Hello all, I hope you are all surviving storm Bella ok and not too much mess to clear up. We had one of those penetrating frosts last night, all the tubs of Pansies frozen solid. Luckily I had put the Salvia cuttings in a frost proof place so they will be fine. I don't know what i would do without Zoom at the moment @AuntyRach, it certainly helps bring the family together when you can't get to see them. Good luck with the mouse hunt @Allotment Boy you would be surprised at the small holes they can get in, especially if you have pipes in your utility area! Â
Good morning all. Bella huffed and puffed here last night but did no damage here - my new apple trees look fine. Sorry you had problems, @AuntyRach. Hope those floods are subsiding in Bedfordshire...
Zoom with our whole family was fab on Christmas afternoon, though being smiled at goofily by our 6-month grandson nearly made me cry... it would be so lovely to give him a cuddle. But the first doses of vaccine arrived in Ireland yesterday, so hopefully by the summer we might be able to think about travelling again. Fingers crossed. Â
We have mice, too, @Allotment Boy - found droppings this morning in the bottom of the wardrobe where the pipes come through for the heat pump. I suspect the plumber didn't seal properly round the pipework. Stuffing gaps with wire wool seems to be recommended...
Yes, beautiful cat, @WonkyWomble ! Of course you can't replace Flatters but having a needy feline requiring cuddles can lessen the pain, perhaps. And she looks really grateful for a warm, cosy home.  Â
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Hello all 🙂 Hope everyone had a lovely festive time and not too much damage from the storm. Sorry your plants and greenhouse got a bashing @AuntyRach, hope it wasn't too bad.Â
Hello @Pat E thought you would fall for the shed cat she's a pretty little thing.Â
Lovely sounding present @busy-lizzie 🙂 Sweetie the shed cat is very timid but loves fuss when she knows she is safe. It took me 6 months of feeding her outside before I could get close enough to put flea treatment on her. She then thought I was wonderful! Always came running out of the shed when Flatters and Harrie went in the garden, just wanted friends bless her.Â
Hello @Dovefromabove we have nice weather here too now 😀 Have a lovely day all
I hadn't realised you'd had her for 6 months @WonkyWomble.
I've been clearing out the Utility room. Should have done it ages ago. I wondered why I couldn't get the stainless steel sink clean. OH now tells me he had used hydrochloric acid there and it burnt the sink metal. I've also found 2 large heavy bags full of set concrete under the work surface, under a pile of of SM bags and cool bags. Wonder if that has something to do with him too?
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Hello everyone, Lovely present @Busy-Lizzie, very envious here. Daughter's cat has now been with us 6 or 7 weeks so yesterday we let him walk out of back door without the harness. He was interested but didn't stay out long, might try again today. It's brilliant sunshine here, about 8 deg. And the wind has died down. Wasn't as bad as we were expecting, I hope AuntyRach has been able to rescue her plants okay.
Hello - no input from @Obelixx - I think they have had some pretty harsh weather. Â I hope nothing has blown away again.
A balmy 5°C here - very bearable when there isn't a bitter 100kmph blowing down off the mountains.  No sun.
A nice lunch of Calabrese potatoes and roast rabbit and salad followed by (yes!! Â still some left !!) Christmas pud. Â Watered my lettuces (scarole and batavia under fleece and rougette - for spring - under plastic.
@floralies  I think I will bring my Salvia cuttings into the conservatory (unheated) too.
As the sun broke through, we went for a walk up the farm the bridleway goes up a steep hill past the hotel where the strictly pro dancers stayed. Used to having it mostly to ourselves in the past but it was the busiest we have ever known it by the time we got back  Most people are ok but as always some who insist a walking up the middle of the path with no attempt to move over. Perhaps I should have put this on the curmudgeon thread.  Like @Dovefromabove's OH I like to get my wife out to walk I can always go to Allotment but it's not the best place for just a walk.Â
Hello Forkers. We are being blown to bits and blasted with waves of rain and hail. I've been awake most of the night listening to it howl and whistle and strengthen and it's going to get worse before it gets better. When this wave of wet drops a bit I shall go down and check the chooks have found the polytunnel which is lighter than their shed.
