26th May Fenland woodturners Competion night

The Fenland Wood turners have 2 competitions a year and the members that are in the hall on the night have 1 vote and its the members that pick the winner so that's the fairest way to do it we feel.
Each competitor brings the item to the table in a bag and walks away the committee members then put out the items and put a raffle ticket at the side of the item the members then vote by putting the number they think should win on a bit of paper when everyone has voted the committee or 3 members that have not entered count the votes.
This competition is an open one to members so can turn any thing they like some competitions have been for clocks, tea cups and candle sticks .
There is a 1st 2nd and third prize.


The competition winners were from the left 1st The winner was made by Robert Pues 2nd was Barry Cummings and 3rd by John Walker.

The first was made out of Ash and was stain with ebony dye with a high polish, 2nd was made of Yew 3rd was made of Yew, sycamore,

Club and committee member Trevor Blackburn had the Lathe going and later members were having a go thread chasing.

The 2nd lathe was manned by member Neville Richardson who had the thread chasers out so any member who was thinking of buying a set could have a go before they buy a set as they can be quite expensive.

Thank you Neville.

As well as the competition the members bring items for the ideas table.

Left to right 3rd and 2nd

Other entries to the competition

Nice salad bowl with servers made from ash

Left to right 1st and the clock on the right was forth but no prizes are given for 4th it is a circus clown.

The Pictures are not very good the items look better in the flesh (wood) so to speak.

Nobody tried the cakes all made from wood in paper cake cases.

From the left the member who made the wooden bowl out of small bits of wood makes large vases and urns he has more time and patients than me.

The plate on the right has pierce work on the edges was made by a female member of the club who has won the competition a few times and keeps the male members on there toes.

The false ivory screw top pin box that was made and given to the club by John Birkley was auction off for £10 the money going to the club

If you would like to see the competition work they will all be on display at the Wood working show at Spring fields center at Spalding from the 11th June to the 13th June entry is free 10am -4pm all days and the wives can always go shopping round the center.

The Wood working show has all the main trade stands.(Free Parking)

See web site for details http://www.wws1.co.uk/

The fenland wood turners will be there showing some of the items they make come and have a chat I will be on the stand Friday and setting up Thursday ask for Alan.

Saturdays walk

First thing this morning It was foggy had my lights on going down the bank for the walk its 8.00am and the air is cool and damp.
The water is still and the walk started well its 3.5miles in full if you go to the old farm yard but if I go to the gate and back its 3miles we did the full walk this morning.
The only thing that stops me going further is the cows some times they are near the gate so we come back.
I heard my first cuckoo this year at about 8.15am today.

The mother duck sneaked along the opposite bank so the dogs and myself would miss her.

As well as the egg shells left on the Drain bank I often find these sweet corn husks where they come from who knows but they are fresh it may be that the badgers clear out the setts the birds may pick them up and drop them later.

These sluice gates are shut when the water behind them is low but when the water builds up in the dyke's behind the weight of the water pushes it open and the water flows out with no power used.
When the water in the drain at the front is high the water stays in the dyke.

It looks like a few of these could do with a good clean out.

This is an owl pellet at the side is a twenty pence to show the size it was mainly made up of fur and feathers with a few bones these were near the owl boxes.

So that's what happened to the ducklings.

I found a 2 dead moles this morning I would say that a fox was about in the night they tend to kill moles and not eat them.

para glider

In the last post I had no idea what the guy was flying well its a powered Para glider sooner him than me, heights don't bother me but I like my feet on the ground.

on Wikipedia it says they weigh between 45 and 80 lbs and fly between 15 to 45MPH and has a seat that folds down when in the air.

You control it with a toggle in each hand and has a hand held throttle.

It can fly at about 500 feet or up to 18000 ft and more.

when I returned to the truck it was hot and the fog had cleared it look like a day filtering the wine and gardening later.

Thursday night walk

I have just about got over the cold I had I have felt quit rough at times last Sunday was probably the worst. The dogs have been inside for most of the day due to the hot weather they lay on the tiled floor in the Kitchen for cool.
They are booked in for a trim next week an they need it it costs about £20 each but its worth it .
So I decided to take them out for a walk at 8pm down the drain bank it was lovely and cool with a lot going on. First there was the guy with the well I'm not sure what it is he is often about on nice days it looks like a parachute with a big fan strapped to his back it must have a name but I don't know it, you can just see him in the photo he was going away from me.
If you double click on the photo to make it larger.



We went on about half the walk we normally do and stood and watched the fish spawning in the reeds for about half an hour there is some big fish they looked like Bream big slabs of fish the water was alive with them the dogs yes both of them sat and watched from the top of the bank until blue decided he wanted to go in the water to play.

By the time we had come back to the truck the sun was setting it must be the ash from the volcano making look so red.

