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... the sky is baby blue, and the just-unfurling leaves ...
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Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15510

PostPosted: Thu Jul 19, 18 7:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I think Mike Nesmith was actually a musician, but the others were actors. I remember Mikey Dolenz in Circus Boy when I was very young, so he must be in his 70s now I would think. Davy Jones was a jockey turned actor, and he came to live round this way for a while once he had made his money. I know roughly where, but never saw him as far as I know. Peter Took was an actor, but know nothing else about him. I used to enjoy the show, even though it was a bit silly at times. Probably one of the first boy bands.

Those winds sound horrific. Go careful won't you. We are currently still having a hot, dry summer. My garden seems to be going all right with spot watering on newly planted and other odd things, but the runner beans may wait until it rains to do anything as they did in 1976.

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2498
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Thu Jul 19, 18 12:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Mr Jam Lord is outside splitting firewood. Someone is coming later this morning to clean the chimney for the wood stove. I need to weed, weed, weed - especially as the forecast is for day after day after day for about 7 days of rain.

Whether it does or not Sunday there is a mushroom foray which I am supposed to co-lead merely because the site is very local to me. There's a big Morton building (steel prefab, lots of farms have them) where the knowledgeable people will set up the four microscopes.

Local orchard now has the first peaches, the small red Methly plums, and blueberries.



Summer in the country


gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Thu Jul 19, 18 1:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I am not into peaches or plums, but blueberries-yum yum; I bought two punnets today to go on top of an apple pie with Yoghurt. If it is going to rain I would leave the weeding till afterwards. That way the weeds put on a spurt of fast growth and they are easier to pull out of the softer ground well that is the theory.

The Bowen method is well known among the alternatives and as I understand it was useful when invented in Australia. The problem I have is that she wants me to stop chopping wood, I have to keep going. She tells me that that is why the arm hurts and I explain that there was no pain in the right arm and has not been for 620 years so what is the variable now? Bowen is the only thing that has changed and the fact that it is a vertibrae that caused the problem in the first place in the left arm now that is "cured" the vertibrae has opted to go to the Right-chopping arm. I am not happy at all and wish I had never seen the Bowen method. I didn't expect to get dowsed to find where to problem came from. I have to chop wood in order to complete the winter's need's in the shop, but it hurts! I would give a lot to go back to the other side hurting again-even twice as bad would be good to get the right arm back at full swing.
Well done for getting 2 besoms ready, I assume the other parts will be assembled at the show as a demo.

Winning the album must have been a thrill as a youngster Cassandra, I was not keen on them but there we go.
I hope the weather picks up for you soon; we are in the warmth of summer, but the rain still comes down and I was glad to get the hay when I did. Really good dry stuff this time and still green, but ready.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15510

PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 18 7:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I have noticed that the hay round our way has been going in green coloured, which means it dried well doesn't it Gregotyn?

We are still having dry weather but a bit muggy at the moment. Somehow there have been lots of mosquitoes in the woods, and I got well and truly bitten yesterday. Plus is the horse fly season seems to be pretty well over.

I bought the first English plums this week, and they are good. I like nectarines and apricots which are in season too, so doing well at the moment. Have also been able to buy English cherries, so plenty of fruit to my taste now. I quite like blueberries, but don't tend to buy them much, as not something that has really been available long, although the place some of the other fruit comes from does grow them as it has sandy soil.

I have 2 besoms fully made Gregotyn, and both parts for 2 more, so they will be assembled at the show if needed.

Hope you enjoy your fungus foray Jam Lady. We don't have many at the moment, but no doubt they will pop up later in the year when we have rain.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Fri Jul 20, 18 2:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I made an error in my last post; it was only 62 years that I have been chopping kindling, and not 620yrs. as I said before.

Usually hay 'got' and dried to the degree suitable for stacking and is still green, means that it is high in nutrients, but don't ask me why, I have forgotten. If green it usually means a fair amount of leaves, highly digestible, are present in the crop and less stalk which is less digestible than the leaves. But that is memory from 50 odd years ago! Oh to have a back that still worked well, and as strong as it was then.

Any way it is pouring with rain now. I am off to the Royal Welsh show on Monday. I go then because it is the least populated day and I can usually get around easier. I try to be there for around 7am latest. That way the busing service is not being queued for. They have giant car parks for that show away from the ground itself and folks are bussed in and out. The service is very good and frequent, both going in and out of the show, and saves travelling and queueing for ages to get in and out by your own transport. the original car parks are taken up by camping and caravans. On the way home I usually get in a large line of traffic by the time I reach Llangurig, but it is not too far by then.
Anyway, inevitably you will get a report on Tuesday.

