Grey sky syndrome

[Primrose]

All this rain is turning my remaining courgettes into marrows almost overnight. I'm really debating whether I should pick my remaining outdoor tomatoes now and let them ripen indoors as the long term forecast doesn't look very good. I notice from last year's diary that I picked the remainder of my tomatoes on September 22nd. The previous years they were picked on September 28th. Global warming must be reversing itself! The last picking date seems to get earlier every year, contradicting the myth.

[richard p]

OH its supposed to browner in the field at the end of august not greener. i reckon 75% of the corn crops round here havent been combined yet, harvest should be just about over by now.

[Monika]

We did have a little bit of sunshine yesterday, Geoff, about 5 minutes, but not until late in the day. Then today - continuous rain all day. It's our village show tomorrow and I spent about an hour on the allotment this morning gathering all my entries and getting soaked to the skin. This afternoon I harvested all the garden stuff and got soaked to the skin again. Apparently, the number of entries to the show are up but I would think it's baking, jams and photographs rather than veggies and flowers!!

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Monika, i do hope all goes well at the show for you, and maybe you might reap the rewards for your hard efforts.

[Primrose]

Monika - I hope your show goes well and you have some personal successes. Do update us on what the displays of fruit and veggies were like. It's always interest to see how other growers perform in difficult weather conditions.

[Colin Miles]

I blame nu-labour. 11 years of spin, sleaze and stealth taxes has just been too much. We may have got rid of most of the spin and sleaze with Bliar, but the dead hand of Mr. Stealth Tax has his umbrella firmly fixed over us. Looking on the Metcheck web site I see 100% cloud cover for virtually 100% of every until next Friday. Hope they are wrong otherwise I can't see me mowing the lawn again this year.

[alan refail]

Colin

I reckon it's all a cunning trick by those chappies in Switzerland with theirLarge Hadron Collider.

Give us enough constant rain and we may be glad to disappear into a black hole

Maybe significant that the project director is a Welshman.

[Monika]

Many thanks, OH and Primrose! Yes, the Show went very well. I got quite a few red, blue and yellow cards, a cup for the most points in the flower section and a silver salver for the most points in the preserves. John just put in one entry: his perfect marrow and he also got a first prize!
But the best thing of all was to see how many people had made an effort to enter in spite of the weather this year. It had poured with rain all day on Friday and anybody entering vegetables and flowers must have got soaked harvesting them, but they all came and the Village Hall was a sea of colours and lovely produce, really good to see. And all afternoon, the village people came to see the results and have their cup of tea with a scone, strawberry jam and cream, including lots of families.A good time was had by all.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Monika, i don't really know what to say apart from congratulations to you both, it really must have made all the effort well worth it.

So glad it was a well supported show.

[Parsons Jack]

Hi Monika,

Congratulations on your successes. It really does make it all worth while doesn't it

[Primrose]

Well done Monika. Really makes all the hard work worthwhile, doesn't it? And so nice that everybody in the village appreciates everybodys' efforts and comes out to share their appreciation.

[Geoff]

Yesterday was something of a relief - cut all my grass! Reverted to normal today.

[heyjude]

Just all keep your fingers crossed for a decent day on Saturday when our daughter is getting married. The sweet peas have been fantastic - so much so that Jess looked at them weekend before last and phoned the florist to cancel her bouquet. So all the flowers (church and marquee) will be from the garden, with some contributions from friends.

The sweet peas have bounced back after the worst of the storms and only need to keep going for another 4 days (and counting).

If I had time to think about taking photos I'd take some and if I had time to think about uploading I'd share them!

Coffee break over. Back to the herbaceous border which looks as though a hippo has been rolling in it.

Just cross your fingers. Please.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Heyjude, we always do fine days for weddings on the forum, and your Daughters will be no different.
The weather will be just glorious on Saturday.

The thought of all the flowers being grown mainly by yourself, and friends is an amazing achievement, especially with the weather we have had this year.
Maybe you could post some photos of them in a few weeks when you have more time.

Glad you didn't put, [back to the Old herbaceous bed which looks as though a hippo has been rolling in it], well you now what they are like on here.

Anyway all the best for Saturday, and i hope you all have a wonderful day.

[alan refail]

They're forecasting sunshine for Saturday, so fingers crossed.