Friday 21st May walk

I got up early this morning to take the dogs before it gets to hot we started about 8.00am along the bank and what do you know I snagged my t shirt on the barbed wire at the gate Lots of people have moaned about it and its the second time I have got caught on it so it has to go.

Its hot at this time of day so it will be a hot day gardening the crested grebe have the right idea every time I go to take a photo they dive.

Its sad to see 1 of the fish had died as you can see he is a large Bream I'm not very good at weights but I would estimate 3 to 4lb .

We sat and watched the fish in the reeds It is great to see them with the sun on the water you could just make them out there were lots of big fish I mean big fish.

I finely got the photo of the Crested Grebe on the surface of the water he had his mate with him so he must have been keeping his eye on her. it was to hot later so I went for a trim at the barbers no 4 so ready for the summer.

This afternoon I made up some tanks for the green house you fill the tanks and the pipes are connected to soaker hoses for the tomatoes. Show you the photos when they are done.

The water in the hot tank is to hot to ho;d your hand under the tap. The solar panels are worth the cost at this time of year I will do a story on they to morrow with photos.

LSSSC May agm meeting

The agm for the Lincolnshire smallholders and self sufficiency club was held at Ferry Farm Fiskerton which is owned by one of the members.
Its a caravan camping club site and the agm was held there last year.

The meeting was short and new officers were elected for the treasurer and programme officers.

every one that goes takes some food for the table and Barbara made a banana cake for me to take there was lots of food and Patrick took some wild Garlic soup which was very nice.
Over food it was nice to catch up with members you have not seen for a while and swap ideas and advice.

I had a word with Ivor he has had a grid connected 4kw set of photo voltaic panels fitted and connected to the meter he said he is more than happy with it.

I then came home and did a bit of work on the garden and took the dogs for a run.

Friday 14th May 2010 at the ponds

We own 2.25acres of land with 2 large ponds on it about 18 miles away this is nice but sometimes I wished it was nearer but as it is I tend to go for the day when I go.

Friday I went to cut the grass on the walk ways for the first time this year it a bit long but it cut OK.



The way to the ponds I have to pass a drain this drain is covered with rape seed plants that have been left to seed over the last 6 years that we have owned the ponds the banks are always cut after the 27th June and by that time the seeds are set and as you can see it has spread.

when people go on about GM plants this is the thing that they should look into, it will cost the drainage boards a lot of money to eradicate this if they want to try.

This is one of the walk ways before I cut it it should have been done 3 weeks ago it took me 6 hours to cut all the walk ways and some of the meadow at the front of the ponds.

This is from the shed or day cabin I keep saying i will stay one weekend but Barbara would not so its down to me and the dogs.

The cabin is looking a bit weathered at the moment the wasps chewed the painted coating off last year and it needs a coat or 2 before next winter.

I took toffee with me and left Blue at home with Barbara as you can see Toffees more laid back and likes to have a look around

The heap of pruning were left over from winter and were missed when we had a bonfire.

when I cut the grass walkway next to them I disturbed a hen pheasant.

On closer inspecting I found she was sitting on a nest of 9 eggs if you look you can just see them at the bottom left of the picture.

When I was ready to leave to come home I had a sneaky look and she was back sitting on the nest.

Like I said toffee is laid back but what is he keeping his eye on.

The frog spawn has hatched and there are loads of tadpoles on the edges of both the ponds the reeds are alive with them as you can see.

At some times of the year I have to stop cutting the walkways as all the small frogs move from the ponds to the shade of the trees and bushes.

I have set some blue bells and snowdrops in small clumps hopefully they Will spread.

This is what Toffee has been keeping his eye on the Canadian geese have had a nest on the island when I looked a few weeks ago she had 6 eggs but has only 4 young with her what happened to the other 2 there are no eggs left in the nest.

After a full days work and all the walkways cut I left at about 5pm for the journey home.

While locking the gate at the top of the track Rob from the farm opposite came for a chat.

So by the time I left it was 6pm and on the way home a fox ran across the road about 40 meters in front of the truck. just out side of a small village (Gypsy Bridge) a barn owl sat on a fence post its always nice to see barn owls hunting along the dyke's of the fens.

That was Friday

Miserable week end

This weekend has been as miserable as you could get with a cold and Saturday it rained first thing so had to get the water proofs on to take the dogs out .
Toffee and Blue just thought I was mad out walking in the rain with a cold but I thought that the fresh air would do us good.
By the time we came back to the car Blue who is a job to get back in, jumped straight in the cage in the back of the truck he usually plays me up and refuses to get in until I put his lead on.
Toffee on the other hand is in the back straight away.

The wind turbines were all going well generating plenty of power for the grid, and no one else was about oh how a bit of water makes a difference.
While I was out a friend dropped off 6 Money maker tomato plants.

