GPE #4 : Maddie's "real crowd pleasers"

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

GPE #3 : "Giving me a living plant is a passive aggressive action" ~ CyberPete

 

'P E T R A

 

It was quite evident from previous entries that I don’t really do nature or living plants.  I prefer them already dead and giving me a living plant is a passive aggressive action.  “Here, take this thing and keep it alive and know I’ll be coming back to check on it”.  Such a cruel thing to do. 

In the midst of my stint in this rehab facility, I was given an orchid.  There was also a plastic one.  Here is the progress for you - and the other Chateau DeVice patrons viewing pleasure.  To shock, awe and mock at no discretion.

GPE #1 : Dinahmow and the thin pink line

D I N A H

 

 I've sorted through the muddle and have about 16.  I'll send them in batches and you can choose which.  And, just because, why not?  My clogs:

 

A warning from The Very Mistress:

"Pink clogs accepted as garden wear.

But remember that it's a thin line between clogs and Crocs.

Do not overstep."

The INFOMANIAC Garden Photos Event 2026

 Welcome to the 16th annual I N F O M A N I A C  GARDEN PHOTOS EVENT, and the 7th to be hosted here at Inexplicable Device! 

 

 Many thanks to all of you who have sent in photos of your gardens and green spaces - from brand new gardens to existing, mature ones to indoor arrays of pot plants, the GPE has them all.  And to those of you who haven't quite managed to send your photos in yet, you still have time - we would love to see what you've grown this year.

 

 Instigator and hostess of the GPE many a few years ago, The Very Mistress, has this to say:

"I didn't grow my usual sunflowers. [-] I let the wee garden go wild. Instead, I had a massive number of yellow flowers on long stems that keep returning, and they last a long time. I've forgotten their name but they're from the aster family as are sunflowers. I also had many milkweed plants which are good for the Monarch butterfly population. 

And, like Miss Scarlet, I have an unruly bush. :)"

Speaking of Ms Scarlet, as The Very Mistress is sans sunflowers I nabbed one from Scarlet's collection to illustrate this post (I don't have any either).

 

☙❧ 

 

Right.  Before we get to the aftermath of the Terrifying Triffidery sideshow, here's a little taster of the super blooms coming up throughout November in the GPE: 

 

 

☙❧ 

 

 So, let's get on with matching up the triffids to their handlers (and any remaining body parts with their hapless owners) in the results of

 

Terrifying Triffidery

 

 For anyone who may be late to the game and has not yet had a guess, scroll down no further and visit yesterday's Hallowe'en post to see the triffids and see if you can work out who sent what.

 For everyone else, here are the triffids:

GPE 2026 : Terrifying Triffidery

 Welcome one and all to the 7th annual

Terrifying Triffidery

sideshow of the

I N F O M A N I A C

Garden Photos Event

 Barely contained behind their rickety enclosures are 13 of the most vile and venomous triffids known to science.  Unfortunately, a "blustery blust" blew all their labels away, so it is up to you to try and identify them and also guess which blogger sent in what triffid.  Please leave your guesses in the comments.

 

 A word of warning: my woodsman has had to get his chopper out to deal with some of these specimens, so try not to startle him!

 

"I realise it's confusing 'cause I'm inside a boy..."

 Before I explain the post title, I must first address Ms Scarlet's concerns from the previous post:

"I can't see the Kingfisher - will you show me where it is in your next post? Is there a prize for those who do spot it?"

 Well, yes, I will show you (see below), and no, there isn't a prize (unless you count not receiving my sister's worn crocs).  And the people not receiving used crocs through the post are Jon and Dinah as they found the kingfisher.  Well done you two! 

 

 

 And now for the title explanation.  Just watch this: 

 

 

 Yay!  The Ghosts of Button House are back next month!! 

Eclipsing the Foo-Foo Valve

 It was a bit of a damp squib here on the eastiest part of the country (I'm sure Ms Scarlet had a much better view over there in the west), but here are some photos of yesterday evening's partial eclipse which followed me & Bitey on our walk and spent some time sniffing around his foo-foo valve* 

 

As we walked up Madams Lane, the eclipse made it's way across the field parallel to us.  The landowner has put up 'Private Land - No public right of way' signs, but they obviously don't apply to celestial phenomena.

