General Chat

Afternoon All,

Sunny again after another hot night and flinging everything off except the sheet. I was woken at about 3.00am by an alarm going off. I decided it wasn't loud enough to be our cars or house alarm and was debating whether to check when it suddenly stopped.

I like small amounts of watercress in a salad too and they were selling bunches of it at the farm shop last time I went, but didn't get any as I end up wasting a lot of it. I keep meaning to look up some watercress soup recipes to save waste as it is good for you like Mel said.

A pair of Pigeons have been feeding each other on our fence and seem to be spending most of the day in our garden. The lily in my big pot of water is going to be trampled I think like it usually is and the thin twiggy bits of the potentilla seem to be the preferred nest material this year. at least they are leaving the plant alone that they decimated last year. We think the Magpies have hatched eggs now as they are flying in and out of the tree regularly, but we haven't heard any noises from chicks yet. OH has been for his usual walk and is picking his pal up soon to go to a local match. After wearing shorts to travel to the gym yesterday, his knees are bright red now where the sun has caught them. He has what I think is called photosensitivity and it happens every year if he bares any of his legs or feet. His head and arms are fine.

AnnG it might be worth spraying the other Buddlias as well to put the aphids off going on them. I have been surprised that the Hostas have no holes in them yet, but I expect the slithery pests will be out once we have rain. That was disappointing Jake was out of action again, but at least Rory has finished the job for you now. I bet you are pleased how things have come on with your garden and garage with the improvements you've made.

It's good to give yourself a rest and recharge your batteries Mel as you do so much work in your large garden. A bit of work on your miniatures would be good to do. I have actually almost sketched out a painting and am pleased with it up to now.

That was nice of you to visit a friend in the care home Gwyn. I bet she was glad to see you and have a bit of different company. Hopefully she will be able to go home soon and enjoy her familiar surroundings again.

I finished clothes sorting yesterday and am now going through shoes in the bottom of the wardrobe and two shelves in a cupboard. I have a hanging wire shoe rack on the back of the wardrobe door and there is room to hook another to it below, so I'm going to look for one on ebay. It will clear more shoes from the floor and be visible for me to see more shoes. I've already found some every day shoes that are more comfortable than ones I'm using. I've found several pairs of lovely new sandals too so won't need to buy any this year.

I watched the first episode of Millionaire Hoarders I'd recorded and it was really good and partly about Bamborough castle that was restored by the very clever William Armstrong who I remembered lived at one time at NT Cragside House I went to see when OH was at a footie match years ago. He installed his inventions which were way ahead of the times and the house was the first in the world to be lit by hydroelectric power. It's well worth a visit if in the area.

Anng you could try garlic spray o the aphids. could also use it on your hostas.

No not that watercress ham and tomato sandwich.

Washing is on the line but I am waiting for the postman to come before I go down the hsop.
Just had two slices of bread and marmalade as I was so hungry. Now I am going to do a bit in the garden and hope the posty comes soon.

I have a horrid dozy fly in here that must have come in when I put the washing out. It keeps landing on my head. Must like my shampoo and conditioner! :-D

I like watercress ham and cheese sandwich or it just on a salad. its ful of iron and minerals so is very good for you. You don't see it much down here in the bunch anymore. I remember seeing it in a cardboard punnet thing with a handle like the mushrooms used to come in at the greengrocers. When you got it home you had to wash it well as little creatures were in it like fresh water pupar.

My parternal nan would have been 130 today.

Yes, I saw the Countryfile programme, which featured the watercress beds.It was interesting.
It is rather peppery, but is very nutricious so if I get some, I will share with my daughter, a neighbour and friend so that we can all enjoy just a small amount, while it is really fresh.
I like it with cheese, - another thing which I try to limit, although I do so like. I tried the low-fat versions and didn't really like them, so I've lately been buying the packs of ready sliced normal Cheddar or whatever variety I like and limiting myself to a small amount once or twice a week. I don't think I could slice cheese so thinly, but this way I can enjoy it without too much problem. I've always managed to keep cholesterol levels under control without medication, so this way seems to work for me.

