A Positive Start to 2013!

How exciting Gattina! I bet your itching to have a good go with those loppers, I'm like that with new secateurs maybe not in January though...:)). Lovely to see those bees up and about enjoying your beautiful Italian sun, do you know I disturbed a tiny bee busy enjoying my hellebores today..... We're having a week in north eastern Spain soon, cant wait to see the almond groves in flower......:0)))

Ooh, when are you going, Janey? That sounds wonderful. Have you by any chance read Chris Stewart's (Drummer with Genesis) book "The Almond Blossom Appreciation Society"? about his life in Andalucia? I think you'd enjoy it.
I've been using the loppers already - I'm not a person who believes in deferred pleasure. :o) They've been confiscated now before I do irretrievable damage.

Another mad lopper, but it's such fun! Yes, the Chris Stewart books are very good . . . loved his first one "Driving Over Lemons". How lovely Gattina, to have warm sunshine and buzzing bees . . . I was just glad that at 12 degrees here, I could enjoy a walk :)

Oh I read that one!

It sounds as if you have had a really happy day. :0)))

happy new year gattina! looks like its started well!

i have read both those books!

Good news , Gattina , looks like you are having a warmish spell ; loppers are very addictive , aren't they ?
I usually have to hide them from my OH .
So exciting going through the seeds , too ; trying anything different this year ?

I read those books too , his wife was very stoic , she didn't seem to complain much .

I have to hide the loppers from my oh as he is rather gungho about them. the chainsaw is another toy I have to hide too.

ooh lots of seeds, look forward to see what you grow this year.

Have read Driving over Lemons Gattina, but must look out for the Almond Blossom Appreciation Society.....that sounds a perfect read! January to February are the months for the blossoms in Catalunya, the very pale pink ones first then as these fade, the deeper pink groves light up the hillsides....beautiful!

Oh thank you Jan, that's another couple of books to add to my list of 'must reads.'
My OH goes mad when he sees me get out the shears or the secateurs, as he knows I'll be chopping and lopping to my hearts content and to his dismay. I can't seem to get him to realise that many plants benefit from my mad chopping.
I do hope you've got some Watercress seeds in there somewhere.

Can't seem to remember seeing any watercress seeds on offer, Waddy, and since your careful instruction on how to propagate it vegetatively, why would I need them?
Not like me, then, Driad - I complain lots!
I have got a load of stuff to grow from seed - Pale wallflowers this year, as opposed to deep and fiery red ones we have waiting to burst into bloom this spring - 4 different types of sweet peas, all chosen for intense perfume, A different variety of butternut squash, some more leek seeds - 2 different types, some very pale pink cornflowers, Californian poppies, shirley poppies, more Nicotiana (white), pale pink shades of Cosmos, Some blue fescue, some very pale Gaura and some Alchemilla mollis, some Artemisia and some more dill, some Persian white opium poppy and some wormwood. I already have parsnip and tomato seeds, and am still working out which variety of Brussel sprouts will work best. Oh, and the best of the lot, Brompton Stocks "Pillow talk".
I'm not sure if we're allowed to endorse companies on here - I certainly have no axe to grind, but I got so fed up with overpriced, tiny amounts of poorly germinating seeds from Thompson & Morgan, I now stick with a couple of on-line seed suppliers - Seedaholic in Ireland, via Amazon and Bob Todd on e-Bay, and have to say that so far, I've had brilliant results - very reasonable prices, a good range, incredible delivery through the post (last year 2 days out here to Italy from the order being placed on-line) a generous number of seeds, comprehensive and very clear instructions and tips, and a splendid germination rate. There are a few other companies we use, but these two are really good.

I am also a one for the loppers, its hard to stop once started, I have a few tidy lops, step back to study, see another bit and so it goes on, lol, hubby doesn`t mind so much since we got the garden waste bin, he hated it when I was forever filling the trailer.. I am ecstatic when sorting my seeds, even more so when its time to start sowing, little things please little minds in my case..
Lovely photo`s Gattina, we have rain back again now and according to the forecast winter is coming......

It's already getting colder here, and snow is forecast for Friday and here on in...... :o(

John does all the cutting back in our garden and tends to be a bit ruthless but usually it turns out alright! I am a bit more like Margo from 'The Good Life,' I go round tentatively with secateurs or even my trust pair of scissors...... I feel such a light weight now after reading all these comments!!
PS... I am not really like Margo!!

Your seeds, Gattina, sound gorgeous - how lovely they will be!

Nice that you can get photos on here now :o)
You sound like me cutting things back lol !

My OH is never drastic enough, to my way of thinking. I maintain a "slash and burn" philosophy, and I need him to temper my excesses. I don't think he's even discovered what I've done to all the old lavender bushes yet! Your garden, Hywel, is so packed with different plants, I guess you have to be fairly ruthless to find space for them all. :o)
I didn't picture you like Margo at all, Chris!

The thing is if the barber cuts my hair too short, I don't like it ;o) but it grows back, the same as the shrubs do ...

Well, Hywel, SOME shrubs do......

Excellent Gattina - I love Amazon too !!:)))

Having a music-mad partner and being film and book-mad myself, I never thought to look further into Amazon! You've set me on a mission now, Gattina! Now .... where's that credit card? ............;o)

It's an astounding place, the Amazon site - I buy LOADS of stuff on it, not least because it's so much cheaper, even with the postage or courier costs, than buying in Italy. I haven't even scratched the surface of it yet! The loppers cost about £20, with postage and packing included, whereas something similar here would cost well over €60. (£48) If there's almost anything you want, try first on Amazon. No wonder ordinary shops are closing in their hundreds.......

Good to have the seedaholic recommendation, Gattina, thanks. (I used to like the Chiltern catalogue, but their seed packets are devoid of the instructions that I need!)
What an exciting time, with so much to look forward to . . .

Just like Nariz - I'd never thought of buying other stuff from Amazon, but HAVE just bought a colour shampoo that the shops didn't have!

You Devil, You!

:)))

Seedaholic send their seeds out in quite small packets, which are fine for labelling the sown seedtrays, but these are attached to a very comprehensive sheet giving information and instructions, which I file away for future reference.
Would you believe that you can buy things as diverse as Cast iron woodburner stoves and Cadbury's chocolate fingers, disposable nappies and tent pegs, Father Christmas outfits and go-Karts from Amazon? It's like Aladdin's cave! I just wish they were a little more ethical when it comes to paying UK taxes.
Oh, and by the way, a third company, which I've used for bulbs, is the Gee Tee Bulb company - great value if you want to buy in quite large numbers: I'll let you know in May if they all come up!

I do a lot of Amazon-ing too, but I also double check on eBay, just in case they've got it cheaper - but of course, Amazon mostly means no postage costs.

Good luck with the loppers - I don't have the shoulder strength to use them, which is probably just as well.

I've had some really good bargains off eBay - especially the Italian site when buying furniture when we first moved out here, but I find dealing with Amazon UK SO much easier and straightforward.

We use Amazon as well, it was good at xmas as we saved pounds when they never charged postage, it all helps out, I know well meaning folk like to lecture and go on about supporting the local businessman but I`m afraid they don`t pay my bills.........I forgot to say I enjoy opening a parcel but hate shopping, lol..

You people make me feel very guilty, all already thirsting to go out and use the loppers for this coming season! Here in mid-France it's been freezing fog the last couple of days after several weeks of on-off rain (and I'm sure I've caught an English cold by telephone line, my UK family are all sniffing!)

... So I don't feel I'm going to be tottering outside to get going on those overgrown shrubs and vines JUST yet... Venturing out to snip a few cheering sprigs of winter jasmine was the most I have managed today!

I agree with everyone about amazon's delights - however at present shamefully, it's the films and books (and I got given a kindle for Christmas, QUITE a new experience!) that I long for, rather than seeds... Though your selection sounds mouth-watering, Gattina!

I did virtually all our Christmas shopping using Amazon, and if you spend a fairly modest amount, they don't even charge postage/couriers to send big stuff like vacuum cleaners (no, it wasn't on the Christmas list) out here from the UK. I'd be lost without them.

Gattina, Amazon is the 'buy' word in our house, just about anything we want has to be 'checked' on Amazon...such bargains although I'm ashamed to admit I've never thought of trying them for seeds...that will be rectified immediately.

It sounds and looks wonderful, Gattina - enjoy!

Wildrose - I now picture you in yellow waterproofs and wellis, cutting one stem at a time!

It's a great shame, but no surprise, Mel, the grey skies and the temperature have descended, and it's now all misty and freezing out there. The forecast site has rain and snow symbols showing for the next 10 days. Well, it IS January.

The forecast is for the big frost to come over us too , Gattina .
Today has been very foggy and down to 1c , daytime , which we haven't had for along time .
Time to "tuck in ".

My OH told me that on the news this morning, the weather "gurus" are suggesting that right across the northern hemisphere, 2013 is supposed to be the hottest year on record. We're having problems coping with summer temperatures now - not sure we shouldn't be thinking of coming back to the UK!

Sorry to hear the bad weather is descending, Gattina, but yes - it is only January. It has been mild for a couple of weeks, but it is definitely getting colder here. Time will tell about the summer - we haven't had a really good one for some time now. Last year was pretty awful, then the sunshine arrived so late, no wonder the plants seem confused. Even now, there are all sorts of anomalies. I noticed today the petals of a Queen Elizabeth rose newly fallen and the bacopa in one of my baskets is still flowering enthusiastically. I have a yellow wallflower which has been flowering on and off for about 10 months. A lily sent up a beautiful bud about 3 weeks ago but then, of course, it froze.

This bought a smile to my face Gattina, reminded me of last year when my lopers seemed to take over, my poor old dogswood was well and truly attacked I`m only hopeing it will recover, so best that your hubby has put yours away now you`ve had a little play.

I've just found the key...... Ho, ho, ho! I can predict a nice big bonfire sometime next week!

Fog here today, snow forecast for tomorrow . . . batten down the hatches folk.

Tonight we can see Gattina's part of Italy on the telly! Andrew Graham-Dixon and another chap are visiting Bologna among other Italian places ("Italy Unpacked"), so at least (hopefully) we'll be able to vicariously enjoy some blue skies and sunshine!

(I did that the other evening too . . . Richard E. Grant was telling us about all the wonderful artists who loved the Cote d'Azur, so we had a yummy tour of the French Riviera in beautiful weather. :)) )

Morning troops , just back from a Zumba class .
It may take a time to recover , but something has to use up the energy that the garden normally takes , very warming , too .

Yes, I saw that programme, Sheila - wasn't it wonderful? Not sure I'm looking forward to this evening's offering.

You may be right, Gattina . . . but I'll give it a whirl.

I'm just hoping it doesn't turn out too clichéd.

First snow in London, or at least, in this part of it, couple of days ago - PC was down for four days and has only just been brought back to life, so a bit late reporting!

Lovely that the postie brought such wonderful things :o)))

Oh yes, Terra, it was such fun, I've been sending off for more.......

was it? *s*

was it clchéd?? *s*

I've posted three comments here: two have appeeard as being from "Iciar" and the otehr one didn't appear at all - in case this appears as from "Iiiar", this is franl trying to post!

I'm having PC probs and having to work in Safe mode, but no idea how that would change my name in GoY! I posted a comment to Balcony which came up under my won name.