Re: Weather

[LadyA]

So, how's everyone coping with weather? From what I see on t'interwebs, the UK seems to be getting quite extreme weather? Floods, and now a blast of cold?

Here, November was the wettest for decades, but around here anyway, we had no floods. This morning is frosty, but not too bad. We've had some really mild days too. I'm hoping we escape without it getting too much colder. I don't like driving on icy roads, but I go to check on mum every day, and that's half an hour each way, on mostly country roads that wouldn't recognise a gritter if it came along.

 

[Margaid]

A couple of roads round here flood with run-off from the fields so it all gets horribly muddy but otherwise doesn't affect me although the water meadows the other side of the small river have flooded three times - but that's what they're for! Three nights of frost, last night the worst but frost has gone from the grass now as uniformly grey cloud. Yesterday the frost remained all day where it was out of the sun. Fortunately the country roads I have to use lead to primary schools so they are gritted.

 

[bigyetiman]

Just had two really frosty days, which has been a relief from the continual greyness and drizzle. Luckily we have missed the worst of the rain and hens are happily running about and sitting in sunny spots

 

[Marigold]

This is interesting, from the Met. Office. Shetland seems to have come out well this year on several counts, eg sunshine hours.
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/press-office/news/weather-and-climate/2019/2019-autumn-and-november-stats

 

[Hen-Gen]

Psst. Don’t tell everyone. They’ll all be wanting to move here.

But more seriously once the Greenland ice sheets really start melting they will prevent the Gulf Stream getting through and winters here will be very cold. Hopefully I’ll have snuffed it before then ?

 

[bigyetiman]

That's the spirit, look on the bright side :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Hen-Gen]

That's the spirit, look on the bright side :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Now then boyo. For those of us of a religious persuasion, I am!?

 

[DanielButler]

I'm on a vacation in Europe for a while. It's so cold here!

 

[LadyA]

Mainland Europe? It's fairly mild here, but horribly windy.

Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

 

[dianefairhall]

Bulletin from the Edge: Hissing down and blowing a gale. Not cold, though.

 

[Margaid]

Bulletin from the Edge: Hissing down and blowing a gale. Not cold, though.

Which Edge is that?

 

[LadyA]

Blowing an awful gale here too, but it's much worse on the West coast. Parts of the West have a red warning, parts an orange warning. We're in a yellow warning area, but it's bad enough here.

Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

 

[dianefairhall]

Bulletin from the Edge: Hissing down and blowing a gale. Not cold, though.

Which Edge is that?

The one on the Outer Hebrides - no more land west until the Americas.

 

[Hen-Gen]

It’s the darkness here. Even my pullets are only giving me about two eggs per week. Having said that I don’t really mind because I prefer mine to fully mature before they come into lay. Already dreaming about hatching time.
Yesterday we took two of my lambs for slaughter. The boys are quick and humane and within five minutes they were carcasses hanging from butchers hooks. I like to leave them for four or five days at ambient temperature before he cuts them up for me which is fine in these cool temperatures because it confers both flavour and tenderness upon them. It was still a surprise upon being invited in for coffee and seeing about half a dozen legs of lamb hanging above his kitchen radiator. Dried, salted mutton is a bit of a delicacy here (Called reestit mutton) but it’s a taste I have never acquired. As my compatriot whispered in my ear ‘who dries mutton in the 21st C. Haven’t they heard of freezers’. I’m afraid a dig in the ribs was my response.
I am addicted to Cornish Pasties and lamb is a perfectly good substitute for beef. Made with neeps (that’s swede) and peas they are a complete meal.

 

[dianefairhall]

It’s the darkness here. Even my pullets are only giving me about two eggs per week. Having said that I don’t really mind because I prefer mine to fully mature before they come into lay. Already dreaming about hatching time.
Yesterday we took two of my lambs for slaughter. The boys are quick and humane and within five minutes they were carcasses hanging from butchers hooks. I like to leave them for four or five days at ambient temperature before he cuts them up for me which is fine in these cool temperatures because it confers both flavour and tenderness upon them. It was still a surprise upon being invited in for coffee and seeing about half a dozen legs of lamb hanging above his kitchen radiator. Dried, salted mutton is a bit of a delicacy here (Called reestit mutton) but it’s a taste I have never acquired. As my compatriot whispered in my ear ‘who dries mutton in the 21st C. Haven’t they heard of freezers’. I’m afraid a dig in the ribs was my response.
I am addicted to Cornish Pasties and lamb is a perfectly good substitute for beef. Made with neeps (that’s swede) and peas they are a complete meal.

My pullets aren't laying yet and I suppose won't until the days lengthen. Like you, Hen-Gen I don't mind. They are happy and lively but don't much like the new food called Harbro. It was all they had at Lewis Crofters, but they've been on Allen & Page since we got them. I will order some more from Amazon.

The hens were cackling to be let out at 7 am today. I usually let them out at first light but it seemed
they wanted to come out in the dark. Fed up being shut in, I suppose, but not sure when to let them out now.

We always prefer lamb mince for our shepherds pie and spag bol. Can't seem to get bridies here though.

 

[bigyetiman]

Had people moaning about the cold frosty weather here. But we prefer that to dull and rainy any day. 40-50mph winds here yesterday, which pulled a bit of roofing loose on the run. Luckily I was home and soon fixed.
neighbour took 3 pigs for slaughter so half a pig in freezer and sausages, burgers. Some lambs going in the new year. Our neighbour will mince up left over pork for "sty pie" makes a change from shepherds/cottage pie I suppose.

 

[Hen-Gen]

Sty pie! Love it. I’m quite fond of pork pie with salad but have never made one. Got some neighbours coming for tea on New Years Eve. Trying to get oxtail is like gold dust these days. I always order way in advance and then I know it’s in my freezer. No planes or ferries today so it gives you the mindset of planning ahead.

It’s the big 70 today. Focuses the mind. And a call from a mate in Castleton in Derbyshire offering me land if I go back. Seems attractive on a day like this until I discovered it’s just as bad down there. I think I’ll stick ?

 

[LadyA]

It’s the big 70 today. Focuses the mind.... [emoji3]

Do you mean you're 70 today, Hen Gen? A very happy birthday to you!

Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

 

[MrsBiscuit]

Quite a milestone, congratulations and a very merry birthday to you!

Do you/neighbours get/eat hogget as a halfway house between lamb and mutton? Its my favourite way of eating sheep.

 

[bigyetiman]

Many happy returns for the big 70. You're still a youngster these days. Cheers
Yes we have hogget, most people look at you a bit blank these days if you say hogget, when a friend of ours had half a lamb, we got a phone call "what do you do with neck of lamb, never seen it before" ?
One advantage of taking livestock to a small abattoir with a butcher, means things like ox tail and tongue come back to our neighbour, plus tripe/lungs for the dogs.