Cybergarden: Spring into Summer

[Upwardandonward]

Here's a new thread for us.

"his stuff always creeps"[bugrin]

How fasciating about the turkeys , shodatin , such impressive birds - any odd habits , though ? Wouldn't have suited us , for obvious reasons ,but some peoplkeare meant to be in certain homes, strange clauses or no . Yes , big fan of turnips !
So sorry many old friends havde gone to their rest / abroad , & thank you for saying I can ask about the area when finally attempt a trip .

Gardening idiot indeed , Nilgiri -so pleased you have had sun

Hope you have a bit of energy left over to start your calligraphy project, shodatin , but that's a tall order if you attemprted some gardening .
Hope we all allow ourselves a treat today
good music on tv/radio

Belatedly ( but very gratefully) off for little outing -takes me forever to get out
Thinking of you as always , upward -mint

Glad you can get out and have fun Merivel, the sleep earlier was probably a good idea to keep energy levels high enough to enjoy socialising. Have fun.
Turkeys seem to be a massive, neurotic mess of bad habits, from what we learned, and quite able to kill themselves from shock over relatively little. Even on the programme, it showed them running into the hedge to escape pursuit, and these were supposedly a good breed!
This programme was interesting to me because of location - hope I like the remainder as much.

Thankyou shodatin for answering my turkey questions so entertainingly - poor fowl - I was smiling at them on the tvThat

Got back a while ago but was been bustling about trying to sort food for Dh who had bad headache after negotiating roads with maniacal speeding drivers ... aside from them , roads were very quiet & it was a dreamlike outing as both village churches he wanted to see had Good Friday early evening services ( I thought the service was at 3 PM ? ) & in both , villagers were holding choir practice long before the service . One church was on a hillside , covered with primroses & miniature violets & we heard lusty hymns & readings in broad dialect as as an early mist crept up ... hope upward can picture that & feel connected to the peaceful rituals

Later we saw two young stags frolicking in a field & , to my shame , displeased them by slowing down to take photos - wouldn't have been so "brave" unprotected by a vehicle !

Hope you've seen soemething god on TV tonight , shodatin -haven't there been some amazing programmes on architecture of historic buildings in recent weeks

mintand pot of hot chocolate for upward and Nilgiri
Hope madmouse family have a good Easter , which is of course , an incredibly busy time for them

PS thank you for lovely wishes , shodatin , & glad you saw the stars on clear night a couple of nghts ago ... magnificent full (? ) moon here , which I hope Nilgiri will see
< warms rugs for Nilgiri , upwaqrd and beagle >

< checks shodatin's electric blanket is switched on >

< puts large log on fire >

Thanks for sharing your evening with us stay-at-homes Merivel. Am assuming you were enjoying being outside churches again, rather than joining in CofE services.
Traffic has sounded crazy today, and have assumed it's due to drivers "celebrating" time off work by hitting the booze - sounded that way from my house, and am glad I didn't have to drive. Hope your careful DH is soon feeling relaxed again, now you're safe at home.
This evening I came back to find I'd missed the building programme I'd started to watch, and yes, have done it a couple of times recently, missing interesting stuff.

Thanks also for putting summerhouse in order for the evening - yes, my blanket is on year-round - will make some hot chocolates in case anyone's interested, and have just remembered I have New York cheesecake in freezer (v. occasional treat seems suitable).
Hope we're all having a relaxed evening, and that time's flying past now for upward.

Yes yes, I did see the bright, bright moon last night, thank you Merivel! I wandered downstairs in small hours, and the kitchen was starkly lit in a cold blue-white glare. It was amazing, and I thought of all the stargazers here - but had forgotten come dawn. Thank you for stirring the memory, which will stay with me now!

And how wonderful to have seen the stags! Do we really live in the same country? Hard to grasp, sometimes. So glad you and DH managed the drive, dormousing notwithstanding.

Hah, shodatin, you've reminded me of a comment in one of Anna Pavord's gardening books about plants "fellow gardeners give away in suspiciously large quantities."

