Wild wet day. I did manage to do a slow convalescent amble up the lane very early ( 5.30 am) followed by three of my cats. We have extremely low tides just now for some reason, with wide expanses of sands showing. Saw the first rose hips ripening already on the thick rose hedging. . It is so clammy I lit the fire; in JULY. A first.
Most of the berries from our 3 rowan trees have been eaten by blackbirds, starlings and corvids, before they were properly ripe. Pity... but good to feed the birds anyway.
This is the first year I remember picking runner beans in July. Seems very early - I sowed them in the first week of May and planted them out the first week of June, as usual. Conversely, the sweet peas, sown in March, are only just showing colour. (Yours are lovely, @chicky.) I'd like to be one of those organised people who keep a gardening diary, so I could compare one year's results with another, but I know there's no point starting one...
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
not more than a couple of small buds on my sweet peas. Sown late, but can't remember exactly when. Those planted in The Allotment have all but been eaten by rabbits / slugs
Lovely sweet peas. I have found them hard to grow in SW France, too hot.
Daughter and family have just left.
I was totally unaware of Live Aid in July '85. I was busy packing up the house that I loved and preparing to move to France on my own with 4 young children and the dog that August. My late husband's dental practice sale had fallen through so he had to stay behind until it was sold. He joined me in late September. He wanted to move to France, I didn't, he won.
We had made an appointment yesterday to see a house that looked perfect from the photos and description, just wasn't quite in my preferred area and was top of budget. The agent said 2pm. Then she rang back to say the owner couldn't manage 2pm and would 5pm suit, so I said OK. We left early so we could look around the area first and the local town as I don't know it. We were in the SM car park when an agent rang to say that the people who had the 2pm appointment with another agency had made an offer for the asking price and it had been accepted so we couldn't see it. I told him we had driven over an hour to see it and he said he had another property even better. So we went to see that with him, it was a stone bungalow barn conversion, very pretty on the outside. But the conversion was awful, hideous floors, awful bedrooms which were small and all the same size, two had plastic plank boarding on the ceilings, hideous dark red and black shiny kitchen with very few cupboards, large ugly fireplace. I realised I had seen photos when daughter and I looked on Internet and it was a house we had dismissed. We went and looked at the other house from the outside, still looked perfect. Bother.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Keep at it @Busy-Lizzie. Can't tell you how many we looked at online and dismissed for one reason and another nor how many horrors we saw in the very intensive week we spent "just looking" to see what was available and checking areas for access, shops, golf etc. Ended up with far more land than planned but we love the house and the dogs (and new cats) love the garden and house too.
My sweet peas were sown late. April I think and then planted up in a large pot on the terrace where they get morning sun but not midday and pm blasts. They've just started flowering but not enough yet to fill a jug.
I've been a busy Obxx today. Cleaning all morning then this pm geranium macrorrhizums transferred from one ed which is too dry, even for them, to the new barn bed and some hosta Gold Edger planted out too in the shadier end. They'll have to take their chances with the snails. Fed up of having them in pots. Lots more bits of geranium potted up and a dozen bearded iris potted on.
Filthy now so need a good shower. How do people on TV stay so clean when gardening?
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)."
Evening. I hope all are present and correct and having a good weekend.
I have very fond memories of Live Aid too. It was me and my Mum watching it all day and evening. It was the day that I realised that the Queen tracks that Mum and I enjoyed were mind-blowingly fantastic live! I was a fully-fledged Queen fan from that day on, and it probably marked the start of my teenage journey with music. My sister thinks I had my Walkman (with orange sponge headphones) on for my entire teenage! I quite possibly did.
Sorry about the house, @Busy-Lizzie . We lost our first-choice house here in Scariff when we were outbid, and were very disappointed at the time. However, we now think that the house we finally bought, though much less pretty, was more appropriate in many ways. I'm sure the right place for you will turn up...
Managed a few hours of gardening before the heavens opened. I guess these little fungi (it's a 3" pot) are feeding on some constituent of the multi-purpose compost... strangely beautiful, IMO.
Spent the afternoon listening to the cricket and sewing another mask by hand. Quite a restful activity...
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Sorry about the house, @Busy-Lizzie . We lost our first-choice house here in Scariff when we were outbid, and were very disappointed at the time. However, we now think that the house we finally bought, though much less pretty, was more appropriate in many ways. I'm sure the right place for you will turn up...
Managed a few hours of gardening before the heavens opened. I guess these little fungi (it's a 3" pot) are feeding on some constituent of the multi-purpose compost... strangely beautiful, IMO.
