Mickey fez's most commented articles

At least what passes for hot here.28c in my garden around 3pm Luckily I had finished a mowing session long before that. I rose just before 7,the cats were already out so I got there breakfast sorted in peace before making myself a couple of bacon buns. The next job was to bake a cheese and onion flan so it could cool down by lunch time. I little housework followedas I waited for the clock to tick round. At 9:30 I cut the front grass.nice and easy no real work involved. After a coffee break…

A gorgeous day here on the wild north west coast of England. We have had wall to wall sunshine with temps in my little suntrap of a garden reaching 78f. This coupled with a very high humidity made for a close sticky sort of day. I cut the grass this morning before it got really warm. I found a carpet of tiny purple flowers on the part that was the wildflower bed,I am leaving it fallow this year just letting the vegetation grow. Anything that looks promising I cleared an area for and threw a few…

I finally remembered to ask my neighbour John about the plant with little flowers I culled last week,they are Fumaria Officinalis,there are 50 known varieties of which Officinalis is a common one.John rattled off the name straight away but then he does spend a lot of his time talking in Latin giving slide shows etc.He tells me he sometimes forgets the common name of flowers but never the Latin,it comes with the job I suppose him being a professional gardener all his working life.So that's anothe…

After yesterday's rain which hammered us from late morning until bedtime today dawned sunny and bright.With little to do on the work front and showers forecast for later I decided on a morning stroll.With Thorny likely to be flooded the lanes wre out again and needing to visit the shop anyway I decided on the beach from the Roundhouse to the golf course and then up to the shops. I met a few casuals on the way and then Margaret's sister Anne. She was out walking here little mongrel dog and the…

A turn in the weather here,a cold north easterly wind is blowing through, temps have dropped and there is rain falling. It's an indoor day for me and the cats agree.After a little foray earlier they both guzzled some food and went back to bed,Sooty is beside me on his cushion,where Zazzles is I have no idea but he's upstairs somewhere. There is nowhere I need to be today so staying put is OK although I was hoping to get the grass trimmed. My plan is to give the laptop a run out and do the…

At 2.50 today we had a power cut just as I was about to start dinner.That plan was shelved and I decided to break the laptop out and have a toodle.I discovered the battery was run down.No big deal the Electricity board would be here at the sub power station in a few minutes anyway and I could start the dinner. That turned out to be wishful thinking it was 4.15 before somebody finally turned up and we were back in action within 10 minutes,first job a cup of coffee.By now all thoughts of dinner h…

I have three photographs for you. The first is Sooty doing his balancing act on the scratching post. The second is a surprise in the garden,despite all the horrendous weather Margaret's rose has another bloom opening and a few more buds ready. and finally I found the final two types of beer in the shop today,that's that place all done now and I have a good selection for the festive season stashed away,there is bound to be something visitors like,just a bottle of Bushmills and a bottle o…

I mentioned my new kitchen gadget,well here it is. An Electric Teppanyaki Table Top Grill Griddle. It is 45cmX24cm so is much better than my 27cm frying pan for doing full English breafasts all in one shot. It has 5 heats settings and with a trough and a slide in drip tray perect for the job ad very easy to clean. The photos are just after my first clean and test run, here I have the pan on a medium heat before making bacon and egg to go into butties for lunch and they were delicious. Tomo…

No sun today a rather hazy gloomy day but warm enough.I wandered over to Iceland and arrived smack on half eight just as the doors opened. I did my shopping parted with £40 arranged delivery for 1pm and ambled back towards the bridge. I took a long shot of a wood pigeon a good distance away,the photo is not great but I think they are a pretty bird. There is a little boat named Junkette up for sale in the yard,she is a tidy looking craft and a long way from home base. She was built in Poole…

Today I awoke to a clear blue sky.a promising start to the day. After sorting the cats and having breakfst I checked on the front garden. Still scruffy but short and scruffy so it was time to try the mower. The first job was to rake yesterday strimmer grass cuttings and then weed the border. this all took an hour such was the state of things. Next after a coffee I mowed the larger section,a 5 minute break then back to the smaller section. another hour gone and with a tiring back I took a lon…