I hope the calligraphy went well - although when the sun deigns to bless us it's hard to decline the garden, isn't it? As Merivel says, a tall order to manage both at the moment. Glad this morning was no worse, and hope same can be said tomorrow.

And same for Upward, of course. Hope time is passing bearably, and things are stabilising.

Thank you for reminding us of madmouse, M, and their very busy time now - in their new house, presumably! Best wishes to the mouse family and walking mouseling!

Lovely evening in summerhouse Nilgiri, and thankyou for all the attention to comforts, along with Merivel.
Moon was indeed full, usual for Good Friday of course, and probably Passover too (can't quite remember when housemates celebrated both together, having scarce supplies for various reasons therefore sharing eggs, matzo-bread and Irish whiskey in own happy little celebration of being at home and with friends). Another ramble - don't want to forget these occasions.

Might be useful to remember what original gardening
friends said about Good Friday - that it's traditionally planting-out/sowing day for crops, being usually at end of frost and also free day at home (after church-going)
when people had time to attend to own plots, plus being an easy day to remember. Should pot on tomatoes, but spoon situation will probably mean delay while I get out Easter Tree, actually a bit late already.

Am feeling recovered enough to make espresso again - enough for all, so hope all are well enough today.

Just returned from nearest (seaside) town, which is heaving with visitors, all determined to buy something from very ordinary stuff available (not much else to do if too cold for beach and doubt anyone makes more than one visit to tiny town museum). Still lots of cars heading North on coastal road, which is certainly scenic, but glad I'm staying at home. DB will probably have usual relaxing day hiking for large lunch with friend, then complaining about all the tourists doing same thing.
Hope everyone has something enjoyable planned for rest of holiday (and that upward has enjoyable visitors).

What beautiful , evocative posts , thank you shodatin and Nilgiri ... I forgot we were due a proper celebration , & your ideas bring the sense of sharing occasions ( or thinking of dear ones at that time ) which makes them special & which gives me butterflies . I think it's that elusive feeling we all try to evoke when searching for the right card / words/ present at celebration times , the "sparkly" inner feeling which stays in our memory from childhood, hopefully.
Hope upward will come and share our moonlit fun < May we admire your Easter tree , shodatin>

Oh dear , was just going to say good morning as still sleepy but have been moved to new lows of incoherent verbosity bugrin]

thank you for espresso,shodatin -so pleased you can enjoy one again
Will try to post post more coherently later ...shall we do a mini Easter egg hunt for mouseling ? < poor madmouse signals impossibility of fitting in any further Easter activities ,so we'll save him his Easter eggs >

< looks hungrily at shodatin's feast , with special thanks for new york cheesecake in summerhouse fridge >

Crossposted with you , shodatin ! Oh poor chilled holidaymakers , hope they end up with memories of hilarious resourcefulness . Driving scenic route sounds more fun , as does DB's hiking-for-lunch

< fills hot water bottles and warms rugs >

< sets out pots for further belated sowing - so happy to be reminded this i a traditional time of year for it , thank you shodatin >

< points Nilgiri to shy doe lunching on new shoots in nearest hedge , unseen & unheard >

Sun's out again here, so holidaymakers are probably happier, particularly if now full of local fish (although I understand most of it comes frozen from London markets).
Had lovely bowl of purple-sprouting brocolli, dab of butter/olive-oil spread, and first (small) piece of cheesecake. DB just skyped, wanting to know about food, as had already had proper lunch with friend so not jealous of my Easter Fare. Forgot to get Hot Cross Buns, but sure there'll still be some available after the holiday, as they seem to be almost year-round these days.
Has anyone on this thread eaten them "raw", I wonder?
Dutch friend living here 30-odd years was surprised when I mentioned toasting or oven-warming, seems all her friends living in Hull area were eating them straight from the packet - not surprisingly, this was not an English custom she approved. [buconfused]

]

Thank you for s upward -so good to see you , & hope you'll soon see clear rays of hope . Easter wishes from us all [busmile]...

