“I ‘ve got a little list” …..

 

As I get older I think  I become less tolerant.  On Friday choir put on a”Gilbert and Sullivan ” evening in the village;  extracts from The Mikado and Pirates of Penzance. With the ladies from church providing a splendid supper, the whole evening was a storming success: even if there were a couple of small “fluffs.” One choir member got  so carried away with his demonic laughter  when performing “let the punishment fit the crime” he completely lost  his place in the score, but the audience found  it hilarious.  For those not au fait with the Mikado, Ko Ko, the Lord High Executioner, sings about who he would put on his “disposal” list; people that irritate him.  I think I could write my own little list, which would get longer day by day I am sure.  Topping it would be people who use their phones whilst driving, people who haven’t the courtesy to say an appropriate “thank you” and drivers who don’t signal on roundabouts!!  I am  sure I could work up to pages  of  irritants!

The water colour challenge I was doing throughout July  on line went quite well – I managed to post a picture daily. A couple of days, like when I was travelling,  it was “old” paintings, but other wise a painted every day, but it is quite a relief not to have a deadline to work to today.  I learnt loads from other participants as well sharing their work and giving tips.

It was so hot whilst I was away quite a lot in the garden has run to seed early.  Rocket, salad leaves and lettuce mostly.  Looks like the fennel is going that way too: I  have tried a few times but never seem to have huge success with it.  But the bees are very happy with the flowering veg plants! We are eating the first tomatoes and cucumbers.

Whilst in Switzerland and  travelling I managed a couple of ” good reads”.  Two very different books: the first ” A Buzz in the Meadow” –  book about the decline in the insect and particularly the bee populations and the damage being done by nicatinoids. Very worrying.  Then the second book was an hilarious romp through modern history – “The 100 year old man who climbed out the window and disappeared”.  I would heartily recommend both.

Whilst it was still hot and dry last week I got on with good old fashioned task.  Thistle and dock cutting by hand! Our one field is so rough and banky with a lot of trees in one part and bog in another with a stream running through; it is impossible to get a tractor and grass topper on to more than a very small portion of it.  To stop these two weeds proliferating they have to be sprayed in the spring or cut  before they seed.  The thistles can be cut and left in situ but the docks have to be collected and disposed of or they will drop seed and spread.  If you don’t control them a bit all the good grass grazing gets overtaken.  Really we could do with some borrowed cattle in the field to clear it a bit, but the fences are not good enough.  it doesn’t help that one neighbour never clears his land and weed seed blows in all the time as well.  Good job it is not our living, when we would have to clear it seriously and all the wildlife habitat would be lost entirely.

It is wet and dark this evening early so best pop and shut the poultry up …….