I'm back Have a good journey and a fantastic day Wonky
Temp here almost 20C and climbing - bird feeders have been filled ... again! We're getting through sunflower hearts at a rate of knots - it seems to have been a great year for finches, we've juvenile goldfinches, greenfinches and chaffinches queuing up at the feeders in the front and back gardens. Also juvenile robins, dunnocks and blackbirds clearing up the dropped bits under the feeders while the adult blackbirds cheekily raid the hedgehogs' leftovers. It's lovely out there
I picked a big bowlful of goosegogs last night - the last of the crop - I'd picked 'every other one' some weeks back to let the remaining ones grow big and luscious, and they're lovely - don't even need cooking, they're plump and sweet just as they are.
Today's tasks include some menu planning as we've got foodie friends visiting on Sunday - hopefully it'll still be warm enough to eat outside. I'm considering a gooseberry and elderflower pavlova ...
'Supper at the coast' this evening involves nothing more sophisticated than getting some takeaway fish and chips and sitting on the pier or the prom so hopefully the holidaying hordes won't prevent that
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Topbird - love No 1 especially the Cockle Popcorn but just fancied sitting on the pier with a bag of chips tonight ... however, if it rains .............
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Ha-ha Topbird. Maybe I should send him to the States!
Fish and chips on the pier sounds great but after 25 years in Belgium it has to be mayo and not vinegar. Can't do pickles any more but love a good chutney with my sausages.
Haven't seen a greenfinch here in about 10 years. Used to have loads and then they got sick but the chaffinches have replaced them. No goldfinches or bullfinches. Woodpeckers, blue, great and coal tits with occasional marsh tits. Turtle doves, pheasants, jays, crows and jackdaws and lots of little brown jobs I can't identify other than the sparrows, dunnocks and wrens and no nuthatches. Warblers of some sort. Blackbirds but no thrushes.
Don't tell anyone but we haven't had a magpie here for a few years either and they used to come and wreck the feeders to get at fat balls and peanuts.
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)."
Lots of thoughts from reading back, firstly, Dove, I can't remember the last time we played Chess. I suspect it was about 1974. TV spoils those types of family fun. Or maybe we've become too lazy and can't be bothered. I envy you and Hubby havingbsuch a lovely time playing in the garden.
Joyce, funny you asked about the digital painting. I made an effort to set aside time this afternoon to watch one of the instructional DVDs again and I am a little less confused than I was last time. I thought I might have another go after watching it, but in the end I decided to get back to my knitting. I think the best way forward for me, is to play around with the different brush strokes that are available and see how comfortable I feel with that. The fact is that I think I'm getting too old to learn these new things.
I actually got my finger print to work on my iPhone today - yay! At least I don't have to keep putting my security number in every time I turn it on.
Thats it, I can't remember the rest, but hi everyone.
We had fish and chips last night, not on a pier but on the terrace. Neither chess nor cards, we just talked. Recorded Tatton Park and watched afterwards.
Still cooler, rain forecast this afternoon, hope it comes, garden needs it.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Posts
I'm back
Have a good journey and a fantastic day Wonky 
Temp here almost 20C and climbing - bird feeders have been filled ... again! We're getting through sunflower hearts at a rate of knots - it seems to have been a great year for finches, we've juvenile goldfinches, greenfinches and chaffinches queuing up at the feeders in the front and back gardens. Also juvenile robins, dunnocks and blackbirds clearing up the dropped bits under the feeders while the adult blackbirds cheekily raid the hedgehogs' leftovers. It's lovely out there
I picked a big bowlful of goosegogs last night - the last of the crop - I'd picked 'every other one' some weeks back to let the remaining ones grow big and luscious, and they're lovely - don't even need cooking, they're plump and sweet just as they are.
Today's tasks include some menu planning as we've got foodie friends visiting on Sunday - hopefully it'll still be warm enough to eat outside. I'm considering a gooseberry and elderflower pavlova ...
'Supper at the coast' this evening involves nothing more sophisticated than getting some takeaway fish and chips and sitting on the pier or the prom so hopefully the holidaying hordes won't prevent that
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Topbird - love No 1
especially the Cockle Popcorn 
but just fancied sitting on the pier with a bag of chips tonight ... however, if it rains .............
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Will this one do Topbird?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Ha-ha Topbird. Maybe I should send him to the States!
Fish and chips on the pier sounds great but after 25 years in Belgium it has to be mayo and not vinegar. Can't do pickles any more but love a good chutney with my sausages.
Haven't seen a greenfinch here in about 10 years. Used to have loads and then they got sick but the chaffinches have replaced them. No goldfinches or bullfinches. Woodpeckers, blue, great and coal tits with occasional marsh tits. Turtle doves, pheasants, jays, crows and jackdaws and lots of little brown jobs I can't identify other than the sparrows, dunnocks and wrens and no nuthatches. Warblers of some sort. Blackbirds but no thrushes.
Don't tell anyone but we haven't had a magpie here for a few years either and they used to come and wreck the feeders to get at fat balls and peanuts.
Dove - that is perfect
Fish & chips on the pier sounds pretty good too
Hello everyone. We've got rain! Amazing.
Lots of thoughts from reading back, firstly, Dove, I can't remember the last time we played Chess. I suspect it was about 1974. TV spoils those types of family fun. Or maybe we've become too lazy and can't be bothered. I envy you and Hubby havingbsuch a lovely time playing in the garden.
Joyce, funny you asked about the digital painting. I made an effort to set aside time this afternoon to watch one of the instructional DVDs again and I am a little less confused than I was last time. I thought I might have another go after watching it, but in the end I decided to get back to my knitting. I think the best way forward for me, is to play around with the different brush strokes that are available and see how comfortable I feel with that. The fact is that I think I'm getting too old to learn these new things.
I actually got my finger print to work on my iPhone today - yay! At least I don't have to keep putting my security number in every time I turn it on.
Thats it, I can't remember the rest, but hi everyone.
Love the raspberry smiley, Dove. You are SO clever at those things - I'm quite envious.
Morning all
Just a light rainfall at the moment. Not enough to water the plants. Still so very warm.
Hope you're well Panda and just busy with wedding plans. Best wishes x
Fish and chips sitting on the beach, watching the waves, love it. Maybe we can all go later
H*******k for me today
Have a good day everyone.
Take care.
TTFN x
Morning everyone, Another hot one here. I'm off to Ashwoods this morning to have a browse. Have a few gaps that need filling.
You're a bit more highbrow than us Dove, it's cards here in the garden not chess. A few hands of S**t on your Neighbour with a glass or two of wine.
Keep at it Pat I'm sure you will master the tech.
Wonky don't forget to keep us informed on the new garden bed, lots of piccies please.
Don't get many finches here, I've put out niger seeds and sunflower seeds but not many takers
Have a good day everyone.
Morning all.
We had fish and chips last night, not on a pier but on the terrace. Neither chess nor cards, we just talked. Recorded Tatton Park and watched afterwards.
Still cooler, rain forecast this afternoon, hope it comes, garden needs it.