Christmas is coming

 End of the  month so time to reflect on the stats for running and cycling during Nov, a month which has seen an increase in both, reflecting period of feeling well and friendly weather. Total of 207 miles, 118 on the bike. I did 5.25 miles running this morning and 5.5 miles riding down to Joy's and back to check the meter readings ahead of her fuel bill.

We took tea down to Bridie's on Friday evening and enjoyed the Christmas decorations she and Joseph had been putting up after school. The photo is of Joseph by the tree which has plenty of flashing lights. Our tree and decorations went up on Saturday, helped by Evie and Ameila who spent the day with us and can be seen looking out for a returning Granny and Bridie who had gone to Bournemouth to collect Bridie's new car. 

The garden is looking in pretty good nick and we planted some additional hedging along the front, dog rose, crab apple, hornbeam, rowan and a shrub I forget the name of just now. Parts of the existing privet have died away and we wanted to restore the hedge using more interesting, native and nature friendly trees and shrubs. We already have hawthorn which is great for the birds and hopefully we'll be seeing more fruits, berries, hips and apples, for the birds, small animals and insects to feast on through the autumn and into winter. Fingers crossed.

Rebus

I have been listening to the latest Rebus novel on audible and am enjoying it enormously. It's quite a series of novels these days and there are familiar tropes and themes but they do seem to reflect the changing times, in this case the fallout from Brexit and perhaps a growing realisation that Scotland is a more complex country than the whisky, shortbreadand haggis might suggest, more likely to succeed as an independent nation. Of course, that may be just me reading my prejudices into the text.

It was nice to get a few niggly little jobs done yesterday, relaying some bricks in the retaining wall by the patio and sorting out the gate post to the back gate which has become loose over time. 

Amelia and I had a lovely time at the park in Verwood too and were on the lookout for signs of Christmas. Lots of lights up already - brilliant. I like them anyway but we need them this year,

Grass cutting time! November 24th

I can't believe it but I have been mowing the lawn today, down at Joy's in the first instance and then our back garden. It is remarkable how the growing season seems to have been extended this autumn. It is difficult to know whether it really is longer or whether knowing climate change is bringing about noticable change makes one more inclined to credit that.

Alison and I spent a bit of time at the allotment and I managed to dig over another couple of beds and spread some manure over them. It is looking good down there and we brought back the carrots which had been growing in Joseph's plot.

On the way back we went to Joy's and whilst she and Alison went grocery shopping, I cut the grass, dug over the vegetable plot and did some clearing of the garage.

In the afternoon we were in the garden, another mow, pond clearance, lots of leaves needed fishing out, and a clean out of the small shed.

I got a 5km run in before making tea, Maria enjoying another zoom dance session from 4.30 - 7.15. A lovely autumn day all round.

Allotment ride and composting

It turned out to be a great morning to choose for a ride to the allotment. The weather was kind with sunshine appearing on occasion despite a chilly start to the day. I listened to the new Rebus novel on audible as I cycled through Horton to Gaunt's Common before a slight detour through Holt and on to Wimborne which took my mind off the ride in terms of effort,

Despite having strimmed the grass just a fortnight ago, I did it again this mornng, evidence of just how mild it has been, rain having been more of an issue. It took quite a while with an attack on the area bu the compost bin which I wanted clear as part of my plans to work on the heap, turning it and ensuring the manure we have been adding is well mixed in with the other materials.

The next job was to check on the beds and to do some picking, mainly greens, and to sort out the wire netting keeping the autumn sown broad beans safe from nibbles. The plants have emerged well and need a bit more space to grow upwards without the hindrance of netting so I had to shape it accordingly. I completely removed the netting from the winter lettuce and beetroot and was able to bring home a lettuce like you might buy at the supermarket, easily the best I've ever grown and we had it with our tea. I also picked a few beetroot and they have been roasted and are ready for eating now.

I then worked on the compost heap which is different from a plastic compost bin which we also have and has been used to put the weeds and so on in for the past months. I want to empty that and put the contents on the proper heap but a lot of work is required before then. I dug out the heap to begin with, just forking the compost on the recently strimmed area right next to the heap. That exposed the lower half which was lovely soil, perfect for top dressing the beds.

Having already cleared the bed next to the heap, it had been full of spinach and chard, I was able to start forking this lovely soil on to restore nutrients and structure to the bed. It also had some of the manure in too, so it should be good stuff for the spring.

