

The squirrel-proof cage isnt! Ok it did say small ones could get inside- yes! But as I went round doning thick gloves to try & sort things out, the squirrel got scared & wriggled itself out. Phew, wonder if it'll stop further attempts? Am quite glad that hadnt got a un-openable caged feeder- at least this one can be opened, but wasnt looking forward to trying with squirrel inside!! Think vaseline on the bracket is the next thing. The birds are using the feeder again, but dont tend to perch on the bracket.

Was pleased to see that we have blackcaps visiting the berries on the Amelanchier- a first to my knowledge in this garden. J.

Hello Flower-no joy on the job market I take it?-sounds as though you had a jolly weekend

I trust Jo that you are being whisked of for the night to a swanky hotel or suitable cafe-I bought a plant for ours

jo4eyes wrote (see)

...The squirrel-proof cage isnt! ..., wonder if it'll stop further attempts? Am quite glad that hadnt got a un-openable caged feeder...

I have an unopenable one, and found a squirrel inside it, a couple of days ago. The thing went crazy trying to get out. Eventually it got the right combination of twisting itself the right way and managed it. But it was back inside 30 minutes to face another escapology challenge. Same outcome. They are not stupid, and shooing them off does work.

This little squirrel, I expect it's the same one, will scoot away nowadays when I even just open the door- before the chasing with a water sprayer, banging of tin tray- just had one in my hand at the time- so hope it's learnt a lesson.

Geoff- think it's an Indian take away on Saturday night! Am off to spend a few days with OH instead of him coming back here. Swanky hotel it aint, but change of scenery etc. Plan to do some walking, probably staggering in my case, but I shall get fitter, just slower than planned. J.

Jo -you misheard he is going to take you away to India for the weekend -have a super time but watch out for delhi- belly

Lottiebeans wrote (see)

Looking quite bright here at the moment - I might manage a dry trip to the plot! Have lots of weeding to do - the weeds like the rain. Runner beans are still only halfway up the poles though, and only a couple of flowers. They are normally well away by now.

I left the lid off the coldframe and the ants nest seems to have got washed away!

Mine too, Lottie...although I did sow (deliberately) very late.

This is how they were this time last year:

I remember those days

David your Federer pic has been removed any ideas why?

@David K - I sowed late as well as I went away, but even so they should be further on than they are now. Certainly don't look like your picture! I'm normally inundated with beans but I guess that won't happen this year.

Yep, Federer has gone! Off to win another tournament probably.

The ants will just relocate. Worse than that though, I'm sure I saw a rat when I was at the plot!

sotongeoff wrote (see)

I remember those days

David your Federer pic has been removed any ideas why?

Yes, twas me, Geoff... I didn't think it was one of my better judgements, especially as the lump in my throat was as big as anyone's, on hearing Andy M's post-match interview.

Oh am glad to hear that others even south of me are having runner bean problems. The first flowers have just come, better late than never, but am not expecting much this year. All in all a bit of a disaster with lots of things this year. What did surprise me was the chard going to seed in all this wet weather! Shall get some more started to hopefully over winter ok.

Ironically the Parador courgette is going great guns. That's a first for me with this variety, was persuaded by daughter to give it another go. J.

Lottie is the rat a new plot holder?

My french beans have finally started to climb and have just started pinching out the tops on the runners

Have your runners got to the top of the canes yet? Mine are only halfway up!

I'm hoping the rat was just passing through..... 

It is odd how when you pinch the tops out they still keep growing upwards-about 75% have climbed the summit

You could have a new chum rat- or perhaps Mr and Mrs P will adopt

Don't know if any of you guys ever saw this YouTube clip...I have to say it had me in stitches!

Eat your heart out, Monty Don:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVAaPnVhPZs&feature=related

Lol just watched it David...hilarious

Hi everyone, is this weather ever going to improve????? My garden is a disaster area. Runner bean plants are an embarrassing sight, have hardly grown in the past few weeks, peas are much the same and lots of bedding plants eaten away back down to stalks. The good news is that the strawberries are in abundance and OH has made several pots of jam Mmmmmmmmm!

Have sown my 3rd lot of lettuce today, the previous 2 didnt germinate at all, this will be my last attempt for this year. Am not a very experienced gardener but only usually have to scatter the seed in the compost and within 10 days they are peeking through.....sooooo frustrating.

Have been very busy workwise for the last few weeks so havent managed to get on here, my apologies and i hope you dont mind me just popping in now and then!

I like popper-inners

Anyway another day and still no change-have decided that the cover is going to go back over the chicken -run-as memories of the Somme are are rapidly reappearing

Watched LYG-not as schmaltzy as I feared but I do wonder about the families in these programmes-couldn't they have done something to help before it got in that state or during the make-over-ultimately they are going to get the benefit

And the budget-money it seems- is really no object.