Grew thèse for thé first time time this year. There are lots of green peppers but no sign of anything turning red. How long do they take to ripen? The other thing is that I have tried them green and there is absolutely no spiceness to them, they are just like ordinary green peppers. Is this usual?
 
All help most welcome.

GOD to St Francis:
Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of birds. I expected to see a vast garden of colours by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles.
St. FRANCIS:
It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.
GOD:
Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colourful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and worms. It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing
there?
ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing the grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.
GOD:
The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.
ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it-sometimes twice a week.
GOD:
They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?
ST. FRANCIS:
Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.
GOD:
They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?
ST. FRANCIS:
No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.
GOD:
Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?
ST. FRANCIS:
Yes, Sir.
GOD:
These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.
ST. FRANCIS:
You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they lay out hoses and pay more money to water it, so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.
GOD:
What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life.
ST. FRANCIS:
You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn up a new game. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them taken away.
GOD:
No!? What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter and to keep the soil moist and loose?
ST. FRANCIS:
After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they
call mulch. They carry it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.
GOD:
And where do they get this mulch?

I've grown quite a lot of fruit this year but not eaten so much.

In order of harvesting.

Strawberries: very few mainly eaten by squirrels
Raspberries: again very few:  squirrels, autumn ones look like I could get a crop as they are too busy with their nuts at the moment.
cherries: again the odd one:   squirrels.
Plums: none :   wood pigeons
red/black currants and gooseberries quite good crops
nectarines in poly tunnel: good crop quite a bit of insect damage but at least 50% was good. I do like a cake baked with nectarine in it. will hopefully be having a lot this winter.
apples all looking good. Picking katy last 2 weeks and excellent quality. still 50+ on the tree.
pears: one tree the wood pigeons missed has a dozen or so on, 4 other trees with none.
greengage (wild green plums, bit bigger than damsons and don't have so many grubs in) big crop this year to make up for the missing plums - good to eat fresh/jam/pies/puddings. I think they are tastier than plums.

What's yours?

Today we were helping tidy and sort at my parents house as they are moving soon. We were sorting the garage, and it became apparent that my dad has some duplicate tools in his collection. He has acquired over the years multiples of several things. Today I was lucky enough to be gifted these. They are he thinks my great grand father's on my paternal grandfathers side. 

I reckon some wire wool, a sharpen and some oil and we should be good to go.


   

How many dogs can you see ?

   

We have Rockfit sessions locally on Saturday mornings at the Village Hall. I've checked this out on google and it looks good fun. Haven't seen any blokes doing it but I am going to turn up a week come Saturday (Saturdays not on because of bank holiday) and see if they will let me join in.
If you don't know what Rockfit is just goggle it!

I’ve spent the last 5 days looking after the neighbours dogs & horses.

The horses are currently in our field. Didn’t really have to do anything with them other than take a rug off one of them. Breeze thinks he’s a horse     , he spends ages with them.

         

Some of the dogs
                     

I'm looking for some large (like over 50cm) terracotta or similar preferably unglazed pots for a project and was wondering if anyone knew of anywhere I would likely be able to source them from without spending an absolute fortune.

1. Can you save beans for drying / shelling from any variety? I know they’re some varieties that are best fresh for pods, some for drying the actual beans and some that do both. I ask because I’ve let my DFB pods get to big. 1a. Can I leave them for shelling? 
2. How’s the best way to dry them? I know you’re supposed to leave them on the plant to dry. All they will do is rot, if I leave them on the plant. 
3. Can you use any variety for any recipe? For example if recipe asks for kidney beans can I use Cherokee trail of tears ? I know flavour and probably texture will differ, but does it really make much difference?