Early Summer Bits and Bobs.

[Westi]

Eerily quiet on lottie today! Obviously everyone confident that the rain would come, well not today! One light sprinkle will not help! Not complaining about the lack of company because as well as watering I put the 2nd arch together & the language wasn't particularly lady like! (Chinese option was only ones available in lock down)! Arch 1 has a bend & Arch 2 is not the same size. Hey Ho! Allotments are meant to be quirky!

[oldherbaceous]

Seems rather warm out there today....

[Clive.]

It's better than the dank drizzly few days....I know we wanted rain...but I very soon was wanting the sunshine back I even went back to thinking about lawn mowers and ordered up some "Atco" parts to potentially re-activate a stalled project....reckon its been sat on my bench covered up for 12 years... and its last claim to fame was to pose for a photo demonstrating a flywheel puller bar... I checked, the photo was dated 2011....

We took 30mm rain in total

Caught me out today with the cucumber in the frame going down...had to get the old bit of carpet over the centre of the lights a bit quick...

Just been boiling up 3 beetroot from my early sowings had to check spec of the boiling operation with my mum first...


C.

[oldherbaceous]

You can never rush a good project, Clive...hope you get it sorted..

I'm glad i'm not the only one that struggles with the timing, when cooking...

[Monika]

We have still only had some drizzly rain the last few days (lots of downpours east and west of us!) and could really do with a lot more to fill the broad beans and peas.

[Cider Boys]

Reading Clive's post about the Atco project reminded me that I got my old Atco out for some mowing last week in the sun. It started second pull and ran smoothly with very little oil smoke from the Suffolk engine, it had not been started for at least 5 years. If you read this Clive I would be grateful if you could post where you can get the Atco spares from.

Barney

[Clive.]

Hello Barney,
This one is the old Suffolk Super Colt chassis with Suffolk 75G14 cast iron engine which was sold in its day with a changed handle style as the Atco 12" standard. Some chassis parts like bearings, bottom blade are still about as I believe they have been utilised on a current model of machine, now in the Allett domestic range but other parts such as for engine, carb, ignition and starter are still about as aftermarket pattern parts....but are getting notably less available as time goes on... I hunted around and got all but one item on my list from a selection of ebay traders. The one outstanding item I need though, the cylinder chain sprocket, seems to be getting scarce....might have to rob from another in my shed as an interim....

C.

[Stephen]

Geoff, increasing manufacturing in this country would be a great thing to do for lots of reasons

[Stephen]

Like others, I'd love some more rain. I'd be really happy with mild rain all night (more than drizzle, less than a storm) and for several more nights too.

On another subject, I'm in the doghouse a bit, when we planted red veined spinach, I marked it down as beetroot! However, it has come up well and is lovely. I particularly like the red veined stuff because it is easy to weed around (so distinctive) and looks great on the plate too.

[retropants]

We had a massive thunderstorm this evening. The whole house shook with each thunderclap!

[Primrose]

I've never heard of red veined spinach Stephen. You live and learn !
We too had a couple of brief thunderstorms yesterday and our water butts are full to overflowing again, but I too would prefer a more prolonged period of more gentle rain which doesn't batter and damage tiny tender seedlings which are just emerging. It does seem that we gardeners seem to be facing more challenges with a diversity of weather conditions in recent years.

I do love a good storm though, as long as I'm safely tucked inside in the dry. A friend of mine has recently treated herself to a summerhouse and can't resist rushing outside to sit in it when when there's a heavy downpour as she loves the sound of the rain crashing down on the roof and enjoying enjoying the thrill of being "partly outdoors". I imagine being in a greenhouse in heavy rain feels very similar.

[retropants]

Primrose, we've recently had a covered pergola built onto the back of the house. We were enjoying sitting under that during the downpour!

[Cider Boys]

Hello Barney,
This one is the old Suffolk Super Colt chassis with Suffolk 75G14 cast iron engine which was sold in its day with a changed handle style as the Atco 12" standard. Some chassis parts like bearings, bottom blade are still about as I believe they have been utilised on a current model of machine, now in the Allett domestic range but other parts such as for engine, carb, ignition and starter are still about as aftermarket pattern parts....but are getting notably less available as time goes on... I hunted around and got all but one item on my list from a selection of ebay traders. The one outstanding item I need though, the cylinder chain sprocket, seems to be getting scarce....might have to rob from another in my shed as an interim....

C.

Thanks for the information Clive, all the best with restoring the mower; I do like all the vintage machinery but I'm a bit vintage myself.
I have tried posting a picture of my Atco but it keeps displaying upside down.

Barney

[Clive.]

Meanwhile, keeping on the mowing theme....it's self inflicted hair cut day today... First time, the other month, it went so well...today I misread the comb fittings...and put on the 3mm instead of the 1/2" (3/6).....oh dear...

..would be interested to see the mower...even if upside down.
Maybe Peter will pop along and right it before it runs oil all over..

C

[oldherbaceous]

I suppose looking on the bright side, Clive, it won't need cutting again as soon....