(1613)
23. Ascalon
22. From 1361:1
Alexandra Denman:
21. Lieutenancies
20. Reached one of our forerunners today
… that was nice:
19. Moo corner
18. Normies don’t know and don’t try to know
17. The Omar pseudo-clinic
16. One thing I liked today was the range of histories on things George
Isilme checks in with her early spring report … she and Beloved are busy on outside ventures right now …
“Meanwhile, due to our lack of time, we pay a gardener to come in once a fortnight. Basically he’s digging up the beds ready to take the flowers / crops (we currently have beans germinating in the dining room). And he mows the lawn. I don’t think it’s ever looked as good as it does now!
The apple tree* is also nicely pruned. And the blueberry bushes that we thought were dead, are actually alive. At least, one of them is. And the branches we cut off the blackcurrant last year and stuck into the ground along the back wall are all growing!! Wondrous. Blackcurrants are our favourite.
I’m a bit worried about the bay tree though. I didn’t do enough research (or any, really) when I put it in the ground. It had been in a pot forever. When I say ‘pot’ it was actually an old paint pot….. Anyway, it was looking very poorly, so I thought we should perhaps put it in the ground for a while. It shot up.
And now I find it can grow to around 40ft and that definitely is not on! So we are going to get the gardener to hoik it up and pot it again. We might have to pay for a huge pot, but at least it won’t compromise the garden wall or interrupt the light to the windows.
So, we’re germinating beans at the moment: butterbeans (which are really Greek gigante beans), runner beans and French beans (haricot). We seriously need to start thinking about tomatoes now.
This all sounds as if I do all the garden work. In reality it is Beloved who does most of it. I just point out where to plant things, and then gather them at harvest time. It’s easy really đ
Our tulips are almost over now. We planted a row of them so that in the spring they would provide some bright, joyful colour in the front garden (it’s only small). Sadly, they all turned out to be white or a sort of insipid yellow with a peachy coloured blush. The mini ones were red/pink but only about 4 inches tall in total, so the flower was almost unnoticed amongst the fallen leaves of the red robin bush (I’m not sure its real name….) I was most disappointed.
Never mind, the grape hyacinths are out in force, as are the bluebells. And the saxifrage looks lovely too. In fact, all kinds of flowers seem to be prolific and flowing, with one even engulfing our little watering can! I think it’s aubretia, but I can’t remember and I think the label is somewhere under all the flowers, and I don’t like to disturb it to check!
The apple trees are just beginning to blossom. The plums are over now. The blackcurrant is still covered in flowers and the bees are doing an admirable job. But although the new twigs by the back wall are happy and strong, they have no flowers yet. Maybe next year.
The raspberries still look like dead twigs. Worrying. The self-seeded raspberry in one of the pots is going strong and putting out blossoms, so at least we won’t completely lose out.
The wild garlic is still out and about, and flowering profusely. I must do something with it. Bob is suggesting wild garlic salt – I think he just likes the idea of having green salt!! Anyway, I shall look into it. Otherwise, if I don’t use it in salads, sandwiches, etc I can make it into a soup and bottle it.
The purple sprouting broccoli is practically over. Just a few straggly bits that I might be able to use. So we move on to eating the leaves now, at least until the cabbage whites start fluttering around….
Well, that’s my garden at the moment. I’m pleasantly surprised that so much is going on, given the lack of sun until recently. But there’s nothing like a bit of sunshine and warmth to speed things up!
There’s a good one of IYE’s in the wings but I thought maybe this (which surprisingly appeared) might be a nice one for St George’s Day.
(1241) Afternoon all. (1302)
15. Donald saves eight young women
14. Moo corner
13. Awwwwww
12. A twofer
(1154) Almost afternoon all. Just back from my medical review and I’m afraid I have bad news for you … unless hit by a bus, nuke or three letter agency, I’m on your hands for a fair while still … sorry to annoy. (1234)
A certain unpleasantness recently
Yyyeeessssss, that was all well and fine, except for that clown coming in and trivialising it with the Steely Dan number … always has to be one, doesn’t there:
… despite the sudden advertising dropped upon us.
(0909) Greetings again after that interlude. (0927)
10. The NASA and related death toll climbs
I was going to run this at OoL but thought it would be none too secure over there.
9. Moo corner
8. She also speaketh the truth
7. She speaketh the truth
6. A lovely day but some tricky juggling
… all the same.
April 23rd
(0616) Morning all, sunny out there through lightly poisoned cloud. It’s my “OoL morning” so I was over there for an hour just now, also correspondence. Have a good one. ((0715)
5. Ballots after election day
4. Steve at 1361
3. This below is the one I was going to lead with at OoL
… but went with the troops witchhunts instead….
2. DAD at 1361
a) Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, supports Elon Musk, who has been summoned by the French justice system:
âMacronâs France is losing its legitimacy by turning criminal investigations into weapons to repress freedom of expression and privacy. The US Department of Justice refused to assist France in its investigation of Elon Musk, calling the case politically motivated….
b) Canada. The Montreal School Services Centre has dismissed nearly 150 support staff members who refused to comply with Quebecâs new secularism law. Among them are dozens of daycare educators, lunchtime supervisors, special education technicians, and attendants for students with disabilities who wear religious headscarves.
c) France. Lagny-sur-Marne (77): a public high school hosts a âyouth branchâ of Amnesty International which conducts pro-migrant and pro-veil propaganda there….
d) France. 73.8% of Les RĂ©publicains members voted in favor of Bruno Retailleau for the 2027 presidential election. This resounding victory is reminiscent of the May 2025 vote at the LR Congress, where 74.31% of votes went to Retailleau and the remainder to his rival, Laurent Wauquiez….
1. Going to open with ZeroHedge
… because it relates to the OoL post itself … I’ve read DAD’s opener, it’s coming up next.
In a terse, one-paragraph statement released this afternoon, the Pentagon announced the immediate departure of Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan, effective immediately.
Undersecretary of the Navy Hung Cao has been elevated to Acting Secretary of the Navy. The announcement, issued by Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell (Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs), offered no explanation for the move and simply thanked Phelan for his service âon behalf of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and the Deputy.â
Want to learn more? See the full article here.
(1517) Good mid-afternoon, all.
26. Raleigh and later Triumph for me
25. DAD at 1361
Sam is back in London for his new video. “The Push Towards a Universal World Religion”.
24. I do agree
23. Explains itself
22. Housekeeping
Afraid I have to say, yet again, that no way is Unherdables promoting Bannon, Epstein’s mate. That’s it.
21. IYE corner
a. At 1361, The Young Turks
b. âDigital Public Infrastructure â
https://escapekey.substack.com/p/digital-public-infrastructure
âCountries have lived with imposed conditions for decades. What is new is that the conditions now reach the individual directly â and that infrastructure through which they reach them stays in place long after the emergency that justified installing it has ended.â
â The National Endowment for Democracy:WhatâIt Is and What It Doesâ
A report from the commiesâ HQ. Huda Thunk?
c. Also
https://www.declassifieduk.org/cia-sidekick-gives-2-6m-to-uk-media-groups/