What are you all up to

I leave mine to provide food and shelter for the garden birds.  Normally prune late March and results are still pretty good

David, I was advised to take it down to about half the height at this time of year to stop it getting rocked with the high winds we get. If I was to leave it and it did loosen it when we get the snow and deep frost it can then get into the roots and cause it to die.

I then take it down to about a 2 ft in the spring time before we go away, we do get very big heads on it, it was about 9ft high before chopping it today.

Happy birthday to your Mum TG! I am busy knitting some fingerless handwarmers for mine!

I remember you saying you were doing a 'fiddler muff' some time ago how did that go, I liked the sound of that. Good luck with the mits.

Sounds like folk have had enjoyable or productive days.

Tammygirl don't be too tidy in your garden the hedgehogs and bugs  need the Leaf litter 😉.

We've not seen signs or had visits from Arbuthnott and his chums since 8 October, a bit early for hibernating according to what I read. But last night something visited our sleeping and feeding place as we have hay out if the entrance, little or no food gone but a slug seems to have crawled over it 😲. Friends up the road hadn't had a visit for a while but did have one on Sunday and it had left calling cards. We all thought maybe they we finding more natural food? But we've not even had calling cards, not seen any squashed in adjacent roads so fingers crossed!

Took mum to the foot clinic, she's had a painful toe, it is a hammer toe, for several weeks. GP gave her antibiotics incase it was infected 😤 and said if it didn't feel better pay and go to foot clinic. Turned out she has a pressure ulcer  so waste of antibiotic and time 😤😤😤. Taking her back Tuesday to be checked but I've managed to get her INR  check at the GP round the corner straight after - result. (Brother now has boot off after breaking metatarsal and should be ok to drive in a week or 10 days so we can come off full duties 😁 it's been a long 7 weeks!)

Called in Sainsbys on the way home, 25% off Tu clothes, managed to get 4 tops for the winter 😁😁😁.

Been sunny and cloudy but a real chilly wind today. Taster of what's to come? 

Bidding went well I guess, Goldie, or you wouldn't have posted it on here. Hope that the others brought in a large amount too.

Tammygirl don't be too tidy in your garden the hedgehogs and bugs need the Leaf litter 😉.

 no fear of that happening, we've got  2 very high and long hedges so always plenty of leaf litter under them from the silver birch trees.

Lots of our neighbours are elderly ( 90's + ) so their gardens are a haven for all the beasties  haven't seen any hedgehogs for awhile here either or their calling cards, we used to have a whole family at one time under the shed. 

As soon as the hammer falls she belongs to someone else. They will milk her (facilities at the auction). She and another of ours are going to another organic farm. They've bought several of ours over the years so must like our herd. And for those who need to know these things her name is Strickley Strawberry 10th.

The other two were both bought by another bidder.

And there's another chance to but some Strickley stock next month at Penrith (a smaller sale).

 Dammit,  Goldie  that  scared  me  to  within  an  inch  of  spilling  my  coffee  ( Whole  string  of  's  actually)  altho'  I'm  told  such  shocks  can  be  good  for  the  heart  !!

Think  you  might  have  warned  me  --  but  now  you  know  what  the  'M' stands  for 

ABM

Half  a  Whoopeee!!

Taken  delivery  of  parcel  from  RSPB  with  6  new  "Perching  Pockets"  for  hiding  away  in  hedges,  bushes  etc.  So  I'll  prepare  them  for  installation  after  lunch  then  I'll  possibly  try  to  repair  those  from  last  year  that  have  not  totally  disintegrated  due  to  "Sparrow  Depredation"  {  }!!

{  Twas  only  half  a  W  'cos  it  means  I  will  end  up  with  head  &  shoulders  up  close  &  personal  with  a  soggy  hedge  or  three  with  the  obvious  result  of  a  soggy  Brian  !!  }

P.S. / Edit

Its  a  soggy  job  'cos  it's  a  wet  morning  in  south  Cheshire  with  many  showers  piling  in  every  half  hour  or  so.  It  looks  like  the  Forecasters  have  got  it  right  today  i.e.  :--  wet  with  c c cold  to  follow.

Do  so  hope  you are  all  warm  dry  &  knitting  away  merrily  (  Finger-less  Handwarmers   ==  are  they  not  Socks  ?? )

Bright and breezy here, a delightful morning spent unblocking drains, OH a bit grumpy....