Stormy Weather

[Mahlerei]

Storms in the UK are generally so civilised, not at all like the sound and fury of those I remember from my youth in Africa. The extraordinary things there was that rivers would appear overnight and within hours - or so it seemed - dry landscapes turned green.

I don't miss the bugs, tho; lots of those and snakes, scorpions too. Even teh most innocuous insects could blister or bite. Yuk.

[Frances_iom]

Storms in the UK are generally so civilised, Yuk.

The Irish Sea must collect the uncivilised ones then (tho I known what you mean having seen thunder storms in the Andes) - over last week no boats to Island on one day and lastnight's boats limped home in yet another force 8 - there have been many very windy days this year - seems many more than usual especially for late May.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

had a strong attack of the shivers, sneezing and runny nose yesterday ... seasonal bugs eh .... the weather feels like back to the same old stuff now ... shaame i was rather hoping for a dry spell since both house and car have problems with water ...

[Mahlerei]

The Irish Sea must collect the uncivilised ones then (tho I known what you mean having seen thunder storms in the Andes) - over last week no boats to Island on one day and lastnight's boats limped home in yet another force 8 - there have been many very windy days this year - seems many more than usual especially for late May.

Oh I agree. I still have vivid memories of an overnight ferry crossing from Pembroke to CoRk about 30 years ago. The sea was incredibly rough.

[marthe]

Morning marthe, Are your ladybugs our ladybirds? I suppose they are really more bugs than birds but afraid I prefer our name.
We had storms and lots of rain yesterday but as the ground is so dry it all disappeared from sight the moment it stopped.

Morning Saly! yes our ladybugs are your ladybirds but I couldn't remember if that was correct so used the American word. I haven't seen any in the garden yet and am hoping a few will come along to keep the greenfly in check so I don't have to spray the roses. The overnight fog has left everything saturated. Once the fog burns off, it will be warm and humid. It think it's going to be a "buggy" year because of all the wet weather we've had. I've already found a tick on the back of my neck twice! Do you have ticks over there? Here they're small, hard-shelled blood sucking insects that transmit nasty diseases.

[salymap]

I can't imagine a rhyme, 'Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home'. [ I expect you know what I mean? ] We do have ticks, more in the country I think. I am suffering from trying to clear up some briars that my kind Wylma cut back for me last week. It is better not to 'bin' them without putting thick gloves on. I, of course, tried to do just that! Sorry about your ticks.

[Serial_Apologist]

Ticks were mentioned on yesterday's midday news as proliferating in huge numbers here this year. Lyme's Disease was mentioned as resulting from being bitten by an infected tick - the infection coming from an animal which the tick has already bitten. A lady sufferer came on to describe the symptoms of Lyme's Disease - which nearly scared me off my lunch! An "expert" then advised that, if out in the countryside - (he was standing in Richmond Park!) - the way to avoid getting bitten is not to wear shorts, but always to wear long sleeves, and... not to walk slowly!

[salymap]

Thanks for that S_A. Now I feel very itchy after a spell in the garden.

[Mahlerei]

Oh ticks :( In Africa our dogs used to pick up lots of them so we'd pull them off, put them in a paper bag and throw it into the fire. The engorged ticks made popping noises as they burst, And if we were unlucky enough to find a tick on us my father would light a cigarette and touch the tick with the hot tip; the ticks usually fell off without leaving anything under your skin. Pulling them off manually risked infection and, in the worst case, a fever.

Hope I didn't spoil anyone's dinner :)

[greenilex]

We had a horse in Northern Nigeria - near the current Borno State troublespot - who picked up a fine crop of ticks every year around his tender parts and had to be helped by missus to get rid of them...no fevers as far as I know, though.

[Serial_Apologist]

In this flat a tick is always followed by a tock. And vice-versa.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

it is a bit nippy in the middle kingdom with temperatures forecast to drop another couple of degrees, doesn't sound much but a 2C drop can feel like a big chill!

driving the A43 yesterday struck by how totally green we now are and how glorious the landscape of middle England can be ...

[salymap]

Ticks were mentioned on yesterday's midday news as proliferating in huge numbers here this year. Lyme's Disease was mentioned as resulting from being bitten by an infected tick - the infection coming from an animal which the tick has already bitten. A lady sufferer came on to describe the symptoms of Lyme's Disease - which nearly scared me off my lunch! An "expert" then advised that, if out in the countryside - (he was standing in Richmond Park!) - the way to avoid getting bitten is not to wear shorts, but always to wear long sleeves, and... not to walk slowly!

Sounds like the advice handed out to 'nice girls' years ago....."Stay out of the long grass and keep walking".
Hmm.

[antongould]

Well salymap and any other nice girls would get blown out of the long grass here in the coalfields - very windy, cold and damp- real Bank Holiday weather!

[mangerton]

Lovely and sunny here at 10 am, so washing hung out to dry. An hour later, it's bucketing rain, so washing hurriedly retrieved, and placed in tumble dryer. It's now sunny again..................*