The Bluestocking Women’s Pub: Where Clever Women Sit and Think, While Gerbils Run the Bar.

[MyrtleLion]

Come in. Yes, you’re in the right place. No, you don’t need to explain yourself.

Coats will be drycleaned before you depart. Bags won't be stolen because Gubbins will play her triangle. And you really don't want to hear it.

The gerbils run the bar.
They are small, brisk, and unionised.
One is polishing a glass with unnecessary seriousness.
Another is keeping the tab and will remember what you ordered last time.
There is a triangle involved. No one knows why. It keeps Gubbins happy.

Sit. Think. Drink. Join in.

The gerbils have it from here.

Previous thread...
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5481554-the-bluestocking-womens-pub-definitely-full-of-ludicrous-halfwits-who-refuse-to-get-a-grip-with-unionised-gerbils

Plants do sulk if they're not happy where they are (much like humans). It very much depends on the climate and soil type, but a sometimes a plant can do well in one garden but a similar one in another garden in the same road might struggle. My previous house had a north facing garden, with alkaline soil, mostly clay - in fact there was the remnant of an old brick works down the road, which should have given me a clue🙄 The ground was always either rock hard, or heavy and claggy and was hard work to manage. My current garden is the complete opposite, west-facing with sandy soil and I am having to learn all over again was works and what doesn't. My strategy these days is that if a plant isn't doing well within 3 years, out it goes.

'So we had fresh scones with clotted cream and homemade damson jam...'

'I actually have a ready supply of damsons in the local area....'

' ...including my very own damson tree!'

I feel literally marginalised. I have nothing to say that includes the word 'damson', which seems to be the word of the day today😁

Maybe you are a damson in distress. Have a hug and a mug of hot chocolate with a big glug of rum in it.

<Joins Marie in the margins> I don’t think damsons even grow around here - never seen them in the garden centres nor on sale in any form.

Do damsons taste like plums?

They are a type of plum, but smaller and less sweet. They are not for eating straight from the tree and need added sugar, but their strong taste makes them perfect for jam, damson gin/vodka and of course, crumble

We’ve bought damsons in the past when someone with a tree has been selling them by the roadside but haven’t seen any for a while - I was surprised tot to find any in the fruit glut season last year.

Thank you, @AuntieMsDamsonCrumble!

I am semi-marginalised. I thought I had a damson tree, but it turned out to be a plum.

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius chocolate labs are notoriously bonkers. I expected better of Batshit. Her mother is very intelligent. She is not.

My garden has sent up growth from some Mystery Bulbs. I don't recall planting anything out of the ordinary, and I have no idea what they are. They might be alliums, but don't look quite right.

No, not at all. It's plums that taste like damsons😂

I have two daffs out. They both look like they are regretting their decision...

The narcissuses* in the pot by the front door are coyly suggesting they might contemplate opening, if the weather improves. Slight hints of yellow showing.
Footnote: * I know, but it amuses me.

I think you owe it to the narcissuses to tell them
NOOOO! DON'T DO IT! IT'S AWFUL OUT HERE! STAY WHERE YOU ARE!

I feel I failed my two daffs, they looks so soggy and unhappy to be out, I should have warned them...

There are a few daffs out hereabouts, but none of mine yet just snowdrops and crocuses. I bought a bunch when I went out for milk today though.

The triangle that I cleared of Alexanders, nettles, and worse last year has lots of snowdrops, crocuses, cyclamen leaves and sweet violets, but also a lot of mystery bulb leaves that I think are autumn flowering crocus in very congested clumps, so I predict a few afternoons down on my knees if the weather ever improves.

If any Bluestockinger ever loses their cheese in Norway & needs to instigate a search, I’ve just learned from Duolingo that ‘Where is my cheese?’ is ‘Hvor er osten min?’

I thought that might come in useful.

Damsons can be erratic in their fruiting, as can plums. They blossom early - in March or early April - so a frost at the wrong time can badly damage the blossom and lead to a poor or non-existent harvest. We had an old damson at our former house 1000' up in the Welsh hills and only had a proper crop every few years. The old Victoria plum did better, but it too was affected by any spring frosts.

I'm not sure I've ever been uncertain of the whereabouts of my cheese, but that phrase could come in useful as a non-sequitur in an argument with a Norwegian

If I ever need to say 'Cá bhfuil mo cháis?' in Norway, this is vital knowledge.

I shall remember that, although like Damson, I don't recall ever being unsure about where my cheese is. I could use the phrase to nonplus students.

I particularly love the Norwegian cheese called Gjetost - it is made from the whey from cheese making, cooked down to a caramel coloured cheese - it is delicious. Waitrose used to sell it, but don’t any more, and I can’t justify the cost of ordering it online. ☹️

Ooh. I’ll look out for it when I go in September.

Apparently Welsh Duolingo is all about some bloke called Owen & his parsnips.

I don’t think I’ve ever lost a parsnip, either, but I can’t imagine being that bothered if I did.

I had some when we did a fjords cruise a couple of years ago … iirc it’s rather different to most cheeses but I can’t remember if I liked it or not.

I am doing Welsh on Duolingo, @EmpressaurusKitty - and I can confirm that Owen buys his parsnips in the pub. And today I learned the first line of a famous Boomtown Rats song - dw i ddim yn hoffi ddyd Lun - I don’t like Mondays!

We had yet more snow two nights ago. Our spring flowers are sensibly staying put under the current six inches of snow. We don't usually see any spring flowers until very late March or early April.