We are having a bit of a re-group at work next week as the current boss in the stores is leaving as he has bought out a rival company 15 miles out of town. It stocks everything like us but we are branded. It has done the current owners well for a long time and the lad hopes it will continue for him. I hope it doesn't affect our company too much in turnover-I would be first out, could be the plan, mmm! Time I retired anyway, but...the money's good!

I like to do the pick your own fruit as you can pick a plum to eat every now and then! I like blueberries with yoghurt and apple pie, keeps the weight up a bit!

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15510

PostPosted: Sat Jul 21, 18 6:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I thought that was the case with hay, but wasn't sure as it is not a thing I have ever had anything to do with. I might ask at the farm shop if I see the right person, as they are livestock farmers too.

We still have sunshine, which is good as we have a show. Just hope it is not too hot, or people won't buy or take an interest either. Hope you enjoy the Royal Welsh Show and expect to hear about it Tuesday.

Hope your regrouping at work goes well and the company isn't affected.

My blackberries are starting to ripen now, and starting to get the first of the veg, although not very much. I need to try to find a little time to go picking in the woods too as I really need to make bramble jelly and wine. I still have some blackberries in the freezer from last year, but have been so busy haven't got round to it. Haven't even made biscuits lately and also need to make yoghurt and bread.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Sat Jul 21, 18 9:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Snap-my blackberries are in 2 cases, black, and I have tested those 2 no more now for a day or two. It has been bad weather here from yesterday. Raining all night, but not heavy, just the stuff you go out in and wonder how you got wet. It is dry now but clouding over.
I have been to work this morning to book in my holiday for tomorrow which I omitted to do on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. It has been cleared by the boss, but I should have registered it on our office calendar. Anyway I worked for an hour or so and served a customer too so good stuff, then shopped for food and came back here-30 miles, all for a lack of thinking!

The company will be affected because the lad who is going is well known and well respected locally, being a hill farmer as well as working in the shop. His mechanical knowledge is spectacular, as is his memory. I forget what I want just going upstairs. When I am sent to fetch something I write it down, but my boss knows what is wanted once told the problem, doesn't have to look where it is, he knows any item and where it should be! Some would say sad...but how useful.
I should have said that he is taking the salesman with him, and he tried to get his number 2 to go too, but he is staying and I like him as he understands the elderly, (read in my case old).

How are your boys in the wood working without their intake of biscuits? Bet a down tools will come if not remedied pronto!

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15510

PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 18 8:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It sounds as if it will be a loss to your company, but he might do well on his own, so sounds like a good move for him. He might fill in the gaps of the company you are with as he knows exactly what they stock. Hope there is room for both of them anyway, and that would give the farmers a far better range to choose from.

It came over rather black a few times yesterday, but stayed dry. Not too many people, but we didn't expect that many as it was only a local show and there is no real sense of community round our way sadly. We mainly go because it organised jointly by the local council and someone who does other fairs and is a good organiser. Met a few interesting people and saw the artworks that for some reason they want to put on the outside of the old brewery. Goodness knows why, as quite a lot of the old, which was quite pleasant, was destroyed when they converted it into flats, and a picture on the front is just going to look silly.

We have been surviving on chocolate biscuits as I haven't been making any. I really must get round to it, but I have either been busy or tired.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Tue Jul 24, 18 2:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The lad who is going will be a loss to the company, because of who and what he knows. May be an interesting combination a workaholic and a lorry driver/salesman! Our company has a good reputation for having everything, and people with the knowledge-'cept me! I am no mechanic or have the brains of a mechanic. They talk about things I have never heard of. There will not be another player in the field, the lad has bought an existing company, sort of competition which already exists, I just hope he can't grow it too big too quickly-I want to retire when I am ready, not be retired too soon!

Our weather has been fairly good no rain for a couple of days-the show was very hot for me. as I was carrying all my stuff around with me. I didn't stop on the pig stand for long but had a fair number of short stints. I would normally be sent a ticket, but not this time, as I hadn't volunteered to work on the stand. It was a test by me to see if they would ask, they didn't.

I am away at Bridgnorth for the weekend, quite looking forward to it.

The show was good, very hot, and pretty good generally for the first day. I saw some really good pigs and met up with a couple of old friends. One is always at the show, but the other was there for the first time I think. A man and his daughter who show British Lops and all the way from Cornwall. I went there with a former girlfriend and went for lunch. The girlfriend lived in Devon and not too far from them she has since moved nearer! Anyway it was worth his while as he won several classes and got into the supreme in show, but came second of the two. Back to work today and boss has gone to the show, so all down to me and Jim, and he is on his own for the afternoon. We get far less callers on Mondays now as there are less sheep in market at this time of the year. It picks up for us as the replacement ewe sales start and the store lamb market begins.

