Stormy Weather

[marthe]

S-A: That's our weather! Hot and dry at the moment. Yesterday eve we were hoping for a welcome downpour that never materialised...except during the 10 mins it took to drive from the pub to home in the MG! Fans and cross ventilation help with the hot, humid nights. When it gets really oppressive, we do resort to AC but don't really like to use it very much because our AC unit is old and noisy.

[Mahlerei]

marthe

Yes, Sky will be going to obedience classes soon. She's a fast learner and already responds to certain commands.

When I was growing up in Africa we always had our own borehole supply, which was then pumped up to a huge iron tank on stilts. Our neighbours had windmills that operated a suction pump to draw the water. Beautiful, cold, uncontaminated; we never bothered to filter it or add purifying chemicals, there was no need.

[Serial_Apologist]

Hi marthe!

You probably already knew this, but in case not - for the sake of other boredees p'raps - the vital thing to remember is that it is important during hot weather to water garden plants either first thing in the morning or, preferably, after dark. This avoids the plants effectively getting "boiled"

BTW it looks like you're in for a thunderstorm this coming Saturday as a cold front passes through. It'll probably warm up again afterwards, though, since - unlike here - the following westerly wind will still be coming off a hot continent.

[Chris Newman]

When I had a garden I found first thing in the morning th best time for watering. It brought out the snails and slugs which were promptly gobbled by the birds that followed me down the garden. Doing it in the evening just encouraged the little creeps to nibble the plants in the dark. Having a chalky garden I used a lot of long-term stored manure and compost as mulch which improved the loamy quality of the soil and partially replaced the useful worms stolen by the aforementioned birds.

[salymap]

Ican see a nice crop of Bramley apples, all about 24 or 30 ft up in the top of the tree. That is why I have to wait for them to drop, by which time various critters have chewed at them. That's life

[marthe]

Thank you all for good advice about watering during hot weather. Chez m. this takes place either end of the day, usually in the AM on the way out to work. I fill the watering cans in the evening and stage them in strategic spots around the garden so that I can water as I walk down the path towards the garden gate before I leave for the day. I agree with Chris about attracting "critters" by watering in the evening. Evenings, I go around and deadhead, do a spot of weeding, Japanese Beetle patrol (knock 'em into a dish of soapy water), talk to my houseplants which are now on the front porch for their summer holiday. I save major gardening projects (trimming the privet hedge, mowing the lawn) for my "weekend" which is usually Monday and Tuesday. The hedge is waiting for me, but today it's just too hot to do this under the noonday sun, haha (mad dogs etc.) Late afternoon, when it's cooler, is usually reserved for visiting my mother at her care home.

Mahlerei, Your African well reminds me of the artesian well my parents put in when I was very young and we lived in the country. The water was wonderfully cold and delicious. I hope that you and Sky enjoy the obedience classes. As children, we were always amused by the antics of the dogs and their owners whenever we went with my aunt and her huskies to the classes. Well worth the effort as it's much easier to have a dog that obeys commands reliably.

Saly, your Bramley crop makes me think of our abundance of crab apples. We have another bumper crop again and plenty of jelly left over from last year. Not sure what we'll do with these besides sweep them off the terrace and put them into the compost pile. There is only so much jam and jelly we can eat or give away.

S-A, thanks for the weather tip for Saturday! That T-storm could bring welcome rain. Actually, we are not in a "drought situation" because of the rainy spring we had. The water table is high and the reservoirs and ponds are full.

[salymap]

Thanks marthe for interesting message as ever. overcast here, haven't seen weather forecast yet but better to hold up a piece of seaweed or look out of the window than read the various BBC reports which differ a lot.

Good queueing to Chris for Ma Vlast, wish I could get to this and tomorrow's prom.

[Mahlerei]

Mornin' sal

Looks grey out there. Will listen to tonight's Prom, my first this year. Should be good.

[salymap]

Mornin' Mahlerei,

Yes, hope it's a good prom and tomorrow too. SMP played Gershwin's 'Walking the Dog' just after 8am on
Breakfast. I feel you should record it and walk Sky to it

[marthe]

Morning (or early afternoon) all! I hope the the prom-going or listening was/is up to everyone's expectations. I'll have to catch it all later becuase afternoon schedule prevents listening. I'm off to do a bit of volunteer gardening this afternoon with an English gardening pal. We weed, trim, do whatever is necessary at the some of the Preservation Society properties. It's hot and humid today so sun hats are in order.

Newport's three big music festivals (classical, folk, jazz) are, or will be, in full gear. The Folk Festival (end of July) is already sold out!

Best,
marthe

[Serial_Apologist]

Just one more quick tip re slugs...

Apparently they can't stand "walking" on sand, or especially broken eggshells - would you like it? - so place some of the latter from your seasonal had-boiled salad around your hostas.

Or to misquote The Mass-

"Glory in egg shells, Sis"

S-A

[eighthobstruction]

I tend to sprinkle a little heroin around the borders and allotment....within the week they are addicted and have to make their way to the local dealer to score....they are then easy to collect as they negotiate pavements and roads....and many are killed due to road kill etc....It's a shame that some frogs, toads and birds fall foul of the addiction after eating the slugs....but they at least find it easier to cross roads....

[Serial_Apologist]

I tend to sprinkle a little heroin around the borders and allotment....within the week they are addicted and have to make their way to the local dealer to score....they are then easy to collect as they negotiate pavements and roads....and many are killed due to road kill etc....It's a shame that some frogs, toads and birds fall foul of the addiction after eating the slugs....but they at least find it easier to cross roads....

Petite, is she?

[salymap]

Typical November morning here. Dark, wet and not very warm. Hope the wasps die of cold and wet in my loft.

It can only get better...............can't it? Bad sign, the seagulls have arrived here, usually much later.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

i do not care about the weather outside, the sun is shining, a modest but for me unaffordable tax obligation has been removed and a refund from January is on its way! oh happy day, i shall spend it watching the Hollyhocks grow ....