How can I be green when I can't trust weather forecasts?

I am a bit worried that I moan too much on these posts, but here I go again!

One of the things that annoys me about some people trying to encourage others to be green, is that they don't seem to live in the same world I do!

According to a lot of them you don't need a tumble dryer as you can dry your clothes outside. One of the sad things about being an adult is how much time I spend thinking about getting stuff dry! Even today, when the weather forecast is for clouds and sunny periods (and I've just now double checked on acuweather.com) I was hanging up sheets and towels before going on a cycle ride when I looked up and saw masses of dark clouds. I brought it all in to hang on the clothes horse. Now the clouds seem to have moved off to the west, so I might try the cycle ride but the sheets and towels stay indoors!

Last weekend when the weather forecast was for a dry Saturday, I had 2 loads of washing on the line, went out,and it poured down. That washing came in wetter than it went out!

If I had children I am pretty sure I would squeeze in a tumble dryer somewhere!

fox asleep in the clematis

This morning when I opened the curtains there was a fox curled up asleep in the clematis that comes over the garden fence on to my shed roof.  It was still there when I left for work, despite it having started to drizzle.

I have now got a digital camera, and trying to work out how to operate it. I would have liked to have posted a picture of it.

more showers to save water

I much prefer baths to showers, and for years I haven't had a shower where I live now. When the bathroom was done up I got a shower. I use twice a week when I have a shower and wash my hair. This summer I have tried to have an extra shower or 2 each week. I am so used to washing my hair when I am in the shower that I have wet half my head before I remember I'm not doing my hair this time!

Major back problems at the moment, so had to have a shower tonight whether I wanted it or not. As I have a shower door to make the tap end of the bath a shower, I put a towel down to catch the drips off the bottom of the door before I can towel-dry the bottom and then use newspaper to dry the inside. Luckily the emergency visit to my osteopath this afternoon meant I could bend down- albeit very slowly - and pick up the towel again!

Secret garden in Regents Park

I had told my osteopath about the herb walk I went on - outside the College of Physicians near Regents Park. So last week she told me about a programme she had seen about a "secret" garden in Regents Park, where people walk by the opening without realising. It is the garden of St John's Lodge.

I looked it up on the Internet and sent that to Andrew at work, as he organises a monthly lunchtime walk. We went on Thursday, and it is indeed a lovely garden. On the way out we took a look at a vegetable garden looked after by horticultural students. I was pleased to see that although the cherry tomatoes were ripe, there were only a few of the ordinary-sized ones ripe. This made me feel better about mine - first ripe one on Tuesday and one more now just beginning to turn.

We were lucky with the weather, it started to rain on the way back to the office, but not hard until we were indoors. This morning, as I believed yesterday's weather forecast for a dry Saturday and a wet Sunday, I left 2 loads of washing on the line but it rained while I was out and it came in wetter than it went out! I think if I had a family I would squeeze in a tumble dryer, however ungreen it is!

First tomato

Today  (16 August) I had my first tomato (outdoor). All the rest are very green.

In 2008 and 2010 I had my first tomato on 1 August, in 2009 on 22 July.

I think it was that cold May, with cold nights and cold winds, which turned most of the plants' leaves brown, set them back.

blackberry brandy

Picked blackberries this morning and put in a large jar with sugar and brandy. I will shake the jar twice a day until the sugar is dissolved. Then leave for a few months (officially 3) before decanting. I then use my collection of second-hand liqueur glasses to drink it.

My mother is up at the beginning of September, but that will be too soon.

I usually make blackberry vodka and the recipe is the same for both. Official quantities are:

450g - 1 lb blackberries
100g - 4oz - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1.1 litres - 2 pints - 5 cups vodka or brandy

First primrose!

Not yet the middle of August and there is a primrose in flower in my garden!

Christmas Charity Catalogue tradition

I feel seasonal traditions are very much part of both green and country living.

Not quite the sort of thing one would imagine, but one tradition my mother and I have is seeing who gets the first Christmas catalogue. I've been "winning" for years, but yesterday my mother rings up having received her first. "Have I won this year?"  "Ye-e-s", I reply, "but the Traidcraft autumn catalogue has Christmas cards and wrapping paper in it." My mother thinks that doesn't count!

Destroying t-shirts ready for ragrug making

I have arranged the rag rug session with 3 other members of Transition Leytonstone for the end of October. Time will fly by, so I have started to cut strips of old t-shirts and sew them together into lengths about 1m long.

I have a dressing gown which won't stay done up. I have recently realised it is t-shirt type material, so have added that to the stash ready for the scissors.

As I am also refilling old lavender bags with fresh lavender for my clothes drawers, I need lots of TV/radio, as that's is when I like to do these sorts of tasks.