Our albizia julibrissin is being blown around like a manic whomping willow so it's just as well the branches are bare and giving less wind resistance.
Afternoon all, Storm Bella gave us some heavy rain and strong wins but no damage as far as I can tell. Didn't keep me awake, besides I love lying in bed and listening to rain and wind.
Today, I will be mostly watching TV and eating chocolate.
Posts
Zoom with our whole family was fab on Christmas afternoon, though being smiled at goofily by our 6-month grandson nearly made me cry... it would be so lovely to give him a cuddle. But the first doses of vaccine arrived in Ireland yesterday, so hopefully by the summer we might be able to think about travelling again. Fingers crossed. Â
We have mice, too, @Allotment Boy - found droppings this morning in the bottom of the wardrobe where the pipes come through for the heat pump. I suspect the plumber didn't seal properly round the pipework. Stuffing gaps with wire wool seems to be recommended...
Yes, beautiful cat, @WonkyWomble ! Of course you can't replace Flatters but having a needy feline requiring cuddles can lessen the pain, perhaps. And she looks really grateful for a warm, cosy home. Â
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Hope everyone had a lovely festive time and not too much damage from the storm. Sorry your plants and greenhouse got a bashing @AuntyRach, hope it wasn't too bad.Â
Hello @Pat E thought you would fall for the shed cat she's a pretty little thing.Â
Lovely sounding present @busy-lizzie 🙂
Sweetie the shed cat is very timid but loves fuss when she knows she is safe. It took me 6 months of feeding her outside before I could get close enough to put flea treatment on her. She then thought I was wonderful! Always came running out of the shed when Flatters and Harrie went in the garden, just wanted friends bless her.Â
Hello @Dovefromabove we have nice weather here too now 😀
Have a lovely day all
I've been clearing out the Utility room. Should have done it ages ago. I wondered why I couldn't get the stainless steel sink clean. OH now tells me he had used hydrochloric acid there and it burnt the sink metal. I've also found 2 large heavy bags full of set concrete under the work surface, under a pile of of SM bags and cool bags. Wonder if that has something to do with him too?
Lovely present @Busy-Lizzie, very envious here.Â
Daughter's cat has now been with us 6 or 7 weeks so yesterday we let him walk out of back door without the harness. He was interested but didn't stay out long, might try again today. It's brilliant sunshine here, about 8 deg. And the wind has died down. Wasn't as bad as we were expecting, I hope AuntyRach has been able to rescue her plants okay.
A balmy 5°C here - very bearable when there isn't a bitter 100kmph blowing down off the mountains.  No sun.
A nice lunch of Calabrese potatoes and roast rabbit and salad followed by (yes!! Â still some left !!) Christmas pud. Â Watered my lettuces (scarole and batavia under fleece and rougette - for spring - under plastic.
@floralies  I think I will bring my Salvia cuttings into the conservatory (unheated) too.
Have a good Sunday.
 Most people are ok but as always some who insist a walking up the middle of the path with no attempt to move over. Perhaps I should have put this on the curmudgeon thread. Â
Like @Dovefromabove's OH I like to get my wife out to walk I can always go to Allotment but it's not the best place for just a walk.Â
Our albizia julibrissin is being blown around like a manic whomping willow so it's just as well the branches are bare and giving less wind resistance.
I rather think this is not good for the low lying islands like Ré and Noirmoutier - triple alerts for high seas, heavy rain and strong winds - and my thoughts also go out to anyone in flood plains here and in the UK or anywhere in Bella's path.
No walkies for us or the canines today then but there's always tomorrow.
Stay safe everyone. I hope your gardens and plants survive.  Hugs to all feeling poorly or low or just bloody awful.