Magazine style - all inclusive

[alp]

Morning all well after all the frosts and snow we have had 2 days of rain ,but still cold certainly not gardening weather , deciding to widen the rear garden borders and dig a few plants out spring when it finally drys up I hope .That means I can buy more plants method in my madness.

No, the weather is going to be atrocious for the weekend. Even here, it's -1, -2! Enough to make you cry with the rain. At least, none of us is flooded. Just been to feed the chickens. Boy, they eat a hole in my pocket. But they are very happy, 5 eggs yesterday from 6 hens and no small eggs either! Lovely!

 

[Perki]

Been a dry day but rained over night . Nearly finished doing my mum path just got two steps to do and lay two more pieces of stone .

This is the bit I did yesterday

And todays

This is where I have to make one of the steps.

Not the best of pictures I had to hang out the back door cause I can't walk on it . I don't even like landscaping but I don't think I've done to bad of a job.

Need cleaning and pointing , I hate pointing so I am going to use some of the brush in pointing it much easier.

 

[alp]

Very good and now you can come and help me! The new mum! LOL!

 

[alp]

Where did you get the sub-base and Indian sandstones and how much are they please? I need to do mine soon. Little emperor and me!

Seeing your work has given me an idea. I can use Indian sandstone instead of bricks near the patio front as it is too low for bricks. Glad that I asked you to show me your handiwork.

 

[alp]

Gutted as some seedlings are showing sign of damping off. Never expect this cold to last this long. Zenj: you'd better hold your horse or your seedlings might end up like mine, considering how old it is up your way.

Finally, I have sown all my miserable thalictrum seeds. I don't hold out much hope, but I hope I will have more plants to play with. Thalictrum double Hewitt is dead again and I'm not going to buy another one.

Washing machine is ON! Only decent day around.

Going to see if I can split the Rudbeckia Herbstonnes and Helenium Gold autumnale.

Finally, found the little camera and here is the bud from the Primvera peony we bought right after New Year.

2 buds forming already

 

[Zenj]

Morning
Yes will hold back from seed sowing ,rained all night again and still pouring, to get colder from the weekend .Will have to venture out tonight to take better half for her COVID Jab it’s about 6 miles away so not too bad .

 

[alp]

Have you had yours, Zenj? Son told me that I would have mine in April. Not looking forward to it. But I have already turned down flu jab. I thinking going to the surgery poses more health risks. People waiting to be seen are seated inside the heart of the surgery, with no windows at all, people coughing and what nots. No, thank you. Been out hanging out clothes as today is sunny. Wish I could give you some of my warmth and dry weather. Ah, dry and sunny day! Bliss!

 

[Zenj]

No I am on the next role out both myself and my better half have to go to hospital and doctors for check ups and the yearly flu jab ,believe me they are much more organised than garden centres and supermarkets .

 

[Perki]

Morning .

I've got the subbase from what I've dug out from out of the garden over years and then smashed up with a SDS drill . And my brother who is a landscaper ( different mum ) got me the stone a bit cheaper along with my sand and cement , and I borrowed my dad cement mixer other tools . In all it probably going to cost me about £400 - £420 .

I'll try and give you an idea how much but the prices probably are a bit more down south.

Ton of Builders sand - £50
Ton of MOT ( hardcore ) - £40 may need more
8-10 bags of Cement - £50 ish
15 -17 square metre of Indian stone £300 - 350+ depends what type you get
Cement mixer hire - £10 a day quite cheap really
Whacker plate hire not sure on price but I compacted it with a concrete post bashing it down.
Pointing mix ( optional ) £35

So around £500 - 550 in materials for 15 -17 square metre path/patio . If you added labour for someone else to do and probably extra for material around £1200 if not a more lot more knowing how much landscapers charge.

Also you'll need spades - spirt levels - trowel ( not to important ) - rubber mallet - wheel barrow - finger towel be handy and a strong back + tea and biscuits .

 

[alp]

Very good. Perki, I will need a much bigger area, probably 3 to 5 meter out. I need to get everything ready before the crazy heat of summer turns me into a slob again. Ah, no! I am a slob! Well, this should last longer than decking boards.

Zenj: I should have asked if the jab was to be done in the surgery, which I think it is as the surgery will get £10 extra at least per jab. Our surgery is very grotty. I've tried not to go there.

