Good afternoon, another cloudy but mild day here. Capel Manor yesterday, site was very busy but I noted a lot of the gardeners were off sick including the chap I usually work with, I think Covid is everywhere at the moment. Sorry to hear of the delay @punkdoc. At the Allotments today, very sad I found a dead hedgehog caught up in netting . One of my plot neighbours, has released a hog at least twice, but it's luck ran out this time. Problem is if we don't put nets over crops the pigeons or squirrels get everything.
West Dean for me yesterday- our Head Gardener Tom is doing a presenting slot on Gardeners World tonight …..which is very exciting. Hope he comes across well as he is one of the loveliest people I have ever worked with (mind you, my previous career didn’t set that particular bar very high 🤣).
Starting a mini online course on how to grow anemones and ranunculus today 🌸
Morning folks. Well, still here, barely!!! I did manage to sleep a couple of hours.. not in one stretch though. Three years ago, hubby did a new raised Strawberry bed, about a mtr high, found it kept the slugs at bay. New plants,3 varieties. Never got a very good yeald couldn't understand it. Well,he dug it over, and the whole bed which is about a mtr wide,2 long was absolutely full of vine weevil grubs! The strawberries had no roots!
Glad everyone is feeling a bit better. Touching all available wood that Covid passes us by again - we are in the rare minority of never having had it.
Sorry to read about the cancelled op @punkdoc. But not surprised, given how badly this government has treated the NHS, that it is becoming an emergency service only. When we had our last appointment at the hospital (for OH's angina - god knows how long before he gets his angiogram) I noticed that all of the ambulance had a private health company logo on them. How many more private companies are delivering NHS services and extracting a profit?
Fingers crossed the loo fix has solved the leak problem @Dovefromabove. Our plumber is next door as we speak - the new neighbour must have called him in. Lots of drilling and such. Wonder what work is going on there? We will find out in due course!
Birthday meal for OH's birthday last night at a place I'd read good things about - not too far, on the A12 at Blythborough. The food was excellent. OH had squid followed by sea bass as we never eat fish at home, due to my abhorrence of it, and I had vegetarian options. Not that I'm vegetarian. But I would be if left to my own devices. Not having fish is bad enough for my OH; I can't deprive him of meat as well.
Good morning all (just) 😊 ☕️ ☕️☕️ Two long washing lines are full and flapping merrily 🧺 and I’ve been to the farm shop and butcher and everything is unpacked and put away. The farm butcher is taking orders for Christmas poultry! The farmer/butcher said a woman came in a fortnight ago asking if they were taking Christmas orders yet and when she said ‘not until October’ the woman said ‘I’ll come back in October then’ and left. I said ‘so she only wants good meat at Christmas then?’ The butcher said ‘But we can’t say that’ … I said ‘but I can … and I will’. She laughed and said ‘I believe you would too’ 😂.
Then I asked for four thick slices of their lovely ham. She cut four slices … then sliced the rest of the ham (about four more thick slices and the ‘end chunk’ ) and said ‘I’m not charging you for that … I know it won’t be wasted.’ 🙏 It’s great to be on good terms with your butcher. 😀
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Beautifully sunny and warm day at the moment with some breezes. Walked with OH through the orchard and down to the paper shop for some exercise - prior to eating cake with our coffee! Our weekly treat, fresh from the baker got to keep them in business.
My washing is also on the line flapping merrily to echo Dove, a good drying day.
I've been out and scraped up all the remaining weeds at the edge of the drive, lots of sedum and self-seeded muscari - how it grows through tarmac is beyond me. Looks a lot tidier and ready for the new drive to be laid at the end of October. Our fence however is now rather brittle and I'm anticipating one accidental swipe from a digger won't do it a lot of good. Rather fancy a new fence, perhaps a lower one with those newish horizontal slats might look nice but don't even want to think about the possible expense. Maybe next year's project.
We've had an invite to our friends 50th wedding anniversary party tomorrow so must paint my nails after I've finished gardening! It's also his 75th and her 70th birthday so promises to be quite a do. Sorted out my outfit in advance so I don't have any last minute panic.
It's Friday afternoon folks, enjoy the forthcoming weekend folks.
