Sunday, March 15, 2015

A busy weekend

A weekend of glorious weather, just perfect for a big effort out in the garden. The grass has been growing well, I had Bokashi to bury and the pile of firewood to cut up is only getting bigger as I drag more branches home.

Saturday was a slow start after a lovely sleep-in and a Skype session with my Mum; then it was outside with loppers and secateurs to attack the woodpile outside the woodshed. As with most jobs, I can't do one thing before I finish another and I need to move this pile of dry wood so that I can have a stab at the tyre retaining wall that's going in its place. Three hours of woodwork, by which time the grass had dried so I swapped the secateurs for the scrub-bar and managed to get 3 fuel-loads of cutting done before it got too dark.

Today I was off to an early start; another stunning morning at a cool 4°C which soon soared as the sun got up. I collected my tools with the intention of cutting more wood when I realised that it was silly to add more if the forecast rain arrived toward evening.

8am appointment at the woodshed
Now, to put the new wood under cover, I need to move the old wood first so I have dry wood to burn this winter. Hmm...

I've moved the big stuff that needs chopping round the corner, rigged up
a front on the middle bay so now need to move the kindling from
the left hand bay into the middle

All cleared by lunchtime - each bay is about 4 cubic metres and I jump on
the kindling to pack in as much as I can
A couple of hours later and I've picked up all the piles of kindling and rigged up a tarpaulin on the end of the woodshed. I was going to put a front on the left hand bay but put my brain into gear and have stacked the fresh wood that will need splitting there instead. It can weather over winter and hold the kindling in at the same time. Of course I forgot to take a photo after I finished - will fix that up this week :).

Another view of my Outpost kitset woodshed - sturdy and the only thing
better would be to have two of them!
I upset a few spiders by moving the old wood - they were grumpy but stood nice and still so I could take a few snaps.

Two large spiders - one living and one not

Close-up of dead spider

Huge abdomen with a beautiful pattern on this one

A yellow X on this one's abdomen

I think this is the same species as the top spider - can you see the wee
spider in the foreground?
I had planned on finishing the grass-cutting but didn't have enough petrol for a second load. Will take my scrub-bar down to the garage for a service and sharpen this week. I didn't get around to burying the Bokashi and my muscles feel like they've run a marathon; reckon it's early to bed so I wake up refreshed and energetic for a week of work!