Wasps

This Facebook thread was inspired by an article about wasps and how ecologically useful and important they are, as this is the time of year when they get a bit “radgy.”

9 August 2019 at 09.01

My Grandma used to put an unwashed jamjar with an inch or so of water in the bottom on the outside kitchen window sill.  A circle of greaseproof paper held by a rubber band as a lid, with a wasp sized hole in.  Wasps fly in, eat sugary stuff, drown, suffering over.  You can do the same sort of thing with a Coke, or other sugary soft drink bottle (they have no interest in diet drinks).   

She also used to say "If you kill a wasp six more come to its funeral"

Fester's tip “If you have a wasp in the house, turn off all the lights and open the window.  The wasp will go towards the sunlight.”

If you happen to have a feather duster you could use that to waft the wasp towards the window.  If you’re lucky (and persistent) you can get the wasp to grab hold of the duster and then shake it out of the window.  This also works with bees.

The good thing about the feather duster method is you're a good three foot away from the wasp (six if it's an extendable one)

The velux in our kitchen roof is an excellent insect trap so we've become quite adept at escorting them out of the window.

Miss Doozer  I'd possibly have more sympathy if one hadn't landed on my leggings as I walked past its nest on my way to the bus stop, then proceeded to repeatedly sting me through the material. I smacked it with a folder, cursing it to high heaven, then realized there was a group of school kids walking past who can now add "vicious stripy f*&king b&stard f#!Ker" to their vocabulary.

Bentonbag  The only time I was stung by a wasp was through leggings, must be something about the material that attracts and/or traps them. Vinegar is supposed to help calm wasp stings.

Miss Doozer  More research is needed. Just not on me.

Dr E  We use scrumpy in plastic bottles as wasp traps they love it. We tried using woodpecker cider and the wasps ignored it.

POST SCRIPT

Fester has made me much more wasp friendly.   

They had a nest near the back gate when I was pregnant with Thunderthighs.   

One morning eating breakfast at the dining table, which looked out over the back garden, I noticed wasps flying away from the nest carrying stuff.

“I can understand them carrying food and stuff into the nest” I said to Fester “But why are they carrying stuff away?”

“It’s shit” he replied “they’re cleaning the nest.”

I was quite impressed at this idea and decided the nest could stay as they were causing no nuisance.

Until Thunderthighs was a couple of weeks old and I was out hanging babygrows etc on the whirligig washing line.   

A wasp landed on and got caught in my leggings and stung me in its effort to escape.  

I could not risk this happening to toddler Ferretfingers or baby Thunderthighs so went off to B&Q for poison.   

That evening, scattering the powder around the entrance to the nest so that they would carry it inside, I felt like a latter day Lucretia Borgia.

 

 

 

 

 

Cushion Question

There was nothing in the archives for yesterday, and I had a busy morning, and afternoon.

From Facebook Archives

8 August 2023 at 09.30

Having a bit of a search and sort out I've discovered I have half a dozen clean, unused looking, cushions without covers.   

I suspect they came from Sheffield and were an abandoned craft project of Jean's (my would have been mother in law had she lived).  

I have no need of them. 

Any ideas?   

Free to good home...

Mrs Quilt  Check out if they're fire safety labelled.  Try one of them to use the stuffing for teddies and anything else produced at Knit n natter. Does LDNE teach sewing?  There was a desperate need for draft excluders from the Centre in Shiremoor last year.  

I could probably find you upholstery cloth to use for the cases. Otherwise a cat shelter?

Bentonbag  Actually I have some curtains that would do the job if you could send me the dimensions.

Mrs Quilt  I could send you my instructions to make cushion covers.  Overlapped backs so no need of zips or other fastenings.  That would leave the cushion inners intact so a quicker useful product to make a bleak home a bit more homely!

Bentonbag  Cushion covers and 'housewife' pillow cases I learnt to do at home as I come from a long line of repair/reuse/recyclers (Bigsister made our Scrabble bag out of the last bit of Granma's curtains).  It's the length, circumference and ends of draft excluders that I need.  If I were to cover the cushions where would be a good home for them?

Pink Shipskitchen  Cat and Dog Shelter possibly

 

Quite

When Fester’s brother passed away their family home was sold, but first we had to clear away all the antiques and collectables their mother had accrued. 

Their father was a joiner and, when he’d built display cupboards on every available wall, he boarded out the loft and put shelves, drawers and cabinets in there.  Every surface was covered, including most of the floor.

