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... the sky is baby blue, and the just-unfurling leaves ...
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dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Thu Sep 03, 20 10:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

the scissor style pair of grafts are ace in some ground.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri Sep 04, 20 7:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Those double spades are called shove holers round here Gregotyn, and they are very good for clearing deep holes. The downside is that I find them a bit heavy going, but you may be stronger than I am, although of late years I have developed muscles in places on my shoulders and arms where ladies didn't ought to have muscles.

The problem with 'holy sites' is that people will want to visit them. In this case they were Muslims, but they could just as well be Christian Catholics, as they also visit places like that. I can see why it really upset some people to have a sudden invasion, but if there are just a few coming at a time as it settles down, it might be an advantage to the village to have a few visitors if they spend at the local shops.

You did say you had retired, but not given any details, so if there is more to it than just self isolating to keep out of harms way during the lockdown, we would like to hear it.

We are now into both the log season and the cloud forest season. It was very damp yesterday, so husband and son suggested I stayed home. At one point the visibility in our work area was barely 10 yards, and husband had great trouble going along the road along the 'top' as he could only navigate by keeping his eye on the side of the road. Luckily they got back safely. Son took a picture through the mist which looks quite eerie, and remembering that cameras can see through mist better than the human eye, it was pretty thick. He has posted it on our FB page, but I can't copy it here I am afraid as I don't know how to. Looks a bit better today anyway.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri Sep 04, 20 9:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

mr pigs head needs a home visit

glastonbury has quite a business model around their holy water
madron post office does quite well( )
lourdes has a few tat shops
etc

Easter in york gets a little congested but tis ace for the hospitality industry and everything else one can sell pilgrims

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Sun Sep 06, 20 5:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Glad to hear you have retired Gregotyn. That was never a happy or healthy workplace, and you will be able to concentrate on what is right and good now.
I have just been drafting up the Agenda for our first Ordinary meeting. I have made a few thought bubbles eg spreading the raffle load, offering life memberships, etc. The market that clashed with ours has closed so I am madly recruiting stall holders for ours (this means we will be back to monthly markets, but that's fine if we actually have something to offer), and proposed a clear out at the Hall and hosting our village's contribution to the Whole Town Garage Sale in November (at which we can get rid of our own surplus as well as invite other stall holders). So a busy few weeks ahead, assuming they are willing to go with the proposals.

The goal is to provide opportunities for others to feel more ownership, so I have also proposed we put a sign on the Hall with our regular activities and contact information (radical I know).

It's warming up here with alarming speed, so I suspect we are in for a nasty summer again. Meanwhile, at least it will be warmer in the Hall, haha.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sun Sep 06, 20 7:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

All sounds good Cassandra, just don't go too fast for the rest of the people in the village to keep up. Having information about renting the hall and contacts seems pretty basic, so has it been veiled in secrecy until now?

We seem to be into autumn now, although it is supposed to warm up a bit towards the end of the week. I went blackberrying in the woods yesterday and got a good haul, and some of the apples are ripening, so full on harvest time for fruit now. Courgettes coming along, and hoping the beans will keep going as there are some more flowers coming now the weather has improved. Cabbages, kale and chard now ready, so not doing badly in the garden. Although the grapes in the greenhouse have split a bit, they are better than usual, so getting some ripe ones coming along; quite unusual as they tend to split and rot.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Sun Sep 06, 20 7:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

the hall strategy sounds good

just getting the garage sale done, and the leftovers removed, will help a lot in terms of letting folk know it is their hall and that the new brooms are sweeping clean
it could be a good recruiting ground with a bit of planning and lamp lighting

re the signage, a notice board in a box to weatherproof it is not very expensive to buy or make(unless it needs to be vandal proof)
it saves loads of time and expense on laminating notices, finding pins or cable ties etc.

clearing the redundant kit is not only practical but symbolic, a very good place to start.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 20 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Well back here again for my bi weekly "trip". Been to book my swim for Wednesday at the leisure centre. Which I have forgotten to write down the time, so will be walking back up there to get it written down on my hand, which up to date I have not lost! Whenever I want something in the house it has gone away for a holiday without writing it down in the book-now where did I put the book? C'est la vie!

A friend arrived a couple of days back and has taken great care to explain why my 4ft deep hole is in the wrong place for the gate I want to put up, but decided not to tell me where to move it to, or assist! The two handled shovel, MR'. It was left here by the previous owner and has proved useful and helps with my "Fitness Plan"-to exert me as little as possible! The handles are about 6 ft. long. The hole keeps filling with water; do you think I could charge a fiver a car to park and see my self fill water hole?

I have been selling quite a lot of kindling this week for some reason. The weather is good not to need any fires-should this be "Buy kindling early for Christmas week?"

I am close to my finishing time so will be back after lunch, if my memory works!