For the 2nd time in a week, I woke up by heat and it took me hours to fall asleep again.

I was happier reading this yesterday. Today, it alarms me with a -4c! Mind you, in the US, it's can be very shocking!

Read a very disturbing story about gang torture of a 14 year old. Sad that the world has come to this. These young torturers used a stun gun on him.

When son was with an autistic group, there was a very beautiful young mother with a strapping lad called J. She said she needed to move out of London or her son would be in gangs in no time. She was so right. He is a bid of "blind bully". A mother's instinct and love. Look at London now. I have always admired her for her snap decision.

Then I watched 4 catch up and watched Devil You Know. It's very disturbing to see young people injecting into their veins. Very stomach churning and I could see no way out for this once very bright young man.

After these photos, Ecusson D'or was ripped to pieces to be cross-pollinated with Diggory. I hope it worked. I still have another Ecusson D'or bud on a separate bulb!
View attachment 75447

Trimposter

Diggory

Philippe Andre Meyer.

Philippe Andre Meyer.

Philippe Andre Meyer.

 

[Zenj]

Well all this rain all night and day still pouring it’s been non stop for days now ,alp you get a choice of vaccine centres when you get your letter they are centres don’t think many actual gp surgeries are doing them ,the one I took the better half to was really well organised keeping the number of people there at a time low she was in and out all done in less than 10 minutes also plenty of free parking on site.Well impressed.

 

[alp]

Here, you have to pay for parking almost everywhere. Mind you, Covid has relaxed some street parking rules. When we went to Upminster to buy organic flour, we managed to park the car on the street for free. Flu jab, I think, is given by surgery for which they claim money. Covid vaccine is in a different place. And as you said, it must be very welll organised. Thanks for the heads up. I will see if I can get Sputnik V! LOL!

Have had another go at making crackling pork. As millenial has had difficulty telling the difference between salt and sugar, I tasted a little bit. So I diligently slit the tough skin and rubbed salt into it, I was wondering if it would be too salty. Then I read the 7 points again, I found out it didn't mention what kind of salt or how much. I am sure Delia Smith would never do such a stupid thing. Any way, seems to be another disaster again as I read later that it was supposed to be COARSE SALT!

The whole morning spent cleaning out the hen run and coop. It was stinky and messy. Can't complain as they have given me huge eggs every day. I bought Allen and Page feed and thinking it was going to be very cold, I filled up the WHOLE feeder and watched them eat a bit. What irked me most was that instead of eating, they wanted to eat each other, attacking any birds in the way. And they would flick the pellets onto the ground and eat one, and flick five out and eat one. I was so fed up with them wasting my food that I poured half of the whole tub back, only to topple the rub! Any way, anything they flicked onto the ground, they refused to touch. So I left them be and we queued for MacDonald for half an hour!

Came home and caught up with a bit of sleep. Very tricky woken up at 2.15 again.

 

[alp]

No snow here now, don't know about later.

Looked good and nearly there, but there is salt and SALT! And THAT ruined the recipe!

Elizabeth Harrison

Borrowed someone's else photo so that you can have a better look. My flower is very small and so near the ground that I couldn't do much

Love it as it is different from the others, but Ecusson d'or is still my front runner!

 

[alp]

Good morning - snow covered day. It was bitterly cold last night and I used a scaffolding sheet to cover the front garden. This morning is snow white and I have yet to see the birds.

Went to B&Q and saw some big primulas and Pansies. Amazing how big they were! There was one primula with a deep purple which really tugged at my heart's string. But I have to admit that I have no space. Very sad.

Giant pansy!

My camera just couldn't render the lovely deep velvety violet colour! Shame!

Huge Primula and some are already on sale! Business is taking a big dent! Sad as they could have cheered up a lot of customers!

I think I might have lost this beauty; but it's £9. Everything is a bit red in my garden, all very, very horrible!

Went shopping and didn't know that to get £3 discount, we would have to spend £40! Ah, no! Can't keep buying Parmesan or extra mature cheese 550g. Already got quite a few of the latter in the fridge and freezer.

Go and feed my babies now! Have a good day. Stay warm and stay safe!

 

[Zenj]

Bitter cold today and snow looks like we are in for a very cold week ahead ,the birds are hungry there were around 14 gold finches in the garden yesterday and loads of starlings here’s a couple of green finches on the feeders this morning ,keep warm and safe.