The idea is to spread the compost which is ready onto the beds as I clear and dig them, then to put the top half back in and to add the contents of the plastic bin on top. That should give the whole thing a good turn and mix, allowing the bacteria and worms and other creatures to get on with breaking it down in readiness for the spring/summer. I can then move the plastic bin next to the compost heap and free up some more growing space.

It sounds strange to say but I thoroughly enjoyed myself in the largely deserted allotment, stopping now and again for a coffee or to watch the two robins which kept visiting.

A bonus was discovering the parsnips we'd planted in the spring which had been hidden by the greens which we'd been growing. And they were enormous, roots down at least a foot in several cases. We've already had parsnip soup this evening and very tasty it was too.

Amelia and Kate were visiting when I got home having taken the main Wimborne to Cranborne road back and we took Maisy out for a walk before Alison and I did the goat farm walk on our own later. 

Plenty of fresh air, plenty of exercise and a sense of achievement in bringing home some lovely produce, as well as in tackling the seasonal work of allotment maintenance.

I've added a couple of photos which show the allotments looking across to the fields, not just our little patch. It does lift the spirits being there amongst the plants and in the fresh air, something to be welcomed in these difficult times. 

 

Sunday cycle

I was up and out early this morning for a ride round the local villages, Edmondsham, Cranborne, Wimborne St Giles and Knowlton Church. Another grey morning but mild and dry in late autumn and I got a few photos of the landscapes and what i imagine must be the entrance to Cranborne House which is where I also photgraphed the tree by the entrance which looked full of character.

Maria got on with her homewok when I got back and she seems to be making sound progress, working through Maths and English, the latter based around an extract from 'War of the Worlds'.

Alison did a Sunday dinner for the three of us plus Bridie and Joseph who also picked up Joy on the way here. The post dinner slumber was shaken off with a walk round the goat farm circle where we saw numerous other groups taking the differing paths around the village, their numbers boosted by the second lockdown I imagine. It was good to see so many out and about.

Back home I chopped up some logs and got the leaves raked up off the back lawn noting that there are only a few more left to fall from the cherry tree. I'd filled the bird feeders earlier in the day and we had our nuthatch visiting again, a coal tit too, as well as the dozens of sparrows, the starlings and other regulars, goldfinches chief among them.

I lit the woodburner and watched a bit of football cleaning my hiking boots and trainers, rediscovering the fact the fire benefits from being closed, the burn heating the woodburner rather than the heat being thrown out wastefully through the open doors. It's nice to have that immediate radiance of heat but it is short lived and pretty localised. Shutting the doors seems to heat the heavy iron casing which then radiates the heat more fully and in all directions.

 

Great White Egret

 I was at Morrisons early on Friday following the school run and then took myself down to Joy's before setting off on a 5 mile run to Moors Valley and back. Of course there was rain but not too much and I was able to enjoy the sights, especially running alongside the lake where I saw the great white egret again, this time with it perched in a tree near the waterside. That was quite unexpected and well worth stopping to see more fully which allowed me to see the grey heron hunting at the edge of the lake and therefore easily compared with the egret. 

Alison and I also got the opportunity to go for a muddy walk before lunch and we came across the huge fungus growing on the roadside, photo above.

By mid afternoon I had the woodburner lit and spent a warm few hours with the pets.

Pressure washer

 Another wet day but for different reasons today after so much rain of late. We had Amelia but I didn't see a lot of her as I was off for a 5km run first thing followed by a trip to Verwood to pressure wash Joy's patio, having recently managed to get the thing working and cleaning the paths at the back of the house. 

It was a big task given the years which have passed since it was last done and I started by getting a stiff brush and sweeping the entire surface with some vigour. The photo is of the revealed colours of the patio, colours which had been hidden by layers of moss and algae. 

The next small job was to fix the front gates which had started sticking recently and it was nice and simple to resolve. The offending area was at the top of the gate so I had a look at the top hinges and saw that all of the screws had disappeared! I'm not sure why that might have been when all the other hignes had all three screws in place. The mystery deepened when I saw three of the four screws in the gravel beneath the gate post and so assume that the pulling of the gate had worked them loose over time. No rubbing now.

Having had lunch I started on our patio having brought the pressure home with me. It was put down three years ago and so I was expecting it to be a quick job but it turned out I'd forgotten the stone we used was also coloured and again, time had allowed a grey patina to form over the entire surface. It was amazing to see the paving slabs revealed again but it was a longer job than planned for taking me right past school pick up time which meant Alison went with Amelia.

Once finished I took on the motorhome and was up the ladder after threading the hose from the back round the side of the house and into the front garden. The main aim was to clean the roof which was no easy task given the motorhome is rammed hard against the hedge and I can only get to the far side by leaning over. Up and down I went and was making good progress until I felt I was starting to get sprayed far too much myself but I eventually realised it had started to rain, the light drizzle quickly turning heavier until there was a real downpour. 

Once finished I got packed away and rushed back indoors without the opportunity to stand and gaze at my handiwork which was a shame but it was a good job done. Definitely worthwhile getting the pressure washer going again and something we'll be using more regularly now.

Rain dodging

We have had a good few days with a bit of time in the garden and getting things done round the house, as well as taking it easy reading and cooking. Very welcome after a busy weekend. At the same time the rain has continued to fall and the same looked set to be the case this morning. However, by the time Alison and I got back from our ride from Verwood, the rain had not yet got going, kindly delaying for a few minutes until we were safely indoors. It is throwing it down now though.

We had set off separately, me to ride to Ringwood for some shopping, Alison to her mother's. I had the pleasure of going through Potterne and on to Moors Valley and then following the trailway to Ringwood where I got myself some things for the tea tonight, arriving before the Wednesday market had been set up, there was one stall and five or six by the time I left, a far cry from pre-covid days and the limitations of lockdown.

The rivers are swollen of course and the rising water levels have been of benefit to some. My day was made in seeing a great white egret for the first time. The species bred in the UK for the first time in 2012 and is still quite limited in number but these are growing and I was aware they are at Blashford for example. The poor middle photo is of the bird on the lake where it was enjoying success in feeding.

More rain - autumn thunder

The rain just seems relentless at the moment and it has meant we haven't been out much with the girls, a quick walk to the park and down the lane being the sum total from today. It's been far better lighting candles and having the fire going, the light standing out in the gloom of mid-November, a time for the undressing of trees and shrubs which have strewn their  leaves across the lawn, the patio and tangled amongst borders blanketing the soil and providing protection for sheltering insects.

 

Saturday rain

I'm just back from a 5 mile walk to the shop for some bits and pieces, having trekked through the rain which has been falling without interruption for hours and hours. It meant I listened to the whole of Kermode and Mayo's film review podcast which was lovely and it also means I don't have to worry about going out on the bike or for a run later.

The last few days have been dry and good for jobs around the house and garden, as well trips to the park in Verwood town centre with Amelia on Thursday and again yesterday evening to celebrate Bridie's now job.

We've got the girls for a sleepover this weekend and they are currently mixing up a Christmas pudding with Alison and making wishes.

The photo shows the binoculars and bike pump I mentioned in a previous update, as well as what I now know to be vernier calipers. They have been fixed and work well now, having been stripped down and cleaned. All good fun and I am sure they will be very useful.

Trip to the allotment

 

I had to give up on sleep last night just before 4am having been disturbed thinking about the motorhome not starting. I thought the battery had been flat when it wouldn't go on Monday and so I charged it up yesterday and fully expected it to get going without any fuss. It had been standing idle for a while and losing charge would not have been surprising. Sadly, there was nothing at all when I turned the key, not even the sound of a click even though the charger indicated the battery was full.

During the night it must have occured to me that this indicated it wasn't the battery at fault, perhaps it was just a lose connection,  maybe I'd knocked something. The thought must have bothered me and I had to give up on sleep and get up.

The good news is that it worked! I had a little fiddle and rather excitingly discovered whatever was the mater had been corrected. The engine roared into life.

That meant I could forget that and focus on the allotment and how I was going to get the strimmer there whilst on my bike. I managed that after putting the strimming part in the rucksack and securing the shaft to my shoulders so it wouldn't shift too much as I rode the 9 miles to Wimborne. It ended up looking like something out of a dim past when mounted warriors slung shields and swords across their backs, riding to battle. 

It meant I was careful riding along and didn't go too quickly and I kept glancing it to my left side as it caught my peripheral sight. Not a problem though and we made it safely. Having fully charged the battery yesterday I got round the entire plot just before the battery died. I was able to leave the strimmer in the tool store to be collected by car at a later date but I have brought the battery home for charging so I can do the rear of the plot next time.

The only things I brought home were spinach and a lettuce but the garlic, lettuce, broad beans and beets are going on strongly, destined for great things in the spring.

I dug a trench to be filled with paper and card and bits of old peelings and so on which will be covered and used to plant runner beans next year, the itmes in the trench helping provide some nutrients but mainly serving as a means of providing moisture as they will help retain water deep into the summer.

It was also a time to remove this year's runners and to tidy away the netting I'd used to protect the seedlings as they emerged, having had the first sowing decimated by the rabbits.