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 20 1:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Yes I have been allowed a second trip today after my first burst before lunch. Much better when I get the whole lot in one go but better than no "puter".
I have since this morning been to a shop and delivered kindling, refilled the pickup with firewood and more kindling this afternoon and sold that to a lady who paid me over the odds for the sticks and will give me a pallet next time I have some kindling on board if I deliver to her house, seems reasonable as it is no further than I go already. "Everybody" keeps telling me to put the price up, but I give most of the money away to a charity anyway and I want my wood to be affordable for little old ladies. There are quite a few who live in the villages in their 90's who can't afford them in reality but have to if you see what I mean.

Time has just said 3 mins so I am away. See you all next Thursday.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 20 2:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

"The hole keeps filling with water; do you think I could charge a fiver a car to park and see my self fill water hole? "

either market it as how to dig a "gypsy well" or "the holy well of...."

tenner a head or a tenner a quart

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 20 7:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

My father had one of those in a very dry summer, but he did live in an area called the Soake at the time. He gave the water away to neighbours to water their gardens. You may just have a wet bit there, or you may have tapped a spring; we get a lot of those in odd places round here.

Glad you are able to swim again, as that will help your fitness too, along with chopping kindling and digging holes. I would think carefully about the hole for the gate post, where the gate will swing, where it will be when open and shut, and if you think the hole is in the right place just put a post in it.

If your income has dropped a lot, you might think about keeping more of the money you get from the kindling. You may need it as the cost of living is rising a bit at the moment, and may well go up even more. We are starting to sell log sacks and rather less charcoal, so think the winter season has started.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 20 7:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

"the holy well of..." might have the most potential

i know a very dodgy bishop, he was a dodgy reverend but another $35 got him a promotion

the ATF are somewhat interested in his archbishop but needs must etc

a quick online blessing and job done

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed Sep 09, 20 7:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

ps his reverend certificate($25) was good enough id to purchase a full cassock rig from a reputable supplier, those folk are quite careful about "impersonation of clergy" so in the eyes of the clerical gatekeepers your holy well could be given provenance

shocking but true

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Thu Sep 10, 20 11:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I have decided a tenner a head dpack, for the hole digging. In my clay the water is slow to fill and at 4 ft down they will give up quite soon-20 folks an hour would be good.
I don't know if I told you that the declaration for our "Holy site" was declared by the man who owns the waterfall cafe and car park-£5 per car plus entry fee. He is said to have taken over £5000 on day one in the car fees alone; and still they come! It appears there have been no Imams to verify the claim of "Holy Site". Well I guess we all have to make a living. The invasion was gridlock in the village, and a lot of irate people, but I guess if you were not caught up in the meyhem, then amusing! Very few spent any money in the village I am told

The swimming pool was opened for our OAP swim with certain new rules. One has to book well in advance and there are now restricted numbers and the sexes are now divided-The 4 men were sealed off in the left half of the pool and the 2 girls to the right. It used to be a"free for all", but at least there now are no old women swimming across the pool end with the aid of several friends "helping" to keep her afloat. I really enjoy my swim and the opening up is good. I couldn't ever quite understand why, as chlorine is a good debugging agent/killer.

The lad who owes me money is also leaving the company I used to work for. He has been there a long time. I will have to go and see him as he has not come up with the cash yet.
Times up got to go!

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri Sep 11, 20 7:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sadly people are sometimes rather incredulous, and things are often spoilt by unscrupulous people trying to cash in on them. There are places (not shrines) such as Wookey Hole and Lands End that I would like to visit, but they now seem to be pretty well theme parks, so not sure I would see what I wanted, and definitely wouldn't be among the sort of people who would be interested in the same thing.

Good thing you are able to get your swimming again Gregotyn. I would try to extract that money from the man before he wanders off too far.

We had to do a sudden charcoal firing yesterday as one of our outlets ordered. Husband and son filled the kiln and got it lit, and when I got up there, I broke up a few pallets for stoking. I then went blackberrying and finally made up some more log sacks. Sadly, either the pallet breaking or the log sacks has affected my back, so will have to go a bit careful for a few days.

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2501
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Wed Sep 16, 20 4:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Today and the last couple of days there is a thin high haze covering the sky. I've seen reports that smoke from the devastating West Coast fires have reached as far east as New York City. And we are 80 miles west of there.

The weather has turned quite chilly. Last night's roof top temperature, according to the weather station, was 40.3 degrees Fahrenheit.

Today I'm taking down the internal shade cloth for my greenhouse. Why? With these temperature I want to start moving the most tender plants inside.

And, though I am less than sanguine that this will happen (three+ weeks and no word) I am still hoping that the man who is supposed to replace the polycarbonate twinwall roof for the greenhouse will actually come next week and do it.

Himself is splitting, moving, stacking a cart of firewood most mornings. At least the chilly weather is pleasant for that.

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