"longer off topic comments" - Episode 6
Life Outside Ambridge
Life outside Ambridge
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Life in Ambridge
THIS POST IS CLOSED "longer off topic comments" - Episode 14 Life Outside Ambridge Have a seat and let's chat.
Starting the weekend with a glass on wine 🍷 on the lawn cheers. 🥂
ReplyDeleteVery pleasant indeed, Ruthy; thank you for refeshing our blog glass! Of course, just out of camera range there is a bottle of red for refills....
ReplyDeleteBlog
ReplyDeleteJanice . Not sure that I agree that the BBC are SPYING on us as that is what your suggestion amounts to. It is more than irritation it is also time wasting for them.
Ionly tried the Welsh blog as I couldn't understand why there was no comments.
Not sure what the message means they have left for us. I only said thank you!
Well BBC If you are watching I wont stop posting, I am OBSESSIVE.
True to my word I have been having a wonderful time this morning posting now they haven't sensored my name .Whyclosethearchersfanblog I can happily post on topic.
DeleteYou were right Miriam, sorry!
I know you are very busy with the bbc blogs but when you have a spare minute tell me if the White Park calf did turn out to be a freemartin and if you did decide to have it as company for the Kerry. I was interested but couldn't ask on the other blogs as I get deleted so much now.
DeleteYou and me both.
DeleteNot sure if the calf is a freemartin, but sadly decided against it as they have a tendency to show male traits and Emerald Isle is easily bullied..So its back to the drawing board for her. Might just try her on her own for a bit and see. Shes only 16, so could live for a long while yet, but I would be lost without her.
Broadband has been down this AM so given me a breather to get on with my work!
😊
DeleteYou might be interested to know that Emerald was a self sucker, even tying her up as tight as I could she still managed. In the end I bought a bra for her from America, used over there for cows with huge udders before they calved to provide support, that worked. When I stopped milking she was embarrassed one day when her calf was hungry and she had taken it all. Her solution, the calf had 2 quarters and she had 2. Such intelligent animals
DeleteThat is amazing. I have known the occasional young adult to suck from another cow, but never a self sucker. I don't know if Emerald would still be having another calf at 16 , although I know some can, but when she stops I hope when she dries up you give her the occasional treat of milk! 😊
DeleteI agree re the intelligence. I've known some animals with more sense than some people!
It is Sunday so I am having a break from the BBC blogs, hope you are too.
Like me she is retired now. I don't think she would like UHT ! plus she has to watch her weight.With my new name I'm blazing away I'm afraid.
DeletePerfect! ......Start the weekend with wine......then of course definitely chairs for later!...... Cheers to you Ruthy too.🍷
ReplyDeleteArcherphile I agree with virtually everything that you said about the Chelsea Flower Show.
ReplyDelete1) Mary Berry -she has become "one of the Nation's treasures like the Queen Mum -not mine and Judy DenchWhy?
2) Totally agree that Monty Don and Joe Swift ( I particularly like him -did you know that his parents are Clive Swift( Mr Bucket and Margaret Drabble?)
Why did Monty have to wear a scarf each evening?
Is he starting a new trend?
3)Never took to Alan Titchmarsh(the housewives favourite--I don't think so.
4) Carol Clein-messy hair,dirty nails, dreadful dress sense.
Voice?
Now be careful there Archerphile her accent is that from (I would think ) the Bolton area of Lancashire.
Her accent is not a million miles away from mine.
However you did say "voice " not accent
5)The money the BBC paid Alison Streadman for her interview plus what she was paid to be on The Archers would probably have paid for our blog!
✔️👍 Especially re Carol Klein
DeleteI am proud to be able to say that I have never seen Mary Berry.
I have however heard her on radio.
In a way one has to say good luck to someone who is only baking like millions of other women of her age but is getting very well paid for doing so.
DeleteActually I use her scone recipe but she will have originally got it from another recipe book no doubt.
The one who I really can't be doing with is the woman with black hair and black round her eyes who seems to peer through a thick fringe and who is being paid a fortune to introduce various programmes .
On the other hand ,who can blame her if she is overpaid ?
I like Mary Berry, but didn't enjoy a recent series where she was going around stately homes and cooking for the landed gentry. It seemed a bit pointless to me, so gave up after one episode. I do like her recipes though, and her carbonara is the best I've ever had, and so, so easy. Lan Jan, 1.10 p.m. I think you mean Claudia Winkleman, I can't bear her girly girliness, had to give up 'Film ** ' when she presented it, and never watched 'Strictly Come Dancing' which I think she's on. The film programme was never the same after lovely Barry Thingy left. Yes, I liked him so much that I can't remember his name!
DeleteNorman.
DeleteMistral I thought MB came across as an awful little snob in that stately home series!
DeleteOut of curiosity (but it's not the cat that was the victim on the other blog) I strayed in here. I don't have TV but totally agree with Lanjan about Alison Steadman, I hope that she wasn't the one who had no interest in gardening.
ReplyDeleteBasia,I think that was Felicity Kendal.
ReplyDeleteWhy are Joanna Lumley and Annika Rice always there
I don't know a lot of the so called "Celebrities"
Chris Beardshaw was on GQT yesterday, after winning another award at the Chelsea FS and said that he's used to hard work that gardening involves rather than standing around talking about it.
ReplyDeleteMy neighbour's lovely son who designed one of the smaller gardens at Chelsea which is to be transported to a hospital after the Show for the use of patients ,was on " All in the mind" on radio 4 and he said that doing jobs like dead heading ,cutting back ,weeding etc helped tremendously anyone suffering from any mental health problem.
ReplyDeleteHmm, it seems that's what Shula was doing, when Alan found tufts of grass 5ft away.
DeleteLan Jan 12.55 p.m. I heard 'All in the Mind', what struck me was that he said those theraputic gardens should be high maintenence, so as to create more jobs, e.g. the dead-heading. It made sense, and is exactly the opposite of what one might expect.
DeleteWon't catch up with TA till Wednesday, off to the Hay Festival with son ( the one to whose wedding what I was going to wear exercised me a while back) Bride to be at a festival festival -if you follow- & Mr C back here tending garden, hen, the killer cat (Katya) & the gentle, sensitive one (Percy - but a very different character to your Percy, I imagine, Lanjan!)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the Hay Festival,Carolyn.
ReplyDeleteHope you have good weather for it.
Weather fine here .Watching Test Match on TV which is not looking good for England.
Fingers crossed for Liverpool this evening.
I have just heard that Alison Steadman will playing the comedienne Hylda Baker on Radio 4 on Bank holiday Monday. I look forward to listening to it.
ReplyDeleteShe knows you know!
DeleteThere is another Lancashire comedienne
I wonder why Alison Srteadman was Cohen rather than somebody like Jane Horrocks?
I hope A S gets the south Lancashire accent right.
Like you,Giana I will look forward to listening to the programme.
Thanks for mentioning it.
Chosen not Cohen
DeleteRuthy. Thank you again, red wine in the sun. I shall be imbibing of the red stuff later the evening.
ReplyDeleteMrsP. I did buy a mahogany cutlery tray and then spent ages sorting out the silver ware. I'm so sorry that you are continuing to be confined to the house, I only wish I could help you by relieving some of the cabin fever. Are you managing to do some shopping for food and other essentials?
The Antiques centre is located in a large industrial style unit on the Ashchurch Rd. It is called the Malt House Emporium, and the cafe does proper tea, about six different varieties of black and other floral teas.
I shall try and make a visit to the Georgian Cafe and will let you know. A day away from the allotment would be something to look forward to.
