Whats the weather like where you are?
 

Here in Kent its been cold and very very wet, but thankfully no snow yet:0)

It’s wet here and currently raining heavily. We have had nothing more than a little sleet that froze and looked pretty for a couple of days or heavy frosts, which suits me perfectly!
Not a fan of snow or ice so I’m happy to take the rain. Hope everyone is keeping warm, well and safe.

Yesterday the sun was shining and it was about 70F degrees. Lovely day for working outside. Today looks like it's going to be just as nice. We just had about 2 weeks of rain/sprinkles, so the sun is a welcome change.

Today I'm dragging my feet about going outside. I have the bucket of tortoise food all ready to go, but it's cold and foggy out there, and nice and warm in here! I don't wanna' go! Please don't make me!!!

All of mine are asleep thank goodness:0)

Well the sun is out and it feels like a spring day.
So tortoise related jobs for today are to finish off putting all the glass back in the greenhouse as I have moved it so I can put my other greenhouse at the end and join them together to make one long one 32 feet.
I have built all new boxes inside and will divide it up when done or im sure I will fall over something like I did outside the other day and tried killing myself due to landing im a log right on my hernia and scar... and yes it hurt.
Trying to getting these things done before I hopefully go into hospital next week.:)

Update hospital just called and cancelled again. More time to sort out torts.

Wow 32 ft? Very grand. What species are using this Gordon? Do you have runs off to either side? Boxes? Would love to see some pictures please.

I am debating whether to swop my horsfield greenhouse for a conventional shaped. The one I have has lined glazing & I don't feel it lets enough sun in! I could swop for a glass one & move it over I reckon it'd get much better natural light & sun... But at the moment it's hard to get motivated & it's just been so bitterly cold. Minus five here last night!

Ha ha just seen this seems I didn't look at what I typed it should of said 22 feet long (fat fingers).
I don't like posting pictures of my pens as I get fed up with silly comments from people, had someone told me not long ago a picture I posted i had used off of Google even though I had just taken it myself.:lol::lol::lol:

Inside the greenhouse i have built a box the length of it, its two feet wide by one foot high. The reason for only being a foot high is to give the females a bit of peace from the males it stops most of them trying to mate all the time.
Then in the open are I have divided up the space and there is a ramp going outside through a hole in a piece of plexy glass then a ramp the other side. On the ramps I nail an old bit of carpet so they get better grip going up and down.
Also Inside the greenhouse I build a raised area for them to lay in and the rest is covered in slabs so laying is only done in the right place, well most of the time.
Outside is a bit boring compared to how some do things. Just large shade giving plants in large pots so they can't eat everything and I use one of the trays that you can put seed trays in sunk into the ground for water which works well.

As for which tortoises go out there its my normal group of Herman's in one bit then my group of Macedonian Herman's then morrocan spurthigh.
And I'm going to try again at getting my Indian stars outside if its hot enough.
Then the rest of the garden is owned by the Burmese browns. But if things work out there will be a few new pens built for some long awaited new things.:):)

It is still bitterly cold here in Wiltshire despite the sun shining. Our central heating boiler gave up the ghost earlier in the week so really noticed it! Managed to keep all the tortoises warm enough though with convector heaters so a large electricity bill coming up!

I'm so glad to see someone has finally posted. Three or four days of "no new posts" and I start to worry about all you UK'ers. I thought maybe you were all buried under 6' of snow or something!

Keep promising snow for us Yvonne but thankfully it hasn't arrived only one more day of cold and then it is supposed to get slightly milder which will mean rain. Having my Covid jab tomorrow so don't need any bad weather.

Well all I can say is good luck with that.:(

I had my jab last Saturday Mary, its a doddle:0)

Thanks Sandy can't wait as Mike had his about four weeks ago.

Roy and I had them done together, and there is a three year age gap:0)

Well back within the hour so no problem a very slick operation! Mike was in a higher level than me (poor old chap) which is why we had ours at different times. Hopefully we will be able to start living a more normal life shortly. Need to get the children back to school first.

glad it went well. My brother in somerset had his and is only 60 odd. The weather here is so cold i can barely move my fingers. Two torts in unheated conservatory under lamps and the temps have come down to 22 degrees under a ceramic one and same at night even though dips below 0. I cant wait until 1st March and by then i would have planted out my nasturtium seeds ! ... SPRING FORWARD then end of march ! deep breaths !

Well i had mine last Sunday and I'm not in my 60s.

Well we all know that you're a special case!

Hi Clare yes they're really getting through the jabs at a great rate of knots which is amazing. It is so cold at the moment fortunately the majority of my torts are still well asleep. Roll on spring.

Glad you’re all having your jabs. Hubby had his last month and I’m due in this next group.
Seems to have warmed up a bit now and we’ve had rain most of the day. So relieved to have escaped the snow other than a little sprinkling that didn’t hang around. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we don’t get any in March.
Keep safe and well everyone. :-)

Snow melting fast here today, we didn't get a huge amount though, 8 inches. 2 miles behind us it's a different world, they are often blocked in when we have nothing. We had minus 15 a few nights ago but it was still 0.5c in the torts' tub. That's above the soil, they are safe enough well down in the soil. That's the lowest temperature since we moved here 4 year ago so it's good to know it's safe when -15c because we don't often get that.

just rain rain rain rain and more rain here , relentless rain - surely this means good summer. I'm listening to chaiyya chaiyya you can almost do an easy work out each morning with it watchful the dancers - good for morale ! CB

Its a beautiful morning here in Kent, the first time my GH vent has opened all Winter:0) Probably wont last but who knows:0)

Well what a nice day...
I'm nearly finished with my rebuild of tortoise pens and both of the greenhouses to the point I put one of my groups of Herman's in the greenhouse and set up my chair and chilled out. They seemed to enjoy themselves for a few hours and so did I it got quite warm in there.

Wild and windy here today and looks set to be tomorrow as well. The sun was lovely on Monday but it’s been cold today. Nice to have it mainly dry though. I’m looking forward to getting in the garden and getting it all ready for the spring and the tort enclosures set up nicely again.

I'm trying to get all mine done as supposedly going into hospital for operation next Wednesday.:smile::smile::smile:

Really wild night but at least it's dry and mild so hopefully the soggy ground will dry up a bit. Good luck for next week Gordon. xx

Yes, really hope it goes ahead this time for you. Lots of luck, Gordon. x

Well I'm sat in the greenhouse with one lot of torts out stretching there legs and getting some fresh air and the temperature at ground level is 23 degrees 😳

Well thats all the torts up today I went out to have a look at the ones hibernating and they were all wide awake so a good soak and they are all mooching about in the greenhouse.:)

Hello shelled warriors , I’m up from hibernation, and so are all my torts as of the last few days. It so warm here today two of them are out in the garden , 27c in the cold frame. I’ve been tidying up the garden and tort pens, making new plans for this summer. How are all of you ?

Hi Suze. Good to see you back! Lovely and sunny here too. :-)