He included a ladder which pulled down and automatically switched on the light at the same time. 

It was necessary to get everything valued for probate so Fester asked Sheffield Auction Galleries to send someone to do a valuation.

from Facebook Archives

6 August 2012 at 17:07

The auctioneer came to Littlebrother’s house today; nicely spoken, booted & suited, professional handshake and smile.  

Saw all the stuff we had out of cupboards in the front room 

"My, she didn't half collect didn't she". 

Showed him all the stuff we'd already packed into boxes - nervous laughter.   

Lead him through the hall and up the stairs pointing out all the glass fronted, full, cupboards.   

At the bottom of the loft ladder he paused and gallantly said to me 

“Ladies first.”  

“No thanks, I’ve already seen it.”   

He went up into the loft.   

There was a full minute and a half of total silence followed by loud South Yorkshire 

"Chuffin'ell!" ...

Orchids

This morning...

 

From Facebook Archives

5 August 2025 at 15.37

On my birthday last year Mrs Quilt gave me an orchid which flowered for over three months, until after Christmas.  

After a judicious prune I put it on the bathroom shelf (humid with bright indirect sunlight) watered it carefully, weekly, with a little BabyBio after the Spring Equinox.  

Today I brought it back down into the living room as the next lot of buds are about to burst.

There are now two 'rescue' orchids on the bathroom shelf, and Cousin Daisy's orchid on the kitchenwindowsill; two looking as if they're preparing to flower and one with two babies on its stem.

Tylebach  Stunning

Mrs Lasagne  I love orchids xx

Mrs Quilt  I’m thrilled with that.  It was the best specimen in IKEA, even though I wasn’t sure about the colour.  Well done caring for it so well throughout your worrying year. XXX

Bentonbag  Actually it was a nice little positive distraction.  Just 3 seconds of water on a Sunday.  Noticing things develop, watching it grow, anticipating what might happen next.  It's even been an opportunity for conversation between me and Fester! xxx

Mrs Quilt   Actually I feel stupidly tearful!

Cousin Daphne  You deffo have green fingers xxx

Henlady  Well done x

AND TODAY

Sadly, due to secret surreptitious overwatering in the living room by Ferretfingers, Cousin Daisy’s orchid is no more.  

The white rescue orchid, which flowered wonderfully last year, also succumbed to Ferretfingers' attentions.  I took off and potted up the two babies (keikis) on the other rescue.  One now has a single wonderful dark magenta flower on a little stalk, the other is biding its time.  The mother plant isn’t looking too good but I’m keeping it just to see what happens next. 

Mrs Quilt’s orchid on the other hand has bloomed beautifully again.   

It is staying on the bathroom shelf, reflected in the mirror, where it cheers me up every morning.   

All four plants are staying safely in the bathroom.

 

The birthday orchid and cards

 

 

One Wet And Windy Monday

From Facebook Archives

4 August 2025 at 09.00

Best way to start a wet Monday morning.

In celebration of Yorkshire Day, here's 82 seconds of Sean Bean saying "bastard" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE8d-uGmIWk

A (naked) Fester has just come into the office asking 

"Is that Seen Been you had on?"

“Yes.”

"I thought it was Thunderthighs."

Mrs Bun  LOVE a bit of Sean Bean.....any bit

Bentonbag  Any bit in particular?

Mrs Bun  Well.........

4 August 2025 at 14.53

Storm Floris is bringing down loads of apples and firing them all over the garden.   

Seriously you could get crowned by one.

Every time I go out into the garden I bring another armful in.

Fester has peeled cored and is stewing them.

We have had a little chat about what may or may not be in the freezer.

It's a very drying day, because it's warm as well as windy, so I suggested Thunderthighs hang his washing out.  

Next thing I know there's a cry of "MU-UM".

The washing line broke.

He actually needed to be told to take his washing off it 

(are all young men numpties or just mine?).

We've now had fun dragging the old wooden clothes horse out and onto the top landing.

I've left him to it.

The metal ones from Sheffield keep dropping bits of plastic and are going into the garage. 

Fester thinks we might use them "to grow things up" next year.

He's also asking me where to buy a new washing line as it's impossible for him to actually look or ask someone in a shop.

Squireen  I have a washing line you can have

Bentonbag  I wondered why my mother's washing line never snapped - 

then I remembered hers was made from signal wire recycled/reused/scavenged when Talley Road Halt was closed (or elsewhere on the Heart of Wales Line).