Friday 5th Oct. : Let's use this forum guys !!

There are only so many hours in a day, I know I know , and with checking e mails and visiting other forums and getting hosework done and (Lord help us!) doing gardening (!!!), let alone cooking and shopping (boring supermarkets and not clothes or shoes or anything interesting) there's precious little time for any of us to input here.

But .......... those of us who are left here (me thanks to a VERY kind donor) must try to keep in touch through this forum. And if any of us are leaving here we need to swap email addresses or something so we can stay in touch.

But pro tem we still need to use this UK forum - the whole point of coming here was that we had a mini-community within the larger community where the often alien topics that would be lost on most other nationalities could be discussed and thrashed out. And it's going down the pan at the moment and I don't want it to !

It's a grey and windy day here in Yorkshire and my mood matches the weather. Somebody cheer me up.

Please ?

Jo

I'm from Texas but wanted to make a post here if that is ok. I just wanted to let you all know that if any of you need help with your subscriptions to Dave's Garden,please let us know,if not here, then e-mail Trish and something can be worked out for you. Some of us would like to help out if we can but unable to help unless we know who you are. Someone has paid for my subscription and have no idea who it was, but I do thank them from the bottom of my heart,so please let some of us do the same favor for others. Please do not consider it as a hand out,just consider it as a gift from God,for he works through us in order to help others.Now, would you turn down a gift from God? I hope not, so please, pretty please, let us know who needs help with DG subscriptions.'It is better to give,then to receive.'

Hello everyone! I TOTALLY agree! Let's have a lively forum here again!!!! We have lots of friends from overseas wwe can invite in. Welcome CoCo!!! What's Texas like at this time of the year? Do you have autumns?
My sub was also paid by a kind donor. Many, many thanks. My computer is still a bit dodgy, but I can look in here during the week using the uni puters, so don't panic if you don't see me at the weekends right now.
Hmmmm it's cheer up Jo day? Well, I was thinking of cream teas, but then I thought we might fancy something more seasonal.
A blazing coal fire. Hear it crackling away. And I've collected some driftwood from the beach for it - let's throw another log on the fire!!! Lots of pretty-coloured flames! Now something to eat... How about roasted chestnut? Get your fresh roasted chestnuts, fresh roasted chestnuts. Louder! FRESH ROASTED CHESTNUTS!!!!

Hello folks. Got a couple of lectures to head off for. But I've got the lounge warmed up for you. So warm your toosies. Thought I'd toast some marshmallows as well, and I've got some mulled wine. And I've thrown another log on the fire. Make yourselves right at home!!!

Right now in Texas we are having cooler temperatures.in the lower 80's yesterday. Had rain and thunderstorms this morningReally needed the rain. Our grass is still green and leaves are still on the trees. Will be having cooler temperatures this weekend...down in the 40's. Roses are blooming really nicely with the cooler temperatures. Our winters here are usually pretty mild. Have put up Christmas lights before with shorts and short sleeve shirts on.Just don't seen like Christmas without snow but have to make do.
We do get a few ice storms once in ahile but doesn't last long.Is gone in a day or two. Right now the grass needs to be mowed and need to finish up the flower bed that DH tilled last weekend. Have made a hugh star out of landscape timber for flower bed and think I will put a small birdbath in the center of the star and then for flowers to plant,well have decided on that yet. Don't want nothing too tall in there for I want people to still be able to see the star shape when in bloom Have lost alot of my roses from the heat here this summer but hopefully will be able to replace them...1 rose at a time. Living in Texas,had to have a star flowerbed. Just like different shapes. Have one shaped like a horseshoe with lilies,2 roses and 2 candle trees planted in it. Need to get a canna bed made yet as all mine are in pots so need to get them in the ground but they are still blooming so will have to wait for them. So much to do and not enough hours in a day.
Catch y'all later.
All My Best to Everyone
CoCo


NEXT:

ROAST CHESTNUTS !!!!!!!

