[eggplant43]

I'm enjoying the chatter here. It is currently -16 degrees here with a high of 0 predicted for today. They say this will only last one day, which would be nice.

I was wondering about your gall bladder as well, so thanks for the update. For what it's worth, I've heard that sometimes these symptoms are nothing more than dehydration that can be corrected by drinking water. It must be water, not tea, or some other liquid.

[Tuppence2]

Hello Tom and Eggy, and everyone.

Thanks for the link about vegetables, Tom. I see they suggest planting some in the autum where the climate allows. Think it might here, if it goes on like it has been.

I hope I don't get any recurrence of the pain and that it's not a hernia but something that can be controlled by eating sensibly. Thanks, also, for the advice about drinking water. I'm only drinking decaffinated tea now and usually only one cup a day. I drink juice or water otherwise. I'll can more water on-board, I think.

Good that your grass took the cutting, Tom, without upsetting it.

So you were a BT engineer in your hey-day! They did a good job and laid the new cable round the edge of the garden, along one wall, up the side of the front door and over the top, down the other side and along the wall there to the junction box! What fun. It's not buried. I told them to leave it on the surface and I'll cover it with soil or lay the big pieces of stone I have edging the garden on the top of it. It's nice to have the phone working properly again.

Billy goes for her ultra-sound scan on Monday. I'll have a taxi to the next town, Westbury, as there isn't an u-s machine in the surgery here.

[telecom69]

Hi everyone, the gardening bug that recently sparked into action the last few days,leting me do a lot of clearing up and even mowing the lawn,because it was so mild has now been extinguished its pouring with rain and blowing a gale outside and snow and high winds are forecast for Friday and Saturday ...but at least it was nice to be outside for a few hours doing something in the garden ...even the fish in the pond have shown how mild its been,they have been swimming at the top instead of congregating at the bottom like they usually do at this time of the year ....the pond water is crystal clear these months because there is no algae growth, its nice to be able to see the fish and how many youngsters have managed to survive without being eaten

You did right Penny in not having them bury your phone cable because they are supposed to dig down 18 inches then put ducts in and the cable inside that so it doesnt get damaged and is easier to replace should there be any future problems ...just be careful you dont hit it as you garden

As for now its back to tossing around in your mind as to what you will be growing this coming season and looking forward and hoping that its a lot better than last year,with all the problems with rain and floods we had (fingers crossed anyway) ...might just pop up the garden centre the weekend to see what members of the Primula family they have on display,I always think they are so colourful,and are a great start to the year ....thats about all for now more soon ...take care all

[Tuppence2]

Hello Tom, everyone.

A complete contrast in the weather this morning to the sunshine yesterday - it's raining and very windy. A plastic garden chair has blown down the garden and one of spruces in a pot has blown over. I'll go out and rescue them. I've put out bird-seed and fed the dogs their breakfast. They have two meals a day.

The cable has been laid round the edge of the garden this time, instead of in a line across it - I have hit it with the spade in the past but ought not to do that now. Thanks for the reminder.

I've been thinking of turning the soil over in the vegetable garden but there's no rush. Must find my spade. I've put it away somewhere safe in the shed, which badly needs a clear out.

I've lots of twigs and branches still to go into the green wheelie-bin, that's going to be first on the list of things to do.

I have a few primulas in a terracotta dish with some other plants, but must grow some this year. As you say, they are colourful and early, and seeing there's an offer of "three for two", it will be silly not to take advantage of it.

[Tuppence2]

If you want to identify weeds, take a look here:

http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/weeds.htm

We've had a couple of windy but dry days. I bought a globe artichoke for its flowers (when they appear). At present, it's just a couple of silvery leaves in a pot. I'll put it in the garden later. Someone said the flowers are yellow, another person said they're were always blue!

[eggplant43]

If it is a "globe" artichoke it will be purple (which might be considered by some to be blue), if it is a thistle, it could be any number of colors. I find the foliage quite beautiful on it's own.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artichoke

[telecom69]

Just a quickie,Hi folks many thanks Penny for the link to the weeds site,its a super site with detailed descriptions about them,lots of interesting reading to pass the time ...who would have thought that the humble Dandelion could give so much ?

The flowers can be used to make wine, the leaves boiled like spinach or added uncooked to salads, and the roots used as a vegetable or roasted and brewed for a coffee-like beverage. Dandelions used to be grown in unheated greenhouses to provide salad leaves in winter. They contain potassium, sodium, phosphorus and iron. The leaves are a richer source of vitamin A than carrots and also have some vitamins B, C and D.
It is a mild laxative and diuretic, has been used as a tonic and blood purifier, for skin conditions, joint pain, eczema and liver conditions such as hepatitis and jaundice

Weather freezing cold,had brief snow showers yesterday but looks like we missed the worst of it ...more soon take care all

[Tuppence2]

Thanks, Eggy, for the information.

