MRS B

Aha the pork pie debate again, I love the jelly and the pastry. Better than the meat.

Just been investigating some very loud hedgehog grunting by my shed and there are 2 hedgehogs presumably going through the rutting procedure. Have left them to it and left more food out in case they need some sustenance! Bless them.

I didn’t know I had a cafe in Melton ….. interesting

I like the historically themed posts the best. Phil, I did get the book about Tollerton Aerodrome, very interesting so thanks for that.

I always plant coriander either end of my runner and green beans which seems to minimise the blackfly and marigolds in between my umpteen roses which helps with the greenfly. Far nicer deterrent than spraying, especially when you’re eating the end product. Last resort is a dilution of neem oil.

Col, I love lupins, unfortunately so do aphids which just suck out the sap which is annoying so keep an eye on them. There is a beautiful lupin called Manhattan Lights which is a bi colour purple and yellow, truly splendid. We have been at the allotment today planting sweet peas which climb through my grape vine and cabbage (Greyhound) which are the conical ones and really tasty. Now we both know we’ve been there with aches, me with my knee and Mr B with his sore hands. Maybe we are the “hands, knees and bumpsy daisy” couple eh? Just been watching “Herman” the hedgehog feeding. He’s huge

Mine have “Symply” dry chicken cat food along with a dish of water and seem quite happy. They shouldn’t have anything fish based apparently or milk. I remember as kids we used to give them a saucer of milk with bread - very bad for them we are now told.

Two of my favourite things tonight, listened to the last call of the blackbirds and fed and watered my large hedgehog. Time for a Bacardi and coke now.

Have just put some more food out for my hedgehogs, there’s a lot of activity out there tonight!

Nice pics. I really can’t think of any other deterrent then.

Rog, I put bean poles about a foot high in my pots in the garden to deter cats (mostly my two) from using them as toilet facilities which works and I’ve always got a supply of broken poles so good recycling. Maybe you could try that, would be a bit more hedgehog friendly than netting as they’ll just avoid them.

I make a years supply of passata every year so I grow fleshy tomatoes like San Marzano, Coeur de Beau and Iraqi. The Iraqi ones are from Mosul originally and to prevent the seed from becoming lost, some bright spark in the Iraqi war collected loads to keep them going.

When hedgehogs hibernate, apparently their brain remains dormant so they wake up thinking they are in the same place they were when they went to sleep. I think it’s a great idea, I would quite happily hibernate in my duvet over winter.

Jill, have just been watching it eat, it’s huge! Maybe it is the one I had last year.

Food gone tonight Jill, excellent as you say.

I can remember Peter Barrie.

Well done PP for your successful seed saving and germinating. They sound like a strain of “Black Russian” which has the same qualities. You can save seed from your own now this year. I am on my 7th generation of a cherry tomato called Piccolo which I originally had from Tesco and saved the seed. I dry them on a sheet of kitchen roll and then put them in an envelope over winter and sow the kitchen roll then on top of compost in a half seed tray and put a thin layer of compost on top. Water and cover with a top Perspex, put on a sunny windowsill and wait for them to appear. I always pot them on

Jill Sparrow, Jill Sparrow, we have a hedgehog! Just spotted it and have put some food out. Whoop whoop. Will keep you updated.

Finally managed to get in to see a doctor about my knee problems after completing an online form over 4 weeks ago. He did a very thorough examination and is requesting an MRI which he says will take a couple of months to come through with a date. Onwards and upwards

Zoff it is then.

Barrie get some Zoff wipes from Amazon or try nail varnish remover.

Beekay, you just make me want to go back to Firenze. Your perspective is really good and Brunelleschi’s Duomo. Love it.

Barrie, Florence is my favourite city of anywhere I’ve ever been. Do you know where she stayed to take the photo? I have been many times with my History of Art daughter which for me is like having your personal tour guide. I would love to see the finished product.

I spotted this today. It’s a bee fly which mimics bees. It is very clever and lays its eggs in solitary bees nests. The larvae when ready will then eat the bees eggs after it has gorged on the pollen which has been left in the bees nest for the potential little bees. It loves purple, pink and white flowers so I’m not surprised that it was in my garden as I have lots of pulmonaria to attract the real bees. How fascinating. If you Google bee fly you can find out lots more info.

Oz I agree, the simple things to change are easy, wall ovens are a pain in the neck and I can’t abide clocks of any sort being different to other clocks in the house. Maybe because working for an airline, the clocks had to be correct. Always mystified me though what happened between 2359 and 0001 because there never was a 0000 time in aviation. I watched a programme years ago about changing the clocks in the museum. There is a set way of doing it but it takes ages. Also, why do microwave clocks gain a minute every so often ?