After a long hard battle trying to beat back trouble caused by years of fixing farm machinery in fields and barns in all weathers and sports injuries I am waving he white flag. This means changes in my lifestyle I knew would happen sometime. My GP has told me what not to do ,what to do less and what to carry on with. The list isn't good but I have no choice if I want to stay mobile. No more lugging heavy shopping, no more ladders not even stepladders,the latter because the back spasms are…

With the good weather holding a trip to mother's was on. I bussed to within a mile of her place then walked the rest strolling through the rezza on the way. It is a tranquil little spot amongst the bustle of industry and traffic. I took a few snaps Click here After a good visit I left and feeling good decided to try the big climb home. I strooled past the famr under the railway bridge,took a deep breathe and started up.The weather was glorious even on the top and I faired well. I was a l…

After being cabined up since Sunday due to heavy rain and gales today we finally got a break. As this break is only going to last today with the rain returning tomorrow and Sunday I made the most of it. Deciding today was the best day to get my big shop in I strolled over to town this morning. I was there early so no annoying crowds to get under my feet,shopping done I returned on the 9:40 made a couple of bacon buns and sat out to eat them.The weather wasn't warm enough for tee shirt and short…

I am sorry I haven't been around much.Things are not so good here. As you all know Jenny has been taken ill and I am not getting any more news from Mandi,my only soures are through Max and Gracie,Mandoi has stopped relaying messages through Ellen. This comes on top of the anniversary of my beloved Margaret's death and helping Ellen an Colin to get moved out,I haven, even spoken to my mother in days, something I will rectify now. TGake care folks and Have a very Merry Christmas. Big hugs to yuo g…

I went out to feed the birds this morning and spotted the first sign og the garden awakening. A Dafodil in the middle of the unkept grass. The wet autumn and winter curtailed preperations for the season such as grass cutting,plant pruning etc so this little flower is a sign of hope and a lot of work ahead.

Another lovely day here and after s dood trip to mother's snd Lunch it was into the gardrn with a coffee,just sitting on the ricliner watching the birds. I got restless after a while so continued clear this junk at the side of the house. I cleared jujnk and attacked the borders with the trimmer and that wotled quite well' I tried to make inroads with the mound but no garden tools would go near it so I resorted to a 14lb lump hammer which mage short eork of the little cave Allan had made The…

The day set off cold and dark with a hint of rain in the air. It is my day yo visit my mother and I got a lift both ways from a neighbour which was good. when I returned the weather was still threatening sso I decided to cut as much of the grass as I could before it came. I got the front mowed and strimmed in quick time with no interuptions,then had lunch. After lunch the weather had improved greatly and the sun seemed to be winnig the weather battle and it did win in the end. I managed to cu…

I am cabined up again watching rain.The weather here has been miserabe of late. Friday is always a good day,my lass Ellen comes on Frlday to pick up my list for the weekly big shop. She stayed a couple of hous today and as a bonus cut my hair. The only sad thing for me is not seeing my dear old mothwr who is beng shielded with my youngest sister Paula. We talk on the phone a lot but it's not the same, The weekend is aleays good,there is plenty of sport on the tv. My daily bonus is a cha…

After anothr spell of bad weather coming to a head with very heavy rain for much of Monday I got a pleasant surprise on Tuesday.I awoke to a calm day ans a promise of sunshine. After sorting the cats and munching on breakfast I set out on a trip to mother's.aborted on Moday. I picked up some flowers from the local shop and caught a bus which took me to within a mile of her house. From there is was a pleasnt stroll to her place.She was in fine fettle and we spent some time exchanging news and g…

I am sending my fondest regards to Jenny today,a dear,dear friend I have been lucky enough to meet online and visit 3 times. Have a good one old pal. hugs and kisses always. Mickey xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx