Typical Holiday Weather

These are the last of the potatoes I set in tubs, to be candid, I was not over happy with the results. About 2lb or a little less than 1kg.

The top picture shows the Estima potatoes I set in March the second shows the Runner Beans that I set in pots and have been in the polytunnel.

This photo shows 3 different Aquilegia's I lost a lot of the better ones this winter. The white flowers are Osteospermum which flower all summer.
 The weather has not been great this year and this last week has been generally dull and cool. Things are not growing as they should but hopefully the weather will improve and things will catch up. There is one thing certain, we can't do anything about the weather.
 Looking in the polytunnel, I suppose that I will start to harvest my New Potatoes once I have used those I had out of the tub which I emptied today.
 I keep spraying the fruit trees to combat Apple Scab, as of now they seem to be reasonably well.
 On the other hand, green fly have started to attack my roses and plum trees. I use what an old gardener told me to use. That is washing powder, the sort you would use in an automatic washing machine. I make sure that all the power is completely dissolved. I use fairly hot water to get the results I desire, not pouring the mixture into the spray carton until it has cooled down. I am also keeping a keen eye on my broad beans as black fly appear overnight and so far they look good. It will be about 3 weeks before I start to harvest any though.
 I had an e-mail from my Brother-in -Law the other day with a link to Grantham Railway in the time I was there. Well before I was there to when the Loco closed. It was great reading about things that I had forgotten but the most fascinating thing were some of the photos. Incidentally one which the caption said was of me, with others may I add. I certainly didn't recognise myself but who was in the group photo was one of the 3 who started on the same day so I suppose it could be me.
 I certainly am getting old for I could not even remember some of the footplate men mentioned in the article and I didn't recognise any of the people photographed in a group photo taken in 2000. It must be borne in mind that I left the Railway in 1964 after 12 years on the footplate. I did recognise some of  the colleagues in a photo  taken in 1990 the group which all were named  so I  did remember all that were there including my old colleague who I was rostered with in the 50s. So much for the past but I have spent a few hours on the site and I am grateful to my Brother-in-Law for sending me the link. He is the guy who built a couple of steam engines although he was  an electrician by trade. More soon.

First and last

Today I decided to empty the first of 2 tubs which I set some new potatoes in January. This was the smallest by far, not much larger than a normal bucket. Anyway I managed to harvest enough for 3 meals so I had a taste today. The first taste this year of new potatoes.
 I also had the last of my purple sprouting broccoli which I have been eating regular since late March. To be honest I set far too many plants but at least had great value for money as vegetables are a little scarce, well for me they are, although I will have a little asparagus, I will have to wait for a few weeks before I harvest a few peas and broad beans.
 While I was waiting at the check out at Lidl, one seems to spend a lot of time waiting to pay for the goods. Anyway this man turned to me and told me that he had a good idea to get rid of the weeds. He told me a young man had told him when he paid him a visit, that the way to get rid of his dandelions and other weeds was to get some white spirit, the stuff one uses to clean paint brushes. Mix it with water and put it in a spray carton and spray on the offending weeds. What he didn't tell me was how much white spirit to water the mixture should be. I do have a fair amount of glysophate that is round up already so I don't suppose I will be trying it out in the near future.
 Once again it is a Bank Holiday week end so it will be a few days before I blog again. Let us hope the weather gets a little warmer as the plants need a little warmth. More soon.

Memory?

My Best Pal called yesterday, it was nice to see him. We were discussing the General Election and both of us could not remember the Industry Secretary who was a Liberal Democrat.
 To be honest we both laughed about it because we have both discussed the memory loss often before, but something happened today that made me sure that we have nothing to worry about.
 This morning I tried, without success to order a Blood test in June, it didn't surprise me. I only called to see if I could because I was putting my repeat prescription in, so off I went shopping.
 I called at Lidl and was so disappointed to find just 1x4pts. of skimmed milk. I went to find a member of staff and was fortunate to catch a Lady entering the warehouse department, I asked her if there was any more skimmed milk she was pleasant and told me she would go and see if there was any more. After a couple of minutes she came back with the news, there was none. I then asked her if this was because they had decided to cease selling skimmed milk in the 4pt size. She assured me that the reason there being none was that they were waiting for a delivery. I hope this is true.
 Now after spending just over £10 I made my way to the check out, there were loads waiting but luckily enough there was a couple waiting but nobody was on the check out. I asked the person if there was anyone there and she told me someone was coming. True to form a young Man arrived. A Woman came behind me and I passed the time of day by saying that it was a cold day but far better than yesterday but the weather was supposed to warm up for the Bank Holiday week end. She asked me when the Bank Holiday was, I told her this week end, she then asked me what it was for. I explained that it was a Spring Bank Holiday and was the last Monday in May. She looked puzzled and asked me what it was for, so I just told her that it was to give each and every person a week end break after the Winter.
 She didn't understand that it was a Holiday every year.
 I immediately thought  of the conversation my Pal and I had yesterday. I am sure we have no worries, not if the conversation I had with the Woman was anything to go by.
 Earlier I went to have my haircut, I was surprised with the conversation, The Barber was saying that he will be leaving around March 2017. Not only leaving here but leaving the Country and going to live in Spain. He is getting married again in July and said his Partner was all for emigrating to Spain. He said he already has put his home up for sale and with the properties in Spain being so cheap he would have no mortgage. He said he will have a Gent's Barber's Shop, all there seems to be there, according to him are Unisex Hairdressers that charge the earth. He only charges £6.50. for Adults and £4 for us OAPs.
 He said that he and his Partner had been over a few times to see just where they will decide to eventually live. It will be interesting to see if it happens. That is if I live that long. More soon.