Earlier when I had got the minute violets in from their bottle of water left overnight in car - the ones which had so cheered me dotted around rustic church yesterday - I was tidying round the front door , & found just such a flower growing in the bare bed there ! a bit paler was only difference . I felt as though the peaceful feeling from the day before had taken root here[bugrin]

[bushock] at hoodwinking customers into thinking they're eating fresh local produce, shodatin

Aha , I agree with your friend that toasting buns is an astonishoing custom , but find it delicious bizarre, if delicious , British custom .( I wouldn't think of adding spread to bread/buns , for that matter) Dh & family heat everything , even little apple pies, whereas even if I do that I wouldn't dream of heating the custard , which is unreasonable of me . I barely drink a hot drink , either -your thoughts please, Nilgirithink I know beagle's favoured option

< sets out toasty buttery bliss and alcohol free cider to toast spring >

Hello again upward, thanks for the s, and glad you were able to make even a short visit. Hope things are going well for you now, and without side-effects.

So pleased you found one little violet Merivel, as it might mean there will be more there later. Have usually had a few on semi-cultivated edges only, so really hope you get more later. DH once congratulated self on clearing all the "weeds" from a neighbour's old path; am sure he'd have recognised the flowers, and I always hoped they'd return eventually. It's the only flower I know of which likes to have "face" dampened to stay alive when picked.

Lovely toasted bun, thankyou, although beagle much prefers custard, at any temperature at all, almost as much as ice-cream in fact, which all dogs shared with us, having bottom of cornet dipped into icecream for own miniature treat.

Waving goodnight.

Oops , just missed you , shodatin < waves goodnight> Hope you sleep very peacefully

What a lovely way to start our full-on spring / summertime , with icecream -loving hounds

Aha ! That explains why few stolen violets tolerated being more-or-less drowned in improvised vase in the car- they don't mind their tiny faces being wetted - wonder why ? You truly are amazingly knowledgeable

Have been a little discombobulated this evening , as Nilgiri might say , by annoying reminder of people from past , but remembered lovely cybergardeners' advice on similar & remembered violets - will think of them as a a "sign" of calm - also found some violas Dh stopped me weeding , which have survived and are strong & spreading , as you say the gorgeous violets are wont to do ...if these survive , would I be able to work out a way of sending them by post , I wonder ? < plots >

Hope very peaceful night for all - ah yes shodatin , I expect those architecturerelated programmes will be repeated , & if you missed any thing of personal interest , Dh has almost certainly recorded them all .

Thank you for gorgeous description of moonlight , Nilgiri . As to idyllic countryside ... I omitted the cheery countrymen walking home with guns over shoulders

Happy Easter / spring holiday all , and a good lie in for us I hope
mint and hot choc

Oh I missed shodatin's hot choc last night! Thank you Upward and Merivel for more today. Plus toasted hot cross buns courtesy of DP - but only after he asked if they were traditionally eaten warm. (Yes dear, that's why they're called... oh never mind.) He often eats them cold, with jam! All wrong, I tell you!

shodatin, so very glad you're back on your espresso habit again. Both you and Merivel, and DP, seem able to exist without hot drinks all day long. I just can't imagine not having a constant flow of tea, and find myself feeling sorry for characters in Austen or du Maurier who have to "ring for tea", or order it in advance to be served on the lawn under the cedar tree. Horrors! How do they cope! But maybe they have flasks to keep them going through the awful Drought Between Teas?

Loving your "incoherent verbosity" here, *Merivel"! And the shy doe in the hedgerows - though not so sure about men with guns!

Wishing everyone a peaceful night and good-as-possible day tomorrow.

