What did you do in your garden today?

[Logan]

Planted up 4 containers of runner beans and did some weeding. Potted on 7 chilli plants.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

just moved my 10 baby moonflowers over to a very long planter. have the lattice ready.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

just doing some sucker cutting tonight. hard day at work today. tired .

 

[Logan]

Planted the rest of the cosmos, got a few left but nowhere to put them.

 

[Sean Regan]

Too hot to do much. Watched a lot of tennis on TV.
Did mist spray the acers, did a bit more rhodo dead-heading also watered a two-foot wide area of the lawn where it joins the path all the way down the garden. This area is the first to dry out in weather like this. Put the leaky hose watering system on to water the borders and the rockery. It'll turn itself off in a couple of hours, then I'll put the lawn sprinklers on for a bit.

Checked the big acer in the front garden. It had a lot of greenfly but I "de-bugged" it with my big pump sprayer, yesterday
Checked it this afternoon. They're all dead, but still there as the leaves are always sticky.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Yesterday I made a start trimming the front face of our laurels right at the very top of the mountain giving me three bags of debris. This morning however I've just had a huge session attacking the laurels and everything else forming the barrier between our garden and the lane; the lane is about 5' higher than our garden so it means ladder work from our side. I intended giving a decent trim using my Makita 18V cordless hedge trimmer; it soon became obvious this wasn't enough so out with steps; ladder and my 20" petrol chainsaw; with ear defenders on and heavy rigger gloves I went at it with a vengeance.

I want less heavy work in the garden each year so I decided to reduce the height of the hedge from the lane side to just over 6' tall; now I've got a big pile of debris; I'll shred this and give the logs to our neighbour who owns a woodburner. So what started as a light job as usual blew up in my face; in future years though all I need to do is to trim to the top of the laurel trunks.

I'm just having a brew as I tick and sigh cooling down but I'll soon be shredding; there's no let up living here with heavy jobs; I still dream of a full day in the workshop woodturning but I can dream on.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Hi,

Yesterday I made a start trimming the front face of our laurels right at the very top of the mountain giving me three bags of debris. This morning however I've just had a huge session attacking the laurels and everything else forming the barrier between our garden and the lane; the lane is about 5' higher than our garden so it means ladder work from our side. I intended giving a decent trim using my Makita 18V cordless hedge trimmer; it soon became obvious this wasn't enough so out with steps; ladder and my 20" petrol chainsaw; with ear defenders on and heavy rigger gloves I went at it with a vengeance.

I want less heavy work in the garden each year so I decided to reduce the height of the hedge from the lane side to just over 6' tall; now I've got a big pile of debris; I'll shred this and give the logs to our neighbour who owns a woodburner. So what started as a light job as usual blew up in my face; in future years though all I need to do is to trim to the top of the laurel trunks.

I'm just having a brew as I tick and sigh cooling down but I'll soon be shredding; there's no let up living here with heavy jobs; I still dream of a full day in the workshop woodturning but I can dream on.

Kind regards, Colin.

I saw

this and thought you might appreciate it

 

[Logan]

@Colin once you've got things under control, it will be better. Hubby had to cut the pyracantha hedge right back, because he left it. Can't cut it at the moment because of nesting birds.

Did some weeding so i could put 3 plants in. Their Agastache Kudos Coral.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Many thanks DirtMechanic; yes I certainly do appreciate it and what a work of art; its a beauty.

Thanks for your encouragement Logan; I'm pleased I didn't have to cut a pyracantha hedge back; I removed a few of these aggressive bushes last year and didn't enjoy it.

What a day today; I did the usual three supermarkets and was home by 8:15 this morning; after a brew I was up the mountain and I've finally quit after nothing but hassle; I used a tarpaulin to drag the laurel cuttings down to the shredder and got stuck in doing nicely until Blackie decided I'd had enough fun so promptly gave me and everything a thorough soaking but then it was forecast light rain for today; Blackie doesn't do light rain; I had to bring the extension lead and shredder indoors out of the rain; my rigger gloves were soaking wet; I was working beneath the big oak tree and what joy being already soaking wet for Gale to give the oak tree a blow depositing a lot more water straight down the back of my neck; life just doesn't get any better than this for me.

After dinner I carried all the big bags down to the car and loaded them; I've just returned from the tip where I received another soaking so three good soakings from Blackie in a day is enough; I'm now dry after another change of clothes and enjoying a welcome brew and bickie. Assuming it will be dry tomorrow I'll finish the job off by tidying up; there's not much left but what is left is scattered and needs raking up allowing it to be bagged; I can't see out but I bet Blackie is laughing at me and has quit raining now I'm indoors. I wanted to do a bit of woodturning but once again I've worked myself to a standstill; I've suffered enough for one day.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

10:10am and I feel worn out. Hassle for an hour as soon as I got out of bed; the new phone; computer & TV wanted to wind the big key up in my back; no Internet connection; Internet connection interrupted; no YouTube on TV and phone wanting it's settings sorting out; GRRRRRRR.

