Marty

Good morning all! Shaping up to be a beautiful day here in the northwest of Ireland.

Hi, clo Sort of a lazy Sunday here for me, so far. Although I have dug up a load of old linoleum that was buried in the garden. I think it may have been put down as a path, because there was a layer of small pebbles on top of it. Had to remove it in sections, so it will go into the rubbish skip I intend renting sometime. I've also sown climbing runner bean seeds in deep individual seed pots. I managed to get the return of a lot of 8 foot canes I had left at the place I sold last year (the new owner has no use for them), so will use them to make a frame for the beans to grow up when I plant them out.

It's a hare. Overall winner of The German Society for Nature Photography (GDT) 2020. www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2020/apr/29/2020-gdt-nature-photographer-of-the-year

Hi, Gary! Hope your neck's feeling at least a little bit better today.

Howdy, young Albert!

I just Googled purple potatoes. Apparently they're just as easy to grow as other varieties.

I think all potatoes originate from peru...

Time for me to go to bed. Good night, gang.

Where I live I am 92 m (302 ft) above sea level and, in a straight line, about 15 miles (24 kilometres) from the Atlantic.

Living at the altitude you do, I would assume you'd not have to worry about potato blight... The highest point on the whole island of Ireland, is a mountain in County Kerry, called Carrauntoohil. It's 3,407 ft above sea level (or 1,038.6 metres), which means you're over 1,500 feet higher.

I thought the potatoes were in containers (wash baskets, did you say?). Couldn't you move those out of the greenhouse? Or are you still expecting frosts?

Usually they are, due to the influence of the warm gulf stream off the Atlantic Coast. But I have experienced a couple of winters when the temperature has dropped below -10°C (14°F).

I assume you mean the wall, clo (not walk). It will, indeed! And it's a south facing wall, so it is facing the sun. Something I'd like eventually would be to build a lean-to greenhouse attached to that wall...

It probably hasn't, Albert. The old woman who it belonged to is dead for about ten years, and was ninety years old when she died. But it's good, rich soil, with plenty of roots and worms in it, so it seems healthy enough. Just real hard work turning it over this time, after probably not having been properly tended for 25 years or more! But it's a labour of love, and I'm enjoying myself.

A view from the other direction:

And I'm still digging my new the vegetable plot.

The nurse in my doctor's office phoned me early last week, asking for my permission to pass the results of my blood tests from the end of February to the Diabetic Clinic. with whom an appointment that had been made for me to visit on 24th April had obviously been cancelled. The same nurse rang me back late in the day of the 24th, to say that the clinician in the clinic was more than pleased with the results, and for me to continue with my standard medication. The nurse also told me that the doctor's surgery is still open, and stressed that if I needed to see him to give his office a call. What she also said was that I would have to also ring from outside when I got there, and to wait outside, as currently they are not allowing patients to wait in the waiting room. All sounds perfectly sensible to me. My biggest worry is what would happen if the doctor got infected. We often don't realise just how essential healthcare workers are, what risks they must be facing at the moment, and just what this may be doing for their own mental health.

And I assume he doesn't do house calls?

For social isolation, covid-19 reasons, I assume? Are you able to ring your doctor, and at least describe the symptoms?

That may answer my question from a few comments ago, but it wasn't the answer I was hoping for. I'm really sorry to hear that, Gary. Perhaps it's time to seek some professional advice...? ❤️

Could possibly have been. I also wondered if it may have been sleeping quarters for a servant or servants in the main, bigger house (which is right beside it)...

Hey, Gary! Hope the neck pains are easing off for you.

Hi, clo! Hope you also have a nice day.

Good morning, young Albert. I'm just in from the garden having a snack. Reasonably sunny day here, if a little cooler than it has been. But the temperatures are promised to impove over the next few days. Hope all's well with you

Happy Saturday, gang!