Gwyn, one of the watercress places was on Countryfile a couple of weeks back. I actually don't remember going there but I think my parents may have. And daughter took her grandchildren on the watercress train one Christmas, and I think she may also have taken her boys when young too. My Mum loved watercress, I was never that keen but not had it for years so might like it now.

Morning all,

Bit fresh out there this morning but we have the sun so perhaps it will warm up a bit later .

Hope you've sprayed the plant in time Anng and it doesn't spread ,that sticky stuff on the leaves and stalk is horrible I had a Mock Orange in the front garden and every year it would go sticky and be covered in black fly so we dug it out a couple of years ago but I noticed yesterday a few new shoots sticking up so I must dig that out we must have left a bit of root in .

Mel you've been busy lately so a quieter day doesn't hurt ,I think we all think we can do things like we did years ago but I find things take longer now but we get there in the end .

Good morning all,

I hope the spraying will keep the aphids away from the other plants, Ann. I think a lot of plants are seeing the consequence of our long hot spell.

Mel, You always manage to be busy with something, but I imagine that with your extensive grounds, you really do have to keep up almost every day, so that the unwanted plants don't take advantage. Take a break during this hot weather though.

I think today should be rather more comfortable. Yesterday was lovely here though and I was able to go on the bus with a friend to visit a mutual friend in a care home. She went in after being discharged from hospital, but we were pleased to find her much perkier yesterday and hoping to return home, if the right support can be found. I do hope she is able to do that, as mentally she is as bright as a button and judging by the way she was walking yesterday has no mobility issues. Her mother was well over 100 when she died and it looks like her daughter is heading the same way :-D

Household shopping needed at some point this weekend and I might visit a greengrocer who has an outside market set up on Saturday mornings. I fancy some watercress, which I haven't had for ages, as I prefer to buy it in a bunch rather than pre-packed in a bag from a supermarket.
One year in May, we went to a Watercress festival in Alresford near Winchester. There were many food demonstrations and stalls selling all manner of linked items, but the most interesting part for me was a tour of a watercress farm. It was very impressive just how particular they were about keeping the water supply crystal clear and pure, as it runs into the beds. We came away with free bunches of watercress each, so had to be very imaginative the following week in finding ways of using it. Daughter's watercress scones in particular were lovely.

I hope you all have a good weekend and Vera has a lovely family time with their children.

Rory didn't discover it Mel, I did. Not sure the spray worked but it was only soapy water. I do feed the birds but don't get many other than wood pigeons and collard doves these days.

Morning all,

Another nice morning today its 14 degrees at the mo I wonder what it will go up to today? Pc says mostly sunny.

Did'nt get on very well yesterday I just did'nt want to do anything again. All I managed was a tiny bit of weeding on the rockery bit. The box hedge is growing like mad and all the trees have their leaves now. My big Ash is very behind and is only sproutin g a few leaves as are some of the Ash over the back.

Just as well Rory noticed your aphids and sprayed them quickly. I hope your other ones don't get it. I hate that sticky stuff. Do you still feed the wild birds Ann as I find they eat a lot of grubs and aphids.

Good morning all. This was a quiet thread yesterday. Must be the heat! Had a good sleep one I got to sleep after 1am another hot night.

Hope Vera is going to enjoy her weekend with the family. I have nothing planned.
Rory came and finished the job yesterday early afternoon. He was not even here an hour.
discovered one of my Buddleias is covered in 'honeydew' all sticky and curled leaves due to aphids. Cut it back a bit and sprayed with a wahing up solution but apparently it is because of heat and lack of water. I don't want the other two to get it now.

sunny here and 17 degrees. Waiting for Rory to come and finish the job.