In the afternoon I racked off the dandelion wine into clean demi johns it has started to clear already.
Then put my feet up and watched the F1 Practise.

Sunday 9th May 2010

The weather was fine first thing so after a cup of tea went to the car boot in the village.
Bought a book the Gardening from which ? guide to gardening without chemicals for 50pence cheaper than a magazine.

I bought 2 steel draw cabinets to put some tools in hopefully to give me more space in the garage for £2 .
Took the dogs down the drain for a walk 6 swans on the drain and 2 crested grebe diving completely under the dogs take no notice of the swans they must give off a signal don't push your luck with me pal.

In the afternoon I watched the F1 race and took it easy ready for going back to work.

Monday 10th may 2010

I still have a cold but I have to meet 2 fitters this morning on a colleagues job in Spalding to install a new substation on its base.
My colleagues is in America on holiday for 3 weeks they go twice a year he loves it I have never wanted to go, now Australia is a different thing.

1 of the fitters is a young female apprentice who has 2 months left before she finishes her apprenticeship and she seems to know her job good for her.
She told me that out of the 4 that started at the same time as she did only 2 are left after 5 years the 2 lads that left went for jobs with more money in the short term they may be right but I hope that in the long term she proves them wrong.
With everything OK on site I left them to it and headed for the office to catch up on some paper work .
well think I will call it night

The plot across the road

The weather is cold and cloudy and I have been to work this morning so this afternoon I took the dogs down the drain for a walk.

The other day I said that there had only been 2 swans on the drain this month which was unusual but today there were 10.
There were also 2 sets of ducklings 4 half grown ones and 8 really small ones.

My camera Battery charger has packed up so i have not taken any photos on this afternoons walk.
so I have put some old ones of Toffee & Blue in the sun.

The plot across the road has just started to produce some food with these the 2nd bunch of radish not bad for cheap wilkos packet of seed.

This is the plot Before I harvested the dandelion flowers for wine I have now cut the grass and the beds are starting to show signs of life.

The carrot's and Parsnips are coming through the lettuce in the beds is growing at a fast rate I will have to put some more in so I can keep cropping all summer.

I have some more beds to build this year and I have the wood already to build them.

The bean frame is a bit of a bodge but it works and cost nothing as I had all the
wood and screws plus Insulation tape.

I have 2 Apple tress, 1 pear tree, black current bushes, Raspberry, Blue berry, and strawberry plants.

In the green houses I have tomatoes plants and chilli's plus potatoes in bags just about to flower.

In the beds there are Courgettes, Squash, Broad beans ,Runner beans, dill, Peas, Potatoes, and Onions.

The plot has nettles in the hedge and we have planted comfrey both to be used for fertiliser for the garden and Glass house.

I will try to keep up the weeding but if i don't then does it matter as long as the weeds don't seed.

The nettles make a good tea and most things on the plot you can use for something.

I think I have Barbara's cold coming So I will have to get the blackberry vinegar, whiskey and Hot water out.

I like to think it may cure you but if it doesn't you feel a lot better after you have drank it.

Put 25mm in a teacup or in my case a mug 1 tot of whiskey or brandy then top up with hot boiled water.

We make our own fruit vinegars, mostly Blackberry, Damson, and Raspberry full of vitamin c and are great over Yorkshire puddings or ice cream.

You can marinade meat in it over night ready to make sweet and sour meals the next day.

Any way ill catch you tomorrow

Surfleet Reservoir

The lock gates at Surfleet reservoir (seas end) from the fresh water side.

I had 2 lads working at Surfleet Reservoir today putting in new cables to a property the weather was sunny and cold but I think my cameras batteries must be running low as the picture is dark.

This is the tidal side of the river and it leads into the river Welland and out to the wash it is salt water( picture below).

The signs with no swimming are all over the place but when you see it at low tide the mud would put you off.

When we were kids we would sit on the lock gates and fish for Dabs (small flat fish) now days there is fencing and signs to stop anyone from going any where near the water.

The other side is Fresh water and has river side chalets or sheds as one of the lads commented.

Most have electricity and a loo and are used in the summer but others are lived in all year round. I have been called out here 3 times in the last 37 years. When the river floods its a nice community and you have to feel sorry for the people when it happens but at one point you could not stay in the properties from November to April.

When I was about 8 to 10 we used to come swimming here there used to be a small swimming area off the main river.

Its still there but it is like a muddy pond, rivers are not like they used to be or are they when we were young you didn't think of how dirty the rivers were, not like they do now.

It has to do with Heath and safety and mothers not letting the kids out of her sight.

Now you must think I love being around rivers and drains well I do and you don't have to go far to find one in the fens.

I work for an electricity company and get to a lot of places like the Reservoir all out of the way hidden little gems. Its great in the summer but in the winter you need 2 extra coats on as the wind goes straight through you.

