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Cybergarden: Spring into Summer

999 replies

Upwardandonward · 14/03/2012 12:13

Here's a new thread for us.

OP posts:
shodatin · 03/05/2012 21:45

Just PM'd you Merivel, but forgot to write your name at the beginning, so hope it arrives safely. Links are still not all blue, and I find it difficult to type them twice at night, tending to cross-eyes when tired, but hope to catch up tomorrow, and am not just ignoring them.
Hope everyone else has had a good day, and not too short of spoons with yesterday's celebration. Am looking forward to another celebration for upward at weekend
(hope Upward is too!) but have friend due here from Sat. a.m. to ? after lunch so may be late arriving.

Merivel · 03/05/2012 22:22

Thank you , shodatin , it has arrived safely ,& thanks for warning - I did have touble with send button & had to change browser, plus there were problems wih Notepad- I had to keep wiping the other 2 mails .Sorry for novel- overwhelming when you're tired

Sorry my links don't work- please don't worry about them , just painting's you'll have seen many times before !

Am still doing foodBlush so aplogies if I don't manage to answer kind PM till after bedtime
Looking forward here too to upward's celebration , & thanks for warning re visitors

Hope upward and Nilgiri are having pleasant evenings Brews

shodatin · 03/05/2012 23:15

Don't know how you find the time to do so much Merivel, and please don't feel there's any reply required. I didn't know if you knew I'd received so many other emails, although remembered you'd had problems earlier and thought your other friends might be expecting to hear from you.
I did indeed avoid the Italian you mentioned - good choice of adjective in my opinion, but I'm fussy and don't like listening to Mary Beard either, who seems to have huge fan-club here on Mnet plus interesting subject.

Nilgiri · 04/05/2012 00:08

Definitely up for a weekend gala, in a slow and spread out sort of way!

What an absolute stream of visitors for your birthday, shodatin. Hope you have enough spoons for them all - and reasonable weather, too.

Upward I hope you got out and back safe and dry today, and didn't get drizzled on or gusted about.

Oooh! Starry Night painting is new to me. I love it! Thank you, Merivel! Apologies for my cheesy taste, shodatin...

Sadly can't get any of your lovingly found links to work - they keep defaulting to the home pages of the sites or not working at all. If you tell us the names of the pictures, we can google as I did for the above. Will pass DH's consolations for Actually Being Wrong on to DP...

at descriptions of terrible Italian count... Know just who you mean! 'Fraid I love Mary Beard, though, shodatin.Blush All that enthusiastic knowledge, like David Attenborough. But quite tiring to watch because of all that energy.

Bedtime here, I think. Hope everyone gets a good night's rest and wakes with a full drawer of spoons.

shodatin · 04/05/2012 00:24

Amazing that you can even think of tidying summerhouse after midnight Nilgiri, but am grateful for all the work you and Merivel manage around cybergarden (while I just rely on the fairies, as I learned from DH).
It would be amazing if we all liked the same pictures and/or the same TV presenters, and a rather dull world too, but good when one finds a new enthusiasm in a friend's recommendation.
I too hope that upward managed to get out today without being rained on, and also hope you're not too tired at the end of the day.
Time for bed I think - yesterday's line of w's on my last post was when my eyes closed, then couldn't see well enough to delete them (poor old dear) - will finish now so it won't happen again.
Goodnight all, including pats & strokesto beagle and HF.

Merivel · 04/05/2012 13:15

Afternoon allBrews

Thank you for tidying , Nilgiri , and thanks also to tireless fairies

Hope you're able to realax a bit before your visitors arrive tomorrow , shodatin , and that upward can start to have some leisure time
as homecoming tasks fall into place

The second painting is Van Gogh's Stars over the Rhone , Nilgiri
more conventional , but very pretty - thought you'd like the first one Smile

Ah , wonder what it is you don't warm to in the Mary Beard programme , shodatin* ... did you see the Bettany Hughes programmes on women in religion ?

