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

Try Tiger balm, thats even hotter

Did you suffer any damage with the storms of last week?

No, none at all. We're quite lucky in Torbay, because Dartmoor is between us and the Atlantic and takes most of the sting out of storms. Was it bad over your way?

Yes, it was pretty bad here. Alot of trees blew down, some huge poplars up the lane i walk to work came down. It was like the domino effect We're still getting falling trees, even though the wind has died; the rain has made the ground so wet - the the loosened trees can't hold on. It's such a shame.
There were the usual tiles off roofs and fences down, which has been good buisness for our boss

I suppose the wind must really get up there at times, simply because it's so flat. It's quite scary when trees start coming down, isn't it? Some nature reserves further north have been quite badly hit.

Luckily i was'nt actually there when the poplars fell, but you could clearly see how the first falling tree, took 2 others with it.
Course now we have the snow to contend with! It's made me totally miserable , so i may not be around for a couple of days.

Snow there, is there? We very rarely get the white stuff here at all. It's going to warm up again in the next couple of days anyway, so we're going to be heading springwards once again

Yes, we do have snow here look!! See!
I'm now considering hibernation untill the nasty white stuff is gone.
On a brighter note, all the summer bulbs came in last week. It's far to early for planting but they are an indication of things to come.

I normally consider hibernation from about October onwards. It doesn't seem sensible at all to be moving around trying to keep warm at this time of year...

This is true, though you havent faired to badly down you part of the world eh!
Have you actually had a frost yet?

I don't think so, unless there was one while I was away

'Sigh' I live in the wrong part of the country, maybe i should move to Cornwall

Ugh! Cornwall??? The cheek of it!

Hee hee. I knew that would get a reaction It's nice to know that the old county rivalry is still alive and kicking.

There's no need for rivalry with such a rubbish county

Hello
Hows things?

Do you remember me mentioning about a Dahlia called 'Little Robert'? Well they have arrived at work. Would you like one? It's not time to plant them yet, they don't go in untill the end of April.

Things are better this week, thanks very much

I never say no to pretty flowers! I really need to start to get the garden cracked this year - that's a big big big yes please

I'm glad to hear things are getting better

I'll send you a tuber a bit later on, say around then end of March. As your climate is warmer down there you should be able to plant it in April, as long as the frosts have passed. I'll send instructions too

Next Tuesday my tree is being delivered I've already dug over the area where it will live. There is enough space to plant other things aswell
That shrub still has'nt budged, despite attempts at trying to loosen it out of the ground. I've covered it with weed supressing fabric, which will kill it; then it should come out easy....hopefully

Frost? Here in sunny Devon?

What tree are you planting?

It can be arranged!

The tree is a Silver birch 'betula utilis jaquemontii' It's still only a sapling, but can easily put on 4 foot of growth in it's first year of planting out