Dunblane SRGC Early Bulb Day 20th February 2010

[johnw]

Mark, wedding dresses shouldn't be too tight or we can't get into them again.

Lesley

re: 'Wedding dress'

I could get into that one!   In fact sold, I think I'll take it anyway.

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

Whatever takes your fancy John.

[Lori S.]

Lori, you  have some outdated views of us here in the old country... we do have the internal combustion engine, y'know!

Well, you just have to pardon us colonials... just because we're all speaking Esperanto and flying around in jet cars, we assume everyone is.   

[johnw]

Whatever takes your fancy John.

Lesley

In retrospect I guess I (or everyone else) should be be thankful that snowdrop wasn't named 'Tutu'.  

johnw

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Thanks for the stories and the pictures everyone !! 

Good to see and hear that despite the weather, everybody had a great time !!

[angie]

Hi everyone had a great day at Dunblane , would just like to say thanks to everyone that organised the event. Its fantastic meeting everyone and thanks to the nurseries we had a good selection of plants to choose from ( I didn't buy much plants did I Maggi )
Also it was lovely meeting our young member from Kent easily recognised by his photo on the forum. I hope he has defrosted by now.
The snowdrops were lovely and so was Maggi earrings they were shinning in the sun .
Cant wait for all this snow to go away I am dying to get out in the garden and plant up my new purchases and dig out all my losses.
Thanks again to everyone that organised our wonderful day out.
Angie

[Maggi Young]

Lori, you  have some outdated views of us here in the old country... we do have the internal combustion engine, y'know!

Well, you just have to pardon us colonials... just because we're all speaking Esperanto and flying around in jet cars, we assume everyone is.  

See! I just knew you had your own jet car!! All this talk of bikes and hiking is just a blind to make us feel less underprivileged!

[jomowi]

Good to hear you all had such a good time and a safe journey.  Maggie, I like the occasional use of the old term Charabanc.  It reminds me of a more relaxed way of life in the first 25 years or so of the 20th century.   I remember my late Father who was a coach builder saying they fitted Pianos in some, I guess about 1925-30. Seems much better than the universal DVD, Radio1/TV of today, but does require someone who can play.

[Maggi Young]

Thanks, Brian, yes, we did have a lovely day. Lots of people asking after you both, as you might imagine.

On the way down we passed a nice older coach from Cheshire..... our driver Jane, knew the owner/driver of this old coach, and told us about the family firm..... we were intriqued as we pulled past the coach, exchanging cheery waves to driver and passengers, to see that it was fitted out with seats in fours, around tables, as om a train..... little lights on the tables, flowers, the whole jing bang.... Jane told us the travellers get served tea and coffee en route.... it was really charming. We debated the likely cost of fitting out such a coach to that standard today and decided it would be prohibitive.

Some of us were not sure that we would like to be travelling "backwards" in a bus, though, as half the passengers were 

[David Shaw]

Not too many years ago I remember travelling on the connecting bus between Gatwick and Heathrow and it was similar to the one you describe. Four seats round a table and a hostess to serve tea and coffee etc. It was a modern bus but would not have been as elegant as yours.
Are you going to hire the bus you saw for next years trip?

[Lesley Cox]

Whatever takes your fancy John.

Lesley

In retrospect I guess I (or everyone else) should be be thankful that snowdrop wasn't named 'Tutu'.  

johnw

We are in the middle of Orientation Week here at present when all the Uni students are back and Dunedin's population swells by around 25,000. Or Week consists of the students getting to know local firms, facilities and everything else that's offered around the city and provence and among others includes banks, ski fields, local bars etc (as if they needed to be told THAT. Students have a built in homing device that takes them to anywhere that provides alcohol.) Otago Farmers' Market is also taking part and we have a mobile kitchen at the uni with different chefs doing student flat-type meals each day, using Market produce. It's proving very popular. Why I mentioned it was John's reference to tutus. At last year's Or Week we had a procession past our stand of new students (freshmen, to the Americans) having partied the night before, all wearing either fig leaves or tutus, usually pink. One guy labelled "the naked chef" was wearing just a skimpy chef's apron in front, the back totally naked. Another group were wearing sheep suits, very woolly in the heat, and were herded by a girl in cowboy boots and bull whip, not much else.


Do other uiversities have this kind of stuff happening? It used to be capping week but Orientation Week seems to have taken on the madness. Locals including the police are very tolerant for the few days.

[Anthony Darby]

Freshers week in most universities in the UK (except St Andrew's and Dundee). Usually October time.

[steve owen]

Anthony

Enjoyed the pics. I must tear myself away from the English snowdrop calendar and get up to Dunblane - maybe next year? Meanwhile, your two resized pics posted of "Wedding Dress" seemd to show different colouring - one green, the other distinctly limey, particularly the ovaries. Can you recall which is closest to the true colur of the potful? Thanks,

Steve

[Anthony Darby]

Steve, if my memory serves me correct, the green version is more correct. The first pics were taken outside in bright sunlight, whereas the second pot was taken inside on the show bench. You'll have to come and see it for yourself next February. (N.B. the second pic is a different pot.)

[Lesley Cox]

So pleased that sensible people can bring back the proper subject to a thread rapidly degenerating into the ridiculous, all because a snowdrop is called 'Wedding Dress.' (Perhaps too soon though to discuss ovaries? Delete that Maggi if you feel like it. )