Thanks for tea and sympathy Stasia.
DeleteI'm not exactly tied to the house, just don't have a car to travel away from S. But I can get the infrequent bus with a nearby stop that will take me to town. Alternatively walk down steep hill for another bus that is frequent, half hourly, and could get to Glos. on that. Might treat myself to a walk around the docks at some point over the weekend. And add a jaunt to that antique centre too.
So they have kept the same name, as it was the Malt House when here.
Do you have your silver on display ? Shame to keep it in a drawer.
One of my favourite activities is polishing metal, silver, brass, pewter.
Is the cutlery tray nicely polished, not battered ?
I did some shopping on Friday, and the freezer is well stocked.
MrsP, you are welcome to do mine any time ! I have a fair few paraffin lamps from my pre electricity days.
DeleteHope the 6 weeks passes quickly.
I have seen The Chelsea Flower Show mentioned in a few posts - so I would just like to say to Rachel de Thame (a previous commentator/contributer), I really wish You well.
ReplyDeleteMy glass will be filled with white, a lovely crisp South African Sauv. Blanc.
I really enjoy Claudia Wnkleman, as I have seen her, both in Strictly Come Dancing, and the Best Home Cook. She really always seems to be very relaxed with both the participants and the "judges". I think that she has a lovely rapport with Mary Berry.
ReplyDeleteI have to add that two of my "signature" bakes are recipes from a Mary Berry recipe book - an Earl Grey FruitTea Loaf and a Bannana Cake. They never fail!
But, I wonder if they are they better than Jill's Flapjacks and Lemon Drizzle Cake, I very much doubt it.
An "Ambridge Bake Off"? Perhaps Fallon could arrange it.
CowGirl. I am very glad that you have been able to "blog" freelly today. I hope that that you have found it fulfilling, a worthwhile experience and you are acheiving what you aim to do.
ReplyDeleteMy tipple tonight is a rather nice Rose! We went to a Rose wine tasting last night and tried about 8 or 9. Fortunately it was all downhill walking home!
ReplyDeleteBLOG
ReplyDeleteFor any one interested I have just posted on the technology and creativity blog
on Your Data Matters.
Cowgirl?cowgirl,I will take a brief look now .
DeleteAre there any more sites we should check out?
Cowgirl,I signed out from the BBC and then tried to sign in with a different email address and different password but it didn't like it .
DeleteIt kept telling me I needed numbers in my password and when I stuck one in ,it didn't like that either
I have 2 accounts I have just posted under cowgirl, but it has of course gone straight to moderation we will see if it passes, I did mention the Archers but merely in passing.
Delete(on the Data site ) I can only suggest you try again, it took me several attempts to even get a new email address, I am hopeless with technology. At least with my other name I am getting the message across by just using it.
Sorry LanJan forgot to answer your question. I don't think there are any more other than those we are already using. I'm afraid I go round them all trying to think of something else to say, especially now with my new name.
DeleteHave just posted asking if our data matters why don’t we matter? Am awaiting moderation again This is reply to LanJan and is a BLOG item!
ReplyDeleteMiriam 5.46pm 26th. Mary Berry's Lemon Drizzle cake recipe is very light and moreish! I did a 'Funeral Tea' last year and made her Individual LD cakes baked in muffin tins. One man came up to me and complimented me on the tea and confessed he had eaten three! Usually I use the BBC Food's recipe for 'Luscious Lemon Drizzle' baked in a 2lb loaf tin and sliced into 8 then each of those halved. One cricketer last Saturday said that LD was his favourite cake and "That (pointing to the plate which had just one slice left) was the best I have ever tasted!" Sorry if that's boasting but I was fair worn out by 5pm after cooking all day Friday then tutoring 2 hours' on Saturday morning , then making 28 rounds of sandwiches before leaving at 1.30pm. So all the compliments I get give me the will to carry on the for the next match!
ReplyDeleteLucky Cricket team - yum. Compliments well deserved you enjoy them!
DeleteSpicy 27th May 1019am pardon my ignorance but what is a Funeral Tea?
DeleteMy post , very similar to Ev's on the Technology blog has gone straight for moderation.
ReplyDeleteI just read your post Lanjan, it's back there.
DeleteThanks Basia.
DeleteI wonder if we will ever really be accepted back into the fold or whether we will always have a black mark against us?
LanJan 9.09 am 26th May. Mary Berry is wonderful and so unpretentious as opposed to so many of the TV chefs (and radio ones!) I listen to Kitchen Cabinet on Saturday mornings Radio 4, when driving back from tutoring on the Isle of Sheppey and when it's on. Some of the ideas and suggested foodstuffs I have never heard of!
ReplyDeleteOne of MB's tips I have just tried is to grate the large stalks of Broccoli heads nd use them in pies/soups. I think she did that in one of her Christmas series. I love broccoli and resent throwing half away. (Actually I don't usually, because I twist off the largest part of the stalk in the supermarket. I taught my 10year old niece that and she embarrassed her mum by saying loudly "Auntie G does it and she says ' You don't buy what you can't eat!") Anyway the other evening I did a quick meal after getting in late and did spaghetti with pesto and broccoli florets but I grated some of the stalk and cooked (boiled) it for a while. It was perfect, soft but slightly crunchy, just like the texture of water chestnuts but tasting of broccoli. The florets were not soggy at all so I suppose I cooked for about 15 minutes. Add grated parmesan and had a light, delicious, but very quick meal.
My niece tells me off for wasting the stalks she just peels them and cooks them and her children love them, better than the flowers.
DeleteSpicy - just wish I had strong enough hands to twist off the stalks of broccoli in the supermarket, they are always too hard for me. See lots of people doing it though - perhaps I should secrete a little knife in my handbag?
ReplyDeleteTalking of not wasting veg, - my d.i.l. was amazed that I cook the leaves surrounding cauliflowers, as she used to throw them away!
Spiceycushion- you can have as many compliments as you wish to have from me.
ReplyDeleteI am not amazed that you can achieve so much, but am envious.
Once one ' winds down' in life it is very easy to achieve very little.
Compliments in plenty !
I have always included the stalks of broccoli, cut into chunks.
Have never thought of peeling them though.
I also always cook the leaves of cauliflowers. Very tender, and include them in cauliflower cheese.
I think it is because they are a little tough at the very end.
DeleteAny green vegetable is my favourite, but I really love cabbage and purple sprouting. Both of which I grow. I always keep as much of the green cauliflower leaves as possible and cook them with the florets. As I grow most of my own salad and vegetables I don't need to buy much, but I do like the idea of teaching the supermarkets a lesson. Imagine all those stalks not paid for, great. What irrates me about but buying fruit is the amount of plastic used to sell apples, pears and soft fruit. Especially losse apples with little stick on labels telling the variety when that is already indicated in front of the box. Grrrr.
ReplyDeleteFor anyone not wanting to buy broccoli with a big stalk on it a crown is the way to go. More expensive though. Cauliflower green leaves enhance it imo.
ReplyDeleteI like purple sprouting which has more flavour I think than those big heads you get in the supermarket. Can be expensive but Aldi do it a bit cheaper.
DeleteThank you all for lovely thoughts! Yes I have always cooked green surrounds of caulis. I have six growing this year. Hopefully more successful than last. They all 'bolted' with no curds at all!
ReplyDeleteStasia: The little labels on apples etc are for the benefit of the check out operators who possibly (probably!) don't know the difference between a Jazz, Pink Lady or Cox when they are bought loose!
