Today I shall be Mainly...

[Big Kev]

That's a nice looking pond, Sue. Do you have any fish in it?

We did but a heron cleared it out twice.

Oh!

[Stanley]

The pond looks as though it had never been disturbed. Herons are very efficient at their job aren't they.....
All shopping and cooking done so shed looks tied on this morning. We are promised rain and thunder so not sure about midday walk..... Good job I did veggies shopping and Post Office yesterday!

[Sue]

Morning

Yes, Stanley, we are very pleased with our efforts. The waterlilies are beginning to flower, we can see about 9 buds and 5 flowers . The new plants have started to grow. Its nice to have it back as it is meant to be. After our little conversation about fish yesterday, we have decided to get some goldfish and try again!

We had a good day yesterday, nice weather meal out with friends. However when we went to collect the car from its service the luck ran out. We had had a text during our lunch to say it was ready so we battled the school runs from Todmorden to Oldham , not an easy route to complete at any time. When we eventually arrived and Bob enquired about wether the error message had been resolved the service receptionist could not see anything on the paperwork and went to enquire . It transpired that a spare part had been sent for and the car was not safe to drive ( having driven all the way to Norfolk and back in it !) . So we left the car and returned in the very nice courtesy car , a 2021 Audi TT, now battling Friday afternoon rush hour to get home. We said that Audi ought to change the error message to DO NOT DRIVE. It actually said REPORT TO TECHNICIAN YOU CAN STILL DRIVE .

This morning is Bacup market, then , as rain is forecast, though not yet happening,I will continue with my sewing tasks . A thunderstorm is forecast, but rain last night was also forecast and never happened. I may go to the garden centre for gold fish

Have a good day all.

[Stanley]

Good luck with the fish. Don't take any notice of anyone who tells you that a plastic flamingo or heron will deter the live fishers, they don't work, I have friends who have tried. A net was the eventual cure.



Today was the steam chest and a pot hard lid! I think I won but I have to drill it tomorrow.
Occasional spatters of rain here....

[Sue]

The car is supposedly ready so its back to Oldham. We shall call at the garden centre on the way back. I need a pot for my new Bacup market dahlia as well as goldfish . I can’t resist a nice plant. If the goldfish survive , fine, if not well thats nature. I rather like the metal herons for purely ornamental reasons. I may have a look

[chinatyke]

Could it have been the herons that punctured your old pond liner? You could put a bit of thin net/mesh across to stop them.

[Stanley]

Now there's a thought to worry Bob!
I'm looking for a normal day, shed and walks, we'll see how the weather treats me!

[Sue]

Could it have been the herons that punctured your old pond liner? You could put a bit of thin net/mesh across to stop them.

Morning

No the leaks were right at the bottom under all the foliage and silt, about 3 foot down . I have never been keen on mesh on ponds. If you have mesh you can’t have plants, no plants then no lovely damsel flies etc. Mesh is great if you just want a pond with fish. We have put 6 multicoloured goldfish in the pond and see how they cope. There is much more vegetation in tbe form of waterlilies for them to hide under now so we shall see how they go on. We have also bought a metal heron, not as a deterrent, simply because I like the feature. I have a few garden ornaments around, not gnomes I hasten to add

We picked up the car from Oldham, apparently they managed to locate a spare part so did not have to wait till Tuesday. All is good now. The rest of the morning was rather rainy but the sun came out about 2.30 pm . I did some sewing but also went in the greenhouse to transplant some seedlings. The greenhouse is pretty full now. The root cuttings I did for the railway garden in the park are coming along nicely , but I want them to be a decent size before I transplant them, hopefully before we go to Wales for 5 days on the 19 th

Today is supposed to be showers. I have the bedding to change, washing and ironing to complete and nothing else planned except my zoom art with Briony and a chat with Eve on whats app. We are going to Coventry to visit them next Saturday. I may do some of my embroidery course later when Bob is out, its a few weeks since I touched it. Yesterdays thunderstorms were little more than a rumble and a few lightening flashes, but at least the rain in the morning wet the garden so no watering needed.

Have a good day.

[Wendyf]

I wonder if the metal heron might act like a decoy and attract live ones?
Last night's storm was right over us for what seemed like an age, one very close strike caused a loud pop and a smell of burning which was very scary. Col tracked it down to the router which had a blown component though he managed to fix it after a bit of searching around in "stores".
This morning our gate was open though I had definitely closed it last night before I came inside, I have just checked the cctv and at about 2.45am a taxi arrives with a young lady, probably a bit worse for wear. I thought she was taking photos of the house but realised she was using her phone as a torch. She soon realises she is in the wrong place and off they go, leaving the gate wide open. Where she was looking for in the back of beyond at that time in the morning??

[Stanley]

I wish Sue could get over her aversion to gnomes...
A question, if you put goldfish in an outside pond do they need feeding?
As for the woman and the taxi, I'll bet the driver was adding something to the bill!



Quietly forward, an enjoyable two hours in the shed.

[Wendyf]

My garden gnomes are very special....luckily they don't take offence.
Our landline took a hit last night as well, the phone was out this morning but yet again Col has sorted it. Good job he is still around!

[Big Kev]

My garden gnomes are very special....luckily they don't take offence.
Our landline took a hit last night as well, the phone was out this morning but yet again Col has sorted it. Good job he is still around!

A few down here reporting internet is down. Looks to be an infrastructure issue as it's multiple ISPs that are down. Luckily all OK here.

