19th August 2024 - Sad loss of our Drake !!

Thought for the day : "More New Medical Definitions : Tumour - one plus one more" 

Rain

The day started fairly dry - enough to walk the dogs, and on this occasion I was getting fed up with not being able to get all the way around my usual walk so I took my cutters with me and spent a happy hour getting stung and brambled as I cleared the path...

Difficult to see the improvement - but you can walk through now 

So on to the Peacock enclosure - the gate was falling apart and one of the main posts was loose so required a deal of improvement...

But first I need to attack the trees at the entrance to the Duck Enclosure

And then I attacked the growth over the peacock stands and cleared an area for them to roost properly

But later, as I was on the Patio I noticed that our Black and White duck was with the hens and on her own and a little distressed - which led to a search around the grounds and no sign of our Drake.

Once again no feathers but it looks as though he has been nabbed 

Toby was very interested in tracks across the fields opposite tonight and it took a while to get Toby and Mr Squeak back after the 10 o'clock news..

But latest project was to get some led flame lighting into the Log Burner in the living room

All seems to be very successful.

May take a photo tomorrow and also the new Owain Glyndwr flag to replace out battle weary one

Cheers !

  

18th August 2024 - A river runs through it

Thought for the day :" New Medical Definitions : Terminal Illness - getting sick at the airport"

Sun

Used the Gabion Cages for the pontoon.  started filling with some ground rocks and think it will work to protect the edges to keep our sitting area for us..

 

But around the corner the problem is a little larger

Completely overgrown so had to clear all the undergrowth to see the damage to the walls and the bank 

After clearing - we can see how far into the bank the river has moved.

Do not think that the gabions will be sufficient for this task - think we will have to take the digger in and change the course of the river and shore up the edges to keep the area strong enough.

Took a few cuts and bruises in this clearing task and Toby decided that he was fed up and took a stroll down the main road - where he was found by a driver going passed who put a lead on him and brought him back to the house .

Apparently just standing in the main road!!   Not sure what we will do with him ..

Apparently - tomorrow's main task is to repair the peacock gateway and supporting poles 

Ho Hum - no peace for the wicked...

Cheers !

17th August 2024 - Happy Birthday Vicky

Thought for the day : "New Medical Definitions : Tablet = a small table"

Dry

Managed to stay away from rain today though it was threatening for most of the time with occasional bouts of sunshine ...

But Chris and Vicky cam up to visit with us and as it was Vicky's 70th birthday we celebrated accordingly. 

Walked the dogs and did the tour of the Gardens - including a visit to the new chickens 

(Blackie was being quite territorial and protective and had  right go at me when trying to feed the larger chicks and get them water )

and The Polytunnel is doing well - look at the size of the Cucumbers!!

And of course that meant it was time for Champers on the Patio !!

Oh, and as we walked around - a quick look at the pathway that is hidden by the Troll Bridge

must look more closely at that later

  

Cheers !

16th August 2024 - Here comes the Sun

Thought for the day :" New Medical Definitions : Seizure - A roman Emperor"

Sun 

Our House Anniversary comes around again..

the 16th of July 2020 was our day for moving into Ffynnon Wen and each month I have tried to summarise our progress so far. And it is only a progress report. The further we get into the land here, and the further we get into renovation, and the further we get into taming the undergrowth, the further we realise that we have only just touched the surface.

Today was a case in point. It was sunny, so we had the opportunity to get out into the garden and work.

Cut the lawns in the Romany Caravan next door and strimmed the edges and tidied it all up.

Back home and cut our own lawns and strimmed the front of the house, also the seat area in the lane.

A branch had fallen from one of the trees in the lower quarter - so I took the chain saw down and reduced it to branches and logs. While I was there I thought I would chop some more of the tree that had fallen by the pathway to Moilyn's Farm Land.

Mowed the lower quarter and the paddock.

And then there was the Digger. It was too wet yesterday so started her up and played with her, trying to flatten the earth out as well as digging into the hole.

Very muddy down there and the digger was heavy and in danger of sinking but kept her going. 

at the end, had to get the Tractor out and she got stuck in the mud, so had to restart the digger to pull her out. It is getting muddy down there but the water is flowing into the pond.

And As I look at it - I still have as much to do after a full day as I did at the start!

That seems to be the life at Ffynnon Wen - wouldn't change it for the world.

Fancy a road trip - come and visit !

Iain & Susie 

Romany Caravan

Front of House

Lower Quarter

The New Pond

And rescue services for a tractor

Another month goes past 

Cheers !

 

15th August 2024 - Too wet for Lawns so building Gabions

Thought for the day :" New Medical Definitions : Secretion = Hiding stuff"

Wet - very !!

But some of the Dahlias are looking fine on the Kitchen table

And Gabion Cages all connected and ready to go into the river.. 

Had to find a job to do under cover 

Started cutting the Romany Lawns but had to stop due to weather

Cheers !