Cybergarden: Spring into Summer

[Upwardandonward]

Here's a new thread for us.

at drenching! Glad you warmed up OK, shodatin, and hope you don't feel any ill-effects later or tomorrow.

Oooh, pressure, Merivel. Your carnival practice is already more exciting than I'm likely to find - must be an incredible experience to be in the middle of so much noise and movement. Have you ever been to a big carnival yourself?

Sorry for dreadful trip out , shodatin - it can make you feel t point of collapse if already wobbly. Hope you're relatively OK now , & sleep well .
Sorry your friend has encountered setbacks with residential home's computer system . Amazingly lovely of you to brave monsoon to post card to your friend .

at "at least some of the locals must have got the idea by now ". Never yet been to a big carnival , alas, not even Notting Hill , but have lived in place with a carnival week as a child, & there is no sleep to be had due to all the firecrackers going off all night < dull memories but so glad of quiet UK >
No .... I have memories of people with great zest for life , lots of street parties at carnival & many other times - have you or shodatin been to carnivals , Nilgiri ?

You are so right about different qualities to traditional British celebrations - live music being a strength here to counterbalance the horrors of alcohol , as opposed to fizzy drinks & lots of gooey sweet treats < ahem > ... I don't know of anywhere but here that does fetes (? - France , presumably ) - county shows , maybe - did you go to any US ones , shodatin ?

Dancing self slim sounds good < puts out hot choc & baked goods tin in meantime >

That visit this afternoon sounds like a prescription for total stress upon a new mother , Keziah. Hope it went OK - maybe David could sense officious person approaching (apologies to mh professionals )

There there choc at your Dad returning home soon ... will be hard for a while but you can do it . Over the next few months you might find several important breakthroughs you couldn't have foreseen - I recommend prayer or asking the helpful powers of the universe < ahem >
Meanwhile , we could do an audit of such support as you are currently getting ( to go with your exec summary ) & try to help you with gaps < overconfident advice - giver here , but am determined things should become easier for you , & that conversely you should have chance to be really creative & self actualising etc - things you will discover on your journey > < drowns in cliches but means them !>

Amazed , Keziah , that you manage to nip to the greenhouse ! The lighter evenings will be good then , but of course you need the light for planting season < pictures trays of compost being sown in D's nursey >

Agree with Keziah, choc , that it's not too late to grow tomatoes from seed - can you start them off on a windowsill for warmth ? Cherry tomatoes are nice... have to agree with Guardian person about blight though , but it may not overtake your crop before you enjoy some toms , & the plants smell good

at being guilted into upping the tooth money ! You can definitely put it down to being the special first tooth , dd being a brave girl about it etc
Peaceful night to us allxxx

No carnivals that I can remember. I have some vague idea of being part of some immense, powerful, crowd with common purpose - but can't for the life of me remember what!

Might have been singing along to Satisfaction to the Rolling Stones in a packed Wembley (friend had spare ticket). But the sound was so huge it sort of disappeared into noise, not singing at all: very disappointing.

Better was belting out the Hallelujah chorus at the Albert Hall. Smaller space - and a roof to keep the sound in!

at dancing oneself slim while stuffing face with hot choc and baked goods! Those were the days!

that I'm not the only one who gets confused posting!

Merivel petal, you spread your light over so many of us!

Eeek, this didn't post last night- did I not press send ? I was almost a day behind as it was , sorry .

Hope a positive day for us all - just remembered all the appts I haven't yet made , & the research I need to do for them - s

Oooosps , many apologies- and you see I just did it again !!!!!! Thank you , Nigiri
Morning , lovely people s

further Hope youll be up to being up & about for some of the day shodatin , after being caught in the violent weather . Am sure your card will be very cheering for your friend .

Love the sound of being part of immense , powerful crowd with common purpose - how intriguing

ooooh at Messiah in Royal Albert Hall - how fabulous to sing there ! Already been looking forward here to Christmas Messiah for ages
Dh enjoyed the Stones live , though not usually a fan of stadium gigs for infuriating reasons you mention

I hope that your subconscious (or is that unconscious ?) mind solves helps you with dreaded untangling , & that, as I often find , circumstances shift slightly to ease problems , & sooner than you might expect

Hope upward has reasons to feel positive , & her great patience will soon pay off

< gives cats & beagles treats for not making a raid on bun tin >

Morning all, another misty morning here with more heavy rain due - am so pleased friend and I did some gardening on Sunday and Monday so at least some things are being well-watered-in in permanent places.
Glad you remembered to give animals small treat Merivel, as am assuming beagle is still guarding our petrol tanks and could well lose interest without food bribes. (Lost interest myself in this news, and no idea if there's still a strike possibility).

My only Carnival experience is on TV, unfortunately, and understand that fetes and garden parties are unknown in rest of Europe, where people simply ask for money for good causes. (Dutch friend always finds something like this as visitor-entertainment, along with Open Gardens Scheme, being very proud of resourceful locals.)