I've just come down off the mountain clearing up after attacking the laurels yesterday; two more big bags of debris plus branches I had cut but were hung up; I've spread the tarpaulin out to let it dry. I can still moan though so it's not all bad.

The forecast was for 13C when I started but I feel very hot indeed; I'm surprised Blackie didn't give me another soaking he must be losing the plot.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

I suddenly felt very ill indeed and had to knock off finding it difficult to move around so I've had a rest for half an hour. This is unlike me and it was worrying so I've just been browsing the web regarding laurel bushes/trees.

Yesterday I worked flat out cutting back our laurels climbing the trees and using steps and a ladder to reach the tops with a chainsaw and hedge trimmer; I scooped up the branches etc from the lane throwing them into our garden; I then piled them onto a tarpaulin dragging them down the garden to the shredder and started to shred them; I could smell them and when the shredder jammed I released the blocked leaves.

My arms were covered and I was wearing rigger gloves but then it started to rain and it wasn't long before it was pouring down; I had to put the extension lead and shredder away because electricity and water don't mix. Being fed up of Blackie my personal black cloud forever raining on my parade I was stubborn and carried on now breaking the thinner branches by hand and bagging them up; the laurels smelled very strongly and I ended up with seven big bags plus what I had already shredded.

I carried the bags down to the car and loaded them then came into the bungalow for a change of clothes as Blackie had done a top class job in soaking me; my rigger gloves were soaking wet and they still are. I set off to the tip with the air conditioning running in the car but I could smell the laurels very strongly and as it was still pouring with rain I was driving with all car windows closed. Back home I got changed again into dry clothes.

I've been up the mountain again this morning gathering the rest of the laurels and bagging them now with three more big bags to dispose of the laurels still being wet.

I thought perhaps at 70 years young I've overdone the exercise but it appears it's the smell from the laurels to blame for the way I currently feel; I've had a short total rest and am coming around a bit but I felt very short of breath with a feeling of impending doom; it has been truly awful. I'll dispose of the remaining bags one at a time in our wheelie bin.

I started this post quite a while ago but as usual I've been interrupted; this time by our decent neighbour David asking if I could help repair his mower; a wheel fell off and is broken as seen in the picture below. I'll turn a wooden wheel guaranteed to last a lifetime. Lathes do come in very handy for all kinds of repairs.

I don't have much time to feel unwell and I'm surprised I managed 30 minutes peace and quiet but I do feel a lot better now than I did so I'm more cheerful. Dinner's almost ready so got to go; not enough hours in a day being retired.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Logan]

Oh dear @Colin it does sound as if it's the Laurel. You be careful.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Many thanks Logan for your concern which I very much appreciate.

I've bounced back and feel well again but this morning was frightening given how ill I felt; Bron was in her studio quietly doing a bit of pyrography totally unaware how ill I felt and I didn't want to worry her so I sat in our front room on the sofa with my eyes closed for about half an hour.

After dinner i started to feel much better so I wandered down to the workshop and turned a wooden wheel to replace the broken plastic wheel on David's mower; I was at the sanding stage and was wearing my new trend air shield but like a fool I left one of the doors slightly ajar because it was such a beautiful day; is there no peace for me in this world when I want to do something for pleasure; there was a gentle knocking on the door; it was a young coloured guy trying to get my attention; I switched the lathe off together with the VFD then I had to remove the airshield in order to speak to the guy; why do people have the right to wander onto our property and start quizzing me about how much energy I use and how much we pay; it was Saturday afternoon is there no let up at all? The guy was polite and amiable but all these people don't understand "No thanks I'm happy as I am"? I resumed sanding having now exposed myself to airborne Meranti dust that I have just paid the best part of £200 for the air shield to avoid. ARGGGGGG.

After tea it being such a wonderful evening and quiet outside I said to Bron I'll pop down and give the Yeti a quick wash and dry because after yesterday's trip to the tip it looked as though it had been off-roading. I had got half way through washing it when our lovely neighbour Carole arrived home so I resumed washing the Yeti fifteen minutes later; a neighbours dog appeared and started barking like mad a few yards away from me and then our very nice neighbour from the street end appeared with her two little children who wanted to play with the laurel logs awaiting collection at the bottom of our path; I'm amazed I got a full half hour to myself this morning whilst I felt so ill; it's nice though to have people like me enough to want to spend time in my company so although at times it can be a pest on the whole life is good.

Below is a picture of the mower wheel I've turned for David; I gave it a soaking in linseed oil and tomorrow i'll bore it to accept a plain bearing bush then I can chalk it up as yet another favour sorted out. Have I mentioned I like lathe work?

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Logan]

That's great @Colin glad that you feel better.
People shouldn't go on your property like that.

Your so helpful with your neaghbours and there's no rest for the wicked.

Yes i think that you like lathe work a bit.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Collected some strawberries today, and ate a lot, too. This is my first strawberry harvest.