Breakfast out, followed by a walk, then home by 11.30am. Apart from a half hour break for a drink, we didn’t come in until 4pm. Filled the second green bin ready for Wednesday, pruned back more undergrowth and yet more brambles and shredded them all. It’s starting to look a bit different out there. Horrified to find a decent sized goat willow hiding in plain sight! And very surprised to find some steps up to the pathway, big slices of log with wire netting on top, completely overgrown with ivy and brambles. I’ve started to tidy them up. Now for a very late lunch, early dinner. Very pleased to find that the alcohol free Chardonnay has actually improved since I opened the bottle yesterday. The scent and taste of retsina has dissipated, and it’s rather more drinkable. Might not need to have a gin and tonic chaser after all!
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At the Allotments today, very sad I found a dead hedgehog caught up in netting . One of my plot neighbours, has released a hog at least twice, but it's luck ran out this time. Problem is if we don't put nets over crops the pigeons or squirrels get everything.
Sad about the hedgehog @Allotment Boy.
I'm going to the hairdresser this morning then to help compile the church and village magazine.
OH had a good night and is feeling a lot better. I woke up with toothache again but went back to sleep after a mouthwash and a painkiller.
West Dean for me yesterday- our Head Gardener Tom is doing a presenting slot on Gardeners World tonight …..which is very exciting. Hope he comes across well as he is one of the loveliest people I have ever worked with (mind you, my previous career didn’t set that particular bar very high 🤣).
Starting a mini online course on how to grow anemones and ranunculus today 🌸
Sorry to read about the cancelled op @punkdoc. But not surprised, given how badly this government has treated the NHS, that it is becoming an emergency service only. When we had our last appointment at the hospital (for OH's angina - god knows how long before he gets his angiogram) I noticed that all of the ambulance had a private health company logo on them. How many more private companies are delivering NHS services and extracting a profit?
Fingers crossed the loo fix has solved the leak problem @Dovefromabove. Our plumber is next door as we speak - the new neighbour must have called him in. Lots of drilling and such. Wonder what work is going on there? We will find out in due course!
Birthday meal for OH's birthday last night at a place I'd read good things about - not too far, on the A12 at Blythborough. The food was excellent. OH had squid followed by sea bass as we never eat fish at home, due to my abhorrence of it, and I had vegetarian options. Not that I'm vegetarian. But I would be if left to my own devices. Not having fish is bad enough for my OH; I can't deprive him of meat as well.
☕️ ☕️☕️
Two long washing lines are full and flapping merrily 🧺
and I’ve been to the farm shop and butcher and everything is unpacked and put away. The farm butcher is taking orders for Christmas poultry! The farmer/butcher said a woman came in a fortnight ago asking if they were taking Christmas orders yet and when she said ‘not until October’ the woman said ‘I’ll come back in October then’ and left. I said ‘so she only wants good meat at Christmas then?’ The butcher said ‘But we can’t say that’ … I said ‘but I can … and I will’. She laughed and said ‘I believe you would too’ 😂.
It’s great to be on good terms with your butcher. 😀
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Beautifully sunny and warm day at the moment with some breezes. Walked with OH through the orchard and down to the paper shop for some exercise - prior to eating cake with our coffee! Our weekly treat, fresh from the baker got to keep them in business.
My washing is also on the line flapping merrily to echo Dove, a good drying day.
I've been out and scraped up all the remaining weeds at the edge of the drive, lots of sedum and self-seeded muscari - how it grows through tarmac is beyond me. Looks a lot tidier and ready for the new drive to be laid at the end of October. Our fence however is now rather brittle and I'm anticipating one accidental swipe from a digger won't do it a lot of good. Rather fancy a new fence, perhaps a lower one with those newish horizontal slats might look nice but don't even want to think about the possible expense. Maybe next year's project.
We've had an invite to our friends 50th wedding anniversary party tomorrow so must paint my nails after I've finished gardening! It's also his 75th and her 70th birthday so promises to be quite a do. Sorted out my outfit in advance so I don't have any last minute panic.
It's Friday afternoon folks, enjoy the forthcoming weekend folks.
Now for a very late lunch, early dinner. Very pleased to find that the alcohol free Chardonnay has actually improved since I opened the bottle yesterday. The scent and taste of retsina has dissipated, and it’s rather more drinkable. Might not need to have a gin and tonic chaser after all!
A new one on me. Clerodendrum splendens