There was time for a flask of coffee and I enjoyed listening to Stuart Maconie's audiobook and to Radio 6 with just a brief pause for the silence at 11.00 for Remembrance Day.

The ride home was great. I felt I was taking it relatively easy but managed 15mph for the 10 miles (a different route home) and it was uplifting to look across the fields and into the villages I passed from afar, Hinton Martell, Witchampton and Horton. 

Alison and I walked the goat farm route again noticing the growing numbers of rooks and jackdaws feeding communally in the fields which had recently been grazed by horses.

Family time tomorrow after three days where we have been able to please ourselves and we feel well prepared for it after that welcome time

Ride and ride again

 

Two rides today and all the better for it. The first was planned and saw me out early for a mountain bike cycle round Sutton Holms to Remedy Oak Golf Course, out to Slough Lane and onto Mannington before making my way down Devil's Hill and home. Just 10 miles but through mud and puddles and forest tracks which made for exciting but slow progress. As a result I ended up cleaning 4 bikes when I got home preferring to get them all done rather that just the one. In fairness, they needed it.

The first photo is of a hill where there is a gate at the bottom saying no right of way which was of no surprise. There is a public footpath nearby and a bridle way but I still found the signage confusing, especially as there was another sign saying all vehicles exit with a direction arrow which didn't follow either the path or bridle way. The second is of a building in a field which appears to serve no purpose whatsoever. It used to be derelict but was repeaired a good few years ago and yet i have no idea what it is there for. Never been used as far as I can tell. 

There were plenty of mushrooms and fungi about and I got a photo of some of the larger specimens. The final photo is of the view from the top of Devil's Hill which doesn't look terribly steep in the picture but it is and requires brakes on at all times. I like the photo though.

Once we'd had lunch we took a quick walk round the goat farm circle and then set to cleaning the motorhome. However, i had to abandon it to go down on the road bike to Verwood to jet wash Joy's garden path which Alison said was slippery and a potential hazard to her mum. The jet wash hasn't been used for more than 5 years and was missing an attachment but I found one at home and took it down with me. Success! The jet wash was soon in full flow and it speedily cleared the slabs of moss and algae which were causing it to be slippery.

Back home I got the tea done whilst Maria did her dance lesson via Zoom, the best part of 3 hours and working very well. Isn't it amzing what you can with the internet! There are so many upsides to it, we sometimes lose sight of them when faced with the darker side e.g. trolls.

The allotment beckons tomorrow.

Busy Monday

We were all up by 6 this morning and so it was possible to fit in a run before Maria went to school, a  slow 5km in the murky November dawn, leaves gently falling to ground in damp but still conditions. Not long afterwards Alison and I were on our bikes for a ride down to Verwood, Alison to vacuum her mother's house, me to continue sorting out the garage. 

I have to say I am enjoying going through all of the various bits and pieces, so much of it reminding me of Robin and his character before the cruel intervention of alzheimers, a practical man with endless patience and the ability to complete a task knowing that it would stand the test of time. There is lots of dust, cobwebs aplenty and dingy corners which look to have seen their share of rodent visitors over the past five or more years when the garage has been out of action. However, there are real treasures here too. Some are familiar despite having been hidden for a very long time. 

The car jack hasn't been out for years and reminded me of a time when tinkering with your car was possible. Today there are so many electrics that touching anything seems fraught with danger and garages are keen to cash in on the fact ordinary people aren't able to do work without the aid of the diagnostic computer system. There was also a cut down, wooden handled golf club which I remember the children being able to use when they were small, chipping a ball about the garden, another part of what Robin loved.

I brought a bicycle pump which looks antique and I'm looking for a connector to see if it works and also a pair of calipers, at least that's what I think they are called, used for fine measurements. They need a little repair. In need of more repair is a pair of binoculars which are very old. You can see out of the right lens but the other side is blocked by something.

Photos to follow.

Having ridden home and had some lunch we then got to varnishing the stairs to the attic room, a second coat, made possible by Glen spending a few days in Brighton giving us access to the stairs.

I had to leave Alison to finish the job as it was time to get started with the tea, curried cauliflower, vegetable curry, curried mushrooms and brown basmati rice which we ate whilst watching the new series of 'His Dark Materials' which was great.

A busy day but rewarding. 

Sunday Morning Bike Ride and Rescue

 I had a very enjoyable ride this morning taking me through the local countryside beneath grey skies and drizzle. It was brought to an abrupt end about two miles from home when I realised the back tyre had punctured. Fortunately I was at the Horton Inn which made for a convenient place for Alison to pick me up.

