Hope you are enjoying the weather? It's been brilliant here in Ireland. Hay and silage making seems to be happening everywhere.
I just can't get away from tractors at the moment. Be it my 2 old ladies (Ford 3000 and Ford 4000) neighbours at silage (and slurry!) and even saw a few tractors when I went to Clonakilty on Saturday. We walked into the town centre and there were old tractors, vintage cars, farm equipment and a traction engine parked in the cordoned off streets for pedestrians to look at all the old ladies of yesteryear's agriculture.
We found a great little chippy and I treated us all to bag of chips each (last of the big spenders) and we walked around the streets looking at the old tractors. The sun was glorious and everybody seemed so happy. Then to my amazement we passed brass bands playing in the Southwest Of Ireland Brass bands finals. It was like a scene from 'Brassed off' but with Irish accents.
All credit to the Clonakilty organizers of the vintage machinery displays and the brilliant brass bands. You made my day!
Yes, nice to see a display of the old machinery and hear the brass bands, in our mining area there was one in just about every village, and they marched at all the local carnivals. Sadly they seem to be going the way of a lot of other local traditions, swept away by the hectic lifestyle people seem to want nowadays.
ReplyDeleteWe missed the Silloth vintage rally this year, it's a good one, mostly local entries, but stationary engines, tractors, lorries, army vehicles, motor bikes, cars and even bicycles, all on a few acres of grass, kept to putting green standard, its Solwat turf on sand, so doesn't get churned up. The grey Massey-Fergusons are in evidence, even a couple of the earlier Nuffields, Fordsons and David Browns. And a lot of cars I remember driving in my youth like the good old Morris 1000, Austin A35 etc. As well as a few BSA Bantams, my first motor bike at 16.
Hay-making progressing here, the sun's certainly shining, I know we shouldn't complain, but it's too bloody hot with no cooling breeze. Noticed a field of potatoes, about 2' high, and a field of barley just on the turn, seems to have gone from nothing to full ripening ear in a week.
Couldn't even be bothered cooking today, it was supposed to be steak & kidney puddings with chips and peas, but settled for a tongue & tomato sandwich and a bottle of lager.
Raggy cat seems to be enjoying the weather, it's hardly in the house, spends all day sun-bathing and strolling slowly about. Doesn't seem to be eating much either.
I remember the brass bands playing at the Whit walks during the 1960's and 1970's. A time when my parents used to take me for a new 'rig out' from the clothes shop.
ReplyDeleteA lot of colliery bands have lasted longer than the mines. The Silloth rally sounds wonderful. I believe there is the Dorset steam fair in August. Supposed to be excellent.
Our Barley is also getting it's ears.
We're living off sandwiches and sweating buckets when we go to bed. Why does nobody have air conditioning in their houses?
Terrier is being disobedient and not eating much. It's fantastic but we're not used to it. Raggy cat sounds like Domino. Fetched us another rat yesterday.
Thanks!
Still hot here as well, as you say we're not much used to it, and we're living on sandwiches as well, can't be bothered cooking. Got a couple of nice salmon steaks should have been yesterdays dinner, too hot to put the cooker on, so had a tongue sandwich. Have to do the salmon today though, it won't last much longer even in the fridge.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have aircon because we don't usually need it.
Don't blame the terrier, he's probably suffering as much from the heat as we are, it doesn't make you feel like eating much.
Carnival season is upon us, we missed our local village one in June because we were away, tomorrow is Maryport, a big one that died out for a while but was resurrected a few years ago and seems to be thriving now, it's a bit dull today but still warm, looks like the sun might get out later.
Talking to one of the girls in Asda, she's been making hay, big bales, and told me although the grass looks well, they yields seem to be down, they got 48 bales off 5 acres, usually 60. And 30 acres to go. Same girl has sheep, £120 for fat lambs last month, down to £100 this month, so they're on the way down, but this doesn't seem to be reflected in the prices on the butchers counter.
My ramblings this morning interrupted by a BMW X5 blocking the country road, stopping cars (all two of them) for 10 minutes waiting for the milkers coming back to their field, 150 Friesians, all complete with 2 yellow ear tags each. I still think they look strange with tags but no horns.
No 2 son came yesterday and mowed my grass at the back, beat his own record, 45 minutes, it was all I could do to keep up with him emptying the collecting container, about 20 yards away, by wheelbarrow. Grandson assisted by drinking a bottle of coco-cola and eating half a bar of chocolate, left the other half in the sun for 10 minutes and it melted so he decided to leave it in the freezer for next time.
Raggy cat ambled in last night, said hello for a few minutes and ambled out again, it looks so lethargic as well as us.
Thanks for that Cumbrian, I think this summer will be remembered for a long while. Hopefully people will visit the traditional seaside resorts and give the traders and b&b establishments much needed income.
ReplyDeleteMissus gone looking for one of those garden Chiminea's that you light to keep warms (don't laugh) and hopefully keeps the midges away. We sit out on the patio until we get eaten alive by the midges.
Ate my tea (pasty and peas) at ten O'clock the other night, when it was much cooler. I enjoyed it too.
Chicken curry and rice and salad tonight.
Sounds like you get some very welcome garedning help from your son and grandchild. There's nothing worse than struggling on you're own.
Sweating buckets but very grateful for the brilliant sunshine. Vegetables and cattle keep me busy providing water for them.
Thanks!