I like MB a lot too , Nilgri ( & amusing to see her on Mn ) but meanly wonder whether some of the fascination lies in posters being able to show off their classical educations / having been taught by the distinguished don (or even their spouses having been taughtGrin ) Am sure several cybergardeners could teach at Oxbridgeboast of their backgrounds ,
but have no interest in so doing < chippy , unqualified cybergardener>

Ooooh good that were all looking forward to a "slow, spread-out sort

of a gala" < thinks costumed strolls through c18th gardens >

< lays out light but gracious lunch >

shodatin · 04/05/2012 13:27

Wish I could remember what I've been doing all morning, apart from dishes and potting up Merivel's super violets, complete with little buds, which arrived today.

They are now potted in John Innes 2, in specially -painted pot of lavender-grey, and at front of big pots (for this season) and among Violas, Anemone Blanda (blue ones) and creeping campanula, same purply-blue as winter's Iris reticulata and tiny asters, now finished so moved out-of-sight until next winter, which system seems to be working quite well, but am amazed at very high cost of postage and wouldn't have asked for them if I'd known. All the damp soil and wet paper have been good belt-and-braces packaging, but so very expensive, and at a time when most of us are having to live on slightly less, whatever our financial state may be.

It must have taken ages to dig out such good roots, I feel guilty about your spoon expenditure too, but thanks again, I'm very grateful for yet another lovely birthday present.

Hope we're all dealing well with the cold weather, and that upward enjoyed some time away from the flat yesterday, just a change from four walls can lift one's spirits.

This month's prescriptions were delivered this morning, so am grateful to some lovely people who prevented me from running out next Monday,when pharmacy is closed, after two unexpected delays between my GP appointment and their dispensing department contacting pharmacy with scripts. It means I can have an hour away myself this afternoon, despite lots still to do before tomorrow's visitor.

Merivel · 04/05/2012 14:05

Ah shodatin , your seedlings have just arrived !!!! Thank you for
that beautiful description of violets' new companions , which are giving me great new inspiration.. my DM needs pretty things for her balcony pots

The berberis are absolutely bouncy & strong , & were still very moist . They're getting a bit of water & light & am about to I pop them into some compost with MiracleGro , bad gardener needing the aid >
Thank you so much for giving them big roomy parcel ... I'm sure the violets will have been horredously squished but it is worth a try - I did think they needed a bit of soil & extra & moisture as so fragile

Not a brthday pressie- wish could shower you with glamorous perfumes-
and I love your gorgeous homecrafted card ,- you remembered my daffodil obsessionGrin
< plants berberis in cybergarden pots >

There's still time to sow many crops , good gardeners- upward , are there any herbs you fancy growing on your windowsill ? Just say & there are plenty of spare seeds ... promise not to enquire after their progress as so often kill things off myself

Relieved to hear your prescriptions were desorted despite mixupShock ,and that you can have a bit of time to yourself - now , please don't worry about posting any more today as you have a spoon deficit to make up after
recent weeks < pleads > ... I will pop in regularly today, & hopefully
less wordily
< refreshing May apple spritzers >

shodatin · 04/05/2012 17:32

Thanks for letting me know Berberis arrived safely, actually much easier to transport than delicate violets in bud. Daffodil card is from Friends' Meeting House, altho I do make them myself sometimes -they are a good fund-raiser as public buy them too, five for £1/25p each, and of course great variety, sensible to stock up etc.

Thanks also for apple spritzers, new to me and great change from endless good-for-me-Tropicanas.

shodatin · 04/05/2012 17:35

p.s. I hope I've sent you an email card too, Merivel.

Upwardandonward · 04/05/2012 18:04

I'm glad it's the weekend, short respite from BoO.

Hope everyone's ok and not too exhausted from the party.