Shopping

These photos are taken in my polytunnel. It shows my first strawberry although no more are ready yet and it will take a week or more for some more to ripen. The second shows my new potatoes, they will be at least 3 weeks ahead of my outdoor ones. The third is of some peas, they are coming into flower, these should be ready to pick in about 3 weeks time, again well ahead of the ones outside.
 I went shopping yesterday to Lidl, when I walked into the Supermarket, I noticed that there were not the same amount of customers normally found there when I go shopping.
 I soon found out why. All of the chilled refrigerators were empty and a cover   put over every compartment. This was the whole width of the store and part of the side. Therefore there was no salad stuff, no cooked meats bacon cheese sausage ham etc. The side which has such as yoghurt, fats trifles butters etc. was also closed. The compartment which has milk was very limited, all that was available were 1 litre cartons which was disappointing to me.
I hurried to find one of the staff and he explained to me that there had been a cooler failure so everything had to be removed. I wondered just how much the cost would be for all of the produce would have to be destroyed.
 When I went to the checkout I commented that I at first thought that Mablethorpe was going the way of Skegness closing for the best part of a year for refurbishment. He told me that he worked at Skegness and was working here for now. I told him that I thought that Lidl at Skegness was fine as it was, funnily enough he totally agreed with me.
 Thank goodness I had a couple of skimmed milk in my freezer. Let's hope all is well next week. More soon.

Cuckoo

I thought I would post this photo to show just how large my back garden is.

This apple tree called Sunset, a similar flavour to Cox but more prolific in the North and more reliable than Cox. As you can see it is full of blossom, just like every year but last year it had the disease called Apple Scab so have been spraying it. I hope it works because the apples didn't store at all and I had to discard most of them before Christmas.

This morning I did some more bread rolls, I thought you would like to see them. I generally get a packet of fresh yeast from Morrison's, there are 4 individual foil sealed portions on a tray. They cost 50p and I use 1 portion for each batch I do. I use in old fashioned weights 1lb of strong plain flour, a small teaspoonful of salt  1 portion of yeast and some olive oil, about a dessertspoon full. I use 1/2 pint of water pour water into the Kenwood major mixing bowl then put the dry ingredients in the bowl and mix, letting it mix for about 20 minutes. If the mixture is too wet, add a little more flour. I try to make the mixture as wet as a can. After 20 minutes I take the dough out of the bowl, let it stand while I clean the bowl, then cut them into 15 individual portions. Unfortunately I do not have a pair scales so they are not equal sizes. I then shape them by rolling them in each palm, then pin them, that is roll them flat, trying to keep the round shape with a rolling pin, put them on a well greased baking tray then put them in a home made proving cabinet. After 20 or so minutes I light the oven and after another 10 minutes or so, when the rolls have doubled in size I get them in a hot oven. They generally double in size once in the oven. I cook them for about 20 minutes, so it doesn't take long to do 15 rolls                                                             

On Friday morning I was out in the garden, it was not warm and the wind was strong and off the cold North Sea. I was pleasantly surprised to hear a Cuckoo, the first time I have heard  one call for a few years. hen I first came here in 1993 you could guarantee to hear several Cuckoos calling out but to be honest I thought I had heard the last call. Pleased I was wrong.               

It was nice to hear the sound for as children it was a common call that in April they would arrive and be gone by the end of May, the first sign would be the call would not be as it should be but stuttering. More soon.             

Business tales

It was bought back to mind when Open Reach engineer called to fix the problem I had with the Internet connection. I told him that B.T had offered me a great deal and to be honest, had I have been near the end of my current contract I would have considered it, but I was not so I didn't bother.
 When I first went up to the Kiosk which my Best Pal recommended me to go there. Incidentally he worked as a free agent selling for a Seaside Supplier so he knew what the working practises were. I had no idea really as I had been in catering for well over 25 years.
 He came and gave the once over with the stock the seller had and told me it was fine.
 Eventually the sale went through O.K. and my Pal called to tell me what I would be needing. He noticed that I had some sand flags. The sort of small flag that kiddies stick into sand castles. He then told me that I was the only person for miles around that had any of those because the container that had them  was impounded on the Customs and Excise at the Port. He told me this was the policy that each year a certain amount of containers were not allowed because he told me that the quota had been reached that year for the imports. They of course came from the Far East, in particular China.
 Anyway he told me that I could charge 25p for each packet. I think there were 4 different flags in each packet. I told him that I would not charge that amount but 50p instead.
 I felt a little guilty as my Pal told all the other retailers what I had done. This led to a sort of agreement that from now on that would be the price and it was.
 The place where I worked was called "Windbreak ally." This was what the Sales representatives used to call it as  it was one of the best places to sell windbreaks. I certainly did sell lots of them and where we could sell most things double the cost, with windbreaks one couldn't because the cost was quite high as it was I think a 6 pole was selling at £14.99p each and I think the cost to me was about £8. I must remind those who think it was a rip off, there was plenty of pilfering or shrinkage as it was commonly known.
 There was more than one person ask if I could sell say 3 at a discount. I always refused the main reason being that I could only bring so many with me each day and generally I would sell out of them before the day was over.
 I certainly couldn't leave them in a lock up in the middle of a car park on the Seafront.
 My mate and I but mainly my mate did make the building more secure. He told me how many breeze blocks to order and he judged it to perfection. We had many hours of fun up there during the Winter months, we were fortunate because Contractors were laying a road along the centre of the car park so we had a generator a Sthill saw, I think that is how it is spelt. My mate used it and I was impressed. The workmen would come in for a mid morning drink and the Retired owner of the Company saw what we were doing and bought us a load of ties to hold the breeze blocks to the wall which was a flimsy sort of asbestos type. A good kick and a hole was made.
 My  mate also bought some steel wire rods that he fixed into the wall covering the windows at a  gap of about 10" making the place much more secure. Incidentally it was not possible to get any Insurance for the Business.
 I think there was only one attempted break in after we did all that work. We really enjoyed the winter working apart from it being so cold. More soon.

Garden waterlogged again

This photo will show just how big my garden is. It does go to where the trees are.

I thought I might take another photo of these geraniums, it does show better the size of them. Last year I did buy some ready plants. They were so small and didn't flower at all until late August. Hopefully these will do a lot better

These are Auricular an alpine plant that really don't like wet weather, something that I get plenty of here. In fact with the recent heavy rains my garden has been waterlogged. It has never really recovered from last summer when along this small area of coastline we had about 4" of rain in 24 hours while the rest of the Country was basking in sunshine. Even today we had some torrential downpours together with a few claps of thunder. Tomorrow does talk of it being warmer and somewhat drier. More soon.

Mixed

The weather over the May Bank Holiday was mixed. Sunday was a cold windy and wet, well until late afternoon anyway. The Bank Holiday Monday was much better also much warmer too. The sun shone for much of the morning although it did turn hazy around 2.00pm and gradually got much cloudier. Overnight the rain came down in torrents. This morning it had just about finished but my garden had puddles all over. It was a little muggy to start with but gradually it brightened up a little and the wind began to blow. It eventually blew the clouds away although we had a couple of light showers but with the wind getting to be more or less gale force it helped dry the ground a little.
 Yesterday morning the young Man from next door called so we went round and set the tomato plants in the greenhouse. I have only given them a couple this year as last year they ran riot. The young Man asked me to show him how to take the side shoots out.
The pictures shown are first the geraniums I set from seed, they are much better than the ones I bought last year as plants. They arrived about 3 weeks later than this and they were 25% the size of these I have now.
 The other picture shows my Narcissus flowers. I think they are called honesty. They have a very pleasant scent and flower about 3 weeks later than the daffodils.
 I have also taken a few shots of the Auricular plants I have in my garden. I intend to give some to my Best Pal's Wife. She did get me some Munstead Lavender plants for me a few weeks ago.
 Finally for now I must mention this. My American friend is travelling to South Carolina, a distance of around 650 miles and he is nearly as old as I am.
 It makes me wonder if I am alright? I get absolutely worn out travelling to my Sister's in Grantham, a round trip of about 120 miles. I go there do some shopping call at my Sister's have a cup of coffee and a chat then off back home. I try to get back before 1.00pm. Incidentally I leave to go there about 7.30am. I guess I am getting old. More soon.
P.S. Don't look to carefully at the camera angle. I know I am useless at taking photos.