Third year meadow.

Hi,

Many thanks @CarolineL I've had plenty of practice felling our tall trees; I hope I don't come unstuck felling the big oak tree; I've watched many YouTube videos showing tree felling gone wrong destroying houses and vehicles. Both my 20" petrol chainsaws have saved us a fortune over the years.



I use three ropes whilst felling our trees to control where they land; they are roped in such a way there's only one way for them to fall. Fools rush in as the video clearly demonstrates; anyone can buy a chainsaw; just cutting a wedge from a tree trunk doesn't mean the tree is going to oblige falling as intended.

Thanks again; I've now baked my second apple pie having learned lessons from baking the first. I now have a small brush for applying Soya milk to the pastry joint and for glazing; it makes a big difference. The recipe states dust the work surface with flour before rolling out the pastry; I did this for the first pie and also for the second pie dish liner but each time found the pastry still tended to stick to the work surface so I gave it a bit of thought.

I cut a large piece of non stick baking paper and placed this on the work surface then rolled the pastry on top of the paper; with the pastry rolled I simply flipped the paper and pastry over the top of the dish and the paper released easily; excess pastry was removed using scissors. it was perfect and the result can be seen in the picture. The final job was to use the new brush to wet the pastry joint with Soya milk then brush Soya milk all across the top of the pastry then sprinkle on caster sugar. The first pie was good but this second pie is a total success. Another change I made was to use 100% whole wheat flour which is better than white flour; once again I used bramley apples stewing these in a big pan with added water. I now know how to make pastry and bake apple pies; cookies; muffins and assorted cakes. Baking isn't difficult if recipe instructions are followed. All my baking is dairy free so I adjust for this.



I've rambled on enough but when I'm not in the garden I'm still busy; I'm now heading into the studio for a violin practice. Whoopee; after dinner I'll have a look at the oak tree.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Colin your apple pie looks yummy, if you have trouble with the pastry sticking while rolling it out just use a bit more flour.

I know that you're a lot better at felling trees, you've had a lot of practice.

 

Hi,

Thanks @Logan; I've cracked it making apple pies; it's delicious with Alpro vanilla custard or on it's own;

https://groceries.morrisons.com/products/alpro-vanilla-custard-115629011

This afternoon I was at the top of the big oak tree securing ropes intending to fell it; at around 3:45 it suddenly started to drop dark and a strong wind arrived making it unsafe to carry on. I'm fed up of this constant bad weather but I won't give up I'll work around it. Perhaps I can fell the tree tomorrow morning then start logging it for a neighbours woodburner. A few years ago local wood-turners would welcome English oak but few these days enjoy hobbies; they can't do much with a phone in one hand; it's the general decline in the UK.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

That custard looks great Colin.

Just take your time with the tree, perhaps you could take a bit off at a time.

 

Hi,

Thanks @Logan yes the Alpro custard is lovely; we've been buying it for years.

Thanks also for your useful suggestion; I seriously considered removing the branches nearest the bungalow but it's too dangerous given all the laurels beneath the tree; I'd have to double rope each branch; the rope nearest the trunk no bother at all but the rope nearer the branch end would be difficult to secure. One of the ropes is secured to the nearby huge blue spruce tree; I then ran the rope out across the garden to where I want the oak tree to land and wrapped masking tape around it; next I climbed the oak tree securing the rope to the trunk at the masking tape indicator; I've done this many times so I know the tree will be controlled by the rope as it falls; a second anchor rope is now secured to a large stump; both these ropes will ensure the tree only can fall into our garden; I'll add a third rope high up the tree for pulling; it takes a lot of time and effort getting these three ropes up a big tree but they give full control.

I've just returned from shopping; it's pouring with rain but not as as cold; how typical of our dire climate now I'm almost ready to fell the tree. 8:22 and still dark.

Looks like a violin practice day today.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

Hi,

The years fly by so now the top meadow is on it's 6th year and the new middle meadow is on its 2nd year.


The top meadow.

The middle meadow.

Middle meadow again different angle.

Top meadow near end.

Close up.

Close up.

In February I rotavated all three meadow areas; then came many weeks of very heavy constant rain; this must have drowned or washed away the newly broadcast seeds from the top meadow with only a covering of Cleaver seedlings to look at in disgust so when the rain finally let up I rotavated again and bought more wildflower seeds broadcasting them to the top meadow.

However by now the middle meadow was showing promise with a covering of seedlings.

The side meadow was completely covered in broad leaved weeds so my method of weeding was to rotavate the side meadow and leave it well alone until next year.

I usually buy the same wildflower seed mix each year but this includes grasses and every year at season end the grasses take over; this year I've bought a mix excluding grasses and the result is truly outstanding.

Walkers along the adjacent lane often stop and stare in amazement some taking pictures on their mobile phones.

Got to go I'm so busy I don't know which way to turn.

Kind regards, Col.

