sime42

100mm should be fine for the plaster. For peace of mind though you could render the wall behind the stove with a sand/cement based mix instead, it's more heat resistant and generally much tougher than gypsum plaster. Ours is only about 75mm from the back of the fireplace. I rendered it as it's also a nice texture and easier to do than plastering in a small space.

Good to hear this. It was never a conspiracy theory in my book, always been fascinated by the idea, and would like to believe it but can't quite entirely as I've not had personal experience. Any ideas on how it works?

So, Dowsing, water divining. That's another interesting one, I should have included that on the list. Some old country boys swear by it for finding springs in fields, or lost drains or pipes.

You could try a different knot out at least. Something like a Distel Hitch say, tied in separate friction cord. Also, add a small slack tending pulley. It'll be so much smoother and nicer. With only very modest outlay and minimal extra kit to carry.

I thought there was some folklore about witches and Rowan, couldn't quite remember what that, old Scottish lady, customer had told me. Not that you'd imagine anyone using it for firewood but it's supposedly back luck or upsets the witches or something, if you cut Elder Trees down.

I remember that. I thought it was in Germany though. The lioness/wild boar! was the escaped pet of some high profile gangster or other.

Hell yeah. Even a bit of Wasabi if you've got it in as well, they all compliment red meat. Got to be English or at least Dijon mustard though, non of that weird Germany/American muck. Good to refresh the old sinuses as you eat some tasty treats.

Controversial! If there's a place for horseradish then there's a place for mustard.

Sycamore or Ash. For reasons already mentioned.

Interesting to see the different opinions on this. What are your thoughts on Nessie?

Easy to miss stuff on this thread, what with all the ranting and whining that fills it. That's exactly how I'd rank them, couldn't of put it better myself. I'm almost certain there's big cats around. It's perfectly credible, there's everything they'd need in this land to survive. Anecdotes obviously carry very little weight, but I do think I saw a couple once. Out walking with a girlfriend years back, in the Chilterns. It was just getting dimpsy, dusk not far off, and we both saw two distinct dark shapes in the middle distance. One big, in front, followed by a smaller one. No detail due to low light, but the shapes and movementd were entirely feline. There's a huge distinction between other life forms existing in the universe, and said beings visiting us in the Western world in UFOs. Also, why are the little green men always depicted as green?! Because someone in the USA, in the fifties, decided it I reckon. Anything's possible with Trump...

It's all a load of Pollocks really.

You'll need more than just a packet of supermarket crisps after that lot!

I didn't even know he'd diversified into wine until she came home with it this afternoon.

Not a fan of this guy, (that voice), but he's got it about right here; Professor Brian Cox weighs in on existence of UFOs WWW.INDEPENDENT.CO.UK The physicist and broadcaster said it would be great if the testimonies were true

You've proper schooled them there.

No mate. Read it again.

Please rank in order of credibility;- UFOs Loch Ness Monster Ghosts QAnon/Global Cabal/New World Order Big cats in Britain Yeti Personally, I'd put UFOs somewhere around the middle.

Post pruning

We have a similar thing going on. Much smaller, younger tree and just the blossom wilt, no coddling moth. Until about 4 years ago it was a very productive tree, it's been declining since then, but always had some fruit. Non this year. All the flowers browned off before they could set even. Following some good advice given on another thread on here recently about Blossom Wilt, I ruthlessly cut out all the affected growth. The poor tree looks decimated now. I'm hoping it'll do better with fruit next year, though it's not really grown back much yet. The interesting thing is that there's quite a few branches of other apples that I've grafted on over the years, and they don't appear to be infected.