Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2024

Afternoon all. No rain forecast here, following this morning's drizzle, for the next week. I'll have to get the hose out if they're right - but knowing Irish weather, I'm guessing we'll have some rain, forecast or not.

Still no luck feeding the little hedgehog. For three nights everything has avoided the kitten food in the feeder; the shallow water in front of the entrance is supposed only to be anti-cat, but I might leave the "moat" tonight and see what happens.

Those of a nervous disposition, look away now... I love the variety of fungi which appear in this garden, but this one is not immediately appealing, so I thought it best to attach it as a thumbnail, rather than "in your face" full image. it's a slime mould, Fuligo septica, commonly known as the dog vomit fungus.

 

@Liriodendron I have never knowingly met a slime mould and I don't think I want to now.

Our dribble that became proper rain has come back as heavy drizzle now. Never mind. Should be dry tomorrow and then I can take nice turgid cuttings. Minstrel pussy has been sleeping all day and is now grumping. She doesn't approve of wet stuff at every doorway.

 

We too, had more heavy rain overnight and it's been drizzling on and off all day so no gardening for me which is just as well as I woke up feeling rather tired, then went back to bed. Meanwhile OH crept out of the house and walked down to fetch the paper - 35 mins there and back. Used to take him an hour. It's only 6 weeks today he had his hip operation and he's hoping to be signed off tomorrow. His surgeon no doubt will be pleased with his progress.

Hope your surgery goes well @Tui34, let us know how you get on.

DIL arrives for an overnight stay so I've whizzed round the house to do a quick clean and changed our bed linen. We've got the pleasure of sleeping in the new bedlinen tonight, a white cotton duvet set which has a textured, seersucker effect on top - no need to iron - hurrah!
Fresh bed linen is a small pleasure in life but very welcome.

Shame about the hedgehog(s) @Liriodendron, hope it turns up tonight.

I can't say I would ever feed a fox, they are not an endangered species and are getting to be quite a nuisance in urban areas.

Our old cat never liked the rain either @Obelix-Vendée , used to sit very plaintively in the front window and watch it. Hated getting wet.

 

I remember meeting friends for a carvery meal (not my favourite). The food was consumed and then A asked hub to go round again. He replied that he'd had enough. No, she said, it's for the foxes; I have a doggy bag. He refused. So did I.
I'm with you @lizzie27 on fresh bedlinen. Well, not exactly, with you...
We've had a dribble of rain, too.

 

I’ve had enough of study for today. Done slightly more than I expected too. Still a mountain to go though!

I agree, fresh new bedding is a little life luxury - same for opening a new jar of coffee, settling down with a new book/magazine or (and I might be on my own here…) new socks.

Enjoy the evening folks.

 

Love the feel of fresh new bedding but also freshly washed bedding, especially now that OH irons it to prolong his golf watching on TV.

I'm really not sure that feeding urban foxes is a clever idea but I do sometimes see some very ragged looking country ones here. However, I won't feed any that comes in my garden either as I have hens. Certainly wouldn't do a doggy bag for them. Come to that, wouldn't eat in a carvery either.

Well done for studying hard @AuntyRach and good luck for the exams. Hope you get the right questions.

Quiet evening in store here. All jobs done and Med veggies roasting in the oven to have with cheesy bean burgers.

 

Good evening all. @Allotment Boy, it I could I would blow my rain clouds your way - I'll swap it for some of your dryness.
@Blue arbour, I too, hope you had a pleasant Coffee Morning today. Was there cake?
@Ergates, my Japanese anemones are looking very pretty at the moment especially my white Honorine Joubert. Yesterday, whilst it was dry I noticed the bees were dancing attendance on them all. Thats one of the reasons I forgive the pink ones for being so thuggish.
@Obelix-Vendée, your chook food sounds quite delicious. No wonder they love it!
@Liriodendron, I actually like the slime mould you have pictured. I've seen worse and maybe the fact it has a horrid name puts a lot of people off. Autumn is a good time to see lots of interesting fungi. I wonder if your little hedgehog has gone exploring for a new territory.
I am another one who loves the feel and smell of freshly laundered sheets and duvet covers. I don't iron!
@AuntyRach, I hope your brain doesn't explode with all the cramming you are doing. My Quiz League starts again next week so I will take advantage tonight of watching the TV quizzes before getting back to the real thing next Monday.

 

Signing out for this evening. See you all tomorrow. Have a super Monday night.

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I first encountered a slime mould on a grassy slope near Windermere. It was quite hard to keep vertical - some of them are very slippery when wet. But fascinating organisms. I was wrong to call "mine" a fungus. Having looked it up, I find it's a separate organism, which consumes the bacteria which feed on decaying organic matter. And they can move...
Slime Moulds

I did find a genuine fungus on our woodchip path, and a very pretty one, in my opinion - it's Parasola plicatilis, pleated ink-cap. Small and delicately translucent:

 

Good morning all!

Early start with a loaf of bread into the oven whilst I have off peak rates. (Night time).

Still morning and the sun will be up in a minute . Have a pleasant day all.

 

Good morning @Tui34. Thank you for that glorious picture. Today is Welsh Rarebit day. I could just manage to eat that now! I'll have to make do with cereals and fruit though.

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@Liriodendron, that is a lovely picture of the fungus. When I was studying I used to collect various mushroms and toadstools and position them carefully on a sheet of white paper - gill side down - then as they released their spores and I carefully lifted the fungi up I would be left with very pretty spore patterns on the paper. A fixative spray would then preserve them.

 

Good morning all.

It's raining and it rained quite heavily in the night. Does it know that the holidays are over? 13 of my French grandchildren went back to school yesterday. The 14th, oldest one, is going back to Uni.

Your OH is doing well @lizzie27. Our life is back to normal since my OH had his hip op early last year. He now walks faster than me but I have to be careful of my knee.

I spent a lot of yesterday cutting back brambles that are trying to invade my orchard from the other side of the fence. Wasn't a nice job.

 

Good morning,

It’s a wet start to the day today, forecast for the rest of the morning. The garden will benefit.

Fasting this morning as I’ve got to part with blood later on. I’ll be ready to eat a scraggy piece of wood by the time I’ve given blood. At least I’m allowed to sip plain water.

So, when I get back, it’ll be a late breakfast/early lunch then, if it’s stopped raining, a run out somewhere. If not, indoor jobs.

Most of the school children here started back today, Monday being a training day for many schools. The roads will once again be busy at school run times.

I hope the brambles didn’t attack you too much @Busy-Lizzie, they can be vicious.

 

Morning all.

Having a morning off study to get some provisions and Birthday cards. Dad and MIL share the same Birthday this week!

Have a good day folks.