 

Crikey and Wow! I've just read through all this thread. You are such a hard worker. The meadows look gorgeous this year. Are there a lot of insects buzzing happily about in them? Do you use yellow rattle? It is parasitic on grass and helps to keep it down so that wild flowers can spread. Can't remember if it's been mentioned.

 

Looking good Colin, well done. It's nice when people say how good it's looking, it gives you a boost.

 

Hi,

Many thanks @Busy-Lizzie for your patience reading through the thread and for your kind comments; much appreciated. Yes there are lots of tiny insects busy on the flowers but as yet few butterflies. Last year I included Yellow Rattle following @Logan's excellent advice but because of the amount of grass involved it didn't make much difference although had I not rotavated again at the end of the growing season I might have seen the Yellow Rattle do more. I bought the Yellow Rattle seeds and added them to the wildflower seeds mix before broadcasting the seeds.

Thanks @Logan; it's kind of you. I created the meadows as something special for my wonderful wife to see out of our kitchen window and from the patio area; the garden is so steep she can't get up there so a few days ago I drove her along the lane and parked next to the low dry stone wall in order for her to see the meadows from the top. My wife's virtually housebound due to illnesses so I'm doing my best to help her in every way possible.

As you rightly say @Logan; it doe's give a huge boost when people stop and stare and if I'm up the top of the mountain they often strike up a conversation as two walkers did yesterday; a gentleman out for exercise after major surgery waved to me whilst I was down the garden fueling my chainsaw so I made my way to the top and enjoyed a short conversation whilst he said the flowers were beautiful as was the panoramic view of the valley right across to Victoria Tower. I explained I'd hoped for such appreciation because I wanted to open up the view for all to see even though it involved massive heavy work for me.

A lady walking her dog joined us with similar nice comments saying she'd been watching progress since I rotavated. In this terrible world it's really nice to do something that so many admire and appreciate.

It has been incredibly hard work felling over 30 very large trees and also digging up a lot of their big stumps and roots but now I'm no longer worried every time we have terrific wind coming up the valley which often damaged a tree usually in dire weather.

Whilst up the garden I was amazed to see how much growth our top right hand conifer hedge has put on; it must be over 20' tall in places. Years ago I was about to remove this hedge but our immediate neighbours suggested if I leave the hedge standing they would look after trimming the top each year so I relented. The conifers haven't been trimmed for years so I'm taking them down; if I don't remove them now I'll end up with more 70' tall conifers tormenting me every time the wind blows; I'm 77 next month and want to do this before I get old.

I'm grounded this morning because the electric company is due to install a smart meter. I'd love to get up just one morning and enjoy a full day's hard work without interruptions or having to go somewhere but I can dream on. Felling the conifer hedge is easy enough but getting rid of the brash is much more difficult; I sold my shredder thinking I wouldn't need it again so now I'll be visiting our local tip many times.


The bottom few conifers are very tall not having been "topped" for years.

I should have removed this conifer hedge years ago now I've got a much bigger job on my hands; just when I thought it was safe to put my chainsaws away.

A nice view over the meadow right across the valley; the view is excellent from our front window but even better up here.

It's definitely a steep garden; there's a main road running along the valley bottom. Dragging a petrol mower and petrol rotavator up here is a good workout.

Kind regards, Col.

 

You're welcome Colin, it's great to see the view and I'm sure that your wife loves to see them.

 

Really interesting reading and I adore your willingness to get your meadow working.

 

Hi,

Thanks @Logan; yes the view is wonderful and my wife is delighted to see so much beautiful colour in our garden.

Thanks for your kind comments @simone_in_wiltshire. I'm very old fashioned in that I was brought up to work hard and still work hard even though I'm into 23 years of retirement; I've no intention of taking it easy as long as I can work so hard and it keeping me fit.

On Monday I started to remove the conifers. I've not seen our immediate neighbours to talk to for many months but I heard the husband moving around in his garden hut so I wandered up the garden to talk with him.

He wasn't an happy bunny; removing OUR conifers was upsetting him; he would lose some privacy to his garden and possibly suffer more subsidence to the big flight of stone steps to his side door with the side of his house fully exposed. These conifers belong solely to us and as our site is freehold we only have ourselves to answer to but now he's upset thinking our conifers are their for his benefit. Previous greedy neighbours built their house right up to their then fence allowing no room whatsoever for maintenance then they sold their bungalow next door to us together with this newly built house before moving to Cypress; selfish and greedy in the extreme; now our neighbour can't even erect a fence to the side of their house.

Years ago I told these neighbours my intention to remove the conifers before they ended up 70' tall like our other conifers and trees; I didn't want more ladder work in order to keep "topping" them every year; I already had enough ladder work on our other mature hedges. He and his wife asked if I would reconsider removing them if they volunteered to keep the top and their side trimmed and even at cost to them so I relented.

Now some of these conifers are 20' tall; I've more than honoured my agreement; my word is my bond and if I agree to something I stick with it so why is my neighbour sulking; I won't knock on neighbours doors to ask them to trim OUR conifers at their cost; these neighbours should be delighted to have such good neighbours as my wife and I who are always kind and considerate of others.

