Category: Garden

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Tomatoes

Weather is still freezing at night – frost last night, but looks like warming up by Wednesday 17C day time and 5/6C at night, so I will get planting seeds – I have a heater for the greenhouse if necessary! – so that will be the tomatoes, red pepper, and some herbs like basil. I also have ordered some pots for the snake plant which needs splitting. The size they are at, are going for £125+ online at at the garden centre! I have given a couple away to Holly and Kate, and Aaron has asked if he can have one. They make a great present as they are quite prectacular when over a metre high with a dozen leaves. I am not being tight but it costs me a pot and soil, and the reciepiant things the world of them!. Martin is coming round to cut the top off the wisteria before it takes the roof off – but the smell of that and the honeysuckle it cohabits with is amazing at dawn – worth standing by it for a few deep breaths to strt the day.

So a steak for lunch with roasties, carrots, broccoli and courgettes fried in garlic butter, I have also made baguettes which are hopefully rising so I can cook them when he leaves and gets home with them still warm for Felix (who loves them – more than me!)

I just entered my FIT – solar panels reading which looks quite small for the last 3 months, but hopefully we will have a sunny spring. I still do not understand why the clocks go back at the start of November – approx 45 days before winter solstice, yet go forward in 2 weeks – over a hundred days after the WS!

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CHILLI

Seeds planted but wtf! 12 seeds in a packet! I know it is pointless having 250 seeds to thin out, but 12! If they all germinate I will take back this gripe – chillies have thousands of seeds so why just 12? 20-25 would seem sensible. What ever – moan over. They are in the conservatory, nothing else planted yet although winter jasmine is smelling nice by the front door, i have hopes for the Bird of Paradise lily and hopefully season 3 of the flame lily.

Irrelevant fact for today ‘There are 5333 bell towers in the UK and only. 300 in the rest of the world”.

Welcome to the real world of politics Nigel. Farage has a dilemma, how to appease the hard right supporters who believe Trump to be sane, whilst attracting Conservatives from less looney parts. Starmer continues to do a sterling job of diplomacy between Trump and the EU regarding Ukraine. Blow Job has already defected wholeheatedly to Trump/Putin – at one time it seemed like he had a bus pass for Kiev – but yesterdays friends are dropped by the ****wit. Is there a more odious person in politics in this country? Farage runs him close but seems a little more honest in his dishonest beliefs! Truss is like a whinny gnat in the room when everyone is too pissed to track it down and thwack it! (Nice word THWACK?)

Musk has emailed American civil servants to justify their jobs The email came after Trump’s billionaire confidante Elon Musk posted on X that employees would “shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week”. I would email him back and ask how he has used his immense wealth for the benefit of anyone or the planet – a ****!

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NOT AN EJIT

Ok well, only just. Car had flat battery and I have a mobile charger (bought after last time!). And OK I did have to get instruction manual on how to open the bonnet! In my defence it was the slider bit not the actual trigger for the bonnet – and why have it in bright yellow when it is out of sight! A nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse! Anyway the car is working again – I took it for a spin and then went to doctors for my repeat prescription (I left the engine running – just in case! So first the electrics, then the car and the third is the washing machine which decided to start leaking – but it is about 10years old which I guess is about right – new one being delivered on Thursday and the old one taken away. Domestic god or what (OK it is definitely an or what!). I am expecting the dishwasher to conk out next as it is over 20 years old.

Sun is shining and tomorrow should get warmer so I will plant chillies seeds in conservatory.

The news – well the Torygraph has a front page go at Angela Rayner for being in Ethiopia – I could not be bothered to read the details. The Express harps on about old people being cold – I have a secret for them. When little my bedroom had thick ice on the inside, we were shouted at to close doors constantly – a little cold is not a problem! (emphasis on “a little”!

Starmer is doing well! Perhaps diplomacy and the grand view of things is his forte? His comments have been considered and sensible – none of the populist slogan shouting. Thats why the Torygraph keeps a negative narrative on Starmers talks with EU leaders, and the Mail headlines Badenoch’s latest anti-woke bollocks. I guess Tories will have new leader after the May elections!

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Weather

WEATHER IS SHITE AGAIN!

I know it is February a.k.a. winter – but it is cold and damp and dull.  Spring will be here soon though!

So planing planting.

I now have enough roses if all have survived the winter.

Tomato – maybe some plants although the ones grown from seed did well at the front- so maybe have a look at the catalogues?  Maybe a couple of cucumber plants and chilli and then something different!.  Raspberries have been cut back and when a bit warmer/drier Inwill cut back some of the other stuff!

I might go get more onions to pickle it the weather stays like this!  And also make some lentil burgers.  Electricity for sockets has blown so no tele – I do not watch much but standard lamp for reading is also out.  I can use my phone as a hotspot but do not want to over do it as I have no idea what my contract is!  Martin has said he will be out next weekend – electric heater also out so  free boost to temp missing, although CH working, as is the kitchen!

