Weather to come.......

[Toddy]

It's a beautiful clear, crisp cold night here.
The gritters are out on the roads, but the arc of the moon and the stars are so sharp. I think the air must be washed clean.

But, it was still daylight for the first time this year when I left to go and pick up Son2 from the station tonight, so the days are definitely lengthening

I have crocus' in bloom and the bluebells are about 10cm high now, no flower spikes sowing yet, but everything's moving along

 

[Broch]

Strangely, I have flower spikes beginning to show on 5cm bluebells!

The weather forecast can't tell me what it's doing now let alone this weekend or next week. I'm trying to plan working parties and just cannot make any commitment

 

[Pattree]

That rain is handy! I’ve just finished repairs to the tipi and set it up in the this rain for testing.
It leaks. Not much but I’ll be out with the seam sealer once it’s dry. The fabric is behaving beautifully but then it always does after it’s annual end of season Fabsil.

 

[Laurentius]

I had just started digging on my allotment and along comes the rain to spoil everything.

 

[Broch]

That rain is handy! I’ve just finished repairs to the tipi and set it up in the this rain for testing.
It leaks. Not much but I’ll be out with the seam sealer once it’s dry. The fabric is behaving beautifully but then it always does after it’s annual end of season Fabsil.

Yeh, but, without the rain, you could have used a hose pipe - it's stopping me getting on with so much work - wielding billhooks, axes, and chainsaws in the wet is just not safe

 

[Pattree]

Sorry about that
but I’ve just said on another forum - rain gets in where a hose doesn’t. A night of fine rain will tell me enters the seams need attention.

That said, it can stop now. I don’t think we’ll be short of water for a while.

 

[Woody girl]

Still havnt got the hedge laid at the project, it's been too wet to work safely.
Might not get done at all this year.
Last week we were ankle deep in mud trying to put in a couple of new fence posts and strainers, ready for the new wire sheep fence. Still haven't got it finished,
All three of us came in soaked, caked in mud, and totaly teed off!. Hopefully we can finish that job this week. The sheep can't come back into the field untill it's done.
Then we have to make new steps for the compost loo, and stuff in more straw bales before we can run any courses.
Plus we are still building the ( very wet, )dry stone wall. So much to do, and little progress when you only have one day a week to get it done.
Oh please can we have a bit of dry sunny weather so we can get these jobs done, and start some courses.......please!

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Even if the climate is screwed up, no complaints here at this time of year.

 

[Broch]

One can fall out with people you know!

 

[Woody girl]

Nasty weather today. Woke up last night to torrential rain and wind, my black bin being blown around, and my bike rollover cover trying to walk away...I must get it screwed down!
We have had two hailstorm in the past hour, and the torrential rain has made the garden so wet that water oozes up around your boot when you step on the grass.
I have so much to do to ready the garden for spring planting, and it's impossible to get going.
Washing, is wetter than when I put it out on the line for the past couple of washes.
Trees down due to landslide blocking our main road in and out of town a few days ago, and now looking at being cut off with flooding.
Did someone say spring was here?
Its dark, cold, wet, miserable, and need six months in the Bahamas! I'm totaly fed up with this awful weather.

 

[Pattree]

Ah! THAT’S where it went. We’ve been threatened with that sort of weather here in the Midlands today. Bright sunshine and I didn’t wear an overcoat. You’ve got it all!

 

[Woody girl]

Ah! THAT’S where it went. We’ve been threatened with that sort of weather here in the Midlands today. Bright sunshine and I didn’t wear an overcoat. You’ve got it all!

The sun came out just after I posted, so I decided to paddle into town and hit the chippy for a few lunch time chips. The moment I sat on the bench to eat them, it started to rain .. the moment I gave up and moved off, the sun came out again.
What on earth did I do to deserve this!!!
Everytime I go out it rains or hails! Soon as I go inside it stops and the sun comes out.!!!!

 

[Pattree]

However naughty you’ve been in a past life, I do hope you enjoyed it.

 

[Pattree]

Tried to camp up in the Welsh hills on a friend’s holding. I did some tests before I dug out the tipi - experience says this is worthwhile.
The grassland was a swamp. It wouldn’t grip nine inch nail pegs neither would the triangular section pegs hold. I could have pitched using six augers that I carry for high wind but if I’d pitched I’d have made a hell of a mess and I pride myself on low impact camping. I didn’t unpack the tipi.
My friend, who owns the holdings has a tiny wooden studio at the bottom of her garden and I’ve spent two nights in that. The swamp would have been softer!!! For my three days on the mountain it never stopped raining (while I was awake). It was still fun and I helped to build a raised bed. We were using bone dry dusty soil from inside a poly tunnel (plus cardboard and compost) and got covered in dust. Outside in the rain this turned to a thin layer of mud. It was however great fun.

Weather to come? At least ten days of the same.

 

[Woody girl]

Back to cold rainy weather the last 3 days, after a couple of days teasing with sunshine and relative warmth. The woollens are back out, and in use.
Got two raised beds sorted during the sunny days, but been unable to plant anything . Well behind this year on everything.
Feeling a bit low, so
I gave up and stayed in bed most of the day today, just fed up and depressed with the cold and damp making my various ailments flare up. So decided on self care, rather than trying to struggle on . Tho I have washed and rehung the shower curtain, and my bedroom net curtains today. So not totaly lazy!

 

[Toddy]

We have had a beautiful May Day

Just so lightly overcast that it took the glare out of the Sunshine, but warm and calm and bright.

I made fire, just because I could, and brought in the Summer properly, but these folks, they really did bring in Summer

Thousands gather for Beltane Fire Festival on Calton Hill to welcome Summer

More than 8,000 visitors from across the world attended the event

news.stv.tv

 

[Pattree]

A truly beautiful day today. Not Beltane here as hawthorn is only just peeping out and holly buds are tight still.

Outdoor kissing will have to wait.

 

[GreyCat]

It's variable across the country at moment.

Just got back from 3 days working away. This afternoon in Derby it was dry, sunny, 19 to 21 C.

By the time I had driven as far as Gloucestershire it was raining. By the time I got home it was wet and only 10 C.

Big differences, no wonder my dodgy joints are aching.

GC

 

[Lean'n'mean]

It has been Pretty dismal. We have had a choice of repeated heavy showers or hours of continual rain. (it's pouring down & 10°C as I post this) & the temperature has been struggling to tickle the 14°C mark. Things should start to warm up towards the end of next week though. Ironic that it is warmer in Scotland than here abouts.
The river is ready to burst it's banks so we risk getting flooded again but since everything is already damp & kaput, it won't make much difference.
On a positive note, no sign of drought.

 

[Woody girl]

(Whispering quietly).....sunshine!
And it's not my birthday yet!
Stars were absolutely gorgeous last night, and I wasn't frozen after 10 minutes. Have we finaly turned the corner?
I'm not holding my breath, but fingers are crossed, and my ruck is packed for a small adventure next week, as I have other things on this weekend.