Red sky at night

I was always led to believe that red sky at night was a shepherd's delight meaning that the next day would be nice and dry.
 This went out of the window for Friday night the sky was as red as I can remember for many a year.
  Saturday dawned rather dull with a little rain and to be honest didn't improve much during the morning. In the early afternoon it brightened up a little but soon after 3.30.pm. it went as black as night and not long after 4.00.pm. the heavens opened up with very heavy rain, torrential at times with constant thunder and lightening. This lasted until soon after 7.30.pm. Needless to say the garden was waterlogged and together with the strong winds the leaves from the trees were scattered on the ground.
 Sunday morning I went up the garden to see that most of the water had subsided considerably but in the orchard plenty of apples had fallen off the trees. Mainly James Grieve  and Bramley.
 I picked a few more James Grieve apples as you can see by the photo. They are an excellent dual purpose apple, rather sharp to taste but very juicy, also as you can see they are excellent as cooking apples boiling down to  a fluffy state.
 I had the Italian friend and his Wife come to visit me. They had a couple of coffees and she had 3 teaspoonfuls of sugar in her coffee. I picked about 6 James Grieve apples for them. To be honest they could do with about another week or more on the tree. I had boiled some up for my apple sauce and asked her if she would like to have a taste showing her that they boiled down well to a fluffy state. I expected her response which was they were not sweet enough for her but I told her to use them in a pie or crumble.
 The Bank Holiday has now gone and today has been a glorious day with almost unbroken sunshine and a pleasant breeze. Still the weather over the last few days didn't deter the traffic. To be honest I think it has been as busy as I have known it. Mind you the Children got back to school next week so hopefully the traffic will be back to normal. More soon.

Visitor

Yesterday I did eventually get to the Hairdressers for my haircut. I had to wait until mid afternoon as the delivery of my LPG didn't get to me much before 2.00.pm.
 This morning I had a phone call, it was from a colleague from my Business days, he had the similar sort of Business to me and traded near to me. I retired many years ago and he retired several years later.
 His Wife told me she was having trouble walking and that she had a hip replacement about 7 years ago and told me that she should go to see the local G.P. I said that she should go as soon as possible for the G.P. would refer to to Louth Hospital and she would see a consultant with the expectations of an X.ray.
 Her Husband had also had trouble with a growth on his bladder but all now seemed well. We discussed gardening and we both agreed that this year had been a most difficult year. He also told me that his tomatoes had not been good. When I showed him mine he was surprised at the yield I was getting.
 They left for home just before Noon so I prepared to cook my dinner. Earlier I had made a couple of lots of bread rolls, the lad from next door getting me some fresh yeast from Morrison's.
 yesterday and today we have had some rain, not a lot although the forecast is for heavy showers for tonight. We will see.
 This week end sees the late Summer Bank Holiday so  I expect the weather to be so so. More soon.

Extremes regarding weather

Over the week end it was very windy with gales, severe at times and of course played havoc with my runner beans. I did however get my washing dry with possibly the quickest time ever. It took less than 90 minutes to get all of my washing dry.
 Today was dreadfully hot, so much so that my plants in the polytunnel were showing signs of stress. I watered them this afternoon putting plenty of water on the leaves and when I looked an hour later they seemed to have improved with the water I gave them.
 I try to plan everything in advance but the best laid plans go awry.
  I planned to go to the Surgery to make an appointment to have my 3 monthly blood tests. This was a success. I then bought a few things from the local Spar Shop, milk in general, bought my weekly T.V. magazine then went back home. I had decided to then go to have my hair cut so off I went to Alford, I noticed that the free Car Park was nearly full and as I walked up to the market square I could see that there was a Market on, I realised that it was a Tuesday and it is held every Tuesday. I made my way to the Hairdressers only to find a note stating that the shop would not be open until 10.30.am. As it meant I would have to wait an hour I decided to go back home.
 On Monday I had used the 2 x 47 kgs. of LPG so I ordered 2 more but the operator informed me that they would be delivered on Wednesday so it all depends on when they call as to when I go for my hair cut. I have to be in as I pay cash and they will NEVER leave anything if money is not readily available.
 As the Hairdresser closes on Thursday it may be Friday before I manage to get my hair cut, still that is no great problem. More soon.

Harvest

The Farmer decided to harvest his wheat yesterday and the dust was horrendous and with the wind blowing from the East it blew a lot of dusty bits directly on our properties.
 I saw the fella from next door and we discussed the mess, I suggested that he does it on purpose because the last 2 years he has harvested when the wind was from the East. He suggested that he certainly did it on purpose. Anyway I spent a lot of time clearing the mess from my white plastic window sills and ledges. Still that hopefully will be that until next year, unless he waits for a dry time with the wind once more from  the East when he decides to harrow the field.
 the first photo shows the marrow plants, they are the best I have grown and the one furthest away from the camera I have had 8 marrows off it the second however has produced only 1 but hopefully I will get another a little later in the Autumn.
 The second photo shows my runner beans, well some of them anyway. I decided last week to give them an awful lot of water as the weather was warm, this has produced plenty of beans, in fact this morning I picked well over 1.5lbs and this afternoon made the total for the day well over 2.lbs. In new money over 500 grammes. As me neighbour said to me they all seem to come at once which is generally true but not for runner beans as they are the best value for money anyone can say because they produce over quite a long period if looked after.
 The weather over the coming week end is not good, rain but more important gales, the runner beans don'y like the strong winds so we shall see what happens. More soon.

Miles away

I have been watching the Olympic Games and I have missed the odd post.
 Today with the wind coming off the sea it was ideal for me to have a bonfire. I first checked to see that the smoke would not blow over next door, the carer who has washing out almost every day. It was fine so I made sure that the bonfire burnt well. It was nice and dry, about 10 minutes later I looked over next door because I could hear burning. Sure enough the fire was burning fiercely and the flames were well over 10' high. I went to look over the fence and noticed it was the carer herself. I expected it to be her Husband. She was trying to control the fire with a garden hose. She saw me and asked if I could turn the tap on more, I of course told her I would. So off I went going through the back hedge and up her garden to the tap which I turned on full.
 I could see she was somewhat perturbed and I told her that all was well. She then pointed out the field which had Oil Seed Rape on had caught fire on the perimeter. I told her I would sort it out and she suggested that I take a bucket of water. I told her that it would not work but I would try to sort it out. Off I went and had considerable trouble getting up the slope to the field but eventually managed it. I could see that the Farmer had started to plough the field in readiness to setting some seeds. I could also see the edge of the field which had dry grass had caught fire in several areas.
 I remembered that when I was at the Seafront Cafe on the car park, one day some youngsters had lit fires to start a grass fire. The Fire Brigade had been called but I said to my assistant that I would go and look at what was happening. I waled up and used my feet to stamp out the firs and made sure all was well. When the Fire Engine came up and asked where the fire was I told them that I had put it out. They were somewhat surprised at the way I put the fire out. So I had some idea as to what I could do.
 This time it was more difficult and to be honest the heat did manage to damage my shoes a little but at least I managed to extinguish the fire completely. Then I tried to find my was back to her garden, with great difficulty forcing my way through high vegetation including nettles I gave her the good news that all the fires had been put out. I went home and was shattered but within 20 minutes the lad came to see me. His carer had told him to come round and ask me to go for coffee. It would have been rather rude of me to refuse so I went round.
 After about 30 minutes talking and a coffee I told the lad that we would go out and collect the remaining bits of rubbish together and place it on the smouldering bonfire. I told him not to go and do anything on his own as the heat was still great. We collected the remaining bits and then I told him that when the ash was cold he could spread it on his garden as it would do good.
 By the time I had finished there it was 5.00.pm. and past my tea time but at least we both had got rid of a lot of rubbish. More soon.

Typical hot

It was typical weather on Saturday when I tried to do some concreting. It was far too hot for me, it would have been had I nothing to do. The lad from next door came round but to be honest was not a great help, in fact it made it more difficult for me because I had to feed him but he is a nice lad.

I started to work soon after 9.00.am and finally finished what I would call a mess a little after 11.30.am and by the time I managed to get my dinner with the lad it was about 1.00.pm which is late for me. Soon after 2.00.pm he left and to be honest I dozed off for much of the afternoon, in fact the next day I did nothing but doze off for most of the day.

I saw the guy from next door and he told me his potatoes were the same as mine. He commented that there had been too much rain and he was disappointed but as I said there's nothing we could do.

I am getting plenty of runner beans as you can see in the photos, the other one shows a painted lady on the echinacea. They are Summer visitors generally from France and depending on the wind some years we hardly see any but this year are plentiful. In general butterflies are not as plentiful as normal. More soon.

Some good, some bad

The first photo shows how my main crop of potatoes fared, they were sown in early May and as you can see many were affected with the dreadful weather we had here and quite a lot rotted in the ground and of course many were also damaged by slugs(eel worms). I have managed to get about 28 lbs. in all so can't grumble really.
 The second shows the second marrow I have had, I gave my mate the first one and there are several others that are growing nicely. That one weighed just under 4 lbs.
 The third photo must be enlarged to notice that there is a painted lady butterfly on the lavender. Incidentally just about the best lavender that I have in my garden, the vast majority have succomed to the soggy garden. The painted lady is not as common as some variety of butterflies as they generally stay on the Continent but these last few days there have been quite a few in my garden, however they are very timid and the first sign of movement I make they up and fly away.
 Tomorrow I will try, with the help of the lad next door attempt to improve the floor in my garage. It has deteriorated over the years mainly because the builder made the mixture too weak and it is crumbling. So that is tomorrow sorted out. More soon.

Concrete

On Monday I had delivered some sharp sand and a bag of cement. My mate had ordered it for me.
  Anyway I decided to get some work done, in particular some concrete where I had some rotten wood at my greenhouse. My mate suggested what I should do so I tried to do it. In fact it is in a most awkward place and as I am getting too old for this I had trouble getting to the affected part but eventually did it.
  I also had several places that the concrete had crumbled and left holes, not large holes but enough for me to to.
 I didn't realise just how weak I have become and to be honest I found it very hard to do, but eventually I finished what concrete I had made. My next job is on Saturday when the lad from next door will help me.
 Talking of the lad, after having a nap in the afternoon I noticed some problem on one of my fencing panels. off I went to look at it when I heard my name from next door, it was the lad, he showed me some broad beans and told me he was putting some in the compost bin. I immediately told him I would come round as the ones he was discarding looked fine.
 I got next door via the back garden, told him that all the broad beans were fine and wanted to be picked. I told him to get a bag, in fact he needed 2. I started to pick the beans which he helped. The carer came to see how we were doing and I told her they were for her and she suggested that they have some for their tea. We filled a bag and then we started to fill a second bag in which he told me he would take them to work and sell the broad beans. I guess there would be at least 4 lbs. and that he should charge £1.50p.  I then told him to get some secateurs but bought some loppers. I then started to cut them down to ground level and he took the remaining broad beans and put them in the compost bin. His carer came along and I pulled one of the broad bean roots up to show the roots contained nitrogen, the only plant as far as I know that produces goodness for the soil. I showed them how to take the nodules off and spread them around. I then showed him how to dig the garden taking the weeds out and putting them in the compost bin, by now it was full but he managed to get the weeds forced in the bin.
 I told him to watch me as I showed him how to dig the soil, incidentally was very good. I thn let him have a go but soon stopped him and told him to look where he had trod. What he had done was dig a piece then stand on it.
 I showed him again and this time told him exactly what I was doing. I then let him start to dig again and this time supervised him telling him exactly where to put the garden fork so that he was working his way from left to right.
 When we had finished he was pleased the way it looked and commented how much space there was in the garden.
 By the time I had finished there it was well after 5.00pm.  I was absolutely worn out and stumbled my way back to mine ready to get my tea meal.
I didn't take any rocking to sleep last night but I knew my mate would be here today so another busy day for me although it is very nice to see him.
 Tomorrow it is his Birthday and generally he comes on Wednesday, I asked him if his Partner would be taking him out for his Birthday treat. I am sure she will have something special in store for him. No doubt he will let me know sometime. More soon.