Weather 2008

[David Shaw]

Hey, Maggie!
Hi ye off to Blackpool immediatly. It seems that the beach is thick with packets of McVities chocolate biscuits . From the grounded ferry.

[Martin Baxendale]

Hey, Maggie!
Hi ye off to Blackpool immediatly. It seems that the beach is thick with packets of McVities chocolate biscuits . From the grounded ferry.

Mmmmm! Soggy salty chocolate biccies with just a dash of radioactive particles from Sellafield. Remember to take a flask of tea for dunking. And a gieger counter. 

[David Nicholson]

Hey, Maggie!
Hi ye off to Blackpool immediatly. It seems that the beach is thick with packets of McVities chocolate biscuits . From the grounded ferry.

Mmmmm! Soggy salty chocolate biccies with just a dash of radioactive particles from Sellafield. Remember to take a flask of tea for dunking. And a gieger counter. 

Makes it easier to find 'em in the dark!

[Maggi Young]

Now Lads, I'm desperate, but not THAT desperate... besides, since the arrival of Mark's Slovak choccy bar today, I do not feel the need to salvage radioactive soggy salty biccies! Very nice this choc from Mark is was, too!

[Tony Willis]

No snow here but the side blew out of one of my greenhouses so spent the afternoon in the freezing cold sunshine replacing the glass. We are only 15 miles from the stranded ship so not surprising really.

[David Nicholson]

Strong winds and for the last three hours torrential rain. For those of you in the UK who haven't had it yet it's on it's way?

[Casalima]

Strong winds and for the last three hours torrential rain. For those of you in the UK who haven't had it yet it's on it's way?

We had it this morning and early afternoon - seems to have calmed down now. Not good for carnival

[Maggi Young]

Still very windy here but I think the rain may have eased enough to take Lily out briefly. Heating has gone to sleep so it won't be that much colder outside! I'm off... see you tomorrow!
 

[Maggi Young]

Today was a really good day, bright and sunny... it even got up to 5 degress c.... positively balmy!
 It was perfect for me, because I spent most of the day lifting leaves from the back garden and if it had been any warmer I'd have melted!
When the BD went away, the place was looking quite neat, most of the fallen leaves had already been hoovered up by Ian and his trusty leaf vacuum... but, in the meantime, the Cotoneasters have got round to shedding their leaves and the wholegarden was a real mess ... I thought I'd better get it tidied up a bit for the return of the master... I felt a bit like a teenager, frantically cleaning up the empty beer cans from under the sofa before the parents get home  .....(no, no need to worry about THAT in the house.... recycling collection was yesterday!!  )
Was amazed at the amount of leaves I collected...... I use a big green cylindrical hopper/bag thing  which, full of wet leaves ( and they were wet, very wet) weighs about the same as a bag of bird seed... that 20 kgs now.... so I reckon each load was 15-20 kgs .....must have heaved more than ten bags full to the leaf pile.....it was about knee high when I started and now its taller than I am and I gave it a squash down as I built.
I was pleased to find lots of signs of growth which were being hidden by the depth of leaves..... more snowdrops and crocus and shoots of Corydalis.  Best find was an Erythronium caucasicum in flower.....if it is sunny tomorrow, it may open its flower to welcome the BD home.... that would be grand  !

When I finished my leaf blitz, I took Lily for a walk... she was kindly keeping me company while I worked but she prefers to go out for a walk rather than sit and watch someone move leaves about....when we went out I soon discovered how sheltered  our back garden is... I had thought it a really pleasant day but it was marred "out front" by a biting wind... our walk was rather brief!

Seems calm now, not much wind, so we'll go out now to see if we fare a little better this time... besides, in the dark I can wear my  balaclava and not scare so many people.

[ChrisB]

Hi Maggi,

I too have been moving debris out of the way, and discovered a number of things popping up in this mild spell.  The noses of the leaves of my Trillium rivale are at ground level, and almost all of my snowflakes are now showing white flowers in bud.  The L. vernum is in full flower, the ones I got at last year's Dunblane event, it is so nice to see them all.  And I found things I had quite forgotten I'd planted out too - including the Erythronium 'White Beauty' that I got from Ron at last year's Hexham Show.  Foliage only yet, but I bet the flowers will come soon if this warm spell keeps up.  Hope Ian arrives  back safe and sound soon....

[mark smyth]

a huge 15C here today. Leucojums in full flower now including Paul Christian's Podpolje which isnt as desribed. It's never been yellow tipped

[Maggi Young]

Chris, the Bulb Despot has landed! He is safely home and retired about half an hour ago to bed.... barely made it up the stairs! He has had the most marvelous time... cannot speak highly enough about the kindness shown to him and the fabulous scenery and flowers.

[ChrisB]

Glad all's well .... jet lag for a half world trip will be several days I suspect.  Don't be surprised if the BD gets up in the middle of the night demanding his dinner or lunch....

[Lesley Cox]

So very pleased to hear Ian is safely hope to your loving arms Maggi. Let him sleep as long as he can (do tell me to teach my Granny, if you wish) and jetlag shouldn't be a problem. Then give him my very best wishes and kindest regards.

Lesley

[Maggi Young]

Ian "switched" to Singapore time as soon as he boarded the plane in Christchurch and then to UK time in Singapore .... I think that's what he said??    And he slept reasonably well on both flights, as he did on the way out. Not worth sleeping on the last hop from London! He wanted to keep awake till a reasonable UK hour, and the back of eight was a close approximation for him... he's only up until ten pm a few days a week at the best of times ! Sleep is something he has always been good at. He walked along for a swim this afternoon and we went out with lily this evening so he's had some fresh air.
Heard from Finn, who is coming round to normal again... he had a sleepless 40 hour journey home... not the most fun for him, though he had had a wonderful time and enjoyed the trip very much. he is hugely enthused about getting cuttings from our NZ plants and seed for Tromso !