So much to do.....

After a pleasant weekend on the layout.....

doing landscape work at the snowy end I moved outside to start some of the many jobs.

The pond is due it’s Autumn clearing and I am going to clear the section at the back so that it is rocks with less plants. 

This shedder was heading for the skip. It went wrong a few years ago and I had made several attempts at repairing it with no success. Before throwing it away I decided to have one last go and deep in the electrical depths I found a component that looked faulty. I managed to find a spare part on line and lo and behold I have rescued it. 

There are still Autumn colours around - this is a bonsai that produces glorious colours every year. 

And even the roses are trying their best. 

And what a spectacular end to a glorious day!

Hard at work.

Kate has been busy clearing the greenhouses and the surrounding area

While I have been busy removing the dilapidated compost bins and replacing them with new recycled plastic ones. 

Caution - gardeners at work.

So after a break to go oop’North to see Arthur (99 in December - still going but not as strongly as last visit, memory worse and slightly less able to get around) we are back on the garden. In the photo you can see that I have started strumming the flower meadow and Kate is weeding one of the corner beds. 

There is still so much colour around and the butterflies haven’t given up hope of finding some food.

I seeded the areas where I removed the old beds and germination was very rapid. 

In the last few days it has come on very well. 

The flower meadow is now strummed and cuttings cleared away on our haywain. 

We have been enjoying a few days of a real Indian Summer. 

Which brought on a flush of ripe figs from the front of the house. 

One ongoing job is clearing around the greenhouses. The cold frame and the compost bins, which where built from scavenged wood when we got here, have finally collapsed and will be replaced. Kate is clearing out the greenhouses and getting rid of years or pots. 

I chopped the ivy back on some of the trees which has resulted in this rather fetching debris. 

More Autumn colour. 

My lathe sold very rapidly, to a fairly local man (Ammanford) who wants to learn how to turn. Luckily he liked it and paid cash so I now have more workshop space. 

The view from my desk....

 

 Having replaced the drive belt i then sharpened the blades - cutting the grass is much easier now!

I also cleared up the ‘dead zone’ behind the playhouse, it had become a dumping ground along the lines of “out of sight, out of mind”. A skip will be the next thing. 

There is Autumn colour all around. 

 

 

 

 

Hi, remember me?

I haven’t blogged for a while. I would like to say that it is because I have been too busy doing other things...... in fact I will say it is because I have been too busy doing other things. 

So this is by way of a catch-up and a new beginning. With luck.

It was dry last time I blogged but now we are back to normal. Sunshine and showers. The grass is green and the sun is shining. 

Figs have been harvested

I built a petrol powered go cart ready for a family visit

Four daughters plus six grandchildren came to stay, in the old caravan, a big tent and in the house too

The go cart was a great success

And it was a powered skateboard too

Bella bought me a wonderful present. A 1950 Leeds Stedman 0-gauge set with an engine and wagons, track and a an ancient controller. I have renovated the engine and track and put modern components inside the controller but maintained all the knobs and gauge. I hope to run it at the next exhibition at the station. 

I have decided to sell my lathe as it has not been used for several years. It has taken a while to clean it up but it will go on EBay shortly. 

My TV career has taken a Great Leap Forward as the show we took part in earlier in the year is being broadcast. My appearances are of course fleeting but I have a great theatrical presence! Our photos have been popping up all over the press, and on the internet. 

And up to date. Yesterday I had to replace the drive belt on the little red tractor. Not an easy task. And today I shall be back under there sharpening the blades ready for the last autumn cuts. 

I have written the blog while a ate my breakfast and have decided it is not a good plan - my shredded wheat went soggy. Perhaps I will blog as I drink my after-breakfast coffee.