MY HOBBY Fuchsias Part 1.

This might be of assistance to anyone with a fancy for Fuchsias. Before I start I must make it clear I'm no expert on the subject just someone's trials and observations on 35-40 yrs of growing them. I'm quite sure a real expert will disagree with some things I say, if thats the case So be it.
When Picking out your own Fuchsias here are a few things to think about, Firstly do you need them to be hardy, again hardy in Devon in not hardy in most of Scotland and the North. But as a general rule hardies tend to be smaller flowered but bigger plants, as they are in a permanent position. Pick your varieties (if you want to keep them outside) carefully. Next Question is possibly what type of,or size of, or colour of flowers do you like?. Probably the most differently shaped ones you will come across are the long tubed Triphylla type there are lots of other long tubed species but this is the most common I see. Thalia is possibly the best known.As well as flower shape and colour you also have foliage colour and shape, also the habit of the variety chosen ie trailing for tubs, baskets and bush types for borders ,pots and containers.The list is endless I did not start out to confuse anyone so if there is anything here your not sure of so far, my E-Mail address is in my profile. Here are a few photo's. One is of the long tube Thalia, the other of the beautiful variegated leaved "Golden Marinka".

THE PRIEST +OTHERS

An Irish priest is zipping down the road when a patrol car pulls him over for speeding, the officer walks up to the car then he notices its a priest but also that there is an empty wine bottle on the seat besides the priest. the officer asks "have you been drinking sir" the priest replies "only water"the officer says "I smell alcohol on you possibly wine" The priest immediately looks down at the bottle and says "Good lord it looks like He's done it again".

A big buxom blonde was pulled over for failing to stop for a red light, the police officer tells her of the offence and asks her politely to see her drivers license she replies in a huff "I wish you guys would get it together just yesterday you took away my license now today you want me to show it to you !!.

A blonde with help pushes her car into a garage, where she tells the Mechanic that "it just died" after just a few minutes work it sounds as sweet as a nut, she asks him "well what was the story" he replies "just crap in the Carburettor " to which she says "How often do I have to do that"!!.

A group of men are out on a rough shoot one day when there's a bang and one of them falls to the floor and does'nt appear to be breathing and his eyes are rolled back, his mate pulls out his mobile phone and dials 999, to the operator he says " I I th Think my friend is well a a a dead what am I gonna do "now just stay calm and make sure he's dead" The operator says in a calm soothing voice , there is a long silence followed by the sound of a shot,then the man comes back with "ok now what"?.

WE'RE BACK .

Its 6.30 Sunday 18th March, we have just come back from Combe Martin and our Caravan. What a journey high winds combined with at times heavy snow flurries and temperatures down to 34 f .All these combined made the 80 mile journey take us 1/2 hour longer than usual. Monday, back to normal with hospital appointments, and Chiropody Tuesday, never mind all being well we will go back on Thursday. These photo's of Combe and local area taken yesterday show Hele Bay, Combe and beaches.
CLICK ANY PICTURE TO ENLARGE.

OLD BIKES FOR AN OLD GIT.

Well here we go its too early for bed so a very quick blog. A month or so ago the wife and I and our grown up kids decided to go to the Classic Bike Show nr Bath. We all love M'Cycles and M'Cycling so we had looked forward to going, well we were not disappointed, it was a cold but mainly dry day (some stalls are outdoors). Looking back my only criticism was that us disabled had to stand and queue and shuffle along about 450 yds which took 20 mins, so I had to sit a few mins before going on. The show itself was great with a lot of absolutely pristine bikes on display, Although not one Honda CX 500 B very disappointing (my Bike). Here are a couple of real classics. Just as a by the way my Wife Sue has a full M/Cycle license and has ridden my 750 cc and owned her own 250cc for 8yrs.

MAKESHIFT

Here to keep it a little interesting are a few more pictures of "Teignmouth" (tinmuff) .See you all soon.




This is one of the few blogs I will post in the next week or two, because on Tuesday lunch time we are off to our caravan.We have both got hospital or doctors appointments in 10-11 days time so we have to come home then. Last week we went over to erect the awning, take essential things like sleeping bags, pillows, duvets, food tins etc.What we did'nt realise was quite how much rain we'd had, around the van was really muddy and horrible. Once organised putting down wooden walk ways and a floor in the awning everything was much pleasanter. This blog is a bit of a makeshift hodge podge so please excuse me.

A ROOM WITH A VIEW.

This is the view from our bedroom window, from the sea front right around to Shaldon bridge and Ringmore. As you look you see the cliffs above the village (Ness cliffs) of Shaldon on round to the village itself with" The Salty"in the foreground.This strip of sand is left behind when the tide is out and is an ideal spot for cockle raking in summer. From this window we often watch the cargo boats come in and dock.If you look at the first picture, of the window you will notice a few of my recently taken Fuchsias cuttings. Taking cuttings early and rearing them in the bedroom window gives them an early start as I have no Greenhouse.It can also be a beautiful place to sit and star gaze at night. All these pictures were taken yesterday.

THROUGH THE YEARS. Part 6

In 1964 I married my then fiance Susan Emms and in 1965-6 we had our two children Pamela and Roy.I met Sue while we were both working at the Engineering works (Sue in the offices) of Maudsley Motor Co in Alcester Warks. These photo's of the wedding and reception are all we have left, as we lost a whole album full during one of our moves.

E- I - ADI - O A CARAVANING WE WILL GO.

Its that time again so, (12 th March)

The day that we've been waiting for,
So we can open the caravan door,
Its seems so long since we were there,
To be back home in our little lair.

We are back a bit earlier than usual this year,
We usually wait for the weather to clear,
Our vans are covered in grime and muck,
It just rains and rains thats our luck.

Around the van its very wet,
I think it is the wettest yet,
We have to put down a wooden walk way,
To save our shoes from the mud and clay.

It'll all be worth it that I'm sure,
So long as we don't have much more,
All our friends will soon be there,
The good times then we all will share.

So to those of you that watch this site,
I wont have so much time to write,
Because in Berrynarbor we will be,
I will be only blogging fortnightly.

ITS REALLY HERE.

Click on any picture to Enlarge.









Here in Teignmouth, Devon the signs are that winter is virtually over and spring beginning, look at these few pictures and see what you think!!!. A lot of these from the garden the rest from the local park. For all you green gardeners out there check this site www.greengardener.co.uk .

JOKE OF THE DAY 4

I got sent this joke today I just had to pass it on
An elderly man won a lot of money on the lottery, he decided one of the first things he would buy would be a fast flashy soft top Lamborgini sports car, he had always wanted one.On the day of delivery he immediately sped off for the nearest dual carriage way, as soon as he was on it he put his foot down, in seconds he was doing 90 mph, harder he pushed the accelerator up to 110 mph he went, after a few seconds he thought I'm too old for this so he was about to lift his foot and ease back the speed when he glanced in his rear view mirror, to his horror there were the big blue flashing lights of a police patrol car, it indicated for him to pull over so he did.The officer got out of his car and walked up to him saying excuse me sir ar'nt you a little old to be breaking the speed limit doing 110 mph,he went on my shift finishes in 5 minutes, to save me a lot of trouble and paper work and you losing your license if you give me an excuse for going that fast that I hav'nt heard before, then you can be on your way.The man said "well a few years ago my wife ran off with a police patrol officer and when you were following me I thought you were trying to bring her back," " have a good day sir" the officer said.