Saturday 10 October 2020

Highs and lows












Gesso painting of our cottage by James Lynch.


There are highs and lows when living in an old building. Our cottage is far from perfect, there has been a dwelling on this site for hundreds of years and old roof lines can be seen in the walls where the property has been enlarged. It tends to be warm in summer and cold in winter, when it would be far more comfortable the other way about. Last week, during heavy rain and wind, water was blown into the house above a couple of the windows. Himself has been up a ladder doing some remedial pointing. When things have dried out a bit he will apply waterproofing in the hopes of keeping us dry throughout the winter.

The poor weather has brought problems in the garden as well. Last year we lost a prolific red apple tree to honey fungus and have been carefully tending the remaining tree of the same variety.

As you can see from the photo, the tree is half dead, but I was optimistic because some of the branches still produced leaves. But this week while wandering round the garden in the wet I saw that the base of the tree was covered in a cluster of those tell-tale horrid little fungi.

I've dug them and the surrounding earth up and bagged it. The tree trunk and the earth has been doused in Jeyes fluid.

I'm not hopeful.

The pears, meanwhile, have had a splendid season. Some are still on the tree, but most have been picked to ripen indoors.













Delicious!















It has also been a good year for courgettes, they are still cropping, but the cold nights will finish them off any time soon.








And some very nice squash!








17 comments:

  1. That's too bad about the tree. I am not familiar with that fungus. My zucchini produced nothing this year, so well done! Those pears look fantastic as well. -Jenn

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    1. The pears ARE fantastic, Jenn, the best year yet!
      Be relieved that you have no experience of honey fungus because it is a killer - silent but deadly, with no proven cure. I'm hoping that my liberal use of Jeyes fluid will have stopped it in its tracks.

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  2. Those pears look amazing... do make pear butter? Yes looks like a nice year for squash! Enjoy the weekend.. Bonnie

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    Replies
    1. I hadn't heard of pear butter, Bonnie, but googled it (what did we do before google!) and shall try it. Thank you for the suggestion.

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  3. As always, your garden produce looks splendid. Beautiful picture.

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    Replies
    1. We are eating well, Donna. (Possibly too well!)

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  4. You always have a wonderful garden with what ever you grow.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Parsnip, this year especially it has been valuable to have a garden to enjoy.

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  5. What a beautiful painting of your house! You'd have no idea it wasn't doing what it says on the box, warm and dry in winter, cool and dry in summer. Nice pointing and fingers crossed it does the trick.

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    1. Yes, isn't it a charming painting, it was a present for my 70th birthday. We rigged up a scaffolding tower with a chair on the top where the artist sat to make his drawing and colour studies. He sat high up with a leg across his knee looking very nonchalant - a mixture of the king and the king's jester!

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  6. Thanks for the photos --especially the closing one. The squash is impressive, but you. You are lovely.

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  7. That's a shame about the tree Rosemary. My gosh, look at those pears and that squash is amazing!

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    1. All my hard work rewarded, Rain!! Hope it is the same for you! Oh, that ghastly fungus, I hope I don't lose anything else to it.

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  8. What a beautiful painting! Your cottage looks wonderful, but I know that living in an old building has its downside - actually, things can go wrong in newer buildings, too.
    I wouldn't say no to one of those gorgeous pears right now!

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    1. How nice if you could sit in my kitchen - I would be able to see the pear juice running down your chin!

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