What happened to the weather this week, severe cold after the warm previous days.. The first swallows & bluebells arrived then & we thought the covers could come off the rose bushes & we could buy Summer bedding BUT this week Winter is back with grass frost at night & we had the jobs to reverse with the roses & the front porch is like a green house with bedding plants.

To crown thing out our heating failed, with the burner switching on & off on its own accord, so what gremlin is at work.? Luckily we have a back-up with the wood & peat burning stove which heats the whole cottage at nights.

Back from salads to warm food once again, I better stop & peel the spuds & veg. & have a hot meal ready for 6.30p.m

Bye for now, Pat

Hi all. As Pat says, the weather this week has been very cold. Back to winter temperatures, in fact. Yesterday we had sleet and hailstones, followed by heavy rain showers. Some parts had snow, but we didn't. It has been sunny, however, too, but freezing cold with it. A couple of weeks ago I was able to sit out on the deck. But that's Irish weather for you. My tulips have been unaffected and are still standing as upright as ever. Our bluebells are just starting to bloom now, but as I said before it takes a big expanse of ground to show their beauty to the full. I love their scent. On the fine days we had recently, we visited the garden centre (I think I mentioned this). We have some of the bedding plants in tubs, mostly outside, but there are still a few to plant in the greenhouse. The ones in the greenhouse will thank me for not exposing them to the winter conditions. They'll be going out today, cold or no cold.

Hi Ann and Pat,

Crazy weather here, +2c at the present, it's supposed to heat up again by the weekend. Mauri had posted earlier that our weather was great,unfortunately it didn't last. That is the way Mother Nature gives it to us, what can we do about it...nothing.

Beano

ann,
you mentioned about the ''irish weather''. i'm in melbourne at the moment because my older son is in hospital, and the weather is all over the place. hot,cold. rain, windy. there's a saying here that melbourne gets all four seasons in one day? quite true

Tom. I can remember one time coming out of Flinders Street Station wearing top coat,scarf and gloves, while another time nearly passing out from the heat while wearing a blue uniform the weather in Melbourne is very changeable like you say???. Mauri

today Vancouver was 27 deg tomorrow supposed to be 28deg my daughter is in Toronto its 8deg and raining.
happy days

Sunny but cold and windy recently. Supposed to pick up at the weekend. Heard on the radio this morning that a weather-watcher in Donegal predicts a good summer. Let's hope he's right. Well, he's either right or wrong, so take your pick. My battery is running down so that's me for another while.

Hi Gregg St. Boy,

Those temps in Vancouver would suit me lovely. We toyed with the idea of visiting my in-laws on the Island for a couple of weeks, however Noel's choir are touring the Inland for a week and coupled with the fact we are going "home" in August that has changed our mind.

What about those fires in Fort McMurray, unbelievable, how are they going to stop them???. It is hard to believe 140,000 people had to be evacuated, some where given 2/3mins. warning to leave....very sad.

Give our love to Jean,
Take care.

Beano

Hi Beano , Those fires are something else we have just been watching them on the news here they really are serious even the head Fire Superintendent really came across as a very worried individual who seemed at the end of his tether ,please God they get a grip on it , for the inhabitants it really is one nightmare , Regards Ted

Temperature here in Barrie 16oC today and the same forecast for tomorrow and up to 20oC at the weekend and nice and sunny, supposed to be rain this afternoon but so far no sign of it.
Fort McMurray really going through the mill re the fires, probably rushing fire fighters in from all over the country the high temperatures and high velocity winds not helping and with no rain in sight the situation is really bad. Mauri

Hi all,

Seems to be early mornings are beautiful, sun streaming in the windows but still a cool breeze, then later around 10.30a.m. or so it clouds over & changes from sun to showers.

To be 15% today, so might do a few hanging baskets but hesitate to hang them outside, so the front porch is like a greenhouse still. Trees are in full leaf & if the sun shone Ireland would be lovely in May.

Bluebells & tulips are in full colour & the daffodils are all gone, but shrubs are showing buds, so the best in in front of us. After all it is just May, June will surely bring warmth to the land.

Swallows are back too but not in great numbers yet. We have rabbits in the garden & lane, Finn has a chase now & again, he is sleeping outside in the sun, loves the heat. He is 2 years old this month & settling down - somewhat?

My daughter bought him a furry pheasant toy yesterday that makes a noise & he is afraid of it. Big softie.

Pat

Tom, you mentioned being in Melbourne because of your son being in hospital. I hope it's nothing serious and that he's on the mend.

ann, thanks for the enquiry. he has bronchiectasis a shocking thing,. he doesn't smoke , 22 years in australian army he's single, lives in a quite big house and acre garden [both much too big for him] in dunolly an old gold mining town. theres no cure just on oxygen and anti biotics to get over an attack. at the end they sometimes try a lung transplant.
he's out of hospital, stayed a few days here and is now back in dunolly.

Tom, sorry to hear about your son's llness. Must be terrible for him, especially leading a healthy life. I'm sure he was glad to see you. Nothing like parents' presence when you are ill or feeling down to raise your spirits. I hope he keeps well.

Tom. From an old Australian Forces veteran to another one, I wish him well, I don't recognize the town he lives in,wherabouts is that??. Mauri

ann,
yes it's a very serious thing he has. i have spent quite a bit of time with him over the last years, fixing up the house etc,which he can't do now. mark was actually born in lvh in july 63 when i rented there between air force and moving to england.
he was very active but this illness has developed quickly last 4/5 years

mauri, dunolly is a small town now population wise but at the height of the gold rush was a major centre for miners etc. a lot of gold there. the biggest nugget ever found ''welcome stranger'' was found there. it's still a lovely place for buildings but small population.
it's situated 35 kilometres west of bendigo, also famous for gold finds
god luck tom