Les Grues Cendriers

The cranes flew overhead in several batches crying to announce that winter is not far away.

It had been a really warm, sunny day yesterday.  The day began in winter clothing but by coffee time we were wearing tee shirts or thinner jumpers.  My returning friend had arrived one week earlier than expected. We did 6 hours hard labour each plus with another chap for three hours.  First of all the huge ivy ball hanging onto the neighbour's plum tree, sprawling further across the chicken coop roof where now I store certain cuts of wood for the woodburner was attacked and a huge bonfire pile created.   Meanwhile another of the wretched nuisance acacia trees which had been sawed at head height a few weeks ago and is growing through the metal fence had holes drilled around the base. It was treated with trunk-killer and allowed to continue to be a fence support. My friend decided to treat in the same manner the other acacia trunks which had been cut to grass level last year.  They were still sending up young shoots.

With two hours before lunch they agreed to repair the broken wood supports holding up the corrugated roofing sheets that look like or are asbestos!  These were covered with about six sheets of corrugated metal, more fibreglass/plastic corrugated sheets, wire netting, a flat sheet of metal, halved breezeblocks, rabbit hutch concrete feeding troughs PLUS old rotten wood supports strategically laid by the previous owner of this property. What a mess!  It took much more work and effort than anticipated!  One task leads to another. I am glad it is done and the space in the sky is more favourable.  The plum tree can breathe and probably the ivy will grow again but we tried to cut it back at root level as much as possible.

After clearing up tools, cable. clothing and useful wood as well as the neighbour's wild patch,  I mowed the lawn! Grateful for aperos we sat in the garden at dusk as it is an hour earlier.  Then we enjoyed pre slow cooked beef in beer, carrots, spinach and jacket potatoes.

I attempted to keep the gravel below free of metal and dirt by covering with blue baches. This is an ideal place to sit in the shade and shelter.  All was finished this showery rainy morning.  Now there is a mountain of wood to chop for kindling etc from the lilac, from the garden, and from this shed roof.

The garden is feeling under control and after tomorrow we can start in earnest planning the kitchen.
There will be two weeks to crack the conundrum plus do other jobs before my friend goes south in France and after that maybe to Asia to warmer climes again.