h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Any flowers in bloom? Daffodils, crocus? The gardens around here are starting to look like spring.

Our grass was just starting to grow again, and then we had snow on Tuesday, so it all stopped again. Spring is now 2 months later than normal.

We had hail here, but no snow.

I think I've seen enough snow during the last four or so months to last me for years.

It's like a rainforest here. Everything is springing up at once. I'm having to pay a mate to put it all right, because it's too much work for us two.

Are you going to plant vegetables again? maybe I'll have some this year.

Yeah, there's a lot going on. The whole flat is now surrounded by trellis, so there are going to be a lot more climbers, including a lot of beans on the sunny wall. I've also built a new shelf inside the big kitchen window for seeding and for growing on like a greenhouse would. And I still have no idea what veggies to grow this year - we're clearing space tomorrow

There's always your gardening journal to get back to for ideas. I can't have pumpkin on my balcony, but I can have cucumbers, and without slugs even.

My Good Friday was not lazy at all. I didn't even manage to get on to hootoo.

On Thursday our drains suddenly decided they were blocked and my husband, being at home for the Easter holidays, had the company of the drain-unblockers all day, coupled with the accompanying pong. I missed out on that, being at work all day, but spent the whole of Friday cleaning floors (kitchen, downstairs laundry, bathroom...) Being lazy by nature, as most of us seem to be, this wasn't a great way to spend a free day, IMO.

The good bit was though, that all three sons were home and we had dinner together in the evening. Nos 1 and 2 had used the good weather to go climbing, and they showed us their pictures. We all watched a film together, but No 1 had seen it, so went to bed earlier. "Men who Stare at Goats" - we all had a good laugh.

So I'm to Amazon now to find some audio-books. The next holiday, after Easter Monday, will be Ascension Day. Maybe I can make more of that, and enjoy a real holiday like you, B'El.

Sorry to hear you had such a lot of cleaning to do.

At least the blocking happened before Easter, when people were still at work, and not over Easter, when you'd have to pay three times the price just to get somebody out to unblock the drains.

I'm gonna download an audio book this week and listen to it in bed. If I don't finish it before the weekend (and it's sunny) I'm gonna finish it in the garden..
Im acually writing this post on my iPhone with a poor Internet connection. Hope it posts...

It came through as a rather tasty Rolling Stones track...are you sure you didn't use your iPod by mistake?

Just saw this thread. Sorry about your drains, TC but as B'El said, at least it was before and not during the holidays.

I had a productive Friday because I tidied my workroom which was full of bikes and garage stuff (which is all now back in the garage now I'm not in danger of having to dig the car out of snow in the morning) And it looks lovely. After that... just flopped around until yesterday.

Listening books are still to expensive for me, but I do have a rather recording of The Hobbit read by Martin Shaw who has the most gorgeous voice. Oh and a book in French, but I have to read the text too because otherwise I don't understand a word

B'el: how do you grow your cucumbers? I've never tried before but want to give it a go this year. Do they need to be under glass?

Don't bother trying in the garden - the slugs will feats on them, that's all. However if you try, you'll have to wait until after the Eisheiligen in May before you put them out.

Now I can't get the French kids' song "Savez-vous planter les choux?" out of my mind!

a plastic margarine tub, nearly level with the ground and about half inch of ale/lager and watch the slugs dive inkeeps 'em off all plants etc

Thank you, TC, for giving me that song into my head now.

Prof, I tried that. It didn't work. You have to check, refill etc ad nauseam.

ah! there is that to it, if you don't like drowned slugsbut the thrushes willhic!

Drunken thrushes?

amazing

around here we have the saying "drunk as a jackdaw"

drunk thrushes were never heard of - until now

thrushes love slugs, that's why I will never put slug pellets down