Marty

Hi, Page! Seems quiet in here... Where are all the other regulars?

Hey, Gary. Just don't over exert yourself in the heat, bro. It wasn't too bad of a day here, although very little sun. Temperature got up to around 17°C (63°F), with the same promised for tomorrow, although maybe a bit sunnier. I managed to plant my runner bean seedlings out at the bottoms of the canes of the trellis I put up over the weekend. Gave them a good watering afterwards, so they should get over the shock of the transplanting. Actually, the dull day was probably a better day for doing that job than a bright, sunny day would have been.

They keep threatening a heatwave here in Ireland. By all the laws of probability they're bound to get it right eventually...

You need a hug...

Well, at least you realise it's a phobia, an irrational fear. In that case I won't remind you of the meaning of Valkyrie (Norse mythology: Female warriors, who served the god Odin: foreboders of war, who rode to the battlefield on horses, wearing helmets and shields; in some accounts, they flew through the air and sea. Some Valkyries had the power to cause the death of the warriors they did not favour) and laugh at you being afraid of a tiny bee. Oops, I just did!

Live and let live.

Tim. if you could have just arranged for a an area of high pressure to develop over Scandinavia, it would have blocked this depression from crossing Ireland. But as long as the rain knows when to stop, we won't complain too much. And, as Tim said, Stay safe, Mr B! (I can't stay too long at the moment. Have a Zoom meeting starting in 15 minutes.)

Thanks, bro.

Thanks, Val! It's wonderful what can be done using Photoshop.

And here's the photo I have uploaded this week (Week 8) of my challenge to take and upload a new black and white (monochrome) photograph each week for 52 weeks: It's a geranium flower in one of the raised borders in the lower garden at the back of the new, old house. I was going to say a blue geranium flower, but I'm sure a certain young fellow would have corrected me on that..

In spite of the wind, I managed to plant the first early potatoes in two rows. So that makes two rows each of three different varieties planted now (the first four rows already have shoots above the ground). I also used the new garden rake and hoe to prepare some seed beds, ready for sowing peas and broad beans, and also to transplant the runner bean seedlings I already have growing in pots. I'll need to erect a trellis for the runner beans to climb up before planting them out. I have a lot of eight foot long bamboo poles to erect that.

Well maybe I do... It looks as though what were possibly the most interesting parts of the photo may have been photoshopped out.

I'm thinking there's been a bit of Photoshopping going on there...

Hi, Gary. Enjoy the painting/staining. Just be careful on any ladders.

Good morning, all. I just knew that buying those fittings for the garden hoses was going to be a mistake! We had fairly heavy rain overnight, and the next few days are expected to be showery and quite windy. Still, one thing I found out for certain was that the repairs the builder did before the lockdown have definitely cured the leak that was causing water to enter the new, old house from above the front door. Very windy here at the moment, but at least it's not cold. Currently around 11°C (52°F) with a high expected of 13°C (55.°F), but very little sun. Met Éireann yesterday warned the public to expect unusually windy weather until Saturday night, citing the potential for “wind related impacts” across the country. The national weather advisory for the entire country kicked in at 6pm last night and is valid until 6pm on Saturday. https://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-weather-status-yellow-wind-national-warning-5105153-May2020/ Hope you all have a great Friday!

Thank you, dughlas! (Sticks tongue out at Page )

I wish you could smell this freshly-out-of-the-oven banana bread, Albert! It would send you into a state of olfactory bliss.

I only see three pointing back at the pointer...

Sure, you only think that, young Albert.

*whisper* (And so is his head)

30 minutes before my banana bread will be ready to be taken out of the oven. As it's now just after midnight, I think I'll make my cocoa, and go to bed once the cake's cooling on a tray.

So why call it the top step if you're not supposed to step on it? And, indeed, why have a really high handrail above it?

Thank you, young Albert You say the sweetest things at times.

I did. Does that make me a tool? ('Cos I'm certainly not a paint can. )