Very early Winter Bits and Bobs.2016

[robo]

Hot dog and drink £5 I hope it was a large malt whisky

[Geoff]

I have just had perhaps the most bizarre computer error message I have ever had

error.jpg (84.3 KiB) Viewed 3326 times

[Westi]

Hmmm? Geoff do you even have Mozilla? Hopefully they just got the 2 dates the wrong way around but I wouldn't be clicking on it.

Westi

[Primrose]

I would give it a very wide berth and delete it. The fraudsters are getting more and more clever and know that many of us will panic if we see messages like this so are relying on us to click immediately to try and put the matter right. .

Always count to 50 (at least) when you see links like this to give your brain a chance to process your thoughts rationally.

[John]

Hello Geoff
If you are using Firefox as your browser then I would say that the message is genuine.
I had a similar problem with my previous computer when the motherboard (CMOS) battery failed. If this battery is weak then the first sign is date/time problems. This is a small battery that maintains date/time and configuration settings when your machine is turned off.

If you have a desktop computer the battery is easy to replace. They are usually the ordinary flat 2032 type cells. If you remove the side of your box the battery will be in an obvious position on the motherboard. Just slip it out and replace with identical type. When you start again you may need to reset the time etc. For a laptop you will need to check your manual - the battery will be easy to get at - its just a matter of knowing where it is.

Can't help though with these new fangled ipads and tablets - don't even know if they have these batteries.
Regards
John

[Geoff]

Hi John, you have it the wrong way round, my PC is fine it is the server hosting ledlights that has lost its time, I haven't tried going back to it.

[Westi]

John & Geoff - you are speaking a foreign language - impressed though!

Westi

[Primrose]

Had a quick walk around a rather dank garden today and spotted that the first shoots of my Elephant garlic are just beginning to peep through. And next Wednesday, Dec 21st is the Winter Solstice and the shortest day. I somehow always feel slightly more optimistic when that' behind us as I know things are then moving in the right direction, albeit slowly, and sometimes a lot colder!

[Westi]

My special day Primrose - Winter Solstice! Just bring back the light. I can live with the cold & wet but I do need to see the light. I worked for 6 years in an office without a window but now I have a window - it is the most special thing about my new job. Yes it's my countdown to Spring beginning, let's hope Mother Nature does the right season thing this year, but who knows? Somehow we all struggle through regardless though.

Westi

[Monika]

I so agree with you, Primrose and Westi. We are not religious and can quite imagine how the winter solstice would have been welcomed by people in "the olden days" , when gradually, very gradually, the days started to get longer again.That, to me, is the real thrill of the end of December/start of January.

[oldherbaceous]

Evening Clive, i was just sitting here thinking, are you early Snowdrops out yet?

[robo]

Pulled some leaks today along with Christmas parsnips or should that be parsnips for Christmas with some chard and small squash I made a large pan of soup, looks like ill have to buy sprouts for crimbo dinner mine are tiny this year

[Westi]

I was down yesterday to take some bits for my friends. (I'll take mine on Saturday or even Sunday morning). Harvested loads of 'Kalettes'; quite like that name, loads of Cavero Nero, other Kale I've got growing that is going berserk (dog ate the popsicle stick name tag), Jerusalem Artichokes, Chard, turnips. I've saved myself a fab Savoy, medium sized but a great tight head, & a January King looks good as well, the first celeriac is being dug up (Boxing Day Salads) , a few parsnips, leeks & I've got 3 broccoli starting to head as well that have been sulking for months & months but unlikely to be ready, some beetroot & Kohl Rabi for Boxing day also. And biggest surprise - my late sowing of winter mix salad is standing fine outside with double layer protection - net tunnel with a bit of shade cloth over that, just a bit of rust at the stems which will be coming off anyway! Result!

Who'd ever thought a winter harvest would be so good! Well my winter harvest anyway!

Cherry on the top - got my own pile of horse bedding - no shavings, just straw & dung about a year old, will cook it for a bit under some black plastic. All I did was answer a question the chap had about where to dump as he had just got permission to dump down at the allotment & was unsure as they are roped off now & again. One look at that trailer & it was on my patch! Did show him where to go for the future drops of newer stuff though!

Westi

[Clive.]

Evening Clive, i was just sitting here thinking, are you early Snowdrops out yet?

Hello Old H',

Thank you for remembering the early Snowdrop. In fact they have already finished flowering. Sad to report that the clump has diminished this year. I suspect the conditions in their location have not favoured them the last two years, maybe the wet winters.? Only two flowers this year.

We have had a generally very wet year, despite being on the, usually, drier side of England....

Clive.

[oldherbaceous]

Evening Clive, i wonder if it does have something to do with the weather.....it certainly has been very strange over the last couple of years...very unseasonal some months.