Thank you for , always much appreciated. And sympathy at your many stray posts, Merivel.

Same weather here, too, shodatin, so the mint should be happy (confess I haven't been out to look at it for a day or two).

How interesting about differences with Europe. I'd never thought about it, but of course it's usually the church fete or school fete here, isn't it? The Germans certainly have outdoors village parties with dancing and beer - name escapes me - but maybe not connected with fundraising?

I love the sidelight that visitors shine on culture I've never questioned!

I can't imagine there's anything you haven't questioned, Nilgiri! Am shocked at but admiring of direct requests for donations , & as for beer & dancing parties, splendid ...but what misery not to have the rollcall of local fetes each Saturday & am not surprised your friend takes her visitors to such events ..

I still get a adrenaline rush from a jumble sale or the plant stall at a fete , seeing little children with painted faces etc - looks at shodatin - & I do feel people in the UK are vastly more motivated to have hobbies, belong to clubs , do voluntary work etc compared to many other countries - do others think this ? Perhaps countries such as Germany , Scandinavia are more inclined to hearty outdoor pursuits etc , but so are UK residents

I saw this reader's comment in newspaper , about French equivalent of car boot sale- ..." at around 12:30 most stall holders will unpack a table & chairs from the back of their cars, or at least clear a corner of their stall,
& lay out cutlery & glasses, & have a proper meal , or at least pate & salad , followed by chicken & cheese , & washed down with a glass of wine or cider " - did you ever witness such , shodatin

Another of my many apologies- pc operatng system stops me posting etc while it tries to free up some memory ( I do try to do that myself !)

Hoping upward has had a chance for a few minutes outdoors recently
sorry for rambling
s

Ooops , forgot your mention of possible petrol strike , shodatin- I believe the risk has gone up again

Had to laugh at description of French car boot sale - no such thing when I was there, believe the Brits took idea to France, but certainly remember all the occasions when a proper meal appeared, instead of maybe crisps and cheese straws with a drink, plus huge picnics, of course.

A local friend was asked about arranging street party or similar for Queen's Jubilee, but when she asked me, I had to say I wouldn't be interested in sitting down to eat with neighbours and their children, although I've been to similar things abroad - maybe it's my greater age.

Waving goodnight to all

Loving French car boot sale!

Sadly apathetic about Jubilee stuff here, too, shodatin. Although I'm all in favour of other people doing such effortful, socially cohesive activities! Oh dear! [hypocrite]

Other countries' outdoor activities. Hmm. Well funerals and weddings are considered to be open to all in some places, with communal catering so actually very social. Can't think of much otherwise, but I'm probably forgetting something obvious. ( at stopping posting while freeing up memory, Merivel. Ho yes!)

Earnestly hope neither of you do get caught out by any petrol strike. And even more so that it doesn't affect Upward getting home.

Busy day tidying here, as have string of unrelated guests over the next few weeks. Need to balance making the house less like a hovel with not making me a tired grumpy monster when the poor sods lovely people are here. Which will be challenging, as I haven't had guests for several years...

Am amazed as usual that Nilgiri managed to set summerhouse in order at the end of the day, now that's really good spoon management!
Hope you enjoy guests, all of them, and sure they're visiting to see you and not check on accommodation.

Agree entirely about weddings and funerals being open to public in some places, remembering Cyprus "Wedding Season" when we hired village house, most taking three days in traditional form so we were not home in evenings very often, but feel these are now probably in past.

Thanks for comment on petrol - luckily I use mainly local garage which has not yet had problem (cheaper to use supermarkets, but oh dear the queues, and sorting bits of paper etc. so I just pay up as not vast quantities used anyway). Hope everyone else is confident about supplies.

Just lost long gardening post, having dropped lump of houmous onto touch-pad of laptop and automatically wiped it up with napkin.... It was mainly excuses for no longer being green, plus joy of finally finding Ridge Cucumbers again - not too late to start in airing cupboard and happy to send few seeds to anyone who'd like to try better-tasting outdoor variety (unfortunately, Slugs of Doom are also interested, so will be using copper wire in attempt to guard them)

Afternoon(& morning) all - Very sorry not to be even vaguely pulling my weight this week , but extra dormousing has put me behind

Oh nooo, poor shodatin - < hands shodatin extra wet wipes >
Surely you aren't all that eco-unfriendly , shodatin < teasing >

< ultra- gleamy new medal for Nilgiriin the Battle of the Objects >-yoiu are brave , & hope visits go well

Oh my , the open wedding / funerals are an introvert's nightmare -
though I do notice crowds of weekly onlookers waiting for the bridal car at
some churches, the horror . Love the sound of communal catering , though am rather stressed by having to eat with others - so can relate ,
shodatin to jubilee tea The Cypriot partying sounds amazing , though

• v keen to visit Cyprus, & am so glad you had the traditional experience while it was still in action

Gave a wildly pretentious reply to lovely vllage friend when asked
for suggestions for jubileee celebrations-did I think a couple of "chillout"tents would add to the fun - I offered to help set up a temporary Occupy camp with alternative jubilee merriment - perhaps we'd all enjoy that more ?

