'Heavy rain led to flooding in parts of Country Tyrone and motorists were advised to drive with care or avoid roads altogether due to the adverse weather conditions.'
Strange advice for Met Eireann to be giving motorists...I wonder how the farmers will feel having to tow random cars out of their fields?
If they'd meant motorists to take to the boats they should have been specific.
Honestly guys?!
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Monday, 16 November 2015
Friday, 1 May 2015
The Seasonal Order of Merlin
Are we there yet?
Is the Winter over?
Can I make like a tulip and stick my head above the blanket?
Is it safe?
I know we had nearly three weeks of glorious sun and heat in April but the last week has been back to temperatures below freezing, torrential rain, hail and sleet, howling wind and wearing every sweater I own all at the same time...and I own a LOT of ganseys let me tell you!
The daffodils had the best of it, tulips and cherry blossoms have been flattened and blown away, even the bluebells have turned white in horror:
I think we are having the seasons in Merlin's order (ie. reverse) this year; summer, spring (sort of) and now winter.
Right so, I'll be off for another spot of hibernation then!
P.S. I was reliably informed by a three year old today that if you wear your gumboots indoors when you are not supposed to then you should walk backwards to stop the floor getting dirty.
Useful piece of info, I thought...
Is the Winter over?
Can I make like a tulip and stick my head above the blanket?
Is it safe?
I know we had nearly three weeks of glorious sun and heat in April but the last week has been back to temperatures below freezing, torrential rain, hail and sleet, howling wind and wearing every sweater I own all at the same time...and I own a LOT of ganseys let me tell you!
The daffodils had the best of it, tulips and cherry blossoms have been flattened and blown away, even the bluebells have turned white in horror:
 |
| Frightened bluebells. |
Right so, I'll be off for another spot of hibernation then!
P.S. I was reliably informed by a three year old today that if you wear your gumboots indoors when you are not supposed to then you should walk backwards to stop the floor getting dirty.
Useful piece of info, I thought...
Saturday, 20 September 2014
Another Glorious Day
The weather here has been just gorgeous for the last three weeks, to the extent that I think we have forgotten what rain looks like. Its turning colder at nights now and the wind is rising evenings too, so I'd say we're not long for a real autumn, but still, a glorious September does shorten the winter. This morning the air was so clear I could see Nephin Beg, clear down through Mayo!
I love that golden light that bathes the landscape coming up to sunset. I went out and stood on the wall to take the photos but albeit from a lower elevation it is exactly the view from all three rooms on the front of the cottage...am I lucky or what???!
 |
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
Of Saucers
So you know the way Ireland is saucer shaped, geologically speaking, mountains around the edges and all them bogs and flat farmland in the middle?
D'you know why it’s so?
I’ve a theory...it’s to keep all the water in and to make sure we float.
Put a saucer in a bucket of water and you'll see.
But here's the thing now; if you get too much water into the middle of the saucer what happens?
It sinks.
So I’m just thinking here, that if anyone has immediate access to the climatic tap that's doing the unending dripping on Ireland, they might want to take a wrench to the valve and shut it off for a bit, before we either drown or sink???
And no, I wouldn't fancy living in the Sahara, and yes, I kinda like the emeraldishness of this island, but c'mon haven't we enough water to be going on with for now?
D'you know why it’s so?
I’ve a theory...it’s to keep all the water in and to make sure we float.
Put a saucer in a bucket of water and you'll see.
But here's the thing now; if you get too much water into the middle of the saucer what happens?
It sinks.
So I’m just thinking here, that if anyone has immediate access to the climatic tap that's doing the unending dripping on Ireland, they might want to take a wrench to the valve and shut it off for a bit, before we either drown or sink???
And no, I wouldn't fancy living in the Sahara, and yes, I kinda like the emeraldishness of this island, but c'mon haven't we enough water to be going on with for now?
Friday, 24 June 2011
Friday HodgePodge
You know, I get the distinct impression from yesterday's highly witty and amusing comments, that you are failing to take both my new transport, and my green credentials, seriously...
I am DEEPLY 0-fender-ed...
However I forgive yez, and as a gesture of reconciliation I offer you this quotation, which I got from the Living Life Fully website:
We have shaped ourselves into new people, and we have done so by our decisions. There’s no going back, of course, and I guess most of us wouldn’t want to if we could, even though we’re acutely conscious of mistakes we’ve made. We have to remember that each of us is new at this business of living and content ourselves with the fact that most of us have plenty of time to make good decisions in the future.
(Earl Nightingale)
I especially like the 'new at this business of living' part!!
I have always thought that doing one's best is good enough, whatever the circumstances, although there will be times when one doesn't, for whatever reason. Lately I've realised, through reading and my Mom's comments, that learning to be kind to one's OWN self might also be important.
Do I treat myself with the same kindness and consideration I show to everyone else?
Heck NO!
I drive myself, expect perfection at every turn, try to be always better than 'good enough'.
WHY? And I bet yous all do exactly the same!
How is it we can be gracious to everyone EXCEPT ourselves?
Got an email from a friend this morning:
'How daft is it that the temperatures in Dublin and Sligo are colder than Murmansk?? According to my weather forecast on the iPhone it's 8 and 9 versus 14!
Hope there's still ice at the north pole...'
It does seem a bit strange! She's boarding an ice-breaker today for a three week expedition...
Jealous? Moi???
Last thing: in my Etsy wanderings I found this shop , Northernlights, selling old-fashioned carpet bags, which I though existed no longer...they're gorgeous!
Mary Poppins eat your heart out!!!
I am DEEPLY 0-fender-ed...
However I forgive yez, and as a gesture of reconciliation I offer you this quotation, which I got from the Living Life Fully website:
We have shaped ourselves into new people, and we have done so by our decisions. There’s no going back, of course, and I guess most of us wouldn’t want to if we could, even though we’re acutely conscious of mistakes we’ve made. We have to remember that each of us is new at this business of living and content ourselves with the fact that most of us have plenty of time to make good decisions in the future.
(Earl Nightingale)
I especially like the 'new at this business of living' part!!
I have always thought that doing one's best is good enough, whatever the circumstances, although there will be times when one doesn't, for whatever reason. Lately I've realised, through reading and my Mom's comments, that learning to be kind to one's OWN self might also be important.
Do I treat myself with the same kindness and consideration I show to everyone else?
Heck NO!
I drive myself, expect perfection at every turn, try to be always better than 'good enough'.
WHY? And I bet yous all do exactly the same!
How is it we can be gracious to everyone EXCEPT ourselves?
Got an email from a friend this morning:
'How daft is it that the temperatures in Dublin and Sligo are colder than Murmansk?? According to my weather forecast on the iPhone it's 8 and 9 versus 14!
Hope there's still ice at the north pole...'
It does seem a bit strange! She's boarding an ice-breaker today for a three week expedition...
Jealous? Moi???
Last thing: in my Etsy wanderings I found this shop , Northernlights, selling old-fashioned carpet bags, which I though existed no longer...they're gorgeous!
Mary Poppins eat your heart out!!!
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Of Computer Scans (lost) and Head-Days...
Onyhoos…as the aunt from Belfast used to say…
I was over at the folks on Friday using their scanner to copy some crochet patterns before passing on my old magazines, and found I’d forgotten how to file the scans once done. As a result, I had to hunt through Dad’s documents to recover everything, and even now I know I didn’t get them all.
I did warn him to watch out for stray crochet patterns, and he promised to check any reports in progress before emailing them off…can you imagine some big corporation mogul somewhere opening the latest report on European Medical Devices and finding a couple of crochet patterns included. Would that count as a twoferone d’you suppose?
On a good head-day I can get in the car for three destinations: the folks’ house, our Church, and ‘my’ School.
On a very good day I can teach in School, and I can also do the grocery shopping. So far this year I haven’t been able to teach which is a bummer as I do so enjoy the children; all I’ve done is play the piano once a week for Assembly, and many weeks, not even that. Playing the Organ on Sundays is mostly possible as well as a lifeline, as people come round and chat to me, whereas I could not go to them.
Also on a good head-day I can go out to the garden and do stuff, or even sit outside. Unless you’ve ever had the problem of going through a door, you wouldn’t believe the sheer frustration of watching all the weeds in the flowerbeds wave and snigger at you while at the same time growing taller and taller…
Mind you, if you’d had our weather lately you’d be thinking it was still winter! Not only has it rained constantly, and sometimes hail too, but it’s a rare day when the temperature gets to even 10 degrees! I’ve had the fire in for days in a row- and this is JUNE! And to add insult to injury, the Hub’s Aunt rang and was saying that where she is (in Surrey, I think) they are about to be having a hosepipe ban! I offered to post her a bucket of water, but like all of our extended family, she refused to accept any post from yours truly here…Spoil sport…
I was over at the folks on Friday using their scanner to copy some crochet patterns before passing on my old magazines, and found I’d forgotten how to file the scans once done. As a result, I had to hunt through Dad’s documents to recover everything, and even now I know I didn’t get them all.
I did warn him to watch out for stray crochet patterns, and he promised to check any reports in progress before emailing them off…can you imagine some big corporation mogul somewhere opening the latest report on European Medical Devices and finding a couple of crochet patterns included. Would that count as a twoferone d’you suppose?
On a good head-day I can get in the car for three destinations: the folks’ house, our Church, and ‘my’ School.
On a very good day I can teach in School, and I can also do the grocery shopping. So far this year I haven’t been able to teach which is a bummer as I do so enjoy the children; all I’ve done is play the piano once a week for Assembly, and many weeks, not even that. Playing the Organ on Sundays is mostly possible as well as a lifeline, as people come round and chat to me, whereas I could not go to them.
Also on a good head-day I can go out to the garden and do stuff, or even sit outside. Unless you’ve ever had the problem of going through a door, you wouldn’t believe the sheer frustration of watching all the weeds in the flowerbeds wave and snigger at you while at the same time growing taller and taller…
Mind you, if you’d had our weather lately you’d be thinking it was still winter! Not only has it rained constantly, and sometimes hail too, but it’s a rare day when the temperature gets to even 10 degrees! I’ve had the fire in for days in a row- and this is JUNE! And to add insult to injury, the Hub’s Aunt rang and was saying that where she is (in Surrey, I think) they are about to be having a hosepipe ban! I offered to post her a bucket of water, but like all of our extended family, she refused to accept any post from yours truly here…Spoil sport…
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Shop SALE! and a New Treasury
How is it that some weeks nothing exciting happens, and other weeks are a constant scramble?
This week I have scarcely been at home, so everything is in a right pickle. And what does one do when the chores are calling desperately for attention?
One decides to have a Shop SALE ! Working out the reductions was a bit hit and miss, my Maths not being of the most accurate, but if you want to stock up on girly presents and Christmas decorations, hurry on over!
I've a bunch of new items made, just waiting to be listed, so I though I would do a bit of a Spring Clearout! Not that there's anything Spring-ish about our weather- howling gale, snow on the hills, and lashing rain and sleet...EEEUGH!
And if shopping isn't your thing but you fancy some eye-candy, have a look at my new Treasury- Homespun Hearts and Happiness. I had great fun the other evening making it!
S'long folks!
This week I have scarcely been at home, so everything is in a right pickle. And what does one do when the chores are calling desperately for attention?
One decides to have a Shop SALE ! Working out the reductions was a bit hit and miss, my Maths not being of the most accurate, but if you want to stock up on girly presents and Christmas decorations, hurry on over!
I've a bunch of new items made, just waiting to be listed, so I though I would do a bit of a Spring Clearout! Not that there's anything Spring-ish about our weather- howling gale, snow on the hills, and lashing rain and sleet...EEEUGH!
And if shopping isn't your thing but you fancy some eye-candy, have a look at my new Treasury- Homespun Hearts and Happiness. I had great fun the other evening making it!
S'long folks!
Monday, 16 August 2010
Status....?
Weather: Wet, chilly, misty, grey, dark, dull.
Laundry: Damp, Widow Twankey-ish...leading to....
Kitchen: festooned in wet laundry.
Dogs: Bored...leading to...
Floor Rugs: all MIA, presumably hidden by the dogs to entertain themselves?
Children: One in Galway, one location unknown, one working at local Bible Camp.
Husband: Soggy (too much cycling to and from work in the rain).
Garden: Ditto (minus the cycling).
Books: Library raid imminent...like tomorrow morning!
Projects finished: NONE!
Summer: Last seen June 26th; would whoever borrowed the Summer and forgot to return it please do so IMMEDIATELY!
...or we will NOT be responsible for the CONSEQUENCES....
Laundry: Damp, Widow Twankey-ish...leading to....
Kitchen: festooned in wet laundry.
Dogs: Bored...leading to...
Floor Rugs: all MIA, presumably hidden by the dogs to entertain themselves?
Children: One in Galway, one location unknown, one working at local Bible Camp.
Husband: Soggy (too much cycling to and from work in the rain).
Garden: Ditto (minus the cycling).
Books: Library raid imminent...like tomorrow morning!
Projects finished: NONE!
Summer: Last seen June 26th; would whoever borrowed the Summer and forgot to return it please do so IMMEDIATELY!
...or we will NOT be responsible for the CONSEQUENCES....
Friday, 16 April 2010
Thankful Thur-riday!
Days of the week are arbitrary- if I don't like'em I change'em. Problem?
Anyhow I was out the last two days. Wednesday I taught Music all morning in (the Primary) school, raced home to get Dilly packed and to the Dublin train, up to school to collect BBug, down town so she could buy her best friend a birthday present (a Cookery book, and a magnet-'I don't need your attitude, I've one of my own'- TOO TRUE!), home to feed people...
And yesterday I went from the school run to a day out in Enniskillen with the folks and Travelling Sis, which was very nice, and then collapsed into bed on my return- guess the teaching caught up with me.
Before I forget I do have a few Thankfuls:
1. Thankful for such lovely sunny days this week, not warm, but very beautiful.
2. Thankful Dilly was home for several days, and will be home again next week.
3. Thankful for Dilly's diagnosis, and strong pain medication for her.
4.Thankful that BBug's practical Music Exam went well on Tuesday, the first item on her Junior Certificate. 'Well begun is half done!'
5. Thankful for two new pairs of jeans yesterday- yeah, yeah, I know that violates the Dottie Angel Challenge rules but when one has an arse the width of the proverbial BARN DOOR there's not a hope in the hot place of getting jeans to go round one from the Charity shops! So There!
A friend sent me a few jokes which I posted next door...
And now another beautiful day- and d'you know what they're forecasting for next week?
MORE *~*~*~* SNOW!!
Can you BELIEVE it?
Its mid- April, no leaves on the trees, the daffodils and spring flowers just up, no growth in the grass; the farmers are going demented trying to keep their animals in fodder, and some have lost lambs already due to last weeks' lousy weather. At an estimate I'd say we are running about six weeks late in the growing season right now. S, below us, hasn't even put out his cows yet, I had a good long chat with him this morning- I'm no farmer but a very nosy parker and I like to know how it is in the fields!
Now I've to tidy the sitting room as Dilly left a mess, catch up on the laundry, and push the furniture back into place in the spare room so I can sew. The Hub is away doing a course tonight and tomorrow, and I seem to have mislaid Sos, but no doubt she'll turn up at some point...
Anyhow I was out the last two days. Wednesday I taught Music all morning in (the Primary) school, raced home to get Dilly packed and to the Dublin train, up to school to collect BBug, down town so she could buy her best friend a birthday present (a Cookery book, and a magnet-'I don't need your attitude, I've one of my own'- TOO TRUE!), home to feed people...
And yesterday I went from the school run to a day out in Enniskillen with the folks and Travelling Sis, which was very nice, and then collapsed into bed on my return- guess the teaching caught up with me.
Before I forget I do have a few Thankfuls:
1. Thankful for such lovely sunny days this week, not warm, but very beautiful.
2. Thankful Dilly was home for several days, and will be home again next week.
3. Thankful for Dilly's diagnosis, and strong pain medication for her.
4.Thankful that BBug's practical Music Exam went well on Tuesday, the first item on her Junior Certificate. 'Well begun is half done!'
5. Thankful for two new pairs of jeans yesterday- yeah, yeah, I know that violates the Dottie Angel Challenge rules but when one has an arse the width of the proverbial BARN DOOR there's not a hope in the hot place of getting jeans to go round one from the Charity shops! So There!
A friend sent me a few jokes which I posted next door...
And now another beautiful day- and d'you know what they're forecasting for next week?
MORE *~*~*~* SNOW!!
Can you BELIEVE it?
Its mid- April, no leaves on the trees, the daffodils and spring flowers just up, no growth in the grass; the farmers are going demented trying to keep their animals in fodder, and some have lost lambs already due to last weeks' lousy weather. At an estimate I'd say we are running about six weeks late in the growing season right now. S, below us, hasn't even put out his cows yet, I had a good long chat with him this morning- I'm no farmer but a very nosy parker and I like to know how it is in the fields!
Now I've to tidy the sitting room as Dilly left a mess, catch up on the laundry, and push the furniture back into place in the spare room so I can sew. The Hub is away doing a course tonight and tomorrow, and I seem to have mislaid Sos, but no doubt she'll turn up at some point...
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Gobsmackerettoed!!
Well today isn't going to plan already! I got up at 5.20am when the Hub left for work as I couldn't sleep because of the wind howling, and its blinking SNOWING!
So Happy Tuesday y'all!!
Hello?
Officially NOT IMPRESSED!
Mind you, it was stormy and sleet/snow all yesterday, coming from due North, to the extent that the weather is forcing itself through the panels of the front door.
Puddles inside on the hall tiles.
Huh!
And the second 'not according to plan' but a FAAAAR nicer surprise was to discover that I'd won a prize over at Everyday Bliss! Howzat for GOBSMACKED?? (Yeh, yeh, not a very polite word but VERY evocative and I can't think of a better one just now!!)
Listen to this:
'Grand Prize Winner of $50.00 to spend in the BLISS SHOP(s) of her choice is the lovely Heckety all the way from Ireland and the beautiful blog At Home with Heckety.'
(Not only do I win a prize but she thinks I'm lovely- so put that in your pipe and smoke it Daughters! (who have been complaining I'm a disgrace and an embarassment all weekend...))
YEEEE-HAWWW!!!!
(No, its just tea in the mug-honest).
What I was intending this morning was a nice genteel post about another wonderful Etsy Shop I found- in Helsinki, no less, and some photos of the parcel which arrived yesterday. Now she's going to think I'm a mad bogger (or blogger?) from the West and be terrified to open her emails any more...OH DEAR...
(Yes, the credit card ban is still in place- I 'borrowed' it when he wasn't looking...ok, technically, I nicked it...)
The Shop is Maili Supplies and she sells fabric, modern and vintage, mostly Finnish design, Marimekko...and very reasonable prices I thought.
And Ulla look! Maija-Liisa even included a Marimekko fridge magnet!!! The bold green and white I am going to use with the lovely Marimekko fabrics Ulla sent me back awhiles- and that quilt is going to be for ME, not the shop!
Aren't they lovely? And Tricia look! Finnish stamps!!
This is the most amazing fabric- the Shop photo didn't really do it justice! I don't know whether I'll ever be able to cut it up? I'm wondering about using it for whopping big cushions? Wouldn't you just smile every time you saw this??
Even the tape on the outside was fun!
So do head over and have a gawkeen? There's loads to see- I left you some...
And before I forget, Tricia has a Challenge going on if you fancy entering! Something different!
And the second thing I intended to say today is to apologise for not visiting any of you much the last fortnight, my head being full of the Shop and Logistics for the weekend. Now I'll get back on track, starting with a week of The Cabbage Soup Diet, I think, after the amount of junk and lack of whole meals ingested over the weekend...before I become like Winnie-the-Pooh and get stuck in doorways:
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Thankful Thursday
Another Thursday and time to line up our Thankfuls!1. Thankful for the beautiful weather we've been having; arising to blue skies and sunshine every morning is just wonderful!
2. Thankful all three girls were home for the weekend! Dilly gets home every two or four months as she is so busy so its a gift when she is here! As you can see they interact very well!!!
3. Thankful for a safe day out for B's School yesterday. Over 300 students (6 coaches!)went to Galway to cheer on the Senior Rugby team in the Final of the Connaught Cup, and, for the first time in seven years they brought it home!
(got the photos off the school website!) And the report from today's 'Irish Times' Newspaper.
Their Rugby trips are always great fun, heck, they were even great fun when I was there back in the Dark Ages, and to win was a bonus. The School social life revolves around Rugby and music!4. Thankful for parcels in the post- 'brown paper packages tied up with string'- so exciting!
5. Thankful for chocolate!!6. Thankful for great surprises- like when I get an email to say I've won a prize! Thank you Kat and Jane!
And now I'm going to go sew- a bit of quilting on a border, play with Ulla's fabric as I've had an idea, make a batch of bread, look for a flying geese pattern for some of the purple fabric from yesterday, wind the two skeins of red wool into balls so I can knit them, and check the soup!
S'long folks!
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Tick...whizz...tock!
Do clocks fly? Or is it just time that flies?
Yesterday I went with the folks to Enniskillen to do the main grocery shop for Christmas. It's better to get it in now before places are too crowded. B and Sos came for an outing and we all had a very productive day with everything being achieved. Quite a feat, I'd say! (All Civil Servants in the Republic were on strike yesterday so no School or College.)
The drive was interesting as the various lakes are so full. In Enniskillen town they had lined one road with sandbags and were pumping the water out so that it was drivable- interesting to watch.
I got some thread and the dinkiest angel!
Today I taught Music until lunchtime, combining several classes at a time. One song with disastrous timing was sorted with the help of the oldest class, and for the rest we were working on accurate entrances and melding the different voices together into a unified sound. It was difficult and required intense listening to themselves but the children worked very hard and very successfully, although by 12.30 we all felt like limp rags!
Yesterday I went with the folks to Enniskillen to do the main grocery shop for Christmas. It's better to get it in now before places are too crowded. B and Sos came for an outing and we all had a very productive day with everything being achieved. Quite a feat, I'd say! (All Civil Servants in the Republic were on strike yesterday so no School or College.)The drive was interesting as the various lakes are so full. In Enniskillen town they had lined one road with sandbags and were pumping the water out so that it was drivable- interesting to watch.
I got some thread and the dinkiest angel!
Today I taught Music until lunchtime, combining several classes at a time. One song with disastrous timing was sorted with the help of the oldest class, and for the rest we were working on accurate entrances and melding the different voices together into a unified sound. It was difficult and required intense listening to themselves but the children worked very hard and very successfully, although by 12.30 we all felt like limp rags!The temperature dropped considerably throughout the day and this evening the wind is cutting. We've had sun, rain, hail, strong winds and more hail. I sound like my sister who is on a trip to Antarctica, and sent a postcard from the Falkland Islands giving us a weather update! Is it perhaps an Irish characteristic to be obsessed with the weather?
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
Tropical Leitrim!
It’s been another warm day, decidedly muggy in town. This morning I wanted to finish putting up the photos in School (attaching brackets to the frames, then screwing them to the walls), so the Hub came with me to speed things up. The heat in the classrooms, even with windows open and doors propped to catch the breeze, was amazing. The children were doing class tests too, poor things. We failed to finish the pictures, but hopefully an hour tomorrow will do it. They look so good in their neat rows and so much safer attached permamently to the walls.
After lunch we sat out in the folk's garden for tea. It was just lovely to sit out and do nothing. Except for Mum who kept leaping up to chop bits off bushes and dead-head flowers, and then went off to fetch the plant books in order to identify a yellow shrub. She’s decided that it is hypericum, not genestra, although there was a bit of a barney because she wanted it to be potentilla, and I knew it wasn’t that. Dad pretended to doze, occasionally opening one eye to do ‘Paddington stares’ at me! (Note to self- argue respectfully with one’s mother when one’s father is sitting by…)
Thinking of plants, the spathyphillum in our bathroom are flowering beautifully at present. Although tropical, this muggy weather suits them very well, and they are such luscious plants with the shiny green leaves and pristine white flowers or bracts or whajemies.
Another thing this warm weather is good for is rotting down the compost. I was just talking to a field mouse whilst emptying the vegetable peelings into the outside compost bin and she said it’s quite delightful in the bins at present, and the fruit peelings add delicious variety to her diet.
My amaryllis bulb flowered at least two months ago, probably more, and I’ve been watching the seed pods grow fatter and fatter. On Sunday they burst open so yesterday I collected all the seeds, except for the few which fell into the printer, and then looked up books to see how best to germinate the seeds. Wouldn’t it be lovely to have lots of amaryllis plants flowering all at once? Mum says they grow wild in Hong Kong and are lovely to see. Granny’s ‘Gardening in East Africa’ book says to spread the seeds on a sandy loam with very light covering of soil, and then keep them in a light warm place under glass until they germinate. If I planted out the tomato seedlings I could use that tray for the amaryllis, but perhaps a rummage in the re-cycling place on the Quays would turn up another seed tray- I find amazingly useful items there, and the man who works there is great at helping me load up my car with other people’s rubbish! I fould a big old tim tea caddy on Saturday, very useful for planting a petunia in. Anyhow, planting the seeds is my next job…time and tide may wait for no man, but the ironing is generally quite patient!
Yesterday I spent most of the day with a friend: we sat in the sun drinking tea and setting the Irish education system to rights. If only the Minister for Education, O’Keeffe, had had time to stop by he would have learned so much to help him!
Middle daughter, Sos, spent this morning in town going round shops to see if there were any summer jobs going. She is a bit late starting since she’s only just finished sitting her Leaving Cert, but not surprisingly, the outlook isn’t good. A friend suggested an idea for a small business so perhaps she will set that up. She would like to learn to drive this summer, before going to College. She isn’t one to let the grass grow under her, so when she returns from next week in Madrid she will have time to get on with something. Its certainly a summer of firsts. This evening B returns from France- she’ll either collapse straight into bed, or she will talk all night, there’s no guessing which it’ll be.
And lastly, when I have figured how to download, upload, sideload, or whatever, I will start putting photos in. So far, no good!
After lunch we sat out in the folk's garden for tea. It was just lovely to sit out and do nothing. Except for Mum who kept leaping up to chop bits off bushes and dead-head flowers, and then went off to fetch the plant books in order to identify a yellow shrub. She’s decided that it is hypericum, not genestra, although there was a bit of a barney because she wanted it to be potentilla, and I knew it wasn’t that. Dad pretended to doze, occasionally opening one eye to do ‘Paddington stares’ at me! (Note to self- argue respectfully with one’s mother when one’s father is sitting by…)
Thinking of plants, the spathyphillum in our bathroom are flowering beautifully at present. Although tropical, this muggy weather suits them very well, and they are such luscious plants with the shiny green leaves and pristine white flowers or bracts or whajemies.
Another thing this warm weather is good for is rotting down the compost. I was just talking to a field mouse whilst emptying the vegetable peelings into the outside compost bin and she said it’s quite delightful in the bins at present, and the fruit peelings add delicious variety to her diet.
My amaryllis bulb flowered at least two months ago, probably more, and I’ve been watching the seed pods grow fatter and fatter. On Sunday they burst open so yesterday I collected all the seeds, except for the few which fell into the printer, and then looked up books to see how best to germinate the seeds. Wouldn’t it be lovely to have lots of amaryllis plants flowering all at once? Mum says they grow wild in Hong Kong and are lovely to see. Granny’s ‘Gardening in East Africa’ book says to spread the seeds on a sandy loam with very light covering of soil, and then keep them in a light warm place under glass until they germinate. If I planted out the tomato seedlings I could use that tray for the amaryllis, but perhaps a rummage in the re-cycling place on the Quays would turn up another seed tray- I find amazingly useful items there, and the man who works there is great at helping me load up my car with other people’s rubbish! I fould a big old tim tea caddy on Saturday, very useful for planting a petunia in. Anyhow, planting the seeds is my next job…time and tide may wait for no man, but the ironing is generally quite patient!
Yesterday I spent most of the day with a friend: we sat in the sun drinking tea and setting the Irish education system to rights. If only the Minister for Education, O’Keeffe, had had time to stop by he would have learned so much to help him!
Middle daughter, Sos, spent this morning in town going round shops to see if there were any summer jobs going. She is a bit late starting since she’s only just finished sitting her Leaving Cert, but not surprisingly, the outlook isn’t good. A friend suggested an idea for a small business so perhaps she will set that up. She would like to learn to drive this summer, before going to College. She isn’t one to let the grass grow under her, so when she returns from next week in Madrid she will have time to get on with something. Its certainly a summer of firsts. This evening B returns from France- she’ll either collapse straight into bed, or she will talk all night, there’s no guessing which it’ll be.
And lastly, when I have figured how to download, upload, sideload, or whatever, I will start putting photos in. So far, no good!
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