I never knew that so many would know about eating the thick stalks of broccoli! I'd never heard of it and my Mum never wasted anything and knew all sorts of ways to make food go further. Although Dad usually grew purple sprouting. Do others, who grow runner beans, also boil the older large spotted pink beans at the end of the season? They taste like Butter Beans but like Kidney beans I think you have to soak them to get the arsenic (?) out of them.
Archerphile: I sympathise. My hands are getting that way too and most times I have to get my son to open new plastic cartons of milk as I can't squeeze my fingers together tight enough. Also having a lot of pain in my toes so will have to go to Docs to get checked up. Gout?!!
Cowgirl: I'll definitely try the peeled stalks. Treated like carrot batons?
Incredible thunderstorm woke me and kept me awake for about an hour last night. Very humid today so now out to plant out my runner bean plants and sticks for them to grow up! Mowing will wait till tomorrow. :)
Sounds like gout, Spicy. Try taking Iboprofen. It is an anti inflammatory and worked with me. You may need more than one dose.
DeleteI have been fortunate in being able to take Brufen Retard - slow release 24 hour iboprufen for man years now, with no side effects.
DeleteIt has kept my arthritis manageable. And on half the recommended dose.
I have negotiated with my GP to drop it in summer months now and resume in winter.
hello Ladies. Ibuprofen is a wonderful pain killer but should be used with caution. Please make sure you have consulted your G.P. before you start to use it regularly. There may be long term side effects and contra indications with other medications.
DeleteAgree, Pierre. In my case 2 or 3 doses does the trick and would not continue to take it after the pain goes. I have only experienced the pain twice but know the symptoms as my late husband had the problem. It’s spasmodic and feels as if someone is stabbing your toes with needles. I hadn’t realised how bad it was. You can’t feel others’ pain after all.
DeleteI envy those of you who have had some rain. We've had very little for weeks and the garden is bone dry, I'm really struggling to keep the veg beds watered.
ReplyDeleteSpiceycushion- my dad used to collect those beans at the end of the season.
ReplyDeleteThey would be kept for the following year and sown for that seasons crop.
Do people still do that ?
Never knew about anything toxic though, arsenic or otherwise !
I have always kept the seeds of peas, beans etc They have always been successfull
Delete. Need to be kept in the cool though. Thrifty your Dad Mrs P
No Cow Girl he was b....y mean.
DeleteJust like me then!
DeleteYes. I am nuturing runner beans, which I have collected from last years crop and are now ready for planting. I am hoping that I will have another prolific amount of very tasty runner beans to eat and enjoy
DeleteMy favourite veg! Pick at 11m, string and cut at 11.30, boil and eat with loads of butter at 12! Sometimes you don't need anything else!
DeleteYes I keep seeds (as did Dad) but his row of beans was huge and prolificso plenty for everything! I remember having sessions of blanching and freezing bags of beans for the winter. I always save some frozen for Christmas dinner. Not so nice as fresh but better than commercial frozen.
MrsP I knew about dried kidney beans having to be soaked and cleaned and even if I use canned ones I always rinse very thoroughly. I just seem to remember reading something fairly recently about old runner beans. However, I don't remember them being soaked when I as little and we never (knowingly) came to harm. Perhaps my imagination!
Thanks Ev. Yes if the pain gets too much I'll try the Ibuprofen. :)
I am very like Cheshire Cheese, (as I am another Cheshire resident), in that I had rain overnight, and then a very quick 15 min storm of thunder and rain this afternoon.
ReplyDeleteI am so very well pleased about this, as my wonderful "Patty's Plum" poppies which actually flowered this morning, are still very upright, colourfal and vibrant.
No rain in my part of Cheshire today unfortunately.
DeleteI was quite disappointed not to have been aware of
ReplyDeletelast nights amazing thunder and lightening - I love thunder storms! But this morning we hadn’t had a drop of rain all night despite being right in the middle of the area for which it was forecast - how strange. Yes, horribly humid today but no actual rain.
We are off to stay with our son and family near Toulouse next week (last visit before they are despatched to Dubai for 5 years!) and I am worried about all the new plants in our garden. We have planted several shrubs, climbing roses and clematis, a new tree and have dozens of pots and tubs, all of which will need watering and keeping an eye on - to say nothing about the tomatoes in the greenhouse and all the strawberries & raspberries about to start ripening.
ReplyDeleteDo you think I could ask my cat owning neighbours to take on this chore, having recently declined to look after their new kittens? I could tell them to help themselves to any ripe fruit but am in two minds about asking them to do all of the watering! What a stupid time of year to be going away - but it’s our last chance to see the grandsons before they disappear for 5 years, so I have to go.
Archerphile, if you have ' next door' in your area you might find somebody on there who would be willing to help. Otherwise what about approaching your local allotment society.
ReplyDeleteNo I don't think it wise to ask the neighbours since you told them you couldn't feed the kittens.
Archerphile-You are only going away for a week.
ReplyDeleteYour neighbours are going away for longer.
Watering plants has not the responsibility that looking after kittens has.
You are still on good terms with your neighbours and will obviously tell them that you will be going away and I bet a £ to a penny they will ask if you will want anything doing whilst you are away.
If it were me ,that is what I would say because of all you have done in the past.
Having said that,if they don't offer,you really have nothing to lose by actually asking them if they would mind watering your tomatoes a couple of times
Any decent neighbour would do that and then do anything else that needs watering
It might rain so it is mainly the tomatoes that will need doing.
Are there any other neighbours you could ask if plan A fails?
I don't think it will
Trust me
Thanks for your wise advice Lanjan and Mrs P. I could move all my tubs & hanging baskets to just outside the greenhouse so that if the neighbours were coming in to water the tomatoes it wouldn’t be too much trouble to do the pots as well. I did think of investing in an automatic watering system with a timer on the outside tap and hose with drippers that you can insert into each tub and growbag. But they are quite expensive and wouldn’t be normally needed, so think I will have to pluck up courage to ask the neighbours. I hear that June is likely to be a very hot month so I am most concerned about our beautiful new Acer drummondii tree and the roses. However they are a long way down the garden, far from the tap, so we will just have to give them a really good soak before we go. We shall be away for13 days so I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that there might be a little rain during that time - though seeing as we did not have any over the weekend when other areas of the country were flooded, it might be a false hope !
DeleteArcherphile, take Lan Jans advice and do as you suggested, put all the pots together with the toms so that they are easy to get at.
DeleteSuggest as well, your tree. Soak the ground around for the week before leaving. Really soak ! Then mulch and soak that. Then cover with plastic, bubble wrap, something similar, and then put heavy stuff on top of that. Bags of soil or collected leaves.
The roses will survive if they are well established.
NB - I am not a gardener, but I am messy and neglectful. Therefore I have discovered due to my negligence what works.
If you cover the ground up, it does not dry out !
Certainly not over two weeks.
Mrs P - you are a marvel, I should re-christen you Mrs T, after Percy Thrower, the ultimate gardening expert when I was growing up!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips.
I've also left a comment about iboprufen under the gout comments.
DeleteI've been listening to GQT since childhood and have learned so much.
But I repeat, I'm not really a gardener, but I have designed and created several gardens over the decades.
I am inspired by difficult problems and like to turn problems into solutions.
Blog
ReplyDeleteI was going to give you all a rest, but have just seen an article on the web on the mail on line about the profligacy of the BBC in its staging of the Big Weekend.
I have therefore sent an e mail to the editor on the closing of our blog, as I though it might just tie in, whether it gets anywhere or not I have no idea, we can but try.
Good Luck with that Cow Girl.
