Weather

[Logan]

Morning all sunny and light wind temp 13 to 27c

Sunrise was 4.47

Sunset 21.34

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Here in Yorkshire we're making up for many cancelled summers; it's truly amazing to have such a long summer here without rain and hail lashing down driven by high wind; I must have offended Blackie & Gale so someone else must be suffering their presence? I'm certainly not complaining as long as this gorgeous weather remains with us.

I was back home by 7:30 this morning having done the supermarket shopping; three little friends were waiting for me; we don't have a cat but we feed every cat for miles around; these three are our neighbours cats; Max the tabby and Ruby the black were waiting as I backed the car in; on our kitchen window cill was Sooty another black cat. I wonder where Harvey; Dudley; Aspro; Corky; Scampy and Gruffalo are this morning no doubt they'll visit later in the day. The picture below shows Sooty on the window cill; Max by the planter and Ruby on the step; many times these cats don't want feeding they just want our company because we always make such a fuss of them all; Sooty is the latest arrival and it's now common for me to be working in the garden with a pair of eyes and nose peeping out from beneath a conifer watching what I'm doing. Our gardens are ideal for wildlife and all are most welcome.

I'm having a brew and a lump of cake then I feel some woodturning coming on. Life is wonderful.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Not sleeping tonight so here is yesterday's weather, at least in the shade. It had to be 49-50c in the sun.

 

[Logan]

Morning all, sunny and light wind temp 11 to 26c

Sunrise was 4.48

Sunset 21.33

It was cloudy at 5am but it soon disappeared.
The 5 water butts are empty, have to use tap water for the blueberries.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

It's extremely rare Logan but I too am using tap water to water the garden with the hose; I'm about to do it before it becomes really hot outside. It's many years ago since Blackie and Gale had such a long vacation so I'm making the most of it because once they return it will be monsoon and high wind perhaps lasting years again?

I'm even enjoying a bit of woodturning without having to wrap up like an Eskimo; I'm always happy when the sun shines and it's not pouring with rain. Whoopee long may it last.

I've got an obsession turning lidded boxes with finials at the moment; I saw these on Pinterest and liked them so much I've turned a few and have just ordered 50 turning blanks of assorted timbers to keep me busy for a while. Some of the boxes have been given away as gifts the others Bron has put on display.

I managed to take a picture of a visitor seen below; our rear garden attracts lots of friends.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Logan]

Colin I'm glad that you're having good weather for a change. It's good that gale had a vacation for you. It's the same here,the grass here has gone brown and we might have thunderstorms for the beginning of the week.

You're very good at your wood turning, did you make the vase?

It's nice to have wildlife in the garden, we do get a hedgehog.Yesterday I was cutting back some fruit bushes, so i made a pile of them at the back of the border for the hedgehog, for the winter. Found some big bricks lying around so i used them to stop it falling in.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks Logan. Good weather is certainly rare here but most welcome when it does visit us. We used to have a family of hedgehogs but we think they moved to Mexico to get away from the rain and wind? Last year I turned most of our grass over just leaving grass paths; the grass sods were then broken down a bit during winter and once the soil dried out a bit I went over three times using the new Hyundai rotavator Bron generously bought me for Christmas; the first going over was a nightmare with the rotavator tines jamming up with wet soil; roots and plenty of stones but by the time I'd gone over it three times it now looks really good; the sods were a real pain but I'm amazed by the soil quality now I'm on top of the job; I'm loathe to plant in the top of the mountain because I enjoy using the rotavator. I gave the garden a good soaking earlier this morning using the hosepipe and the garden is now looking lovely and is worth the many months of suffering in freezing conditions and the many soakings I endured; I knew if I stuck with it I'd eventually win.

Thanks Logan for the compliment; yes I actually turned two of these vases; our best neighbours are moving to Nottingham shortly and they've been very good to us over the years so Bron bought them a lovely boxed plate as a gift; I turned a wooden vase which Bron completed adding silk flowers and yesterday I turned the lidded oak box with finial so we're happy to give them something decent to remember us by. Bron liked the vase so much I turned a same sized but different profile vase for Bron; both vases are locally grown Holly which is superb to turn; I've posted details here;

https://www.gardening-forums.com/threads/lathes.14403/

I'm cheeky posting my non gardening hobbies but it passes a bit of time away rather than me sitting in front of the TV all day watching sport; compared to watching sport I like to watch my paint dry finding it a great deal more interesting and something to show for it. World cup; we're sick already sick of hearing about it.

Bron's just shown me a wooden spoon she's added pyrography to as a prezzie for a friend seen below; the desk it sits on I made a few years ago; I've made lots of our furniture and it's the kind of thing we both do making our lives enjoyable. The vase shown is the one I turned for our lovely neighbours the lidded box behind it I turned for Bron.

We keep very active and support each other in our respective hobbies; a parcel of woodturning blanks has just arrived so I've more blanks to play with and this morning I paid for another 40 woodturning blanks; I'm gearing up for our long winter.