Oh have I got stories about roast chestnuts. Like the time in North Italy when I had sweet chestnut trees in the back of my house and we'd collected pounds and pounds of them and were roasting them on a shovel over the log fire when one of us looked up and saw a group of chamois in the garden digging through the snow to find something to eat. Just sat there entranced until the smoke from burning food brought us back to earth with a big bump.

Or in the South of England, not far from Colchester, walking through the woods on an afternoon off from the Uni and collecting bags and bags of chestnuts to pig out on and feel absolutely constipated and sick for days afterwards - and then to do it again a week later !

Never learn lessons me - 'specially when it involves food !

Coco - Hi ! I guess with temps as high as you describe you won't want to sit in front of the fire, but you're welcome just gthe same.

Jo

Thanks,but no thank you. Not right now anyway.Maybe in January I'll join y'all. For now,forget it. I'm still wearing shorts down here in the big state of Texas. Turning out to be a very wonderful day. The rain has stopped, the wind died down and the sun is shining, and the birds are singing.
O,what a beautiful morning,O what a beautiful day. Ok,ok,I'll quit singing. Off key anyway.

Amazing to think you've still got it hot CoCo. We tend to get the snow here about Chritsmas. Right now it's autumn. Been windy and damp here. Not very pleasant. Bits of trees have come down. My lawn will stilll need to be mowed another couple of times or so, just till the end of the month. The growth is already slowing down. I'm going to have to think of yanking out my hardy annuals soon. THe grarden will look pretty drab then. Your garden sounds lovely!
Hi Jo! I'm not sure whether or not I've ever tasted hot chestnuts. Johnny Morris used to be the Hot Chestnut Man on tv when I was a little girl. Before he did "Animal Magic". I just thought it was getting on for that time of the year. There's one or two meal ideas using them on the Internet. I have a number of sweet chestnut trees growing near me.
My computer's still temperamental so I can't guarantee that I'll get back to Dave's over the weekend. So if I don't see you till Monday, be good!!!!

Hey, can I join you for chestnuts? I haven't had any in a long time! I'm from New York and the weather here is in the low 60's Farenheit right now and dark and gloomy(it will be raining soon). Fall is here! I need a nice log fire to warm me up. :) Sandy

Well its been very windy here today in beautiful Wigan, put a load of washing out early this am, got no rain until tonight, if you were out of the wind it was not cold at all. Well its the weekend and i beleive it is going to be a lousy weekend so the BBC weathmen say but i no longer believe them,everybody remember 1987 when Bert Ford said-somebody has phoned me to say is it true we are getting some really bad gales etc and he said no way just France not GB,silly silly man, why have they not changed the name of Sevenoaks cos they only have 2 left after that.

Can I pop in, too? I've never tried roast chestnuts before, and Ohhhh that fire feels good! It's going down to freezing tonight, so was busy dragging in the more tender plants. they will have to live in the basement til spring. The big challenge is to keep them alive til then! I still have gladiolas to dig up, and I'm sure theres other stuff like the polka dot plants, (and they just finished blooming.) My biggest hassle was trying to wrestle the mandevilla in the house along with the wooden trellis because it wouldn't let go. The trellis refused to come through the door. So I told the mandevilla, either let go or I would sever all it's fingers! Well, it didn't, and I did! Now, how can I make peace with it? Right now it's in a snit, but do I try to feed it when I'm forgiven, or will it go dormant or do I not let it go dormant? Or does it know how to do that? I think these grow year round in the southern states, but I'm in the north. Doris

Doris,just clip your mandy back and put it in a place that it wont freeze.Don't let it go bone dry,but really cut back on the water.Where are you???I usually bring mine in the house the end of Feb. and give it water and coax it back to life.It can go on my sheltered porch in March and fully outside in April.But I'm about the same as CoCo and we won't have a hard freeze for a good while yet.The petunias and impatiens are prettier now than they were in July.We still have clouds of skeeters and my yard will need mowing up until I put out my Christmas decorations.We do get some snow,but it isn't often.I waited 2 years after we built our house to get a picture of it with my Christmas up and the snow on the ground.And I had to keep it up till Feb. to do it!! My neighbors thought I was nuts.

