The Canary Dave

Morning all. Cloudy, with just a hint of some mizzle in the air. They did forecast sunshine and showers for this morning, but what we have had so far will not be enough to wash the dust off the leaves. That is it for the foreseeable future, so turning over a bit of soil to put some winter cabbage plants in is like trying to dig up concrete. My neighbour has a large concrete container similar in size to the water troughs that you sometimes came across at the side of the road for horses to drink from. Although it has a cover mosquitos still get in there and multiply so it has an annual cleanout. As Eric, their son, is down from Paris for his annual holiday, he gets lumbered with all the jobs that will stop him from sitting around all the time, so cleaning the horse trough out is his task for this morning. Water is flowing down the road, missing all the drains, and will create a large puddle at the bottom of the hill. Normally Eric is here for the Tour de France, but he will miss out on that this year. A hot afternoon watching cyclists peddle through lovely countryside is part of summer, and I rather doubt that it will be quite so good in September. Have a good day wherever you might go.

 

Morning all. Bright and sunny and I need to get back on my hoe before the seedlings take over. My Friday evenings for several years have been taken up with watching Chateauroux playing their games up and down the country. I became familiar with different grounds and would become almost as nervous watching them battling against relegation as I do watching Watford this season. All is about to change at the end of August when the new season will hopefully begin as new TV rights have been signed and now Ligue 2 games will be played on a Saturday. Seems that there is a new to me company that has bought the rights and so far I know little about them. Maybe I will not feel quite so annoyed when Watford are playing on a Friday night or Sunday afternoon rather than 3.00 pm on a Saturday. Have a good day, and let us hope for a very good day.

 

Morning.... all... picke up bread from the leeds bread co-op which does superb sour dough, painted first coat of the shed.... and gearing up for the game

 

Morning All.
Just finishing off a couple of chores before settling down to watch the "football".
I've been listening to the late, great, Ennio Morricone this morning. Followed him up with the natural successor to his crown: Hans Zimmer. Perhaps aptly, I hope so anyway, the Dunkirk soundtrack... maybe a bit of Elmer Bernstein later

 

I just knew he'd be in the frame at some point...

 

Cheers Dave
Sorry your team didnt quite make it.......

 

My old man's family are originally from near to Norwich. I have had a lot of good times fishing for pike on the fens. I got a 26.2 pounder once. My best mate here is an inbred from Norwich. Shame to see them go down. The bets I won of him last game was juicy.

 

Morning all. Lovely sunny morning, and it might be hot enough this afternoon for me to retire to the shade and watch some football. So must get on and plant out those cabbages. Have a good day whatever you must do.

 

Lovely Sunday here, wife is visiting her family and I have the place to myself. Have a good Sunday y'all.

 

Morning all. Lovely Summer day with a temperature of 28°C forecast. In a normal year I would be spending my afternoons watching the Tour de France going past fields of sunflowers , fields where the grass has been cut and baled, and chateaux basking in the sun, along with riders slogging up mountain roads, or hurtling towards a finish line on a flat stage. Just up the hill from here several fields have been given over to sunflowers this year, much better than that horrible smelly oil seed rape. Lots of tractors around moving the bales into storage for winter feed, but I do wonder what happens to all that plastic they use to wrap them in. Have a good day whatever you must do.

 

Drove down to Wales yesterday to visit brother in law who has Parkinsons. First time travelling since lockdown. The last trip prior to lockdown was just this 4 months ago. Felt traffic was close to pre lockdown levels, lots of caravans and motorhomes too. Just stopped at Tebay for P and coffee, seemed quieter and measures in place for covid and constant cleaning.

have brought our bikes with so we can continue with covid exercise regime, but of course it is raining as usual when we are here.

 

Morning all from a bright morning with some light cloud that the sun goes behind every now and again. Public holiday here of course as it is the Fête nationale, and the celebrations are somewhat muted this year, although a pared down display is taking place in Paris. A special inclusion of the doctors, nurses and care workers has been included alongside the military in their ceremonial finery. The news that really good pay rises for the nurses and care workers has gone down very well with the public as everyone realizes just how much they did during the crisis. Enjoy your day even if it is not a holiday.

 

Tebay is one of our favourite service stations.... we love Gloucester services too....

 

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You have a favourite service station??

 

yes.... because they are 'farm' and local produce based .... nothing like the dross elsewhere....... home cooked foods, farms shops, good quality outlets..... totally different experience...

If you go on long journeys too this book is pretty good:

https://theextramile.guide/

Place near to main routes that offer some peace and decent coffee and food

 

A different world down there! The last 'long' car trip I undertook was to Edinburgh - a tad over three hours & not long enough for anyone to want to stop for food or coffee. Prior to that was a road trip to Skye, not as far but took twice as long because of the roads. After Inverness, every village along the way offered excellent refreshments.
For a few years, during Spring/Summer, my wife and I have had this crazy little habit of driving somewhere for lunch on a Saturday or Sunday - places such as the Black Isle, Dornoch, Tain, Golspie to the north and Ullapool, Poolewe and Gairloch on the west coast. Nothing planned - just stick a pin in a map and head off. We've never yet found a cafe or restaurant that we wouldn't go back to.

 

Yes you are fortunate up there....... We have enjoyed every trip ever up to Scotland....

 

Killington Lake is not bad either.
Cairn Lodge near Glasgow was taken over by the Tebay folk but I have not visit yet, it's too close to home.

 

It's no surprise you like those two. They are both owned/run by the local people from around Tebay. They are a class above any others I've ever encountered.