DeleteThank you Gianna for mentioning the Hylda Baker programme.
ReplyDeleteI listened this afternoon whilst weeding the garden.
I have to say that I thought Alison Steadman was excellent.
Hylda Baker came from Farnworth which isn't far from Bolton.
I have a 90 year old friend from that area and AS sounded very like her.
I never actually found HB to be very funny but I was sorry to hear that really I don't think her life was that happy really and I got the impression that she ended up with dementia.
You are welcome. I agree with you that I too didn't find Hylda Baker funny but the play was vety good. For me it was also poignant as my mother had Alzheimers and lasted 15 yearsbefore she died.
DeleteMe too ! Never much liked Hylda Baker or found her to be funny.
DeleteBut will try to listen to the play sometime in the coming week.
Mistral,I am pleased you agree that it is better to have high maintenance gardens.
ReplyDeleteA friend has a beautiful one but does not enjoy gardening so employs a gardener.
It would be too large for one person to maintain anyway.
I am in the process of doing the Chelsea chop.
It is a lovely time of year.
Every day there is something new to see.
Today it is a dark red poppy.
MrsP, Apologies, I had intended to reply to your comments about cleaning metals, I don't display the silver as light encourages tarnish, keeping it in the dark stops that happening. I don't like to clean with a cloth etc as that can rub away assay marks, and as my silver is Georgian it's important to retain the marks. If I need to bring back the silver, I resort to silver dip, no rubbing involved.
ReplyDeleteSorry folks if this is boring, but I spent the day at the Malvern Three Counties Flea Market, it is massive and took six hours to go round. I bought another mahogany Georgian cutlery tray to cater for all the stuff I had forgotten at the back of the cupboard.
CowGirl, I am also annoyed with the amount of money the BBC must have spent on all these Big Weekend outdoor concerts. I understand that these has been put on because there won't be a Glastonbury festival this year.
I'm sure you have all received an email telling us about new programmes, and there was an article about Pip and one line comments from Twitter about who might be her birthing partner and other nonsense. If they hadn't gotten rid of the blog they might have had more intelligent and witty responses. Perhaps I should have made that comment on the other blog?
✔️
DeleteI love my little garden. My attitude is that, "if it dies, it dies" and "if it survives, it survives" and then I re-sort the garden. This winter was so cold with snow, which is not normal, alongside very cold temparatures. I have lost all my Lupins and Delphiniums, but it happens. I will be replanting..
ReplyDeleteStasia, what is the "silvet dip" used? I have a 1948 Chester hallmarked, solid silver bracelet, which is kept in a cool and dark place, but still needs a clean, now and again.
ReplyDeleteThis was my late mothers 21st birthday present from her father. It is a sentimental piece, of not great value, but I want to preserve it, so that it can be passed down to another generation of my family.
DeleteTalking about the ‘Cheslsea chop’ reminds me that it is time to clip box hedges and topiary. For some reason I do not understand, one is supposed to wait until after The Chelsea Flower Show to reshape box after the winter, I shall be busy with my sheep shearing clippers tomorrow!
ReplyDelete🌳🐑
DeleteBLOG
ReplyDeleteI have now sent my comments to Eddie Mair.
Have kept to statistics to avoid repetition.
Just about to do my email now .
DeleteI imagine Ev and Mistral will mention their Feedback experience so I won't mention that.
I will mention Feedback. Thanks for the reminder. Will do it right now.
DeleteMiriam. It is simply called Silver Dip, and I buy it in the local hardware shop. It is also brilliant for cleaning jewellery. It is some sort of chemical liquid that removes tarnish, I either dip ar place the item in the jar, leave for a few seconds, remove and rinse, and dry gently.
ReplyDeleteSome supermarkets also stock it, but not all. Good luck.
Thanks. I have never seen it, but I will look out for it whilst out shopping.
DeleteBack to work today. Sad to say, have not seen our hummingbird for almost a week now. Hope she has not been harmed.
ReplyDeleteThat naughty cat hasn't come into your garden I hope! So lucky for you to have a beautiful bird like that.
DeleteBLOG : I have just now sent my email in - have covered 1. cost cutting excuse, 2. the inappropriateness of closing it at a time when the gov. is considering appointing a Minister for the elderly and encouraging measures to combat loneliness, and 3. as I don't have a television but pay a licence for very very minimal use of the Iplayer and don't get value for money I have suggested that the unused portion of my licence fee could be used towards paying for a reinstated blog.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is going to send an email in her lunch hour.
Off out into the sunshine now!
Is this working?
ReplyDeleteReplying to self.
DeleteThank goodness for that.
I signed out by mistake and have had trouble getting back
I have sent my email too.
BLOG. Well that took me an hour. I was anxious to get the tone right, and not rant. I put in several quotes and poited out relevant blog/threads. Lets hope we have raised some interest. My beans will have to remain unplanted for another day....
ReplyDeleteHopefully we will have covered many different strands.
DeleteI am enjoying myself on the other blogs with you and Janice . (bbc}
Misty here again as it was most of last week, save the weekend, the damp will do some good , but we need rain here on the east coast. I wanted to patch seed the cows field but a waste of time at the moment, I might have to wait now till September
Cowgirl,I checked out the blog about the highlights for this week and had a really good chuckle.I posted a comment that presumably the Tracey breaks the news programme on BBC 1 might be one about Tracey Horribin who hadn't realised that her sister Susan has already told the whole village what her son Chris divulged.
DeleteIt has gone straight for moderation.
I dare not try to change my username yet or even sign in with another email address as I had such an awful job trying to get back into Ruthy's blog
Mine as cowgirl automatically go to moderation, I am trying not to post too many off topic as I don't particularly wish to lose that name.We have been told off again by Mr Murphy telling us to try the popular Facebook etc, Told him we don't want superficiality!
DeleteWill now check out your comments.
Have just sent my e mail. I mentioned Feedback of course and that I had found the blog offered some solace after losing my husband last year. I brought in the cost pointing out as we mostly all have TV we pay or have paid the licence fee. I mentioned the other blogs and how although we mostly stayed on topic that because we mentioned our blog alongside we were being instantly moderated and often removed! Tried not to ramble and keep to the point and I’m sure between us we will have covered everything. Thank you all for this precious time together and especially Ruthy of course! Onward and upward!
DeleteMy "Patty Plum" poppy is very wonderful tonight. It is in full bloom (8 flowers and over 4 feet tall) and it is still very upright, for the first time for many years. I am very thrilled . I have finally seen it in its true spleandour.
ReplyDelete🤗🌸🌺🌻🌼🌷🌝🌞
DeleteIt sounds wonderful Miriam, I have never heard of that variety but have lots of double pink poppies that self-seed themselves around our garden each year. The blooms only last a couple of days but look like dancing ballerinas in pink tutus!
DeleteWhat a wonderful description of your poppies Archerphile, I can see them so clearly in my mind's eye!
DeleteDid anyone else see Anthony Hopkins as King Lear on BBC 2 last Monday? I'd be interested to know what you thought of it. Doing the blinding scene from the victim Gloucester's viewpoint (so to speak!) was an unusual approach that only a film director could take. It certainly beats EastEnders for sensationalism!
ReplyDeleteI switched off half way through. Most of the time I couldn't understand a word A Hopkins was saying, and his constant screaming was unrealistic for a character supposedly playing a mad man. From a psychiatric perspective I have always had an interest in this play and the best portrayal (imo) was given by Timothy West, on the stage with very little scenery, only words and interpretation. I think the jury is out, is he Mad or Bad?
DeleteI was more "down market" with my viewing, Stasia.
ReplyDeleteI watched the Peter Kay Car Share finale and loved it.
Can recommend.
Lanjan. I have never watched Car Share, but saw a little snippet as it was being reviewed on T V. I must look out for repeats.
DeleteMe too, Lanjan. I was tempted by King Lear, but, although a Shakespeare fan, there are some of his plays I'm not that keen on, so I opted for the double bill of Car Share, and loved it too. I was wondering how Peter Kay would find just the right ending without being too saccharine or too depressing, and I think he got it just right. Perhaps he would accept a stint on The Archers to get it back on track and cheer it up a bit. PS: Now available on iPlayer, Stasia.
DeleteMrsP. The weather here is awful so the allotment is out for today. Have decided to visit Griffin Mill antique centre in Stroud, and then look for the Regency Cafe you mentioned in an earlier post. Afternoon pot of tea with hopefully a nice slice of cake would be very nice. Could you remind me of the name of the cafe, I tried google but nothing resembling your description came up. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe Georgian Tea Room.
DeleteNo 1 Rowcroft. Almost under the railway bridge, so the rail station car park would be best. In a direct line from G Mill on London Road.
Hope this information not too late in the morning for you.
Have been watching Countryfile about cats and how to keep them out of your garden. Have found most deterrents don’t work! I have a particularly obnoxious large grey cat who seems to think my garden is his. I would ‘t mind but there have been unwelcome deposits and I have bluetits in my nest box. This year I have seen more smaller birds but not as many as there should be. The program said it’s thought cats kill about 50 million birds a year. They like to hunt at dawn and dusk so they advised cat owners to try to keep the cat in at these times and a.so to fit a collar with a bell to warn birds. I know many cat owners don’t like this idea in case the collar gets caught up but I think you can get elasticated ones which lessen the risk. Would far rather have dogs myself! Gypsy would ‘t be any use in deterring cats as she can’t see and is a softie who doesn’t see any harm in intruders! A big change from our Border collie who frightened me a few time baring his teeth at the gasman and all borders on our private ship! I used to have to put him in another room or outside with the door firmly shut! Got to go and walk
ReplyDeleteThat should be and walk Gypsy in the hope of getting weight off her and me! Published prematurely!!!
ReplyDeleteEv it could be worse you could be living next door to our two cats that started life as 2 feral kittens up on the moor. They are hunters. Big black Bellatrix (Bella for short) hunts teenage bunnies, eats them in one sitting, spends the rest of the day too stuffed to move, then comes in and asks for her tea! Myself and my daughter spend this time of year trying to rescue them in time, and quite often nurse injured ones. Then there is Bella's dainty beautiful tabby sister Tiger Lily who generally hunts mice , but will catch birds. She can jump high, and managed to catch one of our lovely swallows on the wing. I should have left them up the moor and got a dog instead!😊
DeleteThanks for this, Janice, Katy and I had a giggle over it. Can picture that stuffed cat! Gypsy would be the same given half the chance. The day she goes off her food she’ll be on her way to that dog basket in the sky!
DeleteI have just come in for a cup of tea and a short break from gardening.
ReplyDeleteMaryellen I hope will be impressed because I have just planted a rose bush called "Pride and Predudice"- a rather attractive cream bush rose.
I couldn't find a T❤️O❤️B❤️Y one anywhere!
Very nice too LanJAn. It has been cold and foggy here for 2 weeks with a break for the bank holiday,so not able to get out much into the garden.Hopefully next week.
DeleteI see the BBC have been doing a bit of weeding too , Oh dear !!!
I like the sound of your new rose, LanJan,though I've never been one for roses myself. I'm struggling with a cutting I was given at the moment - a ( definitely ) yellow ,( possibly) 'Sweet Memories', climber. I'm worried T❤️O❤️B❤️Y has disappeared, it's so long since we heard his seductive tones, but presumably he will be back for his baby's arrival.....
DeleteWe forwarded your complaint to Katherine Godfrey Executive Producer, BBC Radio 4, Feedback who replies as follows:
ReplyDelete"Thank you for contacting BBC Audience Services. I am the executive producer for BBC Radio 4’s Feedback, which is produced independently from the BBC by the production company Whistledown Productions. Allow me to address the aspects which relate to Feedback.
In the week in question we contacted several audience members who had expressed disappointment at the BBC’s decision to close down the Archers’ blog. We always tell callers that there is no guarantee that their contribution will make it into the final programme when we speak to them at the time of recording and this was no exception.
We recorded the views of three audience members with the intention of airing these views but the Feedback running order changes throughout the week and on this occasion we took an editorial decision (entirely independent of the BBC) not to run the item because of a busy week in which we had an interview with Richard Burgess (UK News Editor, BBC News) about listeners’ perception of a lack of coverage of Brexit demonstrations, an interview with Garry Richardson about Kim Hughes hanging up on him and an interview with Lynn Bowles about leaving Radio 2. Feedback exists to air listeners’ views and we make an editorial judgement about the mix of topics covered.
However, we thank you for your feedback and the Feedback team are discussing the capacity for better follow up communication as a matter of courtesy to listeners whose contribution is no longer going to be used in the programme."
Thanks again for taking time to contact us.
I think there was a bit more to it than that. Roger Bolton told me that my interview might b,e edited but no one was edited out entirely. The interview with Lynn Bowles was long and uninteresting and I just think pressure from above meant we were edited out entirely. Have been re adding the full BBC report on curtailing expense because of limited future income from the licence fee and although our blog was not mentioned we were part of that. My daughter commented that in schools it is typical to curb costs while at the same time indulging in extravagance. Her school paid about £600 for an olive tree which looks as if it is dying but couldn’t afford to enter a young enterprise competition this year even though they have done very well in the past. The same thing applies to the BBC as witness the money spent fe ently in sending too many people to comment on far flung sports events and of course the biggest Weekend. No response from Eddie. Mai r so far! I fear we are banging heads against a brick wall!
DeleteThis is what I have just received.
DeleteI will take it further because
1) Re Feedback
Why is the leaving of an employee and the fact that an Australian cricketer hung up on a reporter,of greater importance than the interviewing of three listeners who represented many others?
2)My main point has not been addressed ie
Why keep producing BBC blogs which are rarely if ever used but close a blog which was used regularly by many listeners?
Ladies ,were you actually told that there was no guarantee that your contribution would be included in the programme?
Ev,I didn't expect to hear from PM yet .
DeleteI thought we might hear something today -nothing yet.
I will not give up.
I cannot understand why my letter only went to the Feedback editor.
Further to the email I received I realise that the first part of it din't get pasted and I can't get it to work.
ReplyDeleteWhen I copy and get the blue bit and press copy and then try to paste and then press down it just goes to copy and doesn't do the rectangular box which says paste if you understand what I mean..
Basically it said that the Director General gets too many letters and is unable to reply to them all -I am not surprised-and so it was sent to the complaints team who passed it onto Feedback and obviously ignored my main point of why we ,the Archers bloggers have been discriminated against.
That is therefore the only point I will raise when I do a further complaint.
People are just passing the buck.
I have requested a meeting with somebody so that I can state our case but that has not been mentioned.
Well done LanJan. The more we make ourselves heard in my opinion the better, they just think we will go away, we won't.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment it is not possible to comment, a glitch or are they tightening things up, in the meantime I am thinking of a new name in case I have to go to be monitored as that cramps my style.
I still have 2 letters of complaint in at the moment.
I will be honest with you,Cowgirl I am so incensed by it all-and they dare to address me as Janet as if we are all pals -that if it were not for Mr LJ ,I would take myself off to Broadcasting House and demand a meeting with someone.
ReplyDeleteHe is much more placid than I am and is unable to understand why I am so annoyed.
I have my case number and I will telephone the Complaints department to find out at what level I stand at the moment with it!
I think I am level 3 or may be level C.
I don't think they can answer our questions because they have no answers.
I don't know whether Ev,Mistral or Ruthy would like to take up what the response was regarding Feedback.
To be fair I don't think that contacting the BBC itself will be of any use.
Nobody understands what we are getting at.
Why won't they let us use the unused "About the BBC blogs "?
Was not told there was no guarantee of being included in the program. In fact RB said it was scheduled for the 30 March and would be repeated on the following Sunday. I did e mail him personally but no reply asking why we had not been included.
DeleteI can understand your anger. I always find the complaints people slippery.
DeleteThe drivel it was suggested we read was an insult, even a 5 year old could have done better.
My last letter of complaint Was to the executive department, I think it was the last stage. All I wrote about basically was the numbers, which to be honest makes stark reading. I await the response from that.
I shall keep on being as aggravating as I can until I am forced to stop. I thought my next name might be, IsthistheArcherblog? At the very least we are making them do something which wastes their time.
Lan Jan, re Feedback. I emember that Roger Bolton said we might be edited, but the sense of our words would not be lost. I also think he said that in exceptional circumstances the running order would be altered. When we were not broadcast, I thought we would be on the following week. I didn't think we would be completely dropped and did not expect it.
ReplyDeleteIt would appear that the BBC has banned me altogether others seem to have posted, but each time I try there is a problem.
ReplyDeleteI will try anotherway.
I'm up and running again. ! I'll be running out of e mail addresses soon.
DeleteDid manage to spell my name wrong, but the message is there.
Brilliant Cowgirl :)
DeleteReading through these last posts, it sounds like they either pass the buck elsewhere or ignore certain points they can't/won't answer. You all mention the wasted, unused blogs repeatedly & they never address that. I understand the frustration & now it's far more about their obfuscation & evasiveness than the issue itself - is that correct ? What 'they' haven't grasped is that you are not the sort of people to cave in, get tired, bored & give up ! To me, you' be become a cause celebre.
ReplyDeleteMrsP , on the way home from Hay yesterday, son & I stopped off for a dreamy coffee in what I think is kind of your neck of the woods. It was a Wheatsheaf in a quiet Cotswold village, Northleach, near Bourton under Water, I think, & we often saw signs to Tewkesbury. Know the place ? I did think of you !
ReplyDeleteA dreamy coffee eh Carolyn ?
DeleteIn Northleach.
I re homed my beautiful Burlington Berty there about twenty years ago,
so apt that you should think of me.
Thank you.
But Northleach is closer to Stasia I think than it is to me.
Do hope Hay was memorable. There seemed to be a lot less from the festival on R4 this year, it seemed to me.
I don't know whether you wish to take the Feedback situation any further.Ev and Mistral or Ruthy.
ReplyDeleteWhat Katherine Godfrey says happened obviously didn't.
I will be writing again and will happily mention it again if you like or if you wish you can quote from the reply I received from Katherine Godfrey .(see the post I made today at 1.10 pm)
My point would be that the leaving of a radio2 weather forecaster was hardly going to impact on as many listeners as the removal of a blog that many listeners loved using and that most people wouldn't care two hoots about the fact that a cricketer put the phone down on a reporter
(Case no -CAS 4910981-87TGDS )
Carolyn ,you are quite correct.
It was bad enough having our blog taken away but my annoyance was compounded exponentially by the fact that other unused blogs were still up and running.
Why won't they let us use them?
BLOG
ReplyDeleteI realise that there are those who do not have the time to do what some of us are doing and may be get annoyed by the fact that we keep mentioning it but commenting on Ruthy's blog is the only way we can communicate with one another.
You have said in a nutshell what I feel ,Carolyn
I think therefore in my next letter ,I will list and number the points I wish to make.
Does anybody else agree with me that one of the most heart warming stories in the News recently was the one regarding the young refugee who saved the young boy falling from the balcony in a block of flats in France?
ReplyDeleteYes I do LanJan and I think the immediate response from the President was a very meaningful gesture, well outcome really. We do need more of these heartwarming stories, I'm sure there are plenty out there, just don't get reported and we don't hear about them
DeleteMrsP. What a disappointing day in Stroud. The Antiques centre was like going round an obstacle course, it had a few nice pieces but contained mostly tat.
ReplyDeleteI had already left so didn't get your message regarding the cafe.
We had a sandwich and drink in a an organic cafe called Woodruffs, if the bread was organic I will eat my Vera hat instead. Won't go back there again.
To increase the misery, it was cold and didn't stop raining.
Have now returned home and switched on the central heating.
The centre at G Mill is not good. I think I suggested that in a previous message. Perhaps not clearly enough !
DeleteWoodruffs is loved by many here, I usually have coffee and cake. Though I don't go often. The owners are neighbours of mine.
The Georgian Tea Rooms was closed. A note on the door informs us that the butler is having his knee surgery. So just as well that you didn't find it.
The canal cafe was also closed. No reason given.
A disappointing day for any visitor to Stroud today.
In the event I had my tea in W....ose.
Then missed by one minute the last bus back home.
A nice young man, French I think, gave me a lift.
I am finding the many heartfelt stories, which are being revealed and told, concerning the Grenfall Tower Tragedy, by family and friends, very poignant and upsetting. I really hope that lessons will be learnt, though it is too late, for so many.
ReplyDeleteStasia. I have a Miss Marple hat, rather than a Vera one. I have not watched the Vera TV series. I really enjoy reading the books and I feel that they just cannot be reproduced, with the same intrigue, on the big screen.
ReplyDeleteMy "stray/homeless" cat came in through the cat-flap at lunch-time today. She was very hungry, ate all my own cats food, and was soaking wet, due to the very hravy rain. She was very nervous and I couldn't approach her, and my own cst left her to eat and dry off!
ReplyDeleteI am in a quandrary, what to do next.
Do you think it's possible for your own cat to get used to her, Miriam ? A lot of rain forecast, the stray could well pop in again, famished, wet & miserable, & if yours was prepared to leave her to it this time, she might well do so again, so long as she gets fed on the dot, & has lots of extra attention so she knows she's top cat in the territory & in your heart ? Maybe invest in another dish for the 'visitor'?
ReplyDeleteMy "visitor" does have its own dish, but prefers my own cats one! There is though a difference in food, as my cat has an expensive food (as recommended by the vet), wheras my visitor is being fed a cheaper alternative, but prefers the far more expensive one.😸
DeleteIf your cat accepted the stray cat and let it eat your cat's food then I think your cat has accepted the fact that he/she may be getting a companion,Miriam
DeleteThat is what happened to us.
Poppy stepped aside and let Percy eat her food.
Percy decided to stay and that was that.
They tolerate each other but ignore each other most of the time.
Chalk and Cheese.
See how things develop.
All the best .
I am sure. It will be fine.
A few weeks ago, I reported a HMRC scam to Fraud Alert (which said I was being taken to court for non payment of tax). My complaint was redirected to a Police site. I was not sure whether my concerns warranted this, but I did follow it
ReplyDeletethrough. I feel very justified tonight though, as when I picked up my local newspaper today, it contains an article, from the police, warning that
this scam is very relevant in my area,
and they are focusing on, like myself, "single pensioners".