Yesterday was a very hard day for me removing the rest of these now big very top heavy conifers and dragging them down the mountain to where I can cut them up; I had to cut them into sections at the top of the garden in order to move them. Now I've got these conifers to cut into logs and the brash to run to our local tip; this is going to involve days of heavy work to me and now I've got a sulking neighbour through no fault of my own. Self centered and selfish and a man not of his word and he's unhappy? I don't get angry or fall our with anyone so I let him sulk in peace.


This conifer is 16' long but it's stump still to cut down is over 3' long.


It's been incredibly hard work using the heavy petrol chainsaw whilst trying to stand upright on our steep garden and I've had to climb a telescopic ladder in order to tie the pulling rope has high as possible. By dinnertime I'd worked myself to a standstill but all the conifers were now down with just their stumps still to remove.

Here's what I wanted to avoid; a large amount of conifers now to bag up and get all the way down to our driveway in order to load them into the car. The logs will be appreciated by wood burning owners who are happy to collect them nicely cut into into short lengths and carried all the way down the mountain for them to simply load free of charge into their cars; no one helps me during all this hard work they just think of themselves but I've spent a lifetime being independent never expecting anything from anyone with just my truly wonderful wife's support which keeps me motivated.

My wife is so unwell the surgery phoned yesterday to inform us a doctor would phone us today so I'm grounded until the phone call arrives; my wife can't get to the phone quickly enough before it rings off and it really hurts her to move at all. My wife will always come first; she's my best friend and I love her to bits; she's fully looked after me for 48 years of marriage now it's my turn to fully look after her and I don't begrudge a minute of it.

Further during my talk with the neighbour he asked if I'd consider selling him part of our garden so he could install an office; I explained the garden if converted into a building plot would be very expensive indeed; it's prime plot in a very good area with panoramic views across the valley and as long as my wife and I live here it will never be built on; we like to see it as our garden and unlike so many these days had they owned the land they'd have immediately sold it; we aren't like others because we don't live for money; there's better things in life; there are different ways of being rich; I'm content as long as I have my wife.

Now the conifers are down it's opened up another decent area of garden; I'll clear all the debris then possibly dig it by spade to find all the buried treasure and conifer roots then perhaps I can bring the rotavator to bear and next year extend the top meadow. We've not had an holiday even for a day from home in the last 47 years; everything we want or even need is already with us; I just wish my wife was well.

Quite a while ago I stopped posting on this forum because three members commented I should stick to the thread without diverting as I do from topic; to these three members may I politely suggest you exercise your option to place me on your "Ignore" list as I've placed you on my own ignore list; no one forces you to read anything I post and I think it totally rude of all three of you.

Kind regards, Col.

 

Hello again, Col. I hope the doctor can help your wife. It's hard seeing someone you love suffering. I loved reading about how much you love her. That's how my OH and I feel.

 

Hi,

Thanks so much @Busy-Lizzie; yes indeed it's distressing to see my wife in such poor health whilst I can bounce around like a five year old. I'm pleased you too are happy and looking after each other; the world would be a much better place if everyone cared.

It's been another very heavy week but this morning I ran the last full load of brash to the tip glad to see the back of it all. This afternoon I brought all the logs down to our driveway and they are being collected late tomorrow morning by a lady called Amy. Our lady friend who lives very nearby could only take two car loads because her garage and rear garden are crammed with logs we've given her.

Four of these big bags fill the car but they are extremely heavy working on my own; I use my boot to ram a lot into the bags; I drag them down to the car but it's a real struggle to load them then at the tip I have to lift each over the edge of a skip to empty them but it's better than using many flimsy bin bags.

I posted an advert on Gumtree this afternoon advertising free logs but they must be collected in one load and no cherry picking; Amy was quick to respond so she collects them tomorrow late morning; I've deleted the advert. Last August I removed a huge oak tree and this was also advertised on Gumtree as free firewood; a guy from a good distance away (Otley) arrived in a big lorry and cleared a lot of it; I then advertised the remainder and two guys collected in a very big van. What an easy way to get rid of unwanted logs.


Two car loads of logs had already been collected; these will be collected tomorrow morning. It's extremely hard work removing trees and getting the logs all the way down to the driveway but I'm used to doing it.

Lots of decent firewood and it's free.



This afternoon I strimmed and raked then rotavated the cleared area where the conifers had occupied; I had to rotavate three times due to the ground being so dry and hard; it created a cloud of dust which is rare for Yorkshire; we don't enjoy much dust due the rainfall we usually receive.

I think next springtime this area will be awash with more wildflowers?

It's been a busy very hard day and I've now had enough so it's time to settle down to a movie with my wife before another day slips by; I'd done the shopping by 7:15 this morning and can at last call it a day.

Kind regards, Col.

 

@Retired I am full of admiration for you Col, but please look after yourself! Your health is important - and your wife needs you fit and able to bake the delicious looking things you've posted before!
I get exhausted just looking at what you've done - though the meadow is fantastic