A tip, never blame tiredness for anything, always blame pressure of work! I guess you are in the commuter belt, MR, and so expect not so much 'community'. I have found that people who work away from the area they live in, often don't do too much in that community and tend to supermarket shop before they come home at the weekend and are too tired to get involved locally during the week, because of the early commuter trains whisking them off to the City on Monday morning. A byproduct is that local houses are pushed up in price if you are in that semi-retirement belt!

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15510

PostPosted: Wed Jul 25, 18 6:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Pity they didn't ask you Gregotyn, but perhaps they expected you to volunteer and assumed you had something else doing as you didn't. Glad you enjoyed the show anyway. Sounds like a proper agricultural show; something we have lost rather down here.

We have had too much dry weather here. Not sure when it last rained, but it was weeks ago. It is rather too hot too, but then the weather is very rarely 'right'.

We are unfortunately in the commuter belt. In spite of being 60 miles from London people still commute there, and the remainder mainly go to Portsmouth or Southampton, as that is where the work is. Sadly we have a reverse commute of country workers coming out of the towns as they can't afford to live in the country as all the town workers, who earn more, live there.

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2498
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Wed Jul 25, 18 11:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Hang on, Mistress Rose. If Gregotyn's frequent assertion that my weather will reach you in a week the rain is coming. Every day is wet and this morning my weather station is indicating 1.62 inches of rain since midnight.

Mr Jam Lord has Lyme disease, started on antibiotics yesterday.

Off to garden club meeting. More (perhaps) later.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15510

PostPosted: Thu Jul 26, 18 5:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I hope Jam Lord is all right. As long as it isn't a deep seated infection I think antibiotics usually work well. Hope he is soon better.

At present we are getting weather from the south which is why it is so hot. Gregotyn is further west than us so is getting a little more rain, but we have not had any for perhaps 30 days. Can't remember the last time it really rained here, but it was a long time ago.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Thu Jul 26, 18 2:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I didn't volunteer to do the pig stand because I was wondering the same thing, hoping they would email me for a change? I had a good day as you know. I think the rain will come but in the form of thunder storms as it is now so hot and close up here. I am, Jam Lady, only quoting my mother about the weather getting here in three weeks. I am glad of the dry spell which has helped make hay for me very well, and I would like a drop of rain to make the grass grow, at night, please!

The Royal Welsh show is without doubt a proper agricultural show. At least a hundred cattle, of which the Hereford and Welsh Black dominate, and more sheep than I would want to walk round in a day-I quess at least a thousand of various breeds. The Spring Fair attracts more pigs than the summer show as it is the last opportunity to qualify for the 'Pig of the Year' final, held at The Great Yorkshire Show, which is the week before the Royal Welsh Show. The good news from that is that there is a very good show at Builth Showground in the spring designed mainly for smallholders who, if they are going into pigs, come to the pig stand for advice on how to start. The Big summer show has its pig classes but there are reduced numbers. At least we attracted a top British Lop breeder from Cornwall to the summer show!

The lad will do well on his own, MR, there is no doubt about it. But he is recruiting customers from us during working time here-naughty. He doesn't need to do it as the company he has taken over has been in business for a long time and already has a good customer base, silly boy, as he will lose trust among the rest of the various stockists; they will not be sending their existing customers there if they need to find X which is not in stock where the customers normally buy from-we will see.
There are several other agricultural stockists in Welshpool-about 5 in the town-but he will be 15 miles out of town. Lots of water to pass etc.

I will be back in on Tuesday with a full breakdown of the trip to Bridgnorth. I hope to see the little girl a bit more grown up since Easter and with a more tolerant brother!

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15510

PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 18 5:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We could really do without thunderstorms and heavy rain as we have charcoal to bag tomorrow. I have put the stuff about the charcoal in chat, as that is a closed thread, so if you are interested, read about it there.

Hope you have a good time in Bridgnorth Gregotyn.

Your agricultural show sounds rather better than ours tend to be now. Being mainly in a commuter belt for both London and other cities, ours have tended to degenerate into mere shows, although the New Forest Show is pretty strong on horses. We will be doing one in August that is going to be fairly strong on working dogs, so if we have the same layout as last year, we may see some 'interesting' retrieving again.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45321
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 18 12:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

get well soon mr JL.

i am not keen on ticks .

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