ReplyDeleteBLOG
Mistral and Janice By the Sea.
I have been banned x 2 so although I am now blogging under a new name I am going to have to be careful. At the moment all my comments are going to moderation, is it the same with you?
If you see some strange comments from me you will understand. I hope we are begining to needle
Cowgirl, 7.58 pm. All my posts go straight to moderation. I have changed my name three times, but think I still appear as Mistral. I need a new email address, but have not been able to create one, will eep trying though. I hope we are really irritating. Lan Jan, you can quote me on the 'Feedback'' issue. I emailed the programme after we weren't heard but was not acknowledged at all.
DeleteCowGirl - all my comments on the BBC blog has gone to moderation before either posted or deleted. The BBC must have an automatic setting for users they want to moderate their comments.
ReplyDeleteHave just posted on about the BBC Why we built the Biggest Weekend. They said it was to fill the gap left as no Glastonbury festival this year. I said they had left an enormous gap for us and could they now fill that please. It went to moderation immediately! They have noted our posting names!
DeleteHave just looked. They have published my comment. I didn’t name TA but they will know exactly what I’m talking about!
DeleteBLOG when you say banned Cow Girl do you mean that they can completely stop us from posting rather than just moderating us? I notice with mine that some have been posted but then removed afterwards. Maybe if you are having to be careful you could just ask totally innocent questions that open the way for answers that they won't want. In fact I think you have already begun to do that. I have started referring to the Archers as the Sagittarian or Sagittarii blog. 😊 That will get through the reactive moderating , but probably not if it is sent for further consideration. I am beginning to get an addled head trying to think of new ways to complain without it getting deleted! If it wasn't dark I'd go and have a peaceful sit in my brother's haybarn, and watch the cows in the field; or lean over a gate and, as my Dad used to say, watch the grass grow!
ReplyDeleteBLOG Janice, when the BBC delete my posts, they send me an email which states in the small print:
DeletePlease note that anyone who seriously or repeatedly breaks the House Rules may have action taken against their account without further warning.
I think you have moved onto this stage.
Bloody cheek.
When I try and post under my old names it comes up there is a problem please try and refresh, it didn't dawn on me for a while that I was persona non grata. New name works, but it automatically goes to moderation. It is the 3rd e mail address I have used BT hotm ...and now out..... So haven't just changed my name. It is a job to know who I am.
DeleteYes Mistral you do show the same name all the time, how did you manage that for future reference ? I cant see me being good for too long, cant resist a suttle dig.
Mistral
DeleteI thought that when your same name came up all the time it was just part of your pretended multiple personality syndrome and talking to yourself !! 😊
Cowgirl, Janice, that's so funny :) No, I posted as Ms. Archer of Ambridge and Underneath the Arches. I went to Sir David, clicked on the account symbol, (person shaped I think), and edited my username. It showed on my account as edited, and when I post, it says I am posting as ....whatever, but clearly not. Not as clever/daft as you think Janice!!! Still laughing...
DeleteThis is for the third time and I hope you will forgive if either or both previous replies turn up!
ReplyDeleteSleepylawyer 29th May am
I will not use the common modern phrase 'The Wake' which people use for the gathering, with food and drinks, after a funeral.
Watch out pedant alert!
A Wake was a gathering of friends and family (In Ireland mainly) to drink and eat around the coffin the NIGHT BEFORE (just emphasising!) a funeral. It was a celebration and people stayed AWAKE with the deceased present, for a last time, before saying goodbye the following day.
The expression 'Baked Meats' was also used for this gathering. I am sure I heard my grandmother use this. Nowadays it is always 'The Wake' it seems. (Sigh)
Anyway I just did sandwiches, sausage rolls and cakes for about 50 but no whisky! Although they may have bought one or two at the bar of the cricket club which was hired for the occasion!
The old balled The Lyke Wake Dirge, in North Yorkshire dialect, telling of the soul's journey immediately after death, while the living kept company, has always sent shivers down my spine:
DeleteThis ae nighte, this ae nighte
Every night and alle
Fire and fleet and candle lighte
And Christ receive thy saule.
I too know the Wake as an all night Virgil.
DeleteI too don't like it that the word has been hijacked for the "do" after the funeral.
so you are not alone Spiceycushion.
Virgil? I meant vigil.
DeleteThe first wake I ever went to was my grandmother's when I was fourteen. She was in bed surrounded by old women (my perception of old) all drinking whisky and chatting as though she was part of the conversation. I had seen dead bodies before, but never a relative. Downstairs all sorts of people were arriving for their tipple, something to eat and claiming her to be a wonderful woman. As an aspiring fourteen year, know it all I was horrified at the constant comings and goings, and it went on all night. She was buried the next day in a long procession to the cemetery.
DeleteI want a party when I go to.....
Janice - sometime yesterday (only just catching up with all yesterday’s posts!)
ReplyDeleteCan we please borrow your Bella please? Our garden is being ravaged by wretched rabbits that invade us from surrounding fields. I have to construct chicken wire cages to go around every plant and tree and they are very unattractive. Our neighbours old cat, that died while we were looking after it, regularly disposed of rabbits for us but their new kittens aren’t allowed out yet ( and will probably be far too refined to bother with killing and eating mere rabbit). I am getting desperate and fed up with finding rabbit droppings all over the garden! Yesterday I even saw one that had jumped up onto a low wall and was nibbling at the new geraniums I had planted in a tub there! So much for Chris Packham saying there aren’t many rabbits around this year due to a new virus - they must have all emigrated to our part of Hampshire. ��
Will pop her in the post to you immediately 😊
DeleteI could lend you my cats, one deals very effectively with all vermin, the other will treat rabbits like they are her kittens, she wants to love them. I have to take them from her and put them back into the field.
DeleteHere on the Yorkshire coast there are plenty, I too find them a real pest.I do spray Grazers on at regular intervals, more than it says and it certainly helps. It is organic so safe.
DeleteI have told my neighbour he has to get his pop gun out!
Archerphile - a rabbit has to do what a rabbit has to do, just like cats killing birds! Congratulations on your tasty geraniums!
DeleteMrsP . I had contemplated going to W...ose for coffee now wish I had as your neighbours cafe was very sloppy with it's service. The table flowers were very old and wilting, I had to put them on the floor as they were about to invade my coffee. I asked for brown bread, but the sandwich was delivered in white, I was by then, too tired to complain.
ReplyDeleteThere is clearly no effort made towards health and safety at the antiques centre. Next time I shall go when it is not cold and wet so that I can appreciate the old buildings in the town. Although I have been to Stroud a lot I have never visited the centre. So I shall be back. I liked the fact that like many other Cotswold small towns it hasn't been 'cleansed' for the tourist industry. I'm glad you managed to break the boredom of cabin fever.
SORRY BLOG again
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting that all my comments under my new name on the Technology and Creativity blog go straight to moderation, whilst About the BBC go straight through.
Someone isn't best pleased with us.
Oh they now seem pleased with me, I wonder for how much longer.
DeleteI have just posted two very complimentary,innocuous comments on the About the BBC blog which have gone straight for moderation.
DeleteI notice that Ruthy's has too.
My plan A for a couple of days is to be really nice and say lovely things about the BBC ,not mention The Archers at all and then strike again over the weekend with my next epistle.
We are keeping those moderators busy.
I wonder when they will decide that we have given up?
Don't be fooled,moderators ,we are made of sterner stuff than that.
The answer is -when you give us our blog back!
Another two comments posted on the Highlights for the 25th June blog About the BBC.
