janey

Got your Crissy pressie sorted then:

Taken from UK Nature: Knopper galls on our traditional English oak (Quercus robur), are caused by a minute gall wasp, Andricus quercuscalicis. The insect is a relative newcomer to Britain, the first recorded sighting being in 1962. It appears to have arrived naturally from the continent and rapidly spread across most of England and Wales. In 1979 it underwent a population explosion and for a time there was real concern that it would seriously affect the acorn fertility and thus the future of our most iconic tree. Like most gall wasps, the life cycle is complicated, with an alternation of a sexual and asexual generation each year. Only females emerge from the knopper galls and these lay their eggs in the buds of the Turkey Oak (Q. cerris). In the spring this sexual generation causes minute galls in the male catkins. And why 'knopper'? The Oxford English Dictionary defines a 'knop' as "a small rounded protuberance, boss, stud, button, tassel or the like".

I didn't realise. One of my friends was over thre and he told me about the one that caused a red flagging while he was watching. So sad.

That's a really nice reduction . If only more LA Contractors were as good (and the specification so sympathetic).

Oooooh, big shiny new toy. Mmmmm. A few too many wheels, but otherwise very nice.

One of my friends has got a chainsaw chain done around his bicep. It's a bit cliched and it reminds me of Pammy Anderson with her barb wire, but it's done well and it does look pretty good. You certainly wouldn't accuse him af having a slag tag. Or not to his face, anyway. Make sure you get a bespoke tat' and please please don't pick one out of a book when your a bit pshed after a night out. It will cost you more, but as you will have it for a long time, hopefully, the extra coast will be well worth it for a decent piece of personalised artwork.

The opportunity to rumage in a beautiful lady's drawers will appeal to many, I should think Fantastic.

That ammonite is amazing . It looks simple enough, but I bet it took ages. Were you at Westonbirt this year and are the piccies from there?

It's not a good sign, put it that way. As Hamadryad says, the necrotic, cracked and lifting bark indicates death of the underlying cells. I can remember the bleeding shown in your previous piccies and this tree is definately in decline. Are you being pressured by the tree owners' to do something immediately? Do you have the luxury of trying to improve the soil conditions and waiting until next year to monitor the tree's condition before you undertake pruning / removal? If you haven't already got these on your faves, they are well worth reading. They will explain things far better than me: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/EPAversion3.pdf/$FILE/EPAversion3.pdf Forest Research - Oak decline / dieback - the facts

She must be a bit that way inclined herself, judging by the hubby! LoL. I love the gutation on the I' dryadus and the way it's actively improving it's enviroment for a more hostitable growing environment.

Tommy, as ever your work is gorgeous. I love it

Well said. I didn't see the race but I have just been reading about it this morning It's been a bad week in the racing world as there was a fatality in the IoM as well.

AAAAaaaarrrrgggghhhhhhhh!!!!!! Several times over!

I was once stupid enough to believe that the bloke I was working for was capable of felling a tree properly... That was my big mistake. Luckily, his truck took most of the impact and I was only in casualty for a few hours .

Why would anyone want to do that to a Tibetan Cherry ? From my experience, they don't really like being pruned heavily, even when they are young and vigourous. It might make a few feeble attempts at some regrowth, but it probably won't come to much and will eventually die. If your customer still wants her tree to be cut back so drastically and you can't persuade her otherwise, it might be better to suggest removal and replanting (depending on Planning constraints etc). It would be a shame to lose it though, as it is a lovely species.

That's absolutely hilarious!!! :biggrin: I found this ad' yesterday and thought it was funny, but it's way behind the one that you've posted. Racer Sport Gloves NEW Size Ladies Medium RRP £125 on eBay (end time 11-Sep-10 21:26:41 BST)

That's a really nice picture of the Phaeolus. The few that I have come across never look like the text book images. What was it on? It looks like Beech in the piccy.

Ok, ok... I must be suffering from early dementia and have a dodgy memory. I don't know what the long range forcast is for the next few weeks, but hopefully it will be 8 years in a row for good weather and I will see some of you there .

Great vid . Those trees are huge!

Perhaps Northolt has it's own unique micro climate? It couldn't possible be my bad memory

Oh god, yeah! Now you're in your twenties it's all downhill. I'm surprised you can even manage getting online now your sooooo old

LoL . I just had to Google P tigrinus, so not surprisingly, I didn't knowingly come across any. What I need is a guide... Hint hint

I always fancied myself as a bit of a Penelope Pitstop . Not that I'm saying that's how you look on yours... . I think this hole is big enough for me to stop digging it now...

That's what credit cards were invented for . They're not real money, afterall Did you go to last years? I meant to, but I seem to remember the weather was really grotty and not condusive to wandering around a field.

You're going to love getting past that 33bhp, but it's a shame it'll be at such a grotty time of year. Are you going to get the SV deresticted or treat yourself to a new toy? Or both? My beastie doesn't get to see much action other than comuting these days, as I have become a right boring old fart .