sime42

Got a big black permanent marker in the van?

I don't think you need to give it any winter protection, they're hardy enough for our winters I'm sure. There's plenty growing outside all over the country. Re. pruning. They are big trees naturally so if you want to keep it small and well shaped then yes, you'll need to prune it regularly. Annually, if not more frequently I'd guess. Just bear in mind that once you start you'll be into a never ending cycle as they, and most other trees, over-compensate with regrowth once cut. Also, you'll probably find that the leaves are bigger when it grows back after pruning. Some people like that as it makes the tree look more spectacular. I wouldn't worry about the leaf damage. It's only slightly in those photos. More likely caused by weather than pests I reckon, maybe wind damage, or short-term drought or heat stress. I'm sure it's only a transitory thing.

Mornings all.

Thats a Friday on steroids!

Nice. I was doing the same last night for a load of plums that we picked at the weekend. When did you stone them, out of interest? Stoning damsons is a right ball ache. I gave up trying to do it pre-cooking and just picked out as many as I could until bored once they were stewed down.

I think he's been watching too many of those Andrew Tate videos, and other nonsense from similar influencers. I mean, who uses a word like "Cuck" in seriousness?

VID-20230905-WA0017.mp4

Yes, I've seen those circular type wedges as well, normally on tools in continental Europe. I'd be interested to try one, as they look like they may be better, but I've never seen them for sale here in the UK.

This is an understated aspect of the immigration debate I believe. Just look at how many top class athletes are mixed race. The same happens in the plant kingdom, Hybrid Vigour.

🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️ Well, there are a lot of Multiculturalists living in Brum, probably lots of those Illegal's as well. 🤷‍♂️ It was bound to end in tears wasn't it? The range of foods available is amazing though, cuisines from all over the world. You get almost anything you fancy.

Set fair and warm, hot, again here. Bit of mist earlier on but it's burning off fast.

I thought the idea was to use one big wooden wedge and then 1 or 2 small metal ones across it at right angles. That's how I've always done all wooden handles anyway, and they've never come loose.

No mate, you've completely missed the point again. It was nothing to do with your rainbow nation of work buddies. It just seemed like a glaring irony for you to use the words tolerant and open! Made me chuckle. Did anyone else get that, or was it just me? No biggie anyway.

We don't need any of that thanks. The currency here is opinion, not worthless facts!

🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️ 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

Looks like some of those terrible, scary Illegal's are now running Water Companies as well. We're up sht creek without a paddle. (A bit like the evil characters trying to cross the channel in small open boats). Water firms illegally spilled sewage on dry days - data suggests WWW.BBC.CO.UK Three major companies released sewage on dry days in breach of their permits - BBC investigation.

The irony!

Or buy a sledge hammer handle, Hickory, and whittle it down to fit. Both splitting mauls that I own have that oval profile handle rather than the more elongated one like that of an axe.

I think you've hit the nail on the head here and with another point in a previous post. It's not the wages that are the issue with the fruit and veg picking, it's just the sheer physical nature of the work involved. The average brit is not fit enough to do it. Most that need the employment choose not to do it, even if they were offered more money, they'd rather get slightly less money to sit at home on benefits. Such is the mess of a system here. Just compare the physical shape and size of the average hardworking immigrant to the average obese British Benefit Bum. Unsurprisingly, I've heard a few times now that employers would much rather use foreign labour because of their output and work ethic. A personal account from this weekend that illustrates the above. So we went for a walk up a well known large Shropshire hill yesterday, as it was a lovely warm day. There were hundreds of people at the top but we were the only ones using our own two feet to get there, apart from one cyclist and one crazy fell runner. The rest were a load of blobs in cars, almost nose-to-tail driving up to the top and back down again. Pausing only long enough to have a sugary snack and drink, judging by all the litter strewn around the place. To cap it all off there were a couple of people dragging their two children around the car park in one of those four wheeled festival shopping trolley things. As if they couldn't walk even that short distance themselves. The children looked about the same age, if not slightly older than my son. Who'd walked all the way up, then back again without much bother, about 4 1/2 miles in total. (Having eaten almost as much as me!) No wonder we have an obesity epidemic, and can't even pick our own fruit and veg. The state of things makes you want to despair at times. I'm guessing I know the answer, but what are the average fitness and BMI levels like in Sweden?

Uh oh!

Try getting a Catholic school to cater for the specific needs of a child with a secular outlook!

Looks set to continue too. The forecast is giving out warm and settled for the next week. It's even say 28deg here today! Autumn is definitely waiting in the wings though, there's a heavy dew in the mornings and I've spotted a few leaves turning recently.

Sounds great. The sooner that children get exposed to different cultures, languages, races, religions, cuisines etc, the better. It can only broaden their horizons and aid development. Anything else is a disadvantage, in a multicultural world.

Bloody lovely here in the Midlands today; warm, dry, sunny and not even a breeze. 24 degrees. Perfect for an outdoor fish and chip supper. Summer is back it seems.