Three reasons to be happy

[charlie_cochrane]

1) "Thought I'd died and gone to heaven" type event, ie visiting the Waitrose Farm Shop. Happy sighs.

2) En route, we saw a small tank - with L plates! - parked in a layby while three squaddies were getting their cuppa from the food van. Last time we were at the National Gallery I was gleeful because we'd seen both "The cracked vase with the big daisies" and "The fallen Madonna with the big boobies". Now I've seen Lt Gruber's little tank!

3) Last year we had to have our flowering cherry trees cut back as they were in a right state. They're getting long in the tooth, so we were afraid they'd not flower this year. But...

Comments

[spiced-wine.livejournal.com]

Last time we were at the National Gallery I was gleeful because we'd seen both "The cracked vase with the big daisies" and "The fallen Madonna with the big boobies". Now I've seen Lt Gruber's little tank!

Oh my gosh, you cracked me up!

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

:) I can't help it. I think I see life differently to everyone else.

[sandra-lindsey.livejournal.com]

We used to go to the Waitrose Food Festival every so often...

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Ooh. I don't think our local Waitrose does one of those. They once did a tour of their farm, which was brilliant.

[sandra-lindsey.livejournal.com]

It was at the Leckford Estate & included a farm tour too. Years ago now... I think we heard about it because I have a Partnership credit card... can't remember details now other than spending lots of money on cheese!

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't it be hilarious if we'd been on the same tour?

[sandra-lindsey.livejournal.com]

Just a bit :-D

[bigolarthurfan.livejournal.com]

You weren't kidding that you cut the cherry tree back. It looks like quite a trim indeed. And since the last time I communicated I was complaining (is this the right place to say "whinge", a word that isn't used in the US?) about our lack of crocuses and daffodils, I am pleased to report that our flowers have finally arrived after a cold and somewhat extended winter. I've even seen some early magnolias in bloom. We're just past our average last frost so they're probably safe. All the flowering fruit trees are just getting ready to break out but haven't quite done so.

Any updates on the partridges? Being in a very urban area, the most I can report is that it appears a pair of mourning doves are nesting on a nook of my apartment building roof. Not nearly so interesting as partridges.

Fallen Madonna with the big boobies? Vivid. And memorable.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Yes, whinge is perfect. As in 'whinging poms'. :)

I hope your daffodils are as spectacular as ours have been this year. The winter must have been right up their street.

The partridges haven't visited today. I hope someone isn't enjoying them with apple sauce. Lovely to hear about the doves. I don't think we have mourning doves here, but maybe we call them something different. I hope our blue tits (I think you call them chickadees?) come back and nest in the eaves again this year.

*hugs*

[bigolarthurfan.livejournal.com]

Mourning doves are North American and they do give out a sad sounding coo. Our chickadees are also North American but are the same family as your blue tits. I knew both of the North American birds but had to look up to see if they were the same as yours. It seems many of our birds are native but named for similar looking birds in Europe. Our robin is a completely different species than yours, for instance, although both have the red breast. Is this way more than you ever wanted to know about North American birds? I've been more interested in European birds ever since I had to look up honey buzzards.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Ooh, no. I love animals, as you know, so the birdy type stuff is fab.

We have robins (proper ones) living in the garden. Very friendly - they'll come right up to you if you're gardening, but absolutely vicious to rivals of the same species.

We get buzzards locally, but just common, not honey.

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

There has been some intensive de-treeing going on here this week.

Conifers gone from front (deliberately by men paid to take them away) and one large shrub from the side which fell to bits when I tried to saw off the branch that was bothering next door (men took that away too).

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Well done them. I always feel so depressed when we have a garden style clear out, but I know it's all for the best. It'll look better. One day.

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

I went to two gardening workshops at the library today, and now I not only know what I want to plant where the trees were, but I made a hanging basket too.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Coo. What have you got in it?

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

From memory: ivy, violas, petunias and a fuchia.

I'll take photos when the flowers come out.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

yes please!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

We have a couple of ancient fruiting cherry trees in our back garden. They were completely neglected when we moved in, we've cut them back and they've come on again quite well but tbh I think they're well past their best. We're loath to cut them down though as they're the perfect distance apart for slinging the lovely hammock that nodbear got us a few years ago!

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

The hammock alone would make them entitled to a tree preservation order!