Another week in the woods

[John H]

Arrived in the woods today for a weeks stay. I remembered the dongle this time so I may be missing the football but at least I can log in to Swog to see if there are any interesting new posts. I decided in the interests of a good night sleep not to open the thread on Ghosts in Woods!!

John

[Exeldama]

I have a week soon in my prospective wood is al goes ahead ok..looking forward to it.

What are you planning to do this week then..??

[John H]

Very hot here in the woods, too hot for chainsaw trousers so I have been processing logs and getting them in the dry.--Money in the bank , I hope.

Relations with the local residents has been a bit strained of late. It is all to do with the new shed now that it is nearing completion. The first I realised there was going to be a problem was when I went to collect a strap that I had neatly rolled up and hung on a nail on the wall. As I took it down I realised too late that there was a beautifully made wren's nest in the centre. It fell to bits when the strap unrolled. Then I moved some bags under which I had hidden a chainsaw, only to disturb another nest, this time with eggs in it. I know it was a pretty feeble place to hide a saw buy I buy them on cheaply on E bay so if they do get pinched I havn't lost too much.

The next resident I disturbed was a small bat that looked most enoyed at being woken up in the middle of the day.

Now I can see their point of view, who wants to live half way up a tree in the wind and rain that the Welsh weather throws at it, when there is a nice new shed to move into? But hey this is a working woodland and I need the shed to store machines and to dry the logs so I can get a small return on all the money I have so far invested.

More later...

[John H]

Matters have now got worse, they have started sabotaging my machines. First the sawmill would not start, I soon traced the problem to no fuel getting through to the carb. They had knawed their way through the fuel line.

Next when using the digger I smelt a strong smell of diesel and then noticed a puddle of it on the soil. Part of the return fuel pipe from on of the cylinders back to the fuel tank had completly disappeared.

Luckily when we applied for planning permision , we applied for two sheds, I think I better start on the second one soon.

John

[athelstan]

I've got the same problem John, I went to put on my riggers boots today, which are kept in the shed, and inside the foot was like a scene from 'Old Mother Hubbard' . Mouse Mum and all the little mouselets kipping in a nest made from the lining of my coat. This is despite the fact that I have a battery pest repeller installed. I have visions of them all dancing around the, so called, repeller when I am absent.

Needless to say the mouse won and can keep my boots until the family move on.

[John H]

Still very hot here. I am back to the real world tomorrow.

Locals still enoyed , they woke me in the early hours as they scratched about trying to get in the caravan..

Seriously though, I think they really like the work I have put in to the woodland. There are many more birds now around the clearing and it is incredible how quickly the plants reastablish themselves. There is one small bird , about the size of a sparrow that hovers about in the shed going from post to post looking for grubs. Hovers a bit like a humming bird.

Anyone know what it could be?

.Battery getting low.

John

[tracy]

Thanks for keeping us updated John, look forward to seeing some pictures!

[John H]

Well I am home. One moment in the woods with only the birds and the sheep in the neighbours field for company, then I am on the M25 in the crazy world of the South East.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gMQ50LrsZir9BFROq_Kq7w?authkey=Gv1sRgCNnp4uPjv_2bOw&feat=directlink

This is my old International tractor with the firewood processor on the back. The tree behind it is wild cherry, how it got there I shall never know. It is unlilkey that it was planted , I like to think one of the FC workers spat out their pip.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9gj1gbliI8hhP9PQuZt3ZQ?authkey=Gv1sRgCNnp4uPjv_2bOw&feat=directlink