OH grew up in Bowdon in the 70s, DL and Obxx! They moved there from Wigan when he was about 4, I think (so about '74...). And his parents are looking to move to Lymm now.
So glad littlest chicklet is on good form, Chicky - sounds like you're having an amazing time :-). As you know, I absolutely loved Birmingham when I visited in July.
Fairy, I have no definite design yet for the front (the scale drawing of the existing 'garden' is the first step), but it's been a desperate mess for years. It's not big - basically a parking spot with an astonishing amount of weeds. There's gravel with membrane underneath, which has deteriorated so the weeds have all infiltrated, plus a load of broken up concrete - it's been a nightmare to keep tidy. We'll probably keep the parking space even though we don't have a car, as we're very close to the hospital, cinema and high street so it's handy for friends and relatives to use. But I'd like it not to look like a parking space, given that most of the time it isn't! Need to change the path to something straighter to make it easier to get the wheelchair ramps in the right place for my brother, and just want it to look like a garden.
And Happy Birthday for tomorrow, Fairy!
Obxx, I've no idea what a 'large cheesy damper' might be, but given your cooking prowess I'm guessing it must be a lot more appetising than that sounds...
Last edited: 14 October 2017 15:18:44
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
Lots of people put baskets of spare fruit and veg out round here too - usually cooking apples, but occasionally beans, tomatoes, soft fruit. It's normally free, with a sign saying 'please take me', but sometimes charity donations are requested, or sometimes the kids set up stalls outside the houses.
I remember once on holiday with a large group, we got fish & chips and there was some cock up with the number of portions of chips. All individually wrapped portions and we didn't realise until we'd taken them away along the beach. We definitely couldn't manage them and I couldn't bear the thought of them being wasted - about 10 portions - so went along the beach and cliffs offering them to people while they were still hot. Most certainly thought I was bonkers, others were a bit scared of them, but I managed to find grateful takers (it was evening, so not very busy) and ended up having interesting conversations with several of them!
Last edited: 14 October 2017 15:24:09
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
Damper is a scone or soda bread thingy beloved of Ozzies in the outback as it can be cooked in the fire embers. I just made cheesy scone mix and decided not to cut it into individual rounds.
Chips adventure sounds good. Not enough passing trade here to give away spare veggies and it looks like we have a bumper crop of monster broccoli to get thru or give away.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Members of the foodie forum I post on have an annual picnic get together, often in the grounds of a Nat. Trust venue... one year we had so much food left over that one of the members went around the car park offering home made pork pies, scotch eggs, cakes and other lovely nibbles to complete strangers ... some people behaved as if they were children being ''offered sweeties by a Stranger" ..... and looked terrified and ran to their cars ... some people had much more sense and acquired some delicious goodies
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
That's exactly how people responded to our chips, Dove!
There's a local initiative here called 'Patchwork Farm' (in Crystal Palace, if anyone's heard of it). Community gardens, individuals with a glut, landshare gardens and small food producers (this is not a farming area, lol - we're talking herbs, jams, sausages) can all sell from a stall at the local weekly food market. I love the idea of a farm made up of a patchwork of small spaces across an urban area .
Off to the church quiz tonight. Wish us luck - most of our usual team can't make it.
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
Barbara Hepworth museum was lovely. Smaller than I'd imagined but very nice and not too busy.
Tate was great . A bit of a queue to get in , but once in it was fine, busy ( it was a free entry weekend ) but we enjoyed it.
The sun was shining in a cloud free sky when we came out and we had a nice wander around St Ives ( lost is another word for it ) until we found the railway to get back to the park and ride.
Posts
Yep soon be christmas !!!!!!!
???????rude words not aloud on here Colin???????
OH grew up in Bowdon in the 70s, DL and Obxx! They moved there from Wigan when he was about 4, I think (so about '74...). And his parents are looking to move to Lymm now.
So glad littlest chicklet is on good form, Chicky - sounds like you're having an amazing time :-). As you know, I absolutely loved Birmingham when I visited in July.
