What it’s called when on a sunny but cold Sunday afternoon you carefully unwrap the standard bay trees, which have spent the winter insulated, only to be followed on Sunday night by a ground frost and temperatures of -2ºC????
T'is the Law of "Lumps of Turf".... we had some hail yesterday... having planted out our "cheat's" lettuces on Friday... still from this distance they look alright... perhaps "Lumps of Turf" Law hasn't applied... perhaps the barn sheltered them.... perhaps the weather will allow me to carry on with some outdoor work...
It's the usual optimism that causes us Brits that live north of the M25 to forget that spring doesn't really start until 1st June and winter starts on 1st October.
We see a bit of sun and get all excited, thinking this year it will be different.........
That has to be Murphy at it again! My bay tree has lived in the garden here for the past 5 years quite happily, never covered! Not sure that it has survived this years deep freeze though! It does not look happy! Diane
I like the idea that it was down to the giddiness of a fantastic (if a bit lucky at times)achievement of my boys winning their third grand slam in eight years.
Was the reason Niall didn't wrap the privet down to that inner impending sense of doom that all Scots were feeling this year?
Still, wooden spoons can come in very handy. I know because Wales have won a few over the years ... ;0)
I am sure that your bay trees will be fine. Ours is planted in the garden. Last winter it survived although the frost did attack it. This winter I think that it is OK. And we are further north than you.
hello Gaynor, I'm not quite sure which route I took to find you, but I have enjoyed looking through your posts. I, too am dividing life between England ( Yorkshire) and France ( Caunes Minervois, near Carcassonne ). It is early days for us, this will be our first summer owning a house in France, and after 3 brief visits since last autumn when the house became ours, I cant wait to get back out there. Looking forward to reading more of your advetures, thoughts and musings. Janice.
Hi Janice, Bienvenue! You are fortunate to live in two beautiful places and I shall enjoy finding out more about you, and them. We ended up in the Indre et Loire quite by accident, having started out in the Haute Savoie. It doesn't have the spectacular mountains and lakes, but it makes up for it with beautiful villages and chateaux. We head off to France in a couple of weeks and can't wait either!
Bienvenue Gaynor! The idea of wrapping trees is so novel and cute, but it must have been a shock to receive that late cold snap.
Ooh, you are so blessed living in the Loire. We spent a month at Fontveraux (wrong spelling but I'm not getting up to look) and so enjoyed driving to many chateaux. Hated those nuclear plants that've sucked the Loire dry though.
I see some Aussies are buying up houses near Carcassone for only $100,000. Very tempting!
Not checking the weather forecast at the last minute? Hubris (just kidding)? Bad luck? Murphy's Law?
ReplyDeleteAll of the above!
DeleteT'is the Law of "Lumps of Turf".... we had some hail yesterday... having planted out our "cheat's" lettuces on Friday... still from this distance they look alright... perhaps "Lumps of Turf" Law hasn't applied... perhaps the barn sheltered them.... perhaps the weather will allow me to carry on with some outdoor work...
ReplyDeleteTim,
DeleteI prefer your name to the more commonly used one!!!
Hello Gaynor:
ReplyDeleteSod's Law, we imagine, although we suspect that you could think of something worse, as could we!
You know me too well!
DeleteIt's the usual optimism that causes us Brits that live north of the M25 to forget that spring doesn't really start until 1st June and winter starts on 1st October.
ReplyDeleteWe see a bit of sun and get all excited, thinking this year it will be different.........
I think the shrubs will survive, but it was a shock to the system to scrape the windscreen this morning!
DeleteFrance soon, I can't wait... :0)
That has to be Murphy at it again! My bay tree has lived in the garden here for the past 5 years quite happily, never covered! Not sure that it has survived this years deep freeze though! It does not look happy! Diane
ReplyDeleteWe lost a couple outside our house in France a couple of years ago. The jury is out as to whether it was due to frost or lack of water!
DeleteSod and Murphy have a lot to answer for.
ReplyDeleteYou're right there!
DeleteMy comment would be exactly the same as the others have already said, you were well and truly caught out Gaynor.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't you think that by my age I'd know better?
DeleteSod & Murphy and the giddiness at winning the 6 Nations slam which deprived you of your common sense...
ReplyDeleteOur self seeded bay tree-lets survived well; but our standard privet out front seems to have died [we didn't wrap it]
I like the idea that it was down to the giddiness of a fantastic (if a bit lucky at times)achievement of my boys winning their third grand slam in eight years.
DeleteWas the reason Niall didn't wrap the privet down to that inner impending sense of doom that all Scots were feeling this year?
Still, wooden spoons can come in very handy. I know because Wales have won a few over the years ... ;0)
It would be so much easier if we would just have nice weather and sunshine wouldn't it?
ReplyDeleteIt would indeed!
DeleteI am sure that your bay trees will be fine. Ours is planted in the garden. Last winter it survived although the frost did attack it. This winter I think that it is OK. And we are further north than you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'm sure they will too. They've survived much worse!
Deletehello Gaynor, I'm not quite sure which route I took to find you, but I have enjoyed looking through your posts. I, too am dividing life between England ( Yorkshire) and France ( Caunes Minervois, near Carcassonne ). It is early days for us, this will be our first summer owning a house in France, and after 3 brief visits since last autumn when the house became ours, I cant wait to get back out there. Looking forward to reading more of your advetures, thoughts and musings. Janice.
ReplyDeleteHi Janice,
ReplyDeleteBienvenue!
You are fortunate to live in two beautiful places and I shall enjoy finding out more about you, and them.
We ended up in the Indre et Loire quite by accident, having started out in the Haute Savoie. It doesn't have the spectacular mountains and lakes, but it makes up for it with beautiful villages and chateaux.
We head off to France in a couple of weeks and can't wait either!
Bienvenue Gaynor! The idea of wrapping trees is so novel and cute, but it must have been a shock to receive that late cold snap.
ReplyDeleteOoh, you are so blessed living in the Loire. We spent a month at Fontveraux (wrong spelling but I'm not getting up to look) and so enjoyed driving to many chateaux. Hated those nuclear plants that've sucked the Loire dry though.
I see some Aussies are buying up houses near Carcassone for only $100,000. Very tempting!
Denise
Well my maiden name is Murphy, so I always know what to expect. Hope you saved it. You were just hopeful.
ReplyDeleteI just stopped by from BPOTW.