Crepuscular Ray

Perhaps because Dawlish is east-facing and better sheltered?

Human nature being what it is, the last two words of that will prompt the few who haven’t already stockpiled necessities to head out and snap up the last few loo rolls.

After yet another wet night, it was a gorgeous sunny morning again, mostly, so I had to get out into the garden to finish off moving various pots, tubs of plants out of harm’s way in case Ciaran does take a left turn, especially my Nye Bevan roses, which were about as exposed as they could be in what is relatively sheltered spot, considering I’m on the edge of the Bannau. One of them took revenge on my arms. I was pleased to see that the moss is finally making a comeback in the lawn, after it took a beating during that hot dry patch all those months ago in May/June. I’m perhaps odd in wanting it there, but I’m not bothered about having a perfect lawn and the moss helps to regulate the flow of water off the hill - towards the kitchen floor - in wet weather.

As above, what an unexpectedly lovely day, pottering in the garden in shorts and a tee-shirt.

A pretty decent day here, too, apart from the brief torrential downpour as I walked from the surgery to the car park after having my flu and covid jabs. Thanks for the warning! It’s just about to hit here.

What a glorious day! The neighbour and I went for a late-afternoon drive on the mountain road (aka the Top Gear road). It’s very autumnal up there, but there is still enough to eat for the sheep, so they were wandering over the road menacing the traffic. There were two colourful sun-dogs in the milky sky about half an hour before sunset, which made it look very atmospheric. Pity about the new 40mph speed limit and the average speed cameras, with their wind turbines and outsize solar panels. The numerous accidents up there are usually from youngsters losing control while doing doughnuts, notfrom people going too fast.

61.6 mm here, and the sun is just peeking through, so it’s time to move a few plants into their winter shelter before the weekend’s potential frosts. My brother’s temporary fix on the land drain appears to have worked, as the kitchen floor is - thankfully - dry.

Sounds good to me. I am hoping that it will be dry enough to mow the “lawn”tomorrow. The bees seem to have retired for the autumn, so I won’t be depriving them of food from the remaining clover, etc. My delivery of mixed winter bedding turned out to be of two different varieties of violas, nothing like the illustration on the website, and with a substantial number of the plug plants out of their trays and squashed. I hear the garden centre at Ystradgynlais calling.

That’s excellent news that the NHS has done its stuff so speedily for your wife, Wetterfrosch. Fingers crossed that those of you in the firing line get away with no damage.

Thank you. There’s no real damage - after the first time, I gave up having anything at floor level that wasn’t waterproof. I just wish I could 1) track down where the water is getting in and 2) hunt down the fibbing vendors.

66.4 mm since midnight, and I’m back to mopping the kitchen floor.

More or less the same here, and in Llanelli earlier, except that we’ve got that nasty penetrating drizzle on and off rather than proper rain.

Yikes.

The village down the road - Gwaun Cae Gurwen - lost power a couple of hours ago because of a problem with the high voltage supply. Most properties had power restored within an hour or so, but some won’t be back on for a few more yet. The lights here were flicking off and on enough for me to dig out a torch.

32.4 mm since midnight here so far. The mini-waterfall from the land drain in the garden is gurgling cheerily (I really must fit a tank there). Once the land drain has done its job and I can walk, rather than wade, up the garden, I’ve got oodles to do out there; it’s only been dry enough for me to get the mower out once in the last seven weeks and the “wild flower borders” (ahem) are getting a bit rampant again. Sorry to hear about your poorly dog Wetterfrosch.

Flower end rot - that’ll be what happened to the first few, after a prolonged period with only male flowers. Thank you for the tip about the eggshells; mine have been going in the compost bin, but I’ll do as you suggest next year.

The pervading dampness has claimed its first victims in the veg patch. The courgette plants, after struggling to beat it, have finally succumbed to a nasty attack of some systemic mould, probably powdery mildew, so will have to be sacrificed in the morning to stop it spreading to the cucumbers and tomatoes.

Roomy Relaxed Turtleneck WWW.ALLFREEKNITTING.COM The Roomy Relaxed Turtleneck is made with a beautiful brushed yarn that provides a new look to the basic worsted weight pullover sweater. You'll love how easy it is... It’s great for me, no complicated stitches and it’s bigger at the bottom. After a few sunny intervals, there are showers springing up. At least I got a bit of deadheading done before I got chased indoors by the rain.

New jumper started on knitting needles. I am a slow knitter, so it might get finished in time for winter.

The wildlife seems to think it’s autumn, that is, the giant house spiders have started moving indoors. I’ve relocated three to the greenhouse this evening (or possibly the same one three times). I won’t scare anyone with the photo.

It’s finally chucking it down properly for the first time in months. The benefit to the mountains crossed my mind, too. It was too wet in the spring for the usual planned burns before the sheep were moved up there, so there’s been a lot of tinder-dry vegetation, just waiting for a cigarette end or an idiot who doesn’t know how damp down a barbecue. That there has been only one massive fire at this end of the beacons so far is very, very lucky.

That looks like a good test for the stakes - concrete-reinforcing bars folded over like tent-pegs - holding the plastic mini greenhouses in place.

There is definitely a whiff of October about, and not just of oil because my neighbour has turned his heating on. My weather station registered 7.9 °C yesterday at dawn, while my brother’s a few hundred yards away registered 6! This summer has provided a steep learning curve for me so far in the garden. The peas have failed to produce a single pod, the sweet peas did not take to that dry spell and I would like to introduce you all to my broad bean harvest. I don’t know whether to eat it or frame it. On a better note, so far, the cougettes are beginning to produce and the tomatoes are beginning to flower. The mini greenhouse is also providing endless interest for me in identifying all the butterflies that it catches as I release them.

Not the best camouflage for a grasshopper.

It does look as if there might be a building anvil lurking in there, now you mention it.