The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: MiriMaran on March 18, 2010, 08:58:31 pm

Title: Signs of Spring
Post by: MiriMaran on March 18, 2010, 08:58:31 pm
So far I have seen a honey bee :), bumble bee :), birds getting frisky ;D, frogs spawn :), butterfly :) and I've had my first sting of the season - one red lumpy arm :'(
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: BadgerFace on March 18, 2010, 09:07:35 pm
My 9 year old ex-batt laid an egg today !  :o That has to be a sign of spring !!! She is the only old lady that remains from a batch of 20. We do have other hens though, so don't worry she's not 'home alone'  ;D
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: MiriMaran on March 18, 2010, 09:10:18 pm
Wow I'm going to start a new thread in the chicken section now.
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: sagehen on March 18, 2010, 09:12:39 pm
I walked through a cloud of thunderflies today, does that count? Also, I was raking the leaves and found about three ladybirds - should they still be hibernating? It's warm enough, I would've thought, for them to fly about?
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: MiriMaran on March 18, 2010, 09:15:25 pm
I've been seeing hundreds of ladybirds for the last 3 weeks.  Every bush is literally humming with them although they are still a bit drowsy.
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: sagehen on March 18, 2010, 09:17:30 pm
Well, that's reassuring, I suppose the ones here might just be drowsy still. Lots of ladybirds means no greenflies, which is always good news!
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: MiriMaran on March 18, 2010, 09:20:49 pm
I know that's what I was thinking.  Its good news isn't it?
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: garden cottage on March 18, 2010, 10:20:14 pm
wonder why the lawns growing like mad yet the grass in the paddocks are hardly moving.........its torture
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: northfifeduckling on March 18, 2010, 10:35:34 pm
toads and frogs!!!  :&>
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: doganjo on March 18, 2010, 10:38:15 pm
Birds singing in the trees after a nice day - well into the evening, even when almost dark. ;D
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: bazzais on March 19, 2010, 09:49:33 am
Woodpeckers are waking us again in the morning :)

Ta

Baz
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Jackie on March 19, 2010, 10:08:15 am
 My frogs have just appeared yesterday and we have loads of them as normal ;D and I wake up at 4.30 to the sounds of birds singing which is wonderful.  ;D
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Hellybee on March 19, 2010, 10:25:53 am
and we did see some rather amorous frogs a few days ago, and i saved a bumblebee from the water trough last night, she climbed on to a little stick and i put her safe in one of the stonewalls to dry off  :D
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Wizard on March 20, 2010, 07:52:29 am
Helly were they jumpin in the pond? Lots of honey bees about in Scartho crawling into the Crocus cups very busy they are  ;D :farmer:
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Hellybee on March 20, 2010, 10:41:58 am
No the frogs were up to no good in a watertrough :D
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: sandy on March 20, 2010, 07:11:04 pm
The increased need to mate ;D
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Daisys Mum on March 20, 2010, 08:50:27 pm

Hope it is spring the sun has been shining here for most of the day so got the hayshed swept out and scattered the hay seed sweeping in the pig pen, reckon as I am not getting pigs till June it has a chance to recover (a bit anyway)
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: MiriMaran on March 20, 2010, 09:53:48 pm
I'm not getting that feeling Sandy!! ;D ;D
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: doganjo on March 20, 2010, 10:17:10 pm
Nor me  ;)Been there, done that etc etc  Anyway, ignore her, she's been on the bevvy tonight.  You should see what she's putting on face book!
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: marigold on March 20, 2010, 10:44:49 pm
Never mind spring;- a bottle of cheap cava generally does it for me!!!
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Wizard on March 21, 2010, 07:27:20 am
Good morning all Sorry I am late on .No excuse to offer.According to Old Moores Almanac IT IS THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING TODAY.Vernal Equinox was yesterday so shine up them diggin tools and go.Palm Sunday and Bluddi Silly Time starts next Sunday Hev yer made yer Easter Eggs ?
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Hellybee on March 21, 2010, 09:52:47 am
The trees on the gorge that we overlook have magically started greening up  :D
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Daisys Mum on March 21, 2010, 10:33:11 am


I can see a flush of green in the horses field and after their breakfast this morning they ignored the fresh hay and went off to graze Yipee!!
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Wizard on March 21, 2010, 10:58:06 am
I've come in for a sit down I'm puffed I dare bet I've done to much and the sats are down in the 70's I've pressure washed some of my spray drums out and set a second lot of early Duke of Yorks I cannot find any Lady Crystl in the Gy garden Centers so I'll use the new Accord and try followed by some Kestrel I don't do main crop I scrounge a couple of bags as and when Off back now feel better :D :farmer:
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: doganjo on March 21, 2010, 11:44:56 am
Just noticed this morning that the climbers along my front fence have started to sprout.
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: SuzyJ on March 21, 2010, 01:47:38 pm
Spring has arrived here in Bulgaria, the turkeys are laying, grass is growing, my peony roses are starting to appear again and I'm starting to get a tan already!
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Wizard on March 21, 2010, 03:39:25 pm
Now Annie love.Can you remember Turtie Olaf.He featured with Hagar the orrible and Snert with Eddie in a very low level comic strip in a national tabloid?
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: MiriMaran on March 21, 2010, 08:51:32 pm
Its definitely, I have my first morris dancing practice ready for May Day.  I hasten to add its not the hanky waving morris.  A couple of years ago I was a Dalek!  This year the theme is the Football world Cup.
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Hellybee on March 21, 2010, 10:48:31 pm
Ponies were glad of theyre hay on the headland this afternoon, so we not quite there yet up there. 
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Wizard on March 22, 2010, 05:41:14 am
Hello you lasses Oh aye its here all right. It Pi**ed and rained all night and much of the day to.Since I was late on parade yesterday I thought I'd better show will this morning 4:55am when I came down.So who is about at this time of day before they go to work? ;D :wave: :farmer:
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Helencus on March 22, 2010, 07:58:43 am
Up at 5:30 but too much to do to sign on. Horse and pony still eating the hay but it is starting to green up. Best get the fertiliser ordered..
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: sandy on March 26, 2010, 03:18:34 pm
 :gloomy: :gloomy:I thought we had a sign of spring with the daffodils comming up and us having a Bar B...but then,  :gloomy: :gloomy:I would love to see Steve in his shorts again, such a nice pair of legs!!!
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Wizard on March 26, 2010, 08:20:08 pm
Sandy My old Dad alust sed" It's spring when a young mans fancy turns to what a young woman has been thinking about all winter" ;D :farmer:
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: sandy on March 26, 2010, 08:48:02 pm
 :love: :love:, mind you, all I think about in the winter is the fuel bill ;)
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Wizard on March 27, 2010, 07:29:50 am
Morning Sandy I have a dual fuel account with British Gas Winter Bill I was astounded taken aback short of breath oat else you can think of The  Gas was £100.57p bluddi L wots the Leckie going to be?Would you believe £80:00 exactly.I couldn't believe it.Not for the winter quarter.I over spent on the gas by 57p if you recall I said I did this that and the other to keep my gas bill below £100 nearly did it din't I.We have a nice gas fire in the room and cook with gas.We don't heat any thing but the Immersion and the kettle by electric.Unfortunately we have no AGA or similar to heat the water.We do miss it even now The kettle is always hot on ,on the AGA ready for action and stock pot soup on the top as well It used to get that thick the spoon stands up on its own Yum yum soup ;D :farmer:
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: sandy on March 28, 2010, 12:35:12 pm
our Gas and Electric was well into 4 figures!!!!!!!! Love to get a bill under £100 :D
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Wizard on March 28, 2010, 01:43:34 pm
PHEW What do you do Sandy If you don't mind everyone knowing That would frighten us to an early grave ??? ??? :wave: :farmer:
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: doganjo on March 28, 2010, 04:03:06 pm
I pay by mandate every month - sometimes I'm in pocket, sometimes NPower is in pocket - works out even over the year, just over £100 per month gas and electric and I have my heating on all the time.  House is always warm.
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: ballingall on March 28, 2010, 09:55:09 pm
Spring is here!







My new baby goat called Spring that is.


 ;)
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Helencus on March 29, 2010, 12:13:14 am
My gas and electric is 200 quid per month.. I have a gas aga and this year I'm turning itvoff over the summer.. Thank god spring is here!
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Wizard on March 29, 2010, 09:13:25 am
Hey up you lasses gi ower you are frightening me and Kath to death :o ::) :farmer:
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: ballingall on March 29, 2010, 09:41:22 pm
When we moved in here, there was a Stanley Range fitted and it used an incredible amount of oil. After 1 year we stopped using it for cooking completely, and we had it taken out last year. It's probably nearly halved our heating bill.


Beth
Title: Re: Signs of Spring
Post by: Wizard on March 30, 2010, 08:49:44 am
Hello Beth I have heard of High Fuel  use by them from other people.Now I have no financial interest in Esse at all.One or two pals has had dual fuel (Coal products and wood burning) range cooker and water heating fitted and are very pleased with them They are called Ironheart and they look good to and you can see the fire unlike a AGA or Rayburn.Not nearly as expensive as AGA either.