OP posts:
Merivel · 04/05/2012 20:04

Sorry you're having such a fierce time in the BoO , upward- here's to a lovely weekend . Let our waiting orchestra know of any pieces of music you'd like to hear ! < puts up coloured lanterns >
< rakes sand for mouseling >

Your berberis look very jolly indeed in pots , shodatin How lovely
you are to send an ecard too ! I haven't seen it yet , but emails
do occasionally get "stuck inthe pipes " round hereGrin What amazing
bargain the gorgeous Friends' cards are, quite joyous .

Well , the horrific non-estimated electricity bill has arrived and was even worse than expected , several years of underpayment , but he has done it & is walking home hoping for a proper weekend offSmile ... hope he sees a deer on tin that this time of evening

e

shodatin · 04/05/2012 20:51

Good to hear from you again upward, although
sorry you're having such battles at present. Have you had a change of helpers, I wonder, or just catching up from such a long time in hospital? No news recently from the op, which is not so long ago - hope this has not slowed you down too much.
Also hope you feel you can manage a small celebration sometime this weekend, just because we're pleased that you're home again after such a long hospital stay. I feel I hi-jacked your fireworks on my birthday, and the performing beagle, but will make another cheesecake tonight, it's lime mascarpone with a good ginger base, and have a few dozen candles spare as I only give myself one these days....

Such a shame about the electricity bill mix-up Merivel, and I do send sympathy for you both, as well as thanks to HF for lovely flowers.

Merivel · 04/05/2012 23:12

You didn't hijack upward's fireworks , shodatin!- I made plenty of
quiet swishy , spinny ones

Drooling at thought of lime and ginger cheesecake - hope you're not wiped out after such toil

Thank you for sympathising with bill.. Dh horribly shocked , but we visited ILs and they were very cheerful and hyper after busy day & helpful hospital Smile

shodatin , we don't expect you ito chat at all tomorrow .. I know I'll be around all day , largely snoring next to beagle < shoos cyberfFriend to her visitors, hoping she enjoys tme with them

Hope you've had a good day , Nilgiri , and DP is 100% recovered . btw , speaking of crestfallen- poor Dh at hearing Shakespeare programme & academic's theories on the Bard's marriage

< brewes of herbes >

shodatin · 05/05/2012 00:39

Good to have news of your ILs Merivel, and am so pleased life is better now for your MinLaw (don't know where to find accepted abbreviations) Blush. I'm glad they're not too upset for you, and as it's the fault of the electricity people for not reading earlier, wonder if it's possible to negotiate a very slow payment system so you hardly notice extra cost? Have heard that suppliers more or less have to accept any offer, as so many people have difficulties these days, and they're better off with a tiny, regular amount than an arrangement which may not be honoured.

Hope you have a good weekend anyway, and am sure your DH will enjoy his time away from work.

Will say goodnight now, and hope everyone has a good sleep. (Strokes beagle, who wags tail very briefly).

shodatin · 05/05/2012 10:29

Morning all, just made espresso and usual tray of Upward's specials, finds well-hidden and well-sealed tin of Merivel's cookies and puts second, (cyber) cheesecake in summerhouse refrigerator, along with cream and Greek yoghurt, so cybergardeners can help selves while I'm chatting to old friend this morning, and enjoying same.
Up earlier than usual this morning, and so pleased to feel well again, have probably time to take that fat beagle from his favourite resting place for a quick walk and sniff around garden (both of us at this season).
Hope everyone else is feeling well and enjoying sunshine, and that upward specially can get outside today while it's nice.

Nilgiri · 05/05/2012 11:33

Mm, espresso & cheesecake! Thank you, shodatin!

Well I seem to have completely lost a post last night. Never mind, it wasn't Great Thoughts, just sympathy about electric bill, Merivel, and admiration of s's cheesecake. Oh, being glad Upward has a break from the Battle of the Objects.

What is this sunshine of which you speak, shodatin?! It must be shining specially for you and your visitor!

