Monday 17 October 2016

A couple of rants


Bit of a rant here.
I promise to round up the grease-band advice in my next post.

How do you react to a blogger whose views offend you? There have been a couple of times recently when I have read a blog of someone I follow with a similar lifestyle (self sufficiency, prepping etc) and they have posted something that I really can't agree with, worse than that, I have found it uncompromising and offensive and it has upset me and had me shouting at the screen.
 What to do? ignore it? put forward my differing view? unfollow?
 I'm actually quite good at presenting a different viewpoint in such a way that I don't trade insults nor suggest the person is an idiot for holding a different view. Many years as a Social Worker have ensured that I can be clear and honest  yet diplomatic (I'm the old fashioned kind honest!.. you would have wanted fighting your corner!)
In the last post of this kind all the comments agreed with the person, with increasing degrees of nastiness and sycophancy and what surprised (disappointed ?) me was that other bloggers-in-common who I know to hold lives/views diametrically opposed to the post say nothing.
Yes, I did leave a short comment.

And while I am ranting.....
 Must couples really have to go to some exotic place to get married? My children and grandchildren, who are all employed, are receiving more and more wedding invitations that they have no hope of attending at times of year that they are unable to get time off to weddings in far-flung places. Should they attend they will have to find the air fare and hotel costs and use up their valuable annual leave and savings (house deposit) for someone else's "Special Day". Sorry, I don't get it! Get married abroad, just a couple of you and have a"Bash" when you get home for all, but these folk end up doing both, as, surprise surprise! grandma and grandad have never really wanted to go to Peru and friends with children might not want to take their babies to a warm country in the hurricane season etc
Gosh I'm on one today aren't I? I bet I'll get it in the neck and cries of "bah humbug" for this one.
Back soon with a grease band post and update on the bees (pretty safe stuff)
Gill



Thursday 13 October 2016

Grease-bands

 I seem to have had a bogging hiatus. I really can't say why. I know I have been insanely busy, but I have still found time in the late evening to read the blogs of others and commented on one or two, (though only in a half- hearted way)  Does anyone else get so that they can't be a***d" with their blog?

So gardening bloggy friends I need advice. We have had a problem with codling moth and probably other moths too on most of the fruit trees. Some years ago we used a grease band on our big old apple and it seemed to help, though I believe grease bands are for winter moth not codling (tell me if I'm wrong) I have counted the trees affected by grubs and it is at least 12 of the apples and all the eight plums and greengages. Difficult to tell with the damsons as we have had hardly any fruit from them this year.
 What do you think about home made grease bands? have you made them ? We really can't afford to  buy as many as we need. (same for those feramone  trap thingys) Have you any other tips, ideas or experiences?
I really, really would welcome your comments on this.

Funny weather we are having here in Mid England for October. Just when you think you will spend a day in the garden the heavens open and you are back inside again attacking the apple mountain!
We were lucky enough to get help (family slaves) with digging up the potatoes after a couple of rain free days when the soil was dry. Within minutes of the last bucket going into the barn the heavens opened. We grew just Sarpo Mira this year. The yield was 153kg  (337lbs) I have now bagged all the decent ones into paper sacks and put them in the dark covered with sacking to keep them frost free. Those that have obvious slug or spade damage I have put into a couple of sacks in the utility room and will use first.
All for now.
Welcome Jada Pfeifer on the follower bar and Bloglover on Bloglovin.
Gillx