There is a nice pub in walking distance( its the tall building in the photo of the tidal river on the left hand side) and the food is very good so have a walk along the rivers Glen, Vernatts and the Welland one day. The Reservoir is where all three meet and then head out to sea.

I nearly bought a house there once I can not remember why i didn't. (it must have been the ex wife's)

I'm Going to Holbeach and Gedney hill tomorrow I don't know why they call it Gedney hill as there is no hills for miles I will have to find out.

well that's it for today.

Wet Bank holiday Monday 3rd May

I was up early this morning I was going to a car boot as there was a few things I was looking out for.
It rained hard so I decided to give it a miss this weekend when it fined up I took the dogs for a run must be mad water proofs the lot and met Graham from the village who works for the same company as I do he has 2 working Springer Spaniels All the dogs get on fine.
He had ripped his coat on the barbed wire the farmer had put up near the gate i must admit it is in the wrong place right near the gate handle.
later on I met a gentleman who was staying with his brother for the weekend he had a 7 month old Springer spaniel and later on we met a couple we see often and they have a springer spaniel they each carry one of those stools that folds up and a flask with oxo in it so we call them Mr & Mrs oxo as we don't know their names a lovely couple.
A pair of Swans were on the drain I have counted 20 or more on there but this year only 1 pair.

The sun came out later so I took Barbara out to the garden center for lunch and pick up some compost 4 bags for £10.

Later I potted out some tomatoes and chilli's now when I planted the seeds i put labels in the trays but after watering them for a few weeks the labels are blank so I'm not to sure whats what so I will have make do. I did say a simple life and there is nothing more simple than me it must be my age.
Its a Short week this week as I only work 4 days (32hours) a week its even better I may work Wednesday and Friday mornings as Barbara is working those days.
Then the dogs will not be on there own all day and we can have a walk some where.
I tell my new manager that it is all about work life balance and working 4 day is as balanced as I can make it.
I think I will call it night now.

LSSSC meeting Sunday 2nd May

The lincolnshire smallholders and self Sufficiency Club meeting on Sunday was about renewable energy, It was at Stainfield village hall near Wragby.
The meeting had a speaker Julian Patrick from Freewatt a renewable energy firm that installs Photo voltaic panels off grid and connected to the grid.
Julian was interesting to listen to, he explained that from April this year the government will pay for energy generated by renewable sources like wind turbines and Photo voltaic panels.
But people are always guarded and were asking whats the catch none was the answer.

I have solar water heating and I must say that from April until November I don't have to put the gas water heating on that often and only for a short while only on cloudy days even in winter on a sunny day it saves money and the water gets very hot you just can not put your hand under the tap or it will scold you.

One member who is having 4 kw Photo voltaic system installation fitted on Tuesday has offered us a tour of it while the scaffold is still up if we would like to have a look.

after the meeting we had a bite to eat, most people take some food for the table.
one member brought 2 boxes of bantam eggs in 18 for a £1 so I purchased 1 box Nice eggs all colours.
I dropped my friend Paul off in Spalding and came home and let the dogs out for a run then went to meet Barbara at a friends house for a BBQ it was his birthday Party.
Happy Birthday Tom.

1st May Saturday walk

Nature has a hard side to it on starting the walk on Saturday the first thing we came across was this pheasants egg shell but it made something a meal.

I have seen 4 or 5 in the last few weeks as well as dead frogs, dead fish (large Bream ) it is all part of life's cycle.

Sorry if I sound down but I'm not on the other hand I have seen 2 female ducks with about 8 and 9 chicks. The days weather is just right for walking with the dogs.

These cowslips look lovely along the drain bank it makes you wonder how they came to be there 2 clumps on 3 miles of bank.

The fens are not the place to live if you have hay fever as the fields are full of Rape seed flowers.

But it looks great .

The Lincolnshire fens have huge Sky's because its flat for miles but the wind blows most days down the drains as they are straight and run from mainly west to east out to the wash. (east Coast)

So it is all ways best to take a coat or fleece with you on your walks.

The sand martins are back and flying along the drains catching fly and insects, the environment agency have carved out places along the drain for the sand martins in some places they have built walls with holes in but the one in the picture is in need of some work but its to late now.

The black thorn blossom is out so it looks like there will be plenty of sloes for making sloe gin later in the year.

On the way back to the car I met a farmer putting up fences and Barbed wire he is renting the bank for the summer its the first time for a long while that the banks been let.

All the people who walk the dogs done the bank will have to start looking for some different to walk the dogs on the plus side the other banks that have cows on have Field mushrooms growing on them at the right times of the year.

I bet the cowslips don't last long when the cows are grazing the bank but it will keep the grass short.

The Dogs walked I spent the afternoon on the plot setting squash beans and peas.