 

 

At the base of Skylark Hill the eclipse, having made its way over the trees, descends towards Bitey.

Your Number's Up

 I keep looking at the shelf of mostly alphabetically ordered (by artist) CD singles I've accumulated over the years (above*) and thinking that I should play some of them, or at least save them onto a memory stick/card/whatever, but I just can't be bothered.  Besides, I can barely make out the artist/song on the spine of most of the brittle plastic cases and it's quite difficult to wheedle them out as they're packed in quite tightly**, so I might end up pulling out a single that I have no interest in any more (because I'm sure my tastes have changed over the years).

 I thought about randomly selecting a few to listen to, but knew the selection wouldn't be random as if I didn't like one I'd just pick another instead, so that's where you and your number picking came in. 

 

* Before you start counting and/or clicking to embiggen, the photo above doesn't show all my CD singles.  Goldfrapp's and Erasure's are with their respective albums on the shelves above, and there are two or three others languishing on other shelves that I can't squeeze back in this one (but they have been counted).

** Remember this.  It will be important once you've listened to/read the final pick. 

 

Anyway, here the results of your efforts: 

 

#73 Ms Scarlet : Pepe Deluxé - "Before You Leave"

"Before You Leave" - by Finnish band Pepe Deluxé - was released in 2001 and got to number 20 in the UK charts (but #10 in its native Finland).  I still really like this track but haven't listened to it, never mind heard it, in years.  I don't have any more singles or albums by Pepe Deluxé (who last released an album in 2024), so they're a one-hit wonder for me.

Pick A Number

 As Peenee laments in his latest - anniversary - post (happy 19th blog birthday, mrpeenee!),

"There are times when I sit down to write my latest hilarious blog and I discover I have absolutely no idea about what to write."

 The same is very often true here, so I just slap up a few photos that I've taken recently and call it a day.  But not today.

 Today we're going to play a game.

Well, we've thought of a game to play but whether any of you join in is another matter.

I'm sure they will.

 Anyway, it's very simple, there's no strenuous activity, and you don't really have to use your brain.

And we'll get two blog posts out of it!

"What about prizes?" I hear you ask.  Well, there are none because this game doesn't have a winner or loser (except, possibly, the Host's dignity).  Instead, the second results post is the 'prize'.

 Plus, if you like it, you can play the game on your blogs too.  It'll be different for everyone, so there'll be no boring repetition - well, it's very unlikely that there will be.

 

 Right.  Are you intrigued?  Or at least a little curious?  Or bored enough to take part in whatever the hells this is?  Good.  Then we'll begin: 

 

 All you have to do is pick a number between 1 and 108 and leave it in the comments.  In a couple of days time, I will return with the consequences of your chosen numbers.

 

☙❧

 

 Just in case anyone feels this is all too unfamiliar, discomforting, and too much to take in, I'll just slap up some photos I took from Thursday's visit to the Old Vicarage Gardens in East Ruston (last seen back in 2025, although I have been several times this year):

 

Inside the Diamond Jubilee walled garden

A Royal Toilet

 Well, RHS Sandringham was an experience, but not one I'd necessarily repeat (unless my friend gets more free tickets next time).  I didn't see much of the gardens because of how busy it was and how they got lost amongst all the exhibitors (mainly stalls selling snacks and tat), and only a very few of those that I did get a better look at were of any interest.  (On the plus side, it was easy to get to, there was plenty of parking, and it wasn't too hot.)  As a result, I didn't get many photos, so this is not a photos-heavy post - and half of them are from my own gardens!

 

 First up, a couple of photos from the Floral Marquee: 

Salvias, including at centre stage, Jon's favourite: Amistad

 

 

A veritable flurry of fuchsias including a few familiar faces (mainly from Jon's & Madam A's), but I couldn't find any that looked like my little not-Dorothy (see previous post).

Sweet July

 Well, a new normal has established itself here in Hexenhäusli Device so I thought I'd pop in during a moment of respite and share some new and old music, some snippets from the garden, and a photo from this morning's Bitey walk:

 

I wonder why Take That decided to release "Sweet July" now...?

