Moan, Moan, Moan - 2012

[ashley]

Michael,

For some reason Amazon UK don't sell Kindles (or e-books for it) to customers in the Republic.  Buy it (& e-books) through amazon.com which deals with all other countries.  Prices are in US$ but include customs charge incurred for shipment to Ireland, and delivery is fast.  It seems cumbersome but works fine.

Sorry for that misinformation Michael.  My local expert tells me they'll only supply the basic version to Ireland.  Very frustrating

[Michael J Campbell]

It was the 7" 16G version Anthony. Strange behavior since it would appear that Amazon now own Kindle. I am glad the plant Nurseries don't operate in such a fashion or I would be looking out at a concrete garden now.

[Anthony Darby]

Try here. It includes Ireland.  http://www.tesco.com/direct/amazon-kindle/

[wooden shoe]

-15°C to come this night and I was not really prepared. There's already 15 cm of snow. How will the Pleione's do, the Nerines were even still in flower.
Let's hope the plants will come through it without too much harm...

[wooden shoe]

Things didn't look too bad after all. A few kilometers from here it reached -13°C, but in the garden only -8,5°C.
The next morning the wind turned from north to the ordinary southwest and we got our normal second-hand English weather again.
The Nerines survived, one flowerbud might even give some weather-beaten flowers and I found even some seeds. It is a tough strain.
I have the Pleione's in a vertical peat wall, just like the botanical garden in Utrecht. The Pleione limprichtii should be able to cope in these conditions, but I safeguarded the Pleione bulbocodium now. It looked unharmed. The only thing that didn't look good was Clematis 'Winter Beauty'. It will survive, I'm sure about that, but it does set flowers in mid-winter. Just like former years the flower buds were forming, but before it is really flowering it is again badly damaged. I will just have to wait for a mild winter. I have added some extra mulch to the tender plants to be better prepared.
Well, these things happen and let's hope that this winter will not be as ravishing as last one.

[Anthony Darby]

Well, that worked! I now have an 8.9" Kindle Fire HD. From despatch to friend in New York to being unwrapped in my study was less than a week. 

[Roma]

The frost has gone but wind and rain overnight.  The ground is saturated and some of it still frozen under the surface.  The wood behind the house is about a foot higher than the back garden.  This morning the water was running out of the wood, along the path beside the cold frame, through the gate and down beside the wall in my brother's garden.  Luckily he only grows grass and a few elderly fruit trees.  My bulb pots are at the far end of the frame where the water is deepest.  The seed pots at the nearest  end are only half submerged so at least the seeds will not be washed away.  The last time this happened was January 2010 after a snowmelt but the water wasn't so deep and had started to go down during the day.  Not happening yet this time  

[Peter Maguire]

That looks awful Roma, I hope you get a few dry days (and no frost).   

[Anthony Darby]

My goodness. We are having a drought at the moment (touch wood).

[Roma]

The water has disappeared from the frame today.  I think most things will survive if it does not happen again too soon.  One consolation - I will not need to water for a long time 

[Maggi Young]

I take it it has not been raining in Kintore as heavily as it has in Aberdeen today, Roma? 
Torrential rain here.

[angie]

Roma, trust you to look at the bright side of things. Roma thats where your brothers plum tree is, I hope it won't affect the tree. I have never seen a tree with so much plums in my life, wish I just lived over the fence 

Yesterday my American Fridge freezer went faulty, only a few years old and guess who the guarantee is with, Yes Comet and who closed there doors yesterday. Not going to moan as I can just go and get another fridge but think of all those Comet staff being payed of and at this time of year.

Angie 

[Roma]

Raining again and the weather forecast shows no improvement before Monday.  The frame was filling up again this afternoon.  The water was not running out of the wood yet but seeping through the wall.  Plants and bulbs have survived this treatment before but not for a prolonged period.  I would think prolonged flooding at this time could be more harmful than a good soak in October/November or in late January/February.  I can only hope most things survive.

[Anthony Darby]

Each day this week we have been forecast rain. So far we haven't had any.

[David Nicholson]

We've actually been forecast a dry day tomorrow, bet it doesn't happen!