Moan, Moan, Moan - 2011

[Tim Ingram]

I was vaguely academic years ago (probably quite an accurate description!), but have been a nurseryman and gardener ever since. It has never changed my deep fascination with the natural world and one of my favourite books remains 'The Living Garden' by E. J. Salisbury. Academia can easily lead to over-specialisation at the expense of common sense - thus at the beginning of Salisbury's book is the wonderful quote: 'Science is a first rate piece of furniture for a man's upper chamber, if he has common sense on the ground floor.' It's nice to keep walking from one to the other. I wish I had Darren's ability to ignore the television (but there are occasionally some really superb programmes - 'Earth Story' with Aubrey Manning was outstanding). However, I have pretty much given up watching the news and the world seems to still go by!

[David Nicholson]

I rarely watch the box apart from the news, much rather listen to the radio or a CD. I wouldn't want to be with out my daily news fix, even if I do shout at it, and apart from Friday, I'm a fixture with Newsnight.

[Michael J Campbell]

I have got onto some serious trouble over the years with the other half and offspring for shouting at box when the news is on. Thankfully I have almost  given it up now apart from the odd outburst. I had a serious relapse last night though.

[SusanS]

I wish I had Darren's ability to ignore the television (but there are occasionally some really superb programmes - 'Earth Story' with Aubrey Manning was outstanding).

what Darren omitted to mention is that the TV point is in the coldest room in the house, so in winter unless you want to snuggle up under a blanket it is too cold to watch anything. 

One of my tasks for the summer is to get a new stove fitted in that room, but some how I don't think we will spend any more time watching the telly.

Susan

[annew]

What is worse than a cherry tree laden with fruit and no fruit cage? I'll tell you - it's a cherry tree laden with fruit inside a fruit cage that the birds can get into but not out of. I'm having to release blackbirds every day. Today it was dad and 3 kids plus they'd brought along a sparrow to join in. I've searched every inch for a way in and can't find one. I suspect teleportation.   

[SusanS]

Hi Anne,

Trees laden with cherries how wonderful, we only ever manage to get a handful off our trees.

we had a similar problem with a family of blackbirds when the blueberries ripened a couple of years ago.  Found out the birds were getting in by pushing at the bottom of the netting, but once in they couldn't push the netting from the inside as it had curled up slightly. Only found this out when we saw them do it.  Re-secured the bottom of the net by placing soil over it and haven't had a problem since, that we know of anyway. 

[Tim Ingram]

We have had a bumper crop of cherries this year and I put it down to our new little dog who sits on top of a frame under the cherry tree. He does this because it is outside our living room and he can watch us watching television!!

[annew]

The netting was pinned down all the way round, but I'll go and tug at it to make sure. Can I borrow your dog, Tim?

[Anthony Darby]

Wilkin's of Tiptree used to employ a student to rattle a tin of marbles as he walked up and down between the cherry trees, until they found out that if they put bird feeders out the birds ignored the cherries!

[annew]

I don't think the blackbirds would go for feeders though. Anyway, picking the last of the gooseberries today, so only the redcurrants to come then we can take the roof off.

[Maren]

My blueberries grow in a large fruitcage/tunnel on the allotment and for years, although always covered in flowers, they produced very little ripe fruit.

Then I decided to put a lock on and, surprise, surprise, now I get bumper crops. Amazing how shut doors increase fertility. 

[Maggi Young]

Amazing how shut doors increase fertility. 

Must work in the same way as power cuts...........

[Lesley Cox]

This poor little family is in the wars again. I generally take dogs for morning walks on local roads but in the late afternoon Roger takes them to a variety of places including local dog parks, along the Silverstream river etc and in the course of these walks he and dogs get to know many other dogs and their owners so that all dogs are quite comfortable and friendly with other owners than their own. Yesterday, Roger was greeted joyously by Murphy a huge Newfoundland, who hadn't seen our lot for a week or two. Roger was crashed to the ground, hit his head (sore but not really damaged) and had to be rescued because he really couldn't walk. I took him into A and E where he was found to have extensive muscle damage across his back and hips and bruised kidneys. Fortunately nothing broken. He is home but in great pain. He can't do much for a week or so, though is advised to walk and move about as much as possible. Pain killers will accompany porridge this morning.

This is bad enough but yesterday he was in the thows of mending the switches on my elderly oven and the job isn't finished, with the whole oven, the doors and back all separate (and all his various tools) and filling the kitchen so I'm having to do things around them, not easy. He won't be able to finish this for a few days and in the meantime I have shoved the oven back into place but it still isn't working. Just wondering if I can get a new one altogether. At least I can still boil the kettle.

[Maggi Young]

Crumbs, Lesley, you lot should carry a health warning. Newfies are such big dogs that Roger might easily have had worse injuries, even with escaping a cracked head.

What a to-do   At least tea which may be all you get to eat for a while, is good for recuperation  

Do you have Arnica gel or cream at home? I thoroughly recommend slathering it all over any sore bits .... works a treat for minimising bruising etc. Roger may regard it as adding insult to injury, in his current state, but heigh ho!  

[Anthony Darby]

Arnica's good. Better than the slathering you'd get from a Newfoundland!