Football was good with the Pilgrims stuffing the red Scouse!  The FA Cup is great, where the great and rich can be taken down by the commoners!  Even when losing the Leyton Orient goalscorer will remember his goal for his lifetime!  North of the border also saw the mighty Glasgow Rangers humbled by Queens Park (and they had a last minute penalty saved.  These teams may have taken a calculated risk in playing reserves, but they would still have reckoned on progress (its the money – stupid!).  And at the moment the top teams out are Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, Nottingham Forest

Super Bowl was won by Philadelphia Eagles who prevented Kansas City Chiefs from a Patrick with a 40-22 trouncing.  So Trump and Swift both losers!  Last year it was watched by 123 million – huge advertising revenue.  Wait for UEFAvand FIFA to start marketing the finals of Europa and the World Cup in a similar way!  Football does not have the breaks for adverts – yet!  Combine Woman’s football finals and they could have a real money printer!  

Politics – a labour minister resigns after posting inappropriate things.  As Health Minister you should not wish death on anyone!  Muppet.  At least Starmer is quick off the mark to dismiss these morons!  

And fuck me – the Guardian leads with a non-story about an ex-diplomat says something controversial to make some money!  I might have to un-subscribe from the paper if it moves down the sensationalist, no fact back up path. The Observer has also just been sold off!  I will then be left with just the byline Times and online.

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DOMESTIC

Well I am feeling a bit better! So I have made stewed apple and have picked and sliced green tomatoes and onions for a green tomato chutney. The plants out front did better than those in the greenhouse for yield, but lack of sunshine and slugs took their toll, but 2kg of green toms is not bad. Mango chutney tomorrow. And also some cookies or a lemon drizzle.

Dish washer is playing up – the flap with the soap will not close? It is 20+ years old!

Vaccination time tomorrow for both flu and covid. 8.42am so I guess they are allowing 2 or 3 minutes per patient!

I need to clear the greenhouse and plant out the lavender and hot lips. Also there is a lot of blackthorn around and the buddlea needs trimming. Then do I cut back the raspberries? Ask Di for advice?Nasty crash on the M5 meant that this area was gridlocked – 2hours from Wedmore to Banwell or even 6 hours from ? I wa not listening properly! but it was not Birmingham or London!

My brain is weird! I spent at least an hour looking through my emails to confirm that I was having my jabs in Winscombe. Having decided to get there half an hour early (so I had time to get to Banwell if I was wrong) I did some reading. It then came to me that it was not an email, but a text message! And it was Banwell not Winscombe! Last year I got the wro ng week! And never got the Covid jab! I wonder what will go wrong tomorrow?

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SUNDAY WAFFLE

Double standards – I am very sad at the deaths of 6 hostages held by Hamas. However the outpouring of grief from around the world upto, and including, the POTAS id disproportionate. 40000 Palestinians have died, perhaps at least 25% children and the world remains, if not silent, but only mumbling. Every life should be reveered and its loss mourned.

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PARIS

Time for us to follow the French and ban pesticides from cities, including private gardens. Paris has been pesticide free since 2019. My garden is pesticide free and full of food plants for insects, bees and birds. I have a large area of raspberries and I expected the birds to beat me to the harvest – but it is largely bird free although there are plentiful insects. Yes I have seen the odd bee and butterfly but they too have been disappointing in their general absence. I guess that whilst in a rural village the other 80 or so houses in my sunurban road have only token flowers, and 80-90% mow their lawns with enthusiam every 2 weeks. Next door neighbour even sprayed an escaped wallflower that managed to flower close the wall of her house! I will admit to using slug pellets occasionally when planting out young plants from the greenhouse, but once established they are on their own! Butwhere are the birds – the bird feed in the feeder went rotten and the seeds started sprouting?

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THE ONLY TOPIC AT THE MOMENT!

My tomatoes – 450g picked today along with raspberries – chillies are looking good too!

But the riots – first Elon Musk can just fuck off! His racist upbringing in Apartheid South Africa is apparent in every word. I am not over keen on censorship but there are lines to be drawn! So if X can be suspended for a while I would be happy although there are other worse sites lke “Telegraph?” . Moves to target lawyers amplify the rioters disregard for the law. Doctors have been advised that it is ok to refuse to treat abusive racist patients. The bench mark should be “will they die? If the answer is no – throw them out”!

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WE HAVE A PROBLEM

and Houston cannot help! Supertanskii summed it up with Stochastic terrorism.

Farage and co are MP’s and are there to serve all the people, not just a few racist thugs. I will come clean here as I am guilty of similar double standards! I whole heartedly condemn Just Stop Oil disrupting traffic and everyday events ….. but support their concerns. However Farage did not even go that far – before the BUT came in that basically gave his support for the riots.

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STRAWBERRIES

Cheddar strawberries are just the best fucking strawberries in the universe! I just went and got some jam strawberries – they are called jam strawberries because they are not big and brash, but misshapen and smaller (and also half price!), but are the sweetest ever! I buy a couple of kg at a time and take some to the shop and friends. In the absence of a container I nick a coasta cup and fill it; Kate sees me first so I offer her the up which she smells and then tries one. I tell her they are to share with Kaush but she refuses (she even refuses to save some to share with her family!). So I get another container for Kaush. He likes them but I am quickly coming to the conclusion that the Indian cuisine as practiced by him is the worlds worst! Most things to hot with curry powder everytime, or doughnuts that are so ridiculously sweet! The only thing that I know he really likes that I make are polpettes from a Cypriot recipe (basically a take on hash browns!).

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