I've just treated the leather interior of our Skoda Yeti; I can always find something useful to do to keep me interested; the days aren't long enough in retirement. Dinners ready then more woodturning in the cool workshop; if only every day was as good as today?

Wishing you a wonderful day Logan; don't get sunburnt.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Logan]

Hi
Colin, sadly hedgehogs are going down in numbers.
I remember how much hard work that you have done with your garden, glad that it's going well for you.
You'll miss your best neaghbours, i know and it's nice to give them a gift.
But your new ones could be alright.
We have good neaghbours, even the kids are good.
It's good that you get timber locally.

It doesn't matter posting it on this thread.

The furniture that you made is amazing and the spoon that Bron did is lovely looks like shop bought,my dad used to do a bit of carpentry and the electric wiring. Of cause can't do that these days.

Yes it's best to keep busy, i don't like to be doing nothing. Although i can't do gardening all day because of my back, it's good that i have to stop to walk the boys.

Been fruit picking in the garden this morning, don't go in there in the afternoon at the moment.
So in the afternoon I've been sowing wallflower seeds in toilet rolls. I put about 4 seeds in each and thin them out to just one. That way i don't damage them by trying to prick them out, then i'll pot them on later, worked well last year.

No i won't get sunburn thanks. Well not from sitting in it.
Have a good evening.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Hi
Colin, sadly hedgehogs are going down in numbers.
I remember how much hard work that you have done with your garden, glad that it's going well for you.
You'll miss your best neaghbours, i know and it's nice to give them a gift.
But your new ones could be alright.
We have good neaghbours, even the kids are good.
It's good that you get timber locally.

It doesn't matter posting it on this thread.

The furniture that you made is amazing and the spoon that Bron did is lovely looks like shop bought,my dad used to do a bit of carpentry and the electric wiring. Of cause can't do that these days.

Yes it's best to keep busy, i don't like to be doing nothing. Although i can't do gardening all day because of my back, it's good that i have to stop to walk the boys.

Been fruit picking in the garden this morning, don't go in there in the afternoon at the moment.
So in the afternoon I've been sowing wallflower seeds in toilet rolls. I put about 4 seeds in each and thin them out to just one. That way i don't damage them by trying to prick them out, then i'll pot them on later, worked well last year.

No i won't get sunburn thanks. Well not from sitting in it.
Have a good evening.

It is sad but also environmental that animals pass by. I have had a chipmunk in my downstairs for 2 days and only this morning was able to let it run out the garage door. My Becky has to have a cat or 4 and the females are the killers. Breeni brought it in but it was a big one so not the usual pathway to death. They had met before as it has half a tail. I miss the days where the UK rule of thumb was a branch size that I could use on a cat.

 

[Logan]

It is sad but also environmental that animals pass by

Yes i agree.

 

[Logan]

Severn Trent water has asked customers to cut down using water, they have enough but it's being used as soon as it's been treated.

 

[Logan]

Morning sunny and light wind temp 12 to 26c
Sunrise was 4.49

Sunset 21.33
Have a good day and be safe with the sun.

 

[Logan]

Morning all sunny intervals and light wind temp.16 to 27c
Cool at the moment

Sunrise was 4.49

Sunset 21.33
Have a good day.

 

[Logan]

Morning all sunny and light wind temp.14 to 28c
Sunrise was 4.50
Sunset 21.33
Have a good day.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Many thanks Logan for your kind words. It's nice to make things that cost nothing to make but once made are very useful even if only as decorative pieces. Bron enjoys card making; silk flower arranging and now pyrography also looking after all the critters that visit us daily. I've so many interesting hobbies I'm spoiled for choice every day; I've just polished our Skoda Yeti using Williams Waterless Wash N Wax. I've used this for a few years and it makes the Yeti gleam; it's rated #13 at the link but I bought a few bottles before other companies started to produce it;

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/87570/best-waterless-car-wash-2018

This is handy to know if a hosepipe ban is introduced; if the Yeti is really dirty then I resort to bucket and sponge to save messing up microfibre cloths.

Many of us older boys adopted DIY on a need to do basis before money was invented; it was a case of mending or making things from whatever was to hand or could be scrounged; these days idleness is encouraged and money isn't the problem it was for us; now its get someone in? I think the younger generations are now losing out because they aren't taught practical subjects or how to use their head and hands; it's just my opinion but I seldom see a kid doing anything useful? I work on the principal if I can't fix it I'll make from new; white goods I no longer bother with it's cheaper to dump and buy new unless a simple repair like changing the 8uF capacitor on our tumble dryer. There is so much personal enjoyment and satisfaction in making things and such a strong feeling of pride to stand back and say did I make that? I hope I'm not preaching but myself and my friends are very much alike in that we are dinosaurs who can fix things even though we can now easily afford to have them fixed or buy new; old habits die hard.

I've just enjoyed a brew and a bickie so I'm now heading into the workshop; what a glorious morning it is and a delight to be alive with something interesting to get stuck into. The days aren't long enough though in retirement.

Kind regards, Colin.