Merivel · 05/05/2012 11:45

< creeps in to toast by fire >

< swoons at gala feast donated on summerhouse table by shodatin-what a cheesecake !>

Oh noooo at your lost post , Nilgiri , & thank you so much for kind sentiments
Thank you both so enormously I xcould burst with gratitude

So good to see you've awoken feeling better, shodatin , & hope you
have a lovely time with visitors - not too tired fter encouraging plump hound to do his exercises < hauls out trampoline again>

Sending good vibes for nice restful weekend for you , upward , & hoping you can have some frivolity

< starts incantation for winter to end at Nilgiri's >

shodatin · 05/05/2012 12:53

It's back to normal again chez shodatin, with old friend en route home to dependent DH, cheesecake and light lunch finished and first Skype of the weekend from DB.
Still sunny outside but v. cold wind, and had hoped to manage bit of gardening. Hope weather's reasonable for cybergardeners and we can all enjoy some time outdoors.

Upwardandonward · 05/05/2012 13:01

Good afternoon all!

Thanks for the Brew and food shodatin. The op is healed now, just lots to sort out at the moment. Thanks for all the good wishes.

I'm going to echo the hope that everyone gets out this weekend

OP posts:
shodatin · 05/05/2012 15:00

Glad the op wound is healing well, upward, but it's a shame you have so much to do at present. I don't suppose anyone here can help in any way? We seem to be rather scattered geographically, although I remember madmouse offering to visit you ages ago. (Which reminds me, hope your house move went well, madmouse, and that you're now all settled in and happy with new life.)

Just had a few minutes gardening, which was lovely and very worthwhile, as long as I kept moving in cold wind.
Managed to give friend half-dozen Gardeners' Delight tomatoes (the littlest ones) which DB had just refused and were in need of potting on (not enough room), changed some pots round then had a good sweep in "plant corner" - nothing as sophisticated as a patio -
and checked that Merivels violets are looking well
in their pot at centre- front.

Nilgiri · 05/05/2012 17:40

< opens door and... >

Nilgiri · 05/05/2012 19:13

Time for some I feel.

shodatin · 05/05/2012 20:58

Thankyou Nilgiri! Couldn't resist adding a comment to "flying beagle", after I'd got my breath back, such a surprise! A crazy translation on langues de chat too, I don't know where you find these items! Remember the Alleluia Chorus from a couple of years ago, so well done I thought, and people really enjoying being part of it - thanks again.
I don't know how to do these links unless there's actually a tick box, but will try putting something on my Mn page - probably number 3, but the latest one, give me 5 min to figure it out...

Merivel · 05/05/2012 20:59

< belts out Hallelujah Chorus unelessly but joyously >
Thank you Nilgiri , just what we needed !!!I hadn't heard of that flashmob
< inspired >

After all my saying I'd be around all day , unexpected extra errands
plus dormousing have meant I haven't been of any use

shodatin , your Financial Angel has helped today - nipped in local charity shop (which I really try to resist)& they were starting the annual everything-for-50p sale , meaning I got useful clothes & bag , & a lovely pottery thing for my DM (which I had thought was not in sale - wow ) and a little miner's lamp ,which I crave on every visit to Wales . Very good day to have treats without too much financial guilt < wishes same for us all >

Dh trying to work out what to do about work & finances , so very tired , but came on unscheduled woodland meander earlier , wcheering with bluebells & foxesSmile

Glad you enjoyed your friend's visit , shodatin, & she will be amazed at the
yield from your tomato plant jungle

Hope Nilgiri is having a good weekend & that DP is 100% recovered

I asked Dh for suggestions for our celebration gala & all the FA cup
coverage ,he wondered about a London theme - what might be a traditional London entertainment? street singers? pearly queens ? music hall ? a night out in Covent Garden ? grand opera ?
www.coventgardenlondonuk.com/events-entertainment-culture/street-performers/page/1