Sounds v sensible to get your petrol locally , shodatin , and will look up Rdgeway cucumbers - thank you for kind seed offer - am trying to find stored seeds & have lots spare of dull veg & herbs , so will list later. Am besotted by spiky cucumbers - resistant to SoD - not sure wonder if have any left

Thanks fors & snacks , which I hopeupward, kizzie & madmouse are able to enjoy with us in summerhouse

Spiky cucumbers? Never heard of these, wonder which part of the world has slug-resistant ones, really amazed so please let me know more.
An alternative Jubilee celebration sounds good, so do the chillout tents, but not sure how they'd soundproof, and this would be a problem to some--- most people I know

There used to be just one variety of Ridge cucumber, far as I know, but there are couple/three new ones on the internet, including Marketmore 76, which I bought today.
I'd forgotten your allotment experience Merivel - should have asked you last year.
Just remembered - how did the "new" Sweetcorn do ?

Just remembered that hospitals like to send people home at weekends, so thought I'd check with upward in case there's been any change. Won't be long now, from what you said on last post, so am thinking of you and sending best wishes that discharge day will be soon.

Death by houmous is at least a worthy way to go!

Cucumbers of all sorts sound marvellous, good luck in defence against SoD. Shall not even try here as didn't even manage courgettes successfully last year (the shame). And according to this, Marketmore are spiky too!

Mmm, like the idea of chillout tents or gazebos, Merivel. There are always those old, young or over-excited who crash out during a party, noise notwithstanding, and need somewhere soft out of the sun or more likely rain. As shodatin says, the more delicate of us wouldn't find tents soundproof enough, but hardier mortals may get the benefit. And shy eaters might be happier nibbling in a corner

Hope Upward's homecoming is still on the books. And if not the weekend then perhaps Tuesday, being consultant day?

Thank you very much for gleamy new medal, which I've definitely earned today. I vacuumed! Two rooms! Fingers crossed I haven't overtired myself and ruined tomorrow.

Early night here, to be sensible.

Hope everyone sleeps well.

Very quiet here in cybergarden, so am hoping gardeners are all happily busy/dormousing and not having computer problems. 'Night all, sleep well.

Oh I'm being even less useful here today , really sorry - aagree
Would indeed be brilliant if upward gets some home "leave" before the big homecoming - hope she is feeling resonable , wherever she is this weekend

Haven't yet found the spiky cucmber seeds , shodatin - not sure whether they were the sort for gherkins- but indeed slugproof & Got one of the Marketmore varieties , which haven't tried before but smooth extremely sweet , so will hunt them anew
Ooooh, we can have lovely quiet creative activities in our chillout tents , shodatin - or maybe the youth will be happy to listen to music on their earpods
Oh thanks for asking - kind neighbour is indeed lending us a couple of lovely raised beds for one more season , & currently have prolifically sprouting purple brocolli , very thrifty & plants look prehistoric & amusing .Putting belated potatoes in , & hope SoD munch fewer courgettes this year .

I'm afraid I killed my poor sweetcorn near the finishing line by underwatering - most peculiar , but was defeinitel that , else I'd have posted an ear as threatened ! I've also underwatered a crop of seedlings as I dread doing the opposite & rotting them - poor Dh planted lots of runner beans etc .. hopefully they'll come up eventually !

Hope your DSis is & famly are getting on OK , Nilgiri- this is so trivial by comparison .
We had a 30 min hailstorm here earlier - amazing sight
hot chocs

Thanks for the Marketmore link, Nilgiri. Always did think the outside cucumber tasted better, but I probably gave up veg (proper) gardening in the seventies, which I guess is when Marketmore etc. became available, instead of generic "Ridge". Really good news if slug-proof!

So pleased you have extra gardening space again Merivel, and sympathies for sweetcorn - will you be trying again? I usually had purple brocolli, despite raids by pigeons and DH's disapproval when I covered crops with window netting, but I'd have had nothing otherwise.

This season's system of starting some seeds in Autumn seems to have worked, on the whole (space shortage), and will have check this weekend for last sowings.

Just off now to make belated espresso etc; plenty for all, including upwards specials and Merivel's pet-proof cookie jar (and napkins for us messy ones, who might have laptop problems with misdirected food)

Just remembered, while people are getting involved in Jubulee celebrations, one of my friends suffers from nearby house garage being used as teenagers' hangout/partying place, despite polite and friendly words with the mother, and would like advice about how to avoid being any closer to these people during celebrations - have suggested they use earplugs or come over to my garden for the day, bringing own food and music if required (minimal catering here, unfortunately).