GREENHOUSE

Thank you Di for confirming that is still a tad early to be putting in seeds. I did it about the 10th Feb last year and half did not germinate or struggled. So I will wait, maybe to the spring equinox, for 50% daylight and warmer nights (and days!). Cold this morning with slight frost before the fog came down at about 7.30am.

So pots and soil ready for action and seeds (although I could get some more!

GEOGRAPHY RULES

Latest briefing looked at maps of cases and changes in rates. Whilst they did not go into detail is was fairly evident that the cities, and especially in the north are higher.

CLIMATE CRISIS

Whilst the human race has become pre-occupied with self-preservation, a far greater threat is heading our way. The Gulf Stream is the weakest it has been for more than a millennium.

IF I WON THE LOTTERY!

It would be a big surprise as I very rarely participate. But if I did I would buy a farm and rent out most of the fields leaving an old barn or three! Convert these into. craft workshops, have a small cafe like the one in Wells selling whole food stuff (I have not got anything against meat – and would have to pop to the garage at Middle Taphouse for the occasional pasty!). A field or two with orchards, and a kitchen garden and a flower/wildflower meadow. A couple of ponds and maybe a classroom attached to the cafe (multi-use) for about 20. A shop would sell from the craft workshop and maybe others nearby.

ROAD MAPS

I love them. Better than satnav. You can see what is nearby and deviate from a boring M or A road. I am not sure villagers would agree but whatever.

Oh, Alexander Johnson has announced a reasonably sensible road map – he almost sounded like a grown up! I am sure there will be hiccups on the way but slow approach is surely the correct one to avoid further lockdowns (not that people take much notice round here! – although people are being generally careful).

I just heard of 3 other people who had reactions to the Oxford vaccine. Enough for them to go home sick from their workplace. I hope this does not put people off. Good link to Covax

People flocking to book holidays – I wonder how many are really aware of the risks? Maybe not health ones although variants could cause problems. But quarantine on return if the country they visit has not vaccinated as much as us (huge expense), and what will be open at the destination? Night clubs would seem to be shut across Western Europe. Netherlands, Spain and Italy (amongst others) all have a higher incidence of the virus than us at present.

PLANTS

Planted dahlia and gladioli today and lots of smaller bulbs to go in later – not sure where?

Greenhouse sorted for seeds with 120 pots laid out, and 4 trays for the shelves. First in are going to be scabious, 3 poppy types, cornflower and sunflower, salvia, Geum, echinacea and cosmos. Making a shopping list for tomorrows trip to Banwell Garden Centre!

Hopefully they will be ready to go out before tomatoes arrive. Too windy today for outside?

Also thinking about pots on patio – Californian poppies, night scented stock. Maybe Himalayan poppy for the first year? Where to put sweet peas? Maybe a wigwam? Very windy so putting off planting out bulbs for today.

I think also one courgette plant at the back of the garage, and one/two cucumbers for end of greenhouse. And maybe the best red pepper plant and grow like a tomato plant in pot in greenhouse with some chillies which I guess will go in the conservatory?

COVID STATS

I am going to leave it until Monday. At the moment the stats are generally down by 10%, but this is not enough to bring figures to levels where we can relax. I reckon about 80% reduction is needed, back to last Septembers figures. That means places like Cornwall having less than 20 / 100000, and then accepting the problems with cities, a graduation up to say 50 in cities like Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool.