Weather early 2009

[Martinr]

"What's a 'far' feeder".

That's the one the neighbours have which means the birds get fed and you save money!

[mark smyth]

oops, fat

[Lesley Cox]

I looked in vain for one about chocolate

[janine]

It is really cold here in somerset at the moment.  It hasn't thawed for about seven or more days.  The ground is absolutely solid.  I'm having to break the ice on the bird bath every morning.

[Anthony Darby]

I'm still goggling at those two statements.

this site has them
http://www.hp.europe.de/kd-europtravel/gaelic/proverb.htm

I take it Gaelic people don't have false teeth then?

[David Shaw]

We had a bit of drizzle yesterday but it then froze again and is still well below zero. The result is that everything is covered in ice, even the roads that have not been gritted (2nd Jan - public holiday). Fortunately we have a lot of stubble fields around us so were able to take a long walk and only had to cross the road twice.

[David Nicholson]

A grim, grey cold day here yesterday with little frost but never got properly light all day. Today, blue sky with watery sun, no frost but a biting wind.

[Carol Shaw]

We had a bit of drizzle yesterday but it then froze again and is still well below zero. The result is that everything is covered in ice, even the roads that have not been gritted (2nd Jan - public holiday). Fortunately we have a lot of stubble fields around us so were able to take a long walk and only had to cross the road twice.

And you would all have laughed your heads off at the way I inched gingerly across the road in both directions - still it was great to get out, and we returned home to freshly baked bread.

Our big concern is how our bulbs are doing under the fleece in the little bulb house. The outdoor cyclamen will survive (we hope) but we suspect the pots are frozen solid. 

[johnw]

Well we thought the blizzard was over this time yesterday but the snow just kept falling.

A chilly -6c here at 11 am. We have to plunge any outdoor frame pots in sand or wood chips to prevent root kill. I am surprised to see to pots standing unprotected in the UK cold. Do the plants lose roots?

I am sick of winter already.

johnw

[Maggi Young]

In recent years it has not been a problem here in Aberdeen to have unplunged pots lying overwinter.... but one of these days...... yup, we'll be in big trouble. 

[David Shaw]

I'll give you my answere in a month or two, John. Normally we get away with only minor losses but our current weather is exceptional. I am anticipating a lot of empty pots to wash shortly.

[johnw]

David - Fingers crossed that you aren't washing emptied pots this Spring.

Now to figure out just how to get to the greenhouse.

johnw

[Maggi Young]

I looked in vain for one about chocolate

Lesley, I would hate you to be missing out..... here you are..... from the Irish Gaelic rather than the Scots, but hey, this is an international Forum........
Tá a luach ar ghach éinne agus beidh mise sásta le seacláid.

[mark smyth]

Your snow looks very nice in the sun shine

[Paddy Tobin]

While we have had cold weather here over the Christmas period, I have been able to go outdoor everyday and work in the garden. The soil is not frozen, wet and heavy though so that shovelling is tiring work.  Today I began making a new compost bin as the old one had reached the end of its days - it had been made from wooden pallets and they had rotted; made a good bonfire though. New ones should be installed before the weekend is over.

Paddy