Stormy Weather

[Serial_Apologist]

Hello all! I havn't been very well today. The old asthma problem getting in the way. I think this was weather related reaction, this time, as opposed to food! :)

Hope you'll feel better tomorrow, BBM - the wind's dying down now and shouldn't be so strong tomorrow.

Lovely clear sky here this evening, trees looking like black lace against the sky, paling from light blue to yellow. I'll need my gloves, cycling back from tonight's gig.

[BBMmk2]

Hope you'll feel better tomorrow, BBM - the wind's dying down now and shouldn't be so strong tomorrow.

Lovely clear sky here this evening, trees looking like black lace against the sky, paling from light blue to yellow. I'll need my gloves, cycling back from tonight's gig.

Thanks SA!! :)

[BBMmk2]

Going to be a good day today!! :)

[Serial_Apologist]

Just back from 5 mile walk - well, you have to make the most of it!

V good year for bluebells (and whitebells!) - they're even growing up between the paving stones on the local sidewalks here!

[eighthobstruction]

My God man....have you checked they are English bluebells....

[marthe]

Beautiful day here in Newport. It's warm enough to ditch the winter coat in favor of the spring jacket! S_A: I love bluebells. The few I planted 3-4 years ago are multiplying in the woody part of my garden. Are whitebells related to bluebells (a white form of bluebell?) BBM: I hope you're feeling better. Sending sunshine across the waves.

[Serial_Apologist]

My God man....have you checked they are English bluebells....

Some of them are, I'm sure - the English ones tend to be bent over somewhat.

[Serial_Apologist]

Are whitebells related to bluebells (a white form of bluebell?)

Hi marthe,

I don't know; I rather suspect that a lot of what we think are bluebells and whitebells are naturalised commercially-grown hyacinths. All my "Bob press's Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of Britain and Europe" says, is:

"Bluebell; Hyacinthoides non-scripta 20-50 cm. A perennial with three to six leaves are about as long as the stem, all basal. Flower-spike is one-sided and drooping at the tip, with four to 16 fragrant, hanging flowers. Cylindrical blue perianth 14-20mm long has six segments joined at the base, their tips curving outwards; anthers cream. Flowering: April-June. Distribution: Native to western Europe, also naturalised in central Europe; woods, hedgerows and heaths. It hybridises with the similar Spanish Bluebell (H. hispanica) which has erect spikes with scentless flowers on all sides. Perianth is bell-shaped, the segments not curved at the tips; anthers blue. Flowering: May. distribution: native to Iberia, naturalised in southern and western Europe".

The passage I've highlighted is the answer Eighthobstruction was looking for; I hadn't previously realised that the Spanish variety is non-scented.

[marthe]

S_A: thanks very much! Nor had I known that the Spanish Bluebell was unscented. We've always had what we called Spanish Bluebells in the garden. They've always been scented. My English Bluebells, sold to me as Hyacinthoides non-scripta, have a light scent. The HH claims that they are larger than the ones he remembers from the wood near his home, Borsdane Wood http://www.visitgreenheart.com/othersites

[Serial_Apologist]

S_A: thanks very much! Nor had I known that the Spanish Bluebell was unscented. We've always had what we called Spanish Bluebells in the garden. They've always been scented. My English Bluebells, sold to me as Hyacinthoides non-scripta, have a light scent. The HH claims that they are larger than the ones he remembers from the wood near his home, Borsdane Wood http://www.visitgreenheart.com/othersites

I've just checked our bluebells, and they all appear to be of the Spanish type. One shouldn't really complain, as they are very pretty and display in a wider range of colours, including a pale majenta variety not mentioned in any text I can find.

Pabmusic's part of the world appears due shortly for another tropical cyclone :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/26969327

[marthe]

Fingers crossed for Pabmusic. The prospect of a cyclone or hurricane is always terrifying. Our hurricane season officially starts in June but the weather has been so strange that we can almost expect a major wind storm at any time of the year now. I hope all goes well for Pabmusic and his family and friends.

[BBMmk2]

All due to climate change, I expect marthe? Hence the very wet winter we had. Looks like it's going to be a good weekend, weather wise, so hoping to go to a couple of National Trust properties.

had rather a busy day yesterday, didn't sit down till around 6.30pm!! :(

[Pabmusic]

Fingers crossed for Pabmusic. The prospect of a cyclone or hurricane is always terrifying. Our hurricane season officially starts in June but the weather has been so strange that we can almost expect a major wind storm at any time of the year now. I hope all goes well for Pabmusic and his family and friends.

Kind thoughts, Marthe - thank you. We're fine here. All week we've been expecting something, though. First it was a (low level) typhoon, then downgraded to a tropical cyclone, then a tropical storm. I think it's now a tropical f--t.* It's a quiet sunny (very hot!) day.

* [Meteorological term, from the Italian forte].

[BBMmk2]

Kind thoughts, Marthe - thank you. We're fine here. All week we've been expecting something, though. First it was a (low level) typhoon, then downgraded to a tropical cyclone, then a tropical storm. I think it's now a tropical f--t.* It's a quiet sunny (very hot!) day.

* [Meteorological term, from the Italian forte].

Glad all is ok there, Pabs!

[amateur51]

* [Meteorological term, from the Italian forte].

I'll have to remember that

Very glad to hear that things are not likely to be as bad as your recent upheaval, Pabs