[PanBiker]

The area looked to have a pretty good hammering according to my lightning map. We kept the curtains open and it looked to be over Kelbrook and Earby way for quite a while from here on the Croft. I disconnected my radio station antennas just after tea last night as I could see the storms coming up country on the lightning map, they were showing just north of Birmingham then. Glad you got away with it Wendy. I have seen houses with all the mains wiring burnt out of the walls, the inner conductors and dielectric of a TV aerial downlead turned to dust and the TV at the other end with every valve (18) in that model with just the bases left in the holders, all the envelopes vaporised and both tuners melted in the bottom of the cabinet. The elderly lady of the house up Mill Brow said it just "went pop" and asked if I could fix it! She had produced tea and home made buns but I had to let her down gently.

Real Time Lightning Map

Zoom in and out with the mouse and drag to position the map.

[Sue]

Looks like we got off lightly with the thunderstorm . The lightening appeared to be coming from Yorkshire direction . Its raining now, quite heavily in fact. I am not worried about the heron attracting other herons. If the fish survive fine, if not its back to a wild life pond which we love anyway.

Yes to feeding the fish until the pond is fully re established. After that there should be plenty for them to survive. They are only goldfish not koi carp which do need a special feed I believe

[Stanley]

I wish them well Sue.
No problems with lightning here thank God. Not being isolated helps I think. Fingers crossed.
I shall be chasing the engine and aiming for walks between the showers.

[Sue]

Morning

Dear Wendy’s gnomes I do not wish to offend. I fact I have giant photos of your comrades on my dustbins , sent to me by good friends, one of which regularly dressed up as a gnome on my children's birthday parties and key events in their lives , such as Claires 18 th birthday party to replicate her 8 th. As the outfits no longer fit said gnome has retired but frequently sends us little reminders such as stick on labels for dustbins

Well it certainly rained yesterday and during the night, my lovely garden is looking rather bedraggled today with more rain forecast, my metal ‘big bird’ is feeling at home as he peers over the side of the pond . The day became one of bits, washing on line, washing taken down and put in drier or airing cupboard. I eventually finished the ironing and other jobs and sat quietly with my computer working through a couple of chapters on my embroidery course. Bob came back from the park early in a bit of a damp state but they had managed a couple of boiler tests. Needless to say there were no customers for the train. We had home grown chard, broad beans and rhubarb ( crumble) for tea. The potatoes were cooked with my abundant mint. It was so nice to eat our own produce that I have managed to grow in pots and tubs and in the flower beds.

Today is pilates and yoga this morning. Our friend Kath is calling round this afternoon for a cup of tea and a natter and to cut Bobs hair. I have some sewing to finish

Have a good day everyone.

[Sue]

EDF48C0C-2733-4094-B79A-9BE492DAF177.jpeg

Find ‘big bird ‘

[Stanley]

A nice two hours in the shed. Quiet progress.

[Sue]

F8091DE2-61DF-42FA-AA43-1D1193ECF1A8.jpeg

Our first courgettes. All off the same plant. The pale one is odd . I wonder if it was fertilised by something other than a courgette ie butternut or pumpkin

[Stanley]

No doubt anaemic Sue.....
From the look of the forecast walking might be off the menu, we are promised a wet day. Not raining in the shed though so I'll be in there this morning, it's all very enjoyable at the moment....

[Sue]

Morning

Yes more rain forecast . We are up early this morning as our house cctv is being serviced at 8.00am so this will be very short. I really have no plans for the day except pilates and yoga this evening. I need to get on with my sewing tasks before I see Maxine next week, however I am awaiting a delivery of sewing essentials from Amazon, without which I cannot continue. I may just carry on with my embroidery course or do my drawing for art on Friday. The zoom art class is going live again from this Friday but I have decided not to attend but will do the same lesson sat at home at the same time. However the painting I plan, MY GARDEN needs longer than the 2.5 hour session Yesterday I officially resigned from the craft group as I did not find it very inspiring. I prefer to just sew rather than craft.

Must drink my tea and shower , have a good day, stay dry

[Stanley]

I agree with your dislike of craft versus a definite skill. I fear the reason why it is so popular is that something like a collage of broken glass stuck on a board can be described as 'a craft' and compared with something like knitting a Fair Isle pattern.



I have had a long fiddly session but we ended up with a trial fit. Now I can start on things like valves and pistons.....

[Sue]

Oh there were lots of knitters and sewers and some very talented crafters in my craft group and there was some fantastic stuff produced but the demos and group activities reminded me of stuff from the 1970s. I did learn a lot of new skills , which I do use but I am not of the mind to make loads of stuff that have no use to me and neither do I want to participate in the mass production of this stuff for craft fairs. My friend Wendy and I described a lot of it as twee. I think she is staying as she uses the ideas when she helps run an activity group at the day centre of the local hospice

[Stanley]

I shall be chasing the engine, more on the cylinder and valve today. I'm struggling at the moment. Not quite as in control as I should be. I think my age is having an effect. Onward and upward!

[Sue]

Morning

Well another damp cool day forecast, at least yesterday we had a couple of dry sunny patches so that I managed to get out in the garden and dead head my flowers. Everything now looks very green . The best of the garden is over, its very much a June garden. It will be a couple of weeks before the hostas and fuchsias are in flower , then the nasturtiums and stocks but so much has been battered down by the rain. We were lucky to get the pond done when we did it.

Todays plans are a bit of sewing, followed by lunch with Wendy and Keith. We are going to a local Italian restaurant at Hollingworth Lake for a change. The Shepherds Rest is closed on Wednesdays and we can’t make Friday this week as Bob and I are booked for our Golden Wedding meal in the evening. Its nice by the lake even on a damp day. Sewing wise I am still waiting for my supplies from Amazon so I will not manage to finish my toiles before I see Maxine next Wednesday so I have postponed my next session till we come back from Wales. Instead I am making a pair of jeans for Autumn, with some fabric I had.

So that will be it, sewing, eating and later this evening pilates. Have a good day all.