[bu[bugrin][bugrin] at Nilgiri's fabulous tea scenarios and phew escaping the nasty countrydwellers

Hope you're feeling OK this morning , shodatin and that upward is able to feel the day is comforting

mintand s and hot or cold buns , with fancy jam ( don't often have sensible spread in the fridge so Dh's toasted buns ae about to be topped with choc spread )

It just never occured to me that there were so many ways to eat the buns ! Hope the chocolate's good, and that Nilgiri's DP thinks it's worth warming them - it was a revelation to Dutch friend, who suddenly saw the point "the clue's in the name indeed". We warmers are probably a minority, strange indeed, but can definitely recommend with caffeine-rich espresso - Happy Easter - and hope everyone has some chocolate anyway.
And thanks to other cyber-gardeners who need supply of hot drinks on regular basis, obviously descended from Austin characters who had little to do but socialise day and night.
Merivel, am sure violets would survive posting if wrapped in soaked cling-film then placed in sandwich bag or similar - blowing into bag helps insulate against bruising, another old gardener's tip, then ordinary JiffyBag or similar heavy wrapping - works for most postings except where soil's necessary. Sure you've more than enough to do at present though...

[bugrin] at " the clue's in the name indeed " s and baked goods all round

Oooh , I'll see whether my current little plant grows enough to send , shodatin< bullying lovely cybergardeners > - and other gardeners who would like it - & in meanatime , we're off to same villages now to see if churches are empty and open this time , so will see whether might surreptitiously pinch a little root of the traditional purple violet [bublush] though of course villagers tend to keep an eagle eye on their beloved churchyards

I didn't think of blowing into the bag , & am comforted to hear plants can survive the rigours

I too am still laughing at the overpriveleged characters Nilgiri pities , shodatin

Thinking of you, upward , hoping you can feel some of the peace and hope of the season

Another one hoping we all have a bit of chocolate for the day
< hands out brollies & rubber ducks for charity duck race in stream at end of cybergarden >

Have a lovely church-yard visit Merivel.
Managed to get Easter Tree decorated, then eleven attempts to send photo as a card (reason it's so late), so when finally successful, I put it on my Mumsnet file, available for all to see (along with dragon pattern - long story, just ignore it.

Hope you managed to have something a bit different for Easter upward, although I doubt the NHS runs to Easter eggs, bunnies etc maybe some of the visitors managed "bonnets". Remember this was usually Mother's excuse for yet another hat, back in the day, and always an improvement on the dark felt objects which seemed to be favoured through winter.

Will just make a tray of upward's special drinks, really just for Nilgiri and Merivel who would manage hot beverages throughout day and evening but are probably too tired to make any more this evening, not everyone has just woken up from dormousing and has extra spoons.

shodatin you are a true genius to have designed that glorious flowing dragon !!!! I absolutely love it and wonder if I could ever attempt it < doubtful >Thank you for putting it up
Am swooning at beauteous Easter tree - so delicate & I love the colours you've used . What are the eggs made of, please ? Look like metallic material? I'd love to do one for my Mum next year , as she'd loved one

One of the churches was open, very peeacceful , with many Easter flower arrangements gorgeous but seems so wasteful - perhaps they go to homes / hospital afterwards .It had many almost-buried c17th stonewhichs Dh would love t dig out & decipher, churchyard

Was so incredibly grAteful for the unexpected outing as am still very confused by distressing emotions stirred by news I received yesterday - but everyone has these experiences , & my mind will sort out things with time
< HF brings cybergardeners white and pink wildflowers >

Was staggered to see vast amounts of wild rabbits and lots of country cats pouncing joyously ( not upon bunnies )
Most amazing of all , though we sometimes see small kestrels whirling above the motorway, we met a gigantic hawk of some sort on top of a roadside hedge - easily 5 times the size of a kestrel
Ooh , I like the sound of your DM's headgear , shodatin , and love Easter binnetiness as my Gran liked them , & my Dm in turn

s an applewood log on fire and hot choc for upward & Nilgiri

sorry for horrendous typos

sorry for sudden loss of spoons, will post more in morning, but loved your today's posts Merivel and do PM me if I can help with recent news - take care all. s.