In my defence, getting a lift back wasn't my initial intention. I had already taken off the wheel and replaced the inner tube (always carrying a spare in the saddle bag, along with tyre levers and a small pump) but was thwarted by the pump which didn't seem to be having any effect whatsever and then fell apart. It meant I just couldn't inflate the inner tube and had no choice but to seek assistance.

Things had started out well as I rode to Edmonsham, taking my time to ensure I was seeing the countryside as I passed, rather than just looking down at the road in front of me. From there I pushed on towards Cranborne and then stopped at Wimborne St Giles where I took the first photo above. The drizzle was getting harder by this stage but it was nice and certainly no bother at all. Making the ride even more pleasant was the fact that lockdown seems to have caused a reduction in the number of cars about. It may have been that it was early on a Sunday morning of course but I think it was more than that. 

With things going so well I made the decision to go on to the Gussages and put myself through the ride out of Gussage St Michael up the very steep hill but I wanted to get it done having not been that way for some months.

I took the two photos at Gussage All Saints and the only people I'd seen were dog walkers.

The ride back to Horton was quiet despite it usually being the busiest of the roads I'd ridden but it was not long after flashing down the long descent to the bends by the water works that the puncture occured. 

A total of 12 miles at 14mph felt good and now to get the tyre pumped up and get everything back together again.

Potterne Park

What a gorgeous morning again. The temperature was down to 1C on the school run this morning but that was ideal for a 4.5 mile run before Amelia arrived for the day. Here she is down at Potterne Park where we had a lovely hour before walking down by the river and dropping bits of gravel from the bridge. It wasn't quite Pooh Sticks.

We are off for a walk with Maisy next.

Frosty morning

You can see from the photos that we had a frost this morning but it made for some lovely views as I did my early morning run. I couldn't help but stop for a few moments halfway round to enjoy the sight of the sheep in the field, the sky clear and chill.

We were very busy all day, not just refreshing updates on the latest from the US election. We were quickly off to the allotment where we picked some spinach, chard, onions and lettuce. From there we popped into the garden centre for some compost, as I still have to plant some onion and leek seeds in trays for the winter so we can get a head start in the spring. We also got a fern for the front room to hide the plugs following the recent redecoration of the room.

Next, Morrisons for some bits and pieces ahead of lockdown for Joy and Bridie, the post office and then to Joy's. Home for lunch including the lettuce we'd picked before a walk in the woods and a couple of hours in the garden clearing leaves, feeding birds, clearing the verge outside the back gate, changing the support wheel on the big front gate so it is possible to open it wider, making getting the motorhome in and out easier.

I grabbed a cup of tea before starting on food for the children ahead of Maria's singing lesson for which we were joined by Bridie and Joseph - mash, burgers, brocolli, spinach, carrots and gravy.

Busy again and with a definite bite in the air, welcome after a long spell of wet and murky weather. More to come tomorrow.

Middle class

I have become middle class to an alarming degree. It is something I have been aware of for a long time, of course, but it was brought to my attention this morning so forcibly that it felt as if I were in some kind of barbed sitcom poking fun at 'woke' ageing southerners.

Living here in Dorset is an indicator in itself, which does have areas deprivation, including rural deprivation, but has large swathes of comfortably off residents who enjoy longer life spans than many others across the country. 

We have just had a visit from a representative of an energy firm arising from the current green energy grant scheme which, having completed an online survey, suggests we might benefit from an air heater being installed. So here we are having a check up of the house based in part on environmental concerns, a big factor actually, and a delivery of shopping arrived during the visit. It is all vegan, naturally, and included things like tahini and tofu. The measuring up of the house to gauge energy efficiency savings took a long time and so I had a healthy lunch of salad with a balsamic vinegar dressing, chia, flax and sunflower seeds, alongside coucous and homemade humus. Almost everything in it screams middle class.

I'd just come back from a bike ride down to the library and back, changing books ahead of lockdown just in case the library has to shut. Riding a bike isn't in itself a middle class activity, neither is going to the library, but there is something quite worthy about it when you set it beside the other parts of my day, the drive to the school run, the morning 5km run, feeding the birds, taking the pomeranian dog for a walk, looking at articles about the US Presidential election.

None of these in isolation should be taken as being exclusively middle class, of claiming that no one else is vegan or rides a bike or similar. It is simply that taken as a whole I think I have become almost entirely right on, comfortable and am able to make choices that perhaps others don't have the resources for, including a thing seemingly as simple as time.

I wonder if the younger me would have liked the me of today?