Morning all,

Cloudy here this morning but the temp is still up to 17 degrees and pc says cloudy. I suppose we can't always have the sunshine but its a disappointment when it dos'nt come out after a good few days. No rain here in the night and also the other night , must be two nights ago I got up at 4.30am for the loo and wehn back to bed and thought I saw lightening and then heard thunder nd a couple more times but we had no rain. When BIL came yesterday he said threy had thunder and rain in the week. Just goes to show you 25 miles apart has different weather.

Yes I like the way we share tips and recipes and anything else htats going on. We missed our 15 year anniversary on the 25th April.

Morning All,

Sunny here and cooler at 15 degrees, but I was so hot in the night I ended up with just a sheet over me. OH told me it was raining at a match in Nottingham last night and I checked and we should have had rain in the night but we didn't. I've watered my plants that aren't planted yet and put a starppy top and shorts on as I want to sort the bottom of that last wardrobe before it gets too hot in there. OH has a seminar to watch to do with HMRC going digital for customers. He's not impressed!

I agree it is a lovely thread we have for friendship and for helping each other and for sharing ideas and tips etc. which reminds me I forgot to thank Vera for telling me what drops she uses for dry eyes. Yesterday I put the 159 phone number in my contacts on my mobile under the name Banks. I know if we suspect a fraud when we get a call supposedly from our bank, we shouldn't let them put us through to anyone to confirm it, as it will still be the scammer and that we should use a different phone to check with our bank if we are unsure or worried. Ringing the 159 number will enable you to be put through to your bank and can't be hacked by scammers. I thought it might be useful to have on my mobile if I was out for the day or away. I know banks aren't supposed to phone you, but mine did once from a mobile and I refused to talk to him and I phoned my bank instead. He was genuine as well.

Good luck with the stockings if it's hot where you are. I'm thinking of getting some leg wraps instead that are easier to deal with.

I hope Jake gets the work finished for you AnnG. Is it all done then or do you have more plans?

Thanks for mentioning how you do your leeks Mel. I can do a version of it to suit OH's diet by using cornflour, skimmed milk and grated low fat cheese. It will make a change from just steaming them too and would go nicely with fish as well. Our car got covered with what looked like big cream coloured hairy caterpillars 2-3 inches long while we were in the Polling Station yesterday that were falling from a tree.

I've left greenhouse tomato plants for a week when we've been away. After a good soaking I've covered the surface of the pots up to the plant stems with old plastic bags. I've done it with baskets and wall pots too. The idea is that as the water evaporates and condenses on the plastic it drips back into the soil.

Well I'll make a COT to take into the bedroom and get cracking while it's cool.

Well there's a surprise. Jake says he is till not well as he has a virus and all the kids have it too. I am just waiting to hear if his Dad is going to come on his own, if he doesn't I will scrap the job that is remaining and do it myself.

Morning Anng ,morning all,

Cloudy here this morning and I think we might have had a tiny drop if rain as the ground looks damp in places .

I want to get some more plants in the pots and baskets if I can and cut the grass as the garden bin is emptied next week .

Hope Jake can get your last few jobs done today Anng .
This is a lovely thread for tips on all sorts of things ,we help each other out if we can don't we.

Good morning all, 12 degrees here but dull, cloudy and no sun. I think there was a very short light shower yesterday evening. Not sure that will have been enough for the garden but it might have helped.

Hopefully Jake will come today and finish the job.

I was just reading mandy and Mel's last replies yesterday and I thought. What a geat thread this is. Not only for the friendship but we get: gardening advice and thoughts, knitting and crochet, cooking (maybe recipes) and photos to look at., and model making and even, if we are lucky, art.

Oh thanks Mel I'll give that a go next time we have leeks

Mandy you don't need a cheese sauce just fry the leeks off a bit in some olive oil and then put them in an oven dish with the oil and pour double cream over them and grated cheese on top and pop them back in the oven for a while. They are lovely and go with so many things.