 

As there's no video for Sweet July yet, here's one of my very favourite TT releases

(first seen at Jon's back in April)

 

 

The YouTube algorithm prominently displayed Richard X's Burning Flame remix of Bananarama's "Venus" for me the other day.

 

I prefer Bananarama's original, though

(which wasn't the original - that being a 1969 release by Shocking Blue)

 

 

 Right.  On to the garden photos.

This is an INFOMANIAC Garden Photos Event Reminder

 It may still be months away but, if you haven't already made a start, now is the time to start taking photos of the plants in your garden, courtyard, balcony, windowsill (or other green and pleasant area) for this year's

 

I N F O M A N I A C

Garden Photos Event

☙❧

 

 As always, the Event will begin on Hallowe'en with the Terrifying Triffids exhibit obstacle course, then the next day will be the official opening ceremony along with the Great Triffid Survivor Count (hopefully most of you will make it through if not in one piece, then at least alive).  Your garden photos will then feature every two or three days throughout November culminating in the Grand Finale.

 

 The Garden Photos Event is open to all - you don't need to be an Infomaniac Bitch or member of the Bloggerati to take part.  You don't even need a blog.  Or a garden - a couple of house plants will do (and at a push, a can of cranberry jelly...)!  We would love to see gardens and greenery from regular and irregular commenters & visitors, friends of friends, and any lurkers, as well as the aforementioned Bloggerati and Infomaniac Bitches.  You can find out more, including links to previous events, on my GPE page. 

 

 And remember, despite what certain people may say - I'm looking at you, Savvy! - the Infomaniac Garden Photos Event is NOT a contest! 

 

☙❧

 

 Speaking of contests - not that this is one, mind - here are some more of the first flowers at Hexenhäusli Device.  But no bumblebee - I haven't seen her since the last First Flowers post, sadly.

 

27th May : Iris siberica, possibly?

 

 

28th May : They're growing!  They're actually growing!!!

White and black bat flower stumps (Tacca integrifolia and Tacca chantrieri respectively)

It's all a bit pants, really

The Grand and Circular Payshos of Hexenhäusli Device on Friday.  But wait - what's that on the table?

 

 

 It must be the time of year, Mitzi.  Not only did I find my nephew's pants on the paysho table on Friday, but on this morning's walk with Bitey another two pairs of pants made themselves known:

 

This pair on the High Street looked like they belonged to another child.

 

Whereas this pair dropped on the old railway line between Cromer and Overstrand were adult sized.  Overstrand is obviously up there with Chester, Jon.

 

 

 In other news: Bitey managed a whole walk without killing anything.  Although he did find this dead muntjac on the beach - handily already half buried!

 

CARNAGE... THE HORROR III: DEATHMONGER

 Emboldened by snuffing the life out of Raspberry the rat, Bitey has embarked on a killing spree.  First, that unfortunate sea gull last week.  Then yesterday evening a peasant* pheasant!

 

* Well, peasants aren't really people, are they.  There are always more where they came from, anyway.

(Good old YT captions!)

 

 

Original concept by Mistress Maddie. 

CARNAGE... THE HORROR II

A sequel

 

The Garden Murderer has struck again.  This time on the beach!

 

 The morning started with a walk along the beach to Cromer with a couple of friends and their dogs, a black lab and a dobermann.  While the two other dogs were chasing a ball, Bitey veered off into the breaking waves where he somehow managed to bring down a MASSIVE sea gull that was taking off!

 He immediately ran off with it leading us on a merry chase.  It took the three of us to corner him so I could grab him and wrest the dying bird from his jaws of death.  Although there was no blood, the scene was harrowing.

 

 The murderer is currently stretched out on my bed probably dreaming of his prowess.

 

 The little git.

Of First Flowers and Twatted Bees

 Around midday on Saturday, I was happily perched in a paysho chair surveying the garden when movement from the lawn got my undivided attention.  It was Bitey, obviously.  But rather than digging a hole, or having a mad turn, he was industrially twatting something in the grass.  I leapt up and rushed over. 

 A bee!  Bitey was twatting a bumblebee!  I scooped it up and returned to my chair.  Fortunately, it didn't seem injured although one of it's wings was sticking out a little.  Still, it crawled around and buzzed a few times, so I got up and encouraged it to disembark my thumb onto one of the Echiums where it guzzled down nectar like nobody's business!

