Looked like it wasn't exactly Marbella weather this morning but not Inverness either so I decided to unchain the love of my life and ride her - no not her! My Vincent! Managed to kick her into life on 3rd attempt! - there is a deff knack of starting her and I'm not quite there but I'm knocking at the door?The most important part of the whole starting process is not to put your crash helmet,heavy jacket,scarf or gloves until it's actually running or you will be knackered?Anyway,had a lovely hour or so ride around Berkshire lanes and opened it up virtually full chat (first time!) on a dual carriageway.I stopped for a cuppa and bacon banjo at a "yummy mummie" cafe just outside Ascot and parked her up opposite where I could keep an eye on her.At least 3/4 people stopped to look her over and snapped phone pics which was nice and one old boy came in cafe with his lovely wife and as I was only punter with a lid and 60's ton up leather jacket he came over for a chat.Real interesting man who told me his older brother (sadly deceased) purchased the exact same Vincent from Jack Surtees - Vincent Dealer and father of my hero John Surtees.Anyway we ended up with the lovely old fella sitting on my Vincent and him giving it a Rev while I took pics and even a Video on his iPhone 6s Plus! I said you've got probably the best and most upto date mobile on the market chap - he told me his granddaughter works for Apple and got it for him but she wouldn't get too upset if he did a straight swap for the Vincent! I'm pretty sure if his Mrs hadn't been there he would have been off down the road for a spin?
Thyme is looking good. What you want is one of those tools that I have for removing dandelions. It's long blade thing on a handle. You push it down next to the dandelion, lever it up and then you can just pull the dandelion out with most or all of the root. Get rid of all of them now and most of them won't come back. Then get some selective weedkiller that doesn't harm grass and with a bit of mowing, your lawn will look a lot better. The tool works on thistles and other leathery weeds. A great purchase.
Thanks glid The thyme was a gift from my friends wedding in 2013 it was a tiny cutting She gave all different herbs to her guests Smells lovely Could you do a link for the tool your talking about drafted dandelions I'm also trying to clear the wild chives that seem to have taken over the border !!! The bed right down in the soil and thousands of tiny white bulbs hence my blister
I remember as a kid @ boarding school that the neighbouring farmer had an electric fence to keep his cows corralled in his field - only ran off car battery I think and although it couldn't kill you it gave you a proper jolt and if you grabbed it was hard to let go of.We always told the "new kids" to get a dock leaf or dandelion leaf to shield their hands when we climbed over the wire! Seem to remember that they conducted electricity rather well?
I love a really established English garden - not a super tidy over planned type of thing - more of a wild crazy garden which encourages a bit of wildlife,birds,bees,butterflies etc
i can take a photo of it tomorrow, but pretty sure it is this: http://www.amazon.com/Garten-KSM-Multi-Change-Weeding-Knife/dp/B001U89YCG/ref=pd_sim_86_6?ie=UTF8&dpID=31C2Ah6w9LL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=1MNW2P2BBCNKP8292Y2E And you attach it to this, so that you can just press it in with your foot: http://www.amazon.com/ZMAD-Aluminum-D-Grip-Handle/dp/B000PKJXDK/ref=pd_sim_86_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=3150wltEwSL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160,160_&refRID=1MNW2P2BBCNKP8292Y2E In your border I would add a rosemary and a sage, if you don't already have them. So useful for cooking. Then you can add some parsely and origano. Origano grows like a weed. That way you will have a real herbaceous border! leave some of the chives - very handy in vinaigrettes for any kind of salad. All these herbs freeze very well for winter use. Never need to buy over-prices supermarket herbs again and you always have something handy whatever you are cooking. I bought my dill seeds today for planting in my miniature greenhouse. I love dill. Quite excited about sowing them tomorrow. "Greenhouse" - see next post.
You don't have a sofa? Buy her one before bike No 4, you've got to give a little (and no, not that) :Finger:
