Alone I Sit - Thursday 03/02/11

Each morning, I get up, empty my bladder and smoke a cigarette as I survey the sky and earth. On this occasion a cloudless night allowed Jack Frost a rather weak return. Next I clean out, reset, then light the wood burner, grab my rifle, and sit at the bottom of the field in hope that the canada geese will take off within range. If the Mill Pond weren't off limits, or more accurately, if I and my family needed feeding, I'd shoot them on the pond if they ventured near the bank. Once again I was empty handed but not disappointed. Sitting alone, quietly on a beautiful morning is rewarding in itself.
Arranged with Nigel next door to execute four cockerels tomorrow, his wife want it done simultaneously and we just have enough guns.
Planted 50 Italian Alder trees, had lunch, then completed the first course of bricks just before 17:00.
The clouds have rolled in on an unsettled and turbulent wind. To me this is an indicator of the seasonal change taking place. Nature shaking down and getting ready.
Not sure I'll hunt the geese tomorrow, not if chickens need murdering...

The first row of bricks completed.

M Jones

Mr Lazy Sun - Sunday 23/01/11

A cold nose and a full bladder tortures me until I rise, consistently around 06:00. The Sun himself is having a lie in and by the time he's dragging his lazy backside over the hills, I've already had a coffee, lit the woodburner, eaten a bowl of crunchy oats and cut a bucketful of kindling. To kill time and to keep warm on these crisp frosty mornings I take a walk along the plot perimeter. To make the walk as productive as possible, I bring along my air rifle. A vain hope. The land is devoid of prey. The only targets being two blackbirds. Two and twenty short of a pie so I don't bother. Plus I like them anyway for their appetite for aphids and other pests. As I make the return loop I spy three wild geese and a smattering of ducks. But they're on the millpond. Common, not private land. Being there is no one else around, there would be no witnesses to my poaching. But they are on the water which is an issue. An issue for retrieval more than anything else. Still after three unsuccessful attempts thus far, I think they're safe.
Have added a scope to my wish list, with as large an aperture as I can afford to enable accurate shooting in low light. Then we'll see how safe those birds are...

Spent all of Saturday with Kit and mobile saw mill owner Adrian. Kit wanted his quota of timber milled 6"x6" and 5 meters long. By god they were heavy. The sort of weight that saps the strength in your arms to the degree that sheer willpower is all that prevents you from dropping the load on your toes. The next morning my arms were weak and sore. similar to that morning weakness that leaves you incapable of squeezing a grape.
Annoying, as we had the same amount again to collect that was left when we finished.
Going to bed at 20:00 used to be a rare occurrence...

The Hub Build.

Same job, helping a different plot holder.

 M Jones

A Glorious Day For A Wedding - Sunday 01/08/10

A glorious day for a wedding! Was amazing to see everyone dressed up and not in wellies!
A fantastic service under the oak tree by the mill pond followed by a buffet meal in the marquee. With food out of the way the traditional dancing got under way which i thoroughly enjoyed. Eventually the drumming began and I drank myself to sleep, Fantastic.



M Jones