 

Anyway, back to me

 Yes, it's back to the normal content and sporadic posting now that I've finished my self-inflicted stand-in daily blogging for Jon (who should be back off his sunny, Spanish holiday today).  I didn't have plans to post anything this soon, but an impromptu walk with Bitey yesterday evening left me with a load of photos to do something with (and a couple from the prom this morning, above), so here they are.

 

 On the right, my bearded irises are about to burst into flower.  Below, a tantalising glimpse of cherries to come up at the allotment.  They will all be devoured by Beaky and his gluttonous family before I get a look in, of course.

"You can blame it on a tangerine dream"

Up at Allotment Device the bees are loving the comfrey.  [click to embiggen]

In the extensive gardens here at Hexenhäusli Device, the lawn has been mowed, a multitude of potting on and repotting has been done (although there is still more to do), I've picked yet more duckweed out of the pond lake, and the echiums, clematis, geums, marigolds, and azaleas are in bloom.  I've even managed to have a sit down in The Gardener's Retreat wth a G&T!  

To add to the uplifting mood, I'm counting down to the end of a particularly gruelling blogging week - and tomorrow Jon (& Madam A) should be back from his much-needed holiday leaving my work as his ill thought through, last minute stand-in, done!

 

Let's have something suitably gin-addled and sparkly to get the celebrations going, shall we - and who could be more appropriate than Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore of Empire of the Sun?!

[For more Empire of the Sun, please click here]

 

Have a great weekend, dear reader!  We intend to.

 

---

Note: Post wording and layout liberally yoinked from Jon's most recent Friday post.

Of Tiny Treehouses, Triffid Trees, Sparkling Seas, Bluebells & Biteys, and a German vs Sun Loungers

It's another snippets post, dear reader (but this one's almost all about me!):

• 
  At the end of April, I finally got around to making this Forest Cottage, a Tiny Treehouse kit that Inexcuseable got me for my birthday.  It was one of the more fiddly kits and took me several hours - on and off - to complete.  Well, I say complete, I have one piece left over - I just hope it isn't structural!

• 
  This is my favourite tree in Norwich - or at least the bits of Norwich I walk through on my way to work.  However, I don't know what type of tree it is, so perhaps one of you, dear readers, can enlighten me?

• 
  My giant vipers buglosses (Echiums) started to flower on the last day of April - you should be able to make out a couple of the pale purple/blue flower buds in the close-up.  There are loads of flowers on them now - I'll be posting more photos soon.

• 
  Saturday morning's walk with Bitey found us walking along the promenade and over the base of the cliff (because the tide was right in) to the east beach.  Or the narrow strip between the revetments and cliffs.  I tried to get Bitey to strike some poses on the steps over the revetment, and eventually (after looking at me like I was losing my mind), he managed one. 

• 
  Bluebells blooming in The Gardener's Retreat behind the garage.

• 
  Oh, Bitey. What have you got?

Don't worry, this is not Raspberry.  It is Raspberry's 'friend' though.  He died quickly.

 

• And finally: Although Mr Mago is currently on holiday, I don't think this German tourist is him.  He doesn't strike me as one for sun loungers, anyway.

 

 And the weather?  Blue skies abound!  For now, anyway...

"We're gonna sing it, anyway"

 Sharing the day with another panoply of names including Karl Marx, Sylvia Pankhurst, Lance Henriksen, Tammy Wynette, Marc Alaimo, Michael Palin, John Rhys-Davies, Richard E. Grant, Simon Rimmer, Dieter Brummer, Santiago Cabrera, Craig David, Henry Cavill, Adele and - erm - Maggie MacNeal...

 

 ... it's Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' "birthday" today.  "Oh, gods..." I hear you sigh...

 

 Strange New Worlds is the eleventh Star Trek spin-off series and a prequel to the original 1960s series.  It stars Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike (the USS Enterprise's second captain and the first to be filmed in the original pilot "The Cage"), Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley (Number One), and Ethan Peck as Spock.

 Amongst the many themed episodes is "Subspace Rhapsody", a musical from season two, and here is the finale "We Are One":

 

 (If you think this is weird, season four - out this summer - has a Muppet episode!)