Spent the afternoon listening to the cricket and sewing another mask by hand. Quite a restful activity...
Sorry about the house, @Busy-Lizzie . We lost our first-choice house here in Scariff when we were outbid, and were very disappointed at the time. However, we now think that the house we finally bought, though much less pretty, was more appropriate in many ways. I'm sure the right place for you will turn up...
Managed a few hours of gardening before the heavens opened. I guess these little fungi (it's a 3" pot) are feeding on some constituent of the multi-purpose compost... strangely beautiful, IMO.
Spent the afternoon listening to the cricket and sewing another mask by hand. Quite a restful activity...
Ireland is great for fungi and rowans. I am sure you know the rowan history? There are none here; maybe too windy. Suddenly the fuchsia here have exploded into crimson flower, but only on the sides that escaped the gales. They look as if they have been sprayed with colour. The local bees ( there is a nest nearby) are going crazy for them
Had a sleep early and am up a while. Left my sleep pattern in hospital but that is fine. I am "up" around 3 am to call Canada anyways..
Hello everyone. We’ve got rain! I am amazed that the forecast has come true. 😳
no gardening today then, and just as well as I might not get my shoes on comfortably today. Kicked my little toe on a table leg last night and it’s coloured up nicely today.
I’m planning on just wearing socks (on my feet, Fairy in case you were wondering )😃. There I got in first.
Posts
This is the first year I remember picking runner beans in July. Seems very early - I sowed them in the first week of May and planted them out the first week of June, as usual. Conversely, the sweet peas, sown in March, are only just showing colour. (Yours are lovely, @chicky.) I'd like to be one of those organised people who keep a gardening diary, so I could compare one year's results with another, but I know there's no point starting one...
Those planted in The Allotment have all but been eaten by rabbits / slugs
Daughter and family have just left.
I was totally unaware of Live Aid in July '85. I was busy packing up the house that I loved and preparing to move to France on my own with 4 young children and the dog that August. My late husband's dental practice sale had fallen through so he had to stay behind until it was sold. He joined me in late September. He wanted to move to France, I didn't, he won.
We had made an appointment yesterday to see a house that looked perfect from the photos and description, just wasn't quite in my preferred area and was top of budget. The agent said 2pm. Then she rang back to say the owner couldn't manage 2pm and would 5pm suit, so I said OK. We left early so we could look around the area first and the local town as I don't know it. We were in the SM car park when an agent rang to say that the people who had the 2pm appointment with another agency had made an offer for the asking price and it had been accepted so we couldn't see it. I told him we had driven over an hour to see it and he said he had another property even better. So we went to see that with him, it was a stone bungalow barn conversion, very pretty on the outside. But the conversion was awful, hideous floors, awful bedrooms which were small and all the same size, two had plastic plank boarding on the ceilings, hideous dark red and black shiny kitchen with very few cupboards, large ugly fireplace. I realised I had seen photos when daughter and I looked on Internet and it was a house we had dismissed. We went and looked at the other house from the outside, still looked perfect. Bother.
My sweet peas were sown late. April I think and then planted up in a large pot on the terrace where they get morning sun but not midday and pm blasts. They've just started flowering but not enough yet to fill a jug.
I've been a busy Obxx today. Cleaning all morning then this pm geranium macrorrhizums transferred from one ed which is too dry, even for them, to the new barn bed and some hosta Gold Edger planted out too in the shadier end. They'll have to take their chances with the snails. Fed up of having them in pots. Lots more bits of geranium potted up and a dozen bearded iris potted on.
Filthy now so need a good shower. How do people on TV stay so clean when gardening?
I have very fond memories of Live Aid too. It was me and my Mum watching it all day and evening. It was the day that I realised that the Queen tracks that Mum and I enjoyed were mind-blowingly fantastic live! I was a fully-fledged Queen fan from that day on, and it probably marked the start of my teenage journey with music. My sister thinks I had my Walkman (with orange sponge headphones) on for my entire teenage! I quite possibly did.
Managed a few hours of gardening before the heavens opened. I guess these little fungi (it's a 3" pot) are feeding on some constituent of the multi-purpose compost... strangely beautiful, IMO.
Spent the afternoon listening to the cricket and sewing another mask by hand. Quite a restful activity...
Had a sleep early and am up a while. Left my sleep pattern in hospital but that is fine. I am "up" around 3 am to call Canada anyways..
no gardening today then, and just as well as I might not get my shoes on comfortably today. Kicked my little toe on a table leg last night and it’s coloured up nicely today.