Fairy, I have no definite design yet for the front (the scale drawing of the existing 'garden' is the first step), but it's been a desperate mess for years. It's not big - basically a parking spot with an astonishing amount of weeds. There's gravel with membrane underneath, which has deteriorated so the weeds have all infiltrated, plus a load of broken up concrete - it's been a nightmare to keep tidy. We'll probably keep the parking space even though we don't have a car, as we're very close to the hospital, cinema and high street so it's handy for friends and relatives to use. But I'd like it not to look like a parking space, given that most of the time it isn't! Need to change the path to something straighter to make it easier to get the wheelchair ramps in the right place for my brother, and just want it to look like a garden.
And Happy Birthday for tomorrow, Fairy!
Obxx, I've no idea what a 'large cheesy damper' might be, but given your cooking prowess I'm guessing it must be a lot more appetising than that sounds...
Last edited: 14 October 2017 15:18:44
Lots of people put baskets of spare fruit and veg out round here too - usually cooking apples, but occasionally beans, tomatoes, soft fruit. It's normally free, with a sign saying 'please take me', but sometimes charity donations are requested, or sometimes the kids set up stalls outside the houses.
I remember once on holiday with a large group, we got fish & chips and there was some cock up with the number of portions of chips. All individually wrapped portions and we didn't realise until we'd taken them away along the beach. We definitely couldn't manage them and I couldn't bear the thought of them being wasted - about 10 portions - so went along the beach and cliffs offering them to people while they were still hot. Most certainly thought I was bonkers, others were a bit scared of them, but I managed to find grateful takers (it was evening, so not very busy) and ended up having interesting conversations with several of them!
Last edited: 14 October 2017 15:24:09
Damper is a scone or soda bread thingy beloved of Ozzies in the outback as it can be cooked in the fire embers. I just made cheesy scone mix and decided not to cut it into individual rounds.
Chips adventure sounds good. Not enough passing trade here to give away spare veggies and it looks like we have a bumper crop of monster broccoli to get thru or give away.
Members of the foodie forum I post on have an annual picnic get together, often in the grounds of a Nat. Trust venue... one year we had so much food left over that one of the members went around the car park offering home made pork pies, scotch eggs, cakes and other lovely nibbles to complete strangers ... some people behaved as if they were children being ''offered sweeties by a Stranger" ..... and looked terrified and ran to their cars ... some people had much more sense and acquired some delicious goodies
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Ah, so does it 'damp down' the flames? It does indeed sound rather more appetising than I first thought!
Well if you're passing SE London, bring some broccoli - we all love it in this house...
Think Hosta and his Lovely Hubby should be having a lovely time at St Ives ... the weather's gorgeous down there today
http://www.aspects-holidays.co.uk/st-ives-webcam
if we keep looking we might see them having a paddle ..........
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
That's exactly how people responded to our chips, Dove!
There's a local initiative here called 'Patchwork Farm' (in Crystal Palace, if anyone's heard of it). Community gardens, individuals with a glut, landshare gardens and small food producers (this is not a farming area, lol - we're talking herbs, jams, sausages) can all sell from a stall at the local weekly food market. I love the idea of a farm made up of a patchwork of small spaces across an urban area
.
Off to the church quiz tonight. Wish us luck - most of our usual team can't make it.
Home and having a well earned cuppa.
Stopped off at a nursery and bought.
Tetrapanax Rex
Calocasia Esculenta
Meloselinum Decipiens and
Beschorneria yuccoides
Barbara Hepworth museum was lovely. Smaller than I'd imagined but very nice and not too busy.
Tate was great . A bit of a queue to get in , but once in it was fine, busy ( it was a free entry weekend ) but we enjoyed it.
The sun was shining in a cloud free sky when we came out and we had a nice wander around St Ives ( lost is another word for it ) until we found the railway to get back to the park and ride.
Home in 1 hr 20 mins.