we are glorious

[pensnest]

Singing on Saturday morning was lovely. I was surprisingly nervous about it, but the whole thing was very well organised. We all took a lateral flow test beforehand, and displayed our results as we arrived; there were little markers set out at intervals and a pre-distributed stack so we knew where to stand. There was even an attendant dog, an elderly and very calm Labrador, who settled calmly into her chosen spot while we sang.

Singing outdoors does sound thin, and there were around twenty of us rather than a robust full chorus of nearly fifty, but it really was nice to sing along with actual people. I got a couple of sorta-solos, as I do the second line of a high counter-verse on "This Is Me" and was the only second tenor to be actually singing the second tenor line for "River of Dreams". I was loud to me, have no idea if the people on the other side of the garden heard me!

Unfortunately, had forgotten that the evil shiny thing in the sky was capable of harm. The sky was sheer cloudless blue, and although I wore a hat, I got strawberry-coloured sunburn to one side of my neck/shoulders. Sigh. Have been dosing it with E45. Next week I shall wear a gigantic straw hat and my chorus polo shirt. And sun cream, on the arms.

*

FIL had managed to grow a very cheerful avocado plant from the stone; it has been sitting on a south-facing windowsill on the west side of the house all its life, and has many leaves, which all face south. I've failed to find a new home for it amidst my chorus, sadly, but I feel fairly sure that it will die if I move it. For the moment I just try to remember to water it randomly.

My vegetable seedlings are looking fairly happy for the moment, but the courgettes I put into cold frames have *all* died, which strikes me as most unfair. I thought courgettes were supposed to be easy to grow! I have poked some more seeds into the cold frames, but eh.

Comments

[turps]

I'm so glad you enjoyed singing, though not so great about the sunburn.

Courgettes are the one plant I seem unable to kill. I could leave the things unwatered for days and they spring back, presenting me with a constant glut of the things. I hope yours grow again because if they do I'll be watching for nifty courgette recipes.

[pensnest]

I've grown them before, without much effort or difficulty, so this is very annoying!

[watervole]

The weather got too nasty even for courgettes. We lost ours too.

The new ones will probably be fine. They really are easy.

[pensnest]

I'm a bit mystified about these, because I thought the green ones especially were sturdy little things, but it might be that something nibbled them? I really hope the freshly planted seeds do something!

[watervole]

It was the horrible cold wet weather lasting two weeks while they were still small and weak that did the damage.

Slugs don't touch a healthy courgette plant.

[pensnest]

That is good to know! I shall hope for a bit more action now the sun is shining.

[watervole]

It's the rule with a lot of plants. If a plant is healthy and happy, then it can often fight off the slugs - they tend to go for the weaklings. (well, weaklings and hostas!)

PS. Like the icon!

[frausorge]

The singing sounds awesome! Even if outdoor acoustics are less than ideal. And I admire the care taken in the setup.

[pensnest]

It's being very well organised, and it really is nice to see and talk to people in person. I shall be better armoured against the sun next time!

[rikes]

Yay for getting to sing again! Despite it not really being the ideal outdoor activity...

[pensnest]

It's a pleasant way of getting to look at someone else's pretty garden, too.

[turlough]

Sounds like you'd a lovely morning singing! Pity about the sunburn, but if it's any consolation I'm sure I would completely have forgotten about sun protection too.

I know nothing about avocado plants but hopefully it will continue to thrive even with random waterings.

How utterly unfair about your courgettes! I've never tried growing them myself but I've also always heard that they were easy.

[pensnest]

I might just move the avocado into our dining room, where at least I will notice it, though I suspect it is far cooler in there than my FIL's territory was.

I'm hoping the seeds I put into cold frames will decide to grow. Monty Don seemed to plant his sweetcorn fairly recently so I put in a few more, and this morning before exercise noticed that four of them had sprung little shoots. After exercise, I looked again and there were *seven*!!