Pleased the site was useful, Tom. Yes, the humble dandelion is a star! My neighbours use the leaves in salads. They also make nettle soup.

We had a dry, breezy day yesterday with no rain, but a frost in the night. Not a hard one but it's much colder out.

I've just watered my bay with an ericacous solution as it's leaves are yellow instead of green. It's one I rescued from throwing out at the nursery, and I hope it picks up. I have a few heathers in pots, rescued again! I watered those with the fertilizer, too.

I have some rubbish at the bottom of the garden to put into my wheelbarrow and take to the Recycling Centre along the road. A lot of it is my neighbor[s old fencing. She didn't clear it away when she put up a new panel - left it for me to do! Not worth causing a row over, so I'll clear it in time.

Do you have frog-spawn, yet? Lots of it around here, so I'm told. Haven't looked in my pond for it and will do that today.

[telecom69]

Well when you mentioned the frog spawn,my first thoughts were surely not yet,not up here anyway,so I went to have a look and not a sign of any life at all,matter of fact it was iced over at around 10.30 its still hovering about freezing looks great from indoors,brilliant sunshine but boy its cold out there ....broke that ice and came back in quick ....not surprised there may be some down your way however,particularly in sheltered spots as there is a difference as we know ...I will let you know as soon as it appears .
The primulas I bought a couple of weeks back are still in the greenhouse and are doing OK, I will probably keep them in there for another couple of weeks yet,lots of the perenial shrubs are showing signs of buds,even one or two of my Fuchsias in large pots,which has surprised me a bit...the birds are emptying the nuts from the feeders daily,mostly sparrows and starlings,seeing one or two sparrows with white caps on their heads lately,dont know what they are,have only noticed them this last 12 months ....



A bit of colour the Primulas I bought earlier ....


Testing out the macro setting on this one on my new camera,not as good as I hoped ...need to practice a bit more perhaps

[Tuppence2]

Pretty primulas, Tom. They'll make a nice display when you plant them out.

I get blackcaps in the garden. Don't know any British birds with a white cap - goldfinches have a whitish crest. That's the only one I can think of. Others have white stripes through their eyes. Wonder what bird it was!

We had a frost in the night and the outside water is frozen in the pond and bird-table. There's watery sunshine at the moment and the dogs had a walk in quite bright weather.

I started to clear up the fencing debris. I'll do it a little at a time. I'm putting it into a flat-bed trolley I have and then it'll have to go to the Recycling Centre in a wheelbarrow.

About the watch the Rugby, now.

[eggplant43]

I've still got snow covered everything, but you two encourage me. Once the ground thaws, I've got quite a project. The "garden area" is fenced to protect it from the deer. It was built by devoted gardeners at one time, but I believe was totally neglected by tenants after that, and I couldn't work on it until this year.

There are raised beds which will be fine, but everything else surrounding them is overgrown with grasses that have really taken over, so I'm going to have a real challenge controlling everything without using herbicides, which I would never do. There is going to be some brush and limb removal done by a fire mitigation company soon, and I will use all that stuff, shredded, for paths where I won't plant. It is natural, looks nice, and makes it easy to remove weeds, as it keeps the ground underneath soft, and easy to work.

I've also got to extend the height of the fence in order to keep the deer out. Nothing worse than working hard for months, nearing harvest, and then finding everything decimated by the critters. There has been talk of venison barbecue

[Tuppence2]

Nice to get your update, Eggy. Deer are something I don't have to worry about. I feel for you! I only every get to see them in the distance, across fields when we walk by the river.

A very good idea to use the shredded material for your paths. I probably won't be able to afford to have raised beds put in for the vegetables this year, so have to decided what to do with the vegetable patch. I probably won't grow potatoes this year as I would be putting them where I grew them last time. Will probably grow carrots, parsnips and peas, instead.

Cold here today but dry, after a frost this morning and a very light fall of snow that looked like powder - just a sprinkling that lasted only a few minutes.

All the roses have new growth and baby leaves.

[eggplant43]

Aw, the roses represent the promise of spring

[Tuppence2]

Yes, they are!

[TRS-80 vet]

02/01/08

I have 4 - 5 inch growth of buttercup/lili/iris whatever they are bulbs, stickin' out of the dirt today.

They'll grow well this year, as will the whole garden. I planted 6 squirrels in the garden last fall.