Chatting and snapping

A right old miserable day today - low cloud, mist, drizzle, grey skies and midges.

The North Connel & District Horticultural Show Facebook page was advertising some of the plants available at their two roadside plant stalls yesterday - a huge cucumber plant was one of them! Stupidly I didn't check first as they now have four plant stalls! I drove the 7 or so miles up there, but unfortunately it had been snapped up or was on one of the other stalls. Not to worry - a few days ago I planted a cucumber in my bed in the Glen Lonan polytunnel. I wouldn't describe it as huge, but it was almost one inch tall! Roll on Christmas! My Blip today is of the plant stall in a bus stop at Barcaldine.

While I was out I continued my search for Embothrium coccineum, the Chilean Firebush, in local gardens. Yesterday I was on the River Awe suspension bridge when I spotted an orange blob among the trees a mile or so away. I went to have a look later and found a specimen in a garden right next to the river. This afternoon I discovered another ten or so in various stages of growth and by invading their gardens had a couple of very interesting conversations with garden owners. I've put the biggest on as an extra - the couple who own it have promised me a sucker next time they dig one up!

Quote of the Day:

Tom Hodgkinson  - “I could happily lean on a gate all the livelong day, chatting to passers-by about the wind and the rain. I do a lot of gate-leaning while I am supposed to be gardening; instead of hoeing, I lean on the gate, stare at the vegetable beds and ponder.”