Hi, Melody, Thanks for the information. I'm northwest of Chicago. It's supposed to go down to 34 tonight. Last night it went down to 38. It's late afternoon and it's only 48 now, so it'll no doubt drop. I can put it in the basement. Maybe a drink once a week? Usually it's warmer this time of year, hope it doesn't mean an early winter. I put the chopped off arms of the Mandy in a vase of water. Any chance of them rooting? I'm glad you finally got your decorations pictured with snow on the ground! In spite of the neighbors. Seems like so many people rip their decotations down a week after Christmas! I like to leave them at least til the middle of January! It's cheerful, because by then we do have snow, usually. Thanks for the advice. I feel better now about cutting my little friend down to 14". Doris

I'm baaaaack! Rottten weather here, rain and wind blutering about! Time to curl up by the fire I think. Do you like my sheepskin rug? I'll put another log on the fire. It's good to hear it crackling away. Mmmm those chestnuts are good!
I've got gladioli to see to. Usually just leave them in and trust to luck. My garage is a bit damp. THis weather isn't gardening weather. Where's the nice crisp dry autmumn days gone to?

Hi Everybody I went to Notherner's, for some cream tea and she wasn't there but Jeeves was, so I had a cup with him. Today was a nice day here in Southern Ontario lot's of sunshine,was to reach 21celceus today but I think it only got to 17C and tomorrow rain oh well part of fall.

So that's where you went! YOU were alone with Jeeves? After what we did to him?? hehehehe. Has he forgiven us? This fire feels great! Thank you Jeeves for the tea and sandwiches. Cucumber, my favorite!

Hi Doris I think so he sounded like he wanted to come back to the bar-b for a bit. Maybe the others would also it's warmer in Australia then here!!!!

Feels good here, away from those high temps! Much more relaxing and lovely snacks. At least here we know what we're eating! Not like the Aussie food, maggotty grubs, dead horse, somebody's blood!!! Plus we get served by Jeeves. (and we're safe from that rowdy bunch!)

Jeeves not here? I'll bet Flowerpot hauled him off again! Sheesh, have to make my own tea! Well, Northerner should be home soon.

hey hey hey I didn't take Jeeves, it's like Notherner said he's got a lady friend back home. I think they must have had a spat and that's why he came for the day. What have you been up to Doris haven't seen yah all day?

Just took a bit of time relaxing. Found some lovely scones on a platter, and strawberry jam. She's probably taking it to the barbie when she gets home from uni. Perhaps we should sample a bit?

Who's been sleeping in my bed? said the poppa bear. And who's been sleeping in my bed? said the momma bear. And who's been sleeping in my bed? said baby bear in a tiny little voice.

Hi y'all,
I'm from Biloxi, Mississippi...in the heart of Dixie...along the Gulf of Mexico.
Rather windy today but the temp is about 80º. We don't have much of a winter her but it does freeze from time to time.
My DH worked for the US Government so we have lived in Europe,Asia and all over the USA. We are both retired and enjoying life.
I am a Brugmansia gardener...I have them everywhere...to include the compost pile. :)
Save me a spot by the fire but not until January.

Talk to Y'all later
Gloria

Hi Gloria!!! I'll keep the fire burning till you pop over again. All the shops here have got their Santa grottoes up for Christmas. And mince pies and decorations and trees are everywhere...

They are starting to put out the decorations here, too. Like ornaments, trees, lights, etc. Heh heh, I have a secret. I have a 4 foot artificial Xmas tree in my bedroom! The first bit of snow outside, I'll plug it in!

HEY YA'LL!!!!! Did I hear someone offering "chestnuts roasting by an open fire"? Northerner...that looks suspiciously like my sheep skin! DJM, what rowdy bunch is that? Now that you, Flo-P and meself are here, I'll bet they are having a very quite time at the Aussie BBQ. Hello Glory, I don't believe I've met you before. I have been through Biloxi many times, but never get the chance to stop and enjoy the seafood. Flo-P, are you still corrupting that poor Jeeves? By-the-by...my favorite TV show is "Keeping up Appearances" They are all old re-runs I've seen a hundred times...but do enjoy that mixed up family...especially the main character, of whom I can't spell her name. Jo

Hello Jo!!!! I'm going to have to split myself into cybertwo. I seem to be roasting chestnuts at the same time as I'm heading off, cybernetically speaking, for York for the day. But then, York's just the place for traditional themes. Lots and lots of traditional old pubs. Let's head for somewhere really cool!!!

Yeah, Hyacinth! I love watching her on Saturday nights. Evemn though they are reruns, I never tire of them! Also Fawty Towers, Are you being Served and the Vicor of Dibley. We don't have any decent comedys in this country, but the British ones are great! Where's Jeeves? Is he out with his lady friend?

I think Jeeves is probably out finding a good costume for the Halloween party. What are you all going as?

On the Buses that was my favourite one, and Benny Hill. I'm being very nice to Jeeves, Jo he's just a little bewildered from all that moonshine we've been giving him. (American Tea) I've never gone to a Halloween Party, I wouldn't have to do much, just charge up my broom.HE HE HE I have a fuuny little story my neighbour, is Italian and she's so tidy I'd dare anyone, to find dust or dirt, in her house and the reason being, her Mother delievered the broom then her. Well I'm off see you later FloP

This message was edited Tuesday, Oct 16th 10:55 PM

Whoops! Missed Flo-P, I'll miss her, so will Jeeves no doubt, with him being yanked back and forth! Speaking of Halloween, when I was working, there was a co worker, very unfriendly to everyone, but for some reason she liked me. She had to be about 70 back then, very strange looking. It was a few days before Halloween, (she lived in an apartment complex by herself), I very innocently asked her, if she was going to decorate for Halloween, or was SHE going to sit in the window? Not catching on, she replied, No, she was just going to sit on the balcony and toss down candy!

The first Italian chestnuts arrived in our local open air market last week : yummy !!!

Regarding the three bears, the correct version goes like this :

"Who's been sleeping in my bed?" said Mummy Bear.

"Who's been sleeping in my bed?" said Daddy Bear.

Baby Bear said - "Never mind the beds, somebody's stolen the video !!"

Okay, so this morning it finally felt as though the summer has really truly gone. Got up at the usual time and the rain was bucketing down, battering ther windows. The light levels were so low that it felt that it was still night-time, I actually checked the clock a second time to make sure that I hadn't woken too early. We fought through the rain to the car and drove to school with headlights on and wipers at full speed.

I miss the sunshine already !! Strangely it's still relatively warm though, so we still have the full misery of cold, wind and sleet to come. Oh boy, this is not cheering me up at all.

On a different subject I had promised to post pictures from this summer but since my scanner is up the creek I can't so I'm sorry, it'll have to wait until I can get it sorted.

I think it's cup of tea time already !

ttfn

Jo

Well into autumn here too Jo. I was a good girl and had salad for lunch. Then, cos it was a miserable day, I followed it with a slice of chocolate cake!!! I'm at the puter, finishing off an assignment - a cup of tea sounds just great!!!!

what a miserable day - fog was thick this morning, cold too, so i decided to make a big pan of chicken broth. eating some now for supper.. mmmm toasty warm now! i'm dreading the next few months, its gonna get a lot colder! mind you, here in the north east it doesn't make that much difference, everyone's still in t-shirts!

lil

btw i had an interview for a job today and looks like i've got it! i will find out for sure tomorrow and be starting monday!

Hey, great about the interview Lil! Hope you get good news!!!

yeah - they rang this morning, i got it! money's not bad - it may be just over christmas period, but there's a possibility of becoming permanent.

lil

Wow, that's great news!!!! Congratulations! It'll get your foot in the door, some money in the bank, something fresh on your CV, and maybe it'll lead somewhere! You'll be able to order your Christmas tree now! I'm so pleased for you!!!