DeleteBoth removed immediately but the other two are back.
Very annoyed,
Three petunia plants and four poppies have been eaten away except for the stalks by slugs or snails.
They have chomped through a clump of rhubarb too.
I hope they got the runs.
I am grateful not to have any rabbits around though
My stategy too Lanjan, though I have made very oblique references.
DeleteI think you might find with all that disturbance the gooseberries have dug their heels in for this year and that next year they will be fine.
Gooseberries usually are very tolerant and forgiving, stick a twig in the ground and it will produce a bush. Sorry I'm no Monty Don, just like Mrs P gardening all my life,
We won’t give up! We are baby boomers and children of the sixties, not old people!As far as slugs go we had a speaker from a prominent Cornish estate at WI some years ago who when asked about the problem said to use slug pellets. One lady queried this re the birds and was told birds don’t eat dead slugs. Otherwise you could try broken up egg shells or coffee grounds as they don’t like slithering over these! Pots of beer buried cause them to drown in it but they die happy! Not too nice to dispose of though!
DeleteSomeone near us has got raised borders, higher than rabbits can jump! plus a wide border of stick-on copper tape near the tops because slugs apparently don't like copper. We have normally got a lot of frogs to keep the slugs in check but this winter the cold weather froze all the spawn.
DeleteGardeners
ReplyDeletePlease can anybody help?
We planted a couple of gooseberry bushes last year at the allotment -one was from the £ shop)
They were alive but didn't look briliiant.
We transplanted them into our garden in November and they have put on lots of growth-but no sign of gooseberries.
Am I expecting too much too soon?
I noticed yesterday, that the patch of garden, neglected, near by, had a gooseberry bush. Tiny little bumps at the moment.
DeleteYes too soon I think, Lan Jan.
Lan Jan, up here int'bleak North, my very neglected 30 + year old gooseberry bush is putting up a bumper crop, currently about as big as a very small gooseberry. It has been exraordinarily hot, only one day of rain in approx two to three weeks. I'm not watering them either. My hostas usually make several good meals for all the slugs in the village, but haven't been touched yet. Now I know that slug pellets won't harm the birds, I might try some. I have blackbirds nesting in an ivy bush about 5 feet from my backdoor, they zoom in and out from the bottom like little Harrier jump jets.
DeleteOh dear Stasia, you did have a miserable experience of Stroud yesterday didn't you.
ReplyDeleteStroud is a very unpretentious place and very independent. Lots of aged hippies still here and many young couples coming from London to live here attracted by the casual atmosphere.
It's also a working town with many of the mills still a hive of industry albeit small businesses. Many of those businesses being engineering.
I came across a wonderful Georgian courtyard at the back of a mill last week and the guy there had a thriving business exclusively making the cases for Damian Hursts art works. I suspect that every second person in this town was at art school somewhere along their journey.
Yes there are some noticeable buildings here, interesting in themselves but not architecturally significant.
But the mills are wonderful. And hidden valleys with fast running rivers right in the middle of the town.
MrsP. Thank you, unfortunately the weather didn't help, but I am not dismissing Stroud just because I was cold and wet. I do hope you didn't get too wet and your knee coped with all the wali g up hill and down dale.
DeleteMrs P
ReplyDeleteAre you anywhere near to Slad?
Years ago when we went to Cheltenham for the Cricket Festival at the College we went the evening before the Match to check it out.
We got chatting to a man and I asked him where the best place was to sit and he showed me an area which had a marquee.
I said that I would not be able to go there and he said I would because he was inviting me.
It was run by a Cricket Club known as The Slad Exiles and the food in that marquee was exceptional.
Yes Lan Jan, Slad, Laurie Lees village is just out of Stroud. Just a mile and a half up the hill, from the centre of Stroud, but on the other side of Stroud to me.
DeleteThe most beautiful valley.
So far I have only driven up, and down it, due to my knee problems.
But to walk the Slad valley, and enjoy the village on foot is a joy that I still anticipate.
Many many of my walking friends have walked the area, as it is high up on any walkers list.
The pub, which features in L L 's book is very popular, though I have not been there.
What a very hot, humid, and sunny evening here tonight. The thunderstorms which were forecast, have not happened, Thank Goodness!
ReplyDeleteI am cooking a rhubarb crumble tonight, as the rhubarb was just picked from a friends garden, 3 hours ago. I always put rolled oats into the topping.
DeleteLan Jan, I've just googled Slad Exiles.
ReplyDeleteThey still exist along with all the other local teams.
Please forgive me folks, but I really want to share some news I've had today......
ReplyDeleteFor twenty years I heard, and happily tolerated the boy next door learning the piano. His grandma bought him a piano, and neither of his parents were particularly interested in his musical ability. Later he took up tenor sax as well.
I on the other hand loved to hear him playing and encouraged himand introduced him to classical pieces when I had the opportunity.
His ambition was to do jazz piano, and he eventually got to Cardiff.
I had an email from my ex neighbour today.
AYO is playing at Ronnie Scott's this afternoon with some youngsters he has been tutoring.
I suppose I ought to add that Ayos mentor is Jeremy Joseph.
This will mean something to any jazz fans amongst you.
I am SO PROUD of him.
👍👏🎹🎶 I really admire his acheivement.
DeleteI so remember a wonderful evening, (where I was a "hostess/organiser") which ended up with an amazing private "after party", with Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball, Cleo Laine + Johnny Dankworth. That was Jazz.
DeleteAnd so you should be Mrs P, no mean achievement.
DeleteEnjoy every minute.
Mrs P, May30th, 11.50pm, & Stasia (who may live nearer Northleach) We hardly glimpsed any people, just a lovely Street of Cotswold stone houses, & not a whisker in sight...Hay speakers engaged me more last year, as it happens, though the last event was a failure entirely of my own making ! Simon Schama, in vociferous form, wildly gesturing & all, but I couldn't hear much, became quite cross thinking the Mike's weren't set properly, until the last 5 mins. when, duh, realized my hearing aid battery had died, so quickly rumaged around for another, & all was well. What a waste, eh.
ReplyDeleteBut you had a lovely time overall I'm sure Carolyn.
DeleteLovely that you and son enjoyed a cultural event together.
Thank goodness. We have finally had some rain today after the rest of the country has been drowning - complete with noisy thunder and lightening. Was beginning to think we’d been missed out! Just a pity the heavens finally opened just as I was pushing my supermarket trolly to the car and loading the shopping in - result, one extremely wet (but happy) Archerphile.
ReplyDeleteMrs P - how wonderful for your neighbours grandson to have done do well with his music. My Dad played both tenor and baritone sax and clairet in various dance bands between and after the wars. I grew up listening to him practicing, with Mum on piano and have always loved Jazz. His favourite band was the Sid Phillips Jazz band and I still have their old 78 records. We have just bought our son a trombone (he used to play in the school orchestra) and will be taking it down to France
ReplyDeletefor his birthday (a ‘big’ one) next week. Just hope he can remember how to play! And then teach the grandsons as well, hopefully,
There was a tribute to Cleo Laine on the radio yesterday, she is 90. They played a lot of her songs. Sadly I don't know what I was listening to, but would have been R4.
ReplyDeleteBLOG PERMISSION NEEDED
ReplyDeleteI have just gone through the comments on both About the BBC and Technology and Creativity Blog
The comments are
Archers 198 Others 9
I was thinking on Saturday to write a comment on each along the lines of Where would you be without Archer Bloggers, Shame on you BBC, not many others care to blog.
I don't want to identify you or spoil it for others, so thoughts please