Weekly Chat, Sunday July 25, 2010

Good Morning all

dibnlib - I love the idea of a foxglove coloured jacket ,it always seems that waterproofs (mine anyway!) are a dull colour that wouldn't cheer anyone up on a rainy day. Speaking of which, didnlib ,if you and I are looking at the same bit of sky today - what a disappointment! I ran downstairs early on to close curtains at the front of the house because of bright sunshine - sorry I know that makes me sound a bit obsessive - and by the time I was going into the shower it had rained. OH always says 'sun before 7, rain before 11' . Maybe an old country saying but he is usually right. Hope you get on OK at the dentist, maybe he will suggest an implant or a bridge - I had a similar problem a few years ago and ended up with a bridge, cheaper at the time than an implant.

Thanks to all for your posts etc. No, SiL and family aren't going away on holiday, maybe after the whole tour is over they will do something in the October holidays. He has to leave again a week Sunday, I didn't realise that their travelling time is included in the fortnight. Rather, I had forgotten - the same thing happened when he was in Basra.

Have a good day, all

Alan lovely pic of the goldfinches, never see them in my garden.

Brenda H know I have missed you but just want to say hope everything goes well for your daughter.  Have a safe journey.

Good morning auntie pleased to hear your weather is going to turn a bit more normal for you.  It must be extremely tiring.  Can just imagine what would be said if you turned up for work in t-shirt and knickers, the mind boggles

Friday again!  Nobody about over the pond last night, I see.

Auntie – pleased for you that the temperature is becoming more comfortable.

Lindybird – enjoy all your fresh veg – we only have two veg plots in our garden, but I still enjoy sharing what we can grow.  When our cleaner went home yesterday, with a houseplant and a courgette, she said “I always seem to leave with something!”  Last time she had a bunch of sweet peas – but I think of her as friend anyway.  Because she comes from an agency, I pay them, so no money passes between us, and I think that makes for a more comfortable relationship.  Enjoy your lunch with Friend.

BrendaH – I am thinking of your daughter, and I hope all goes well for her, and a good recovery from the anaesthetic.

Dibnlib – hope all is going well at the dentist today.

Getting off to a slow start today – probably because there is nothing particularly needing to be done – but most go and do something useful!!

We were given some SNH Biodiversity seeds (aka Weeds) at the environment fair earlier this year to attract butterflies and bees.  I planted them in my crocus bowls and they looked so cheerful that we have them each side of the front porch to look welcoming (just got to make sure they don't seed into the lawn).  

 Haven't seen a butterfly near them, but just one bee!  Have butterflies through the back garden, but none on the Buddleia yet, although it has been blooming about a week - I can smell it, so they ought to be able to!

Good mroning Heather B.  My OH has the same saying about rain.  It is dry here yet again and no sign of anty much needed rain for the garden.  It is a shame that SiL has to go back too soon.  It jogged my memory about travelling time from when I was in the Army.  Not too bad if you are in the UK but when I came home on leave from Malta nearly two days were spent travelling.

didnlib so glad you can find an NHS dentist.  I go to the dentist every six months and it costs enough just walking through the door.  Hope everyting goes well for you.

Went to the folk club last evening with an open mind as folk music is not really my music.  What a pleasant surprise I had.  We saw a lady called Diana Jones who was just fantastic.  To me it was country as opposed to folk music and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Wonderful guitar player and a unique voice.  She writes all her own songs so it is nice to hear things you have not heard before.  I will certainly be purchasing her CD.  Lazy day today as off to Goodwood tomorrow and that involves a lot of walking so by the time we leave to come home I will be struggling to reach the car.  Weather looks OK so we should have a good day.  Sunday will defintely be another lazy day. 

Have a good weekend all.

Good morning original goldfinch lovely pic.  We have not seen many butterflies at all this year and not many bees either.  My Buddleia is in bloom and that hasn't even fetched them in.  I am wondering whether the very cold winter followed by a hot summer has anything to do with it.

margobird said:

Good morning original goldfinch lovely pic.  We have not seen many butterflies at all this year and not many bees either.  My Buddleia is in bloom and that hasn't even fetched them in.  I am wondering whether the very cold winter followed by a hot summer has anything to do with it.

Oh Margo - I was in the process of 'back tracking' the pages to find the posts that started 30th July but was reading your post as I did so. So I stopped to reply to yours. I have been thinking all summer  ' Where oh where are all the butterflies''?  My Buddleia hasn't brought them in either   :( no   Peacocks, no Red Admirals, no Painted Ladies - no Holly Blues -  a few large whites and my usual number of Speackled Woods . But my lovely Buddlieia is just going to waste. I have had a few Bumble bees of various sizes and hues ( not a lot).  So, I wonder the same thing. I'm sure the RSPB wrote  somewhere (can't find my source) that Butterflies were doing all right (it might have been my WWT mag) but as far as I am concenerned I am so concerned  for these beautiful insects .

Margobird - After I had posted, I thought about all of you who are needing rain. As I may (!) have said in an earlier post, my brother and SiL in France are desperate for rain. They are not on Internet yet so phone me sometimes to check on the weather forecast for their region. It makes sad reading for gardeners. The only positive thing that I saw over there was absolutely loads of ladybirds, doing their job regarding pest control!

Regarding butterflies and bees, we have not seen many either. Plenty of aphids though -

I hope that I can learn to post photos on this site because I want to boast about our grape vine! To have over 100 bunches on a semi- outside site here in the Highlands must allow me to be a little bit boastful, musn't it? :-)))