What I Did This Weekend - In Pictures!

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
The last two days have not been "outside days", but today has been a bit warmer and a lot less windy. A few things were done today, the most significant was the straightening up of the front hedge. I have a few of these Garden Groom things - not a full hedge-trimmer replacement, but handy for certain scenarios., particularly when picking up the stuff afterwards is an issue, over flower beds, gravel, etc.

It is essentially like a giant Philishave razor and, similarly, is best with 'stubble', rather than 'hair' - best not to let the 'fluff' get too long. A few quick regular cuts is more efficient than one big one. It will collect around 95% of the debris. and shred it to the consistency of cornflakes.

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This debris was scattered on the fallow plot, ready to be mixed in at some point - after the blackbirds have finished systematically turning over every leafy to ensure even drying.

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The side of the hedge facing the road gets the full effect of the Sun, and grows about two or three times as fast as the top and the 'back'.

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It is actually two hedges, either side of a wall and merging over the top in an 'n' shape, hence the odd coping stones protruding above.
 
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Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
It was a perfect day here today - bright sunshine, cool air and no wind at all.

I did the west face of the eastern hedge this morning.

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I gave thanks to @Carole blowing off the debris from the lawn - that's her old Flymo Garden vac on the left. It's useful to get it off the lawn, as it can encourage moss.

I cut the grass again, it's been six days since I last did it.

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And cut back the trees behind the Chalet, away from the roof and the chimney.

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Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
I took advantage of the perfect weather to drop the cut a notch on the mower, as the grass was really 'stood up' today.

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And spread it on the Fallow Plot, to be stirred in at some point shortly.

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Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
About fifteen years ago, my trusty old bike was stolen and, in haste, I bought a replacement from Back2Bikes, just to keep me going. It has proven to be an excellent device, causing no issues beyond replacements due to wear. So, I decided to keep my eyes open for a 'spare' Claud Butler Urraco and one turned up on eBay, not identical, but near enough.

It was in bits, so I've put it back together and fitted the carrier that I recently found again, plus the lighting arrangement. The tyres are fairly old and a bit too knobbly for me, so they will be replaced at some point soon.

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I took the bike out for it's first real run in the proper dark just now - a mile out and back after the last street light.

The lighting is more than adequate for actual use 'out of town'.
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
As you can see this garage rear door has suffered from neglect. I haven't done anything to it for more that 15 years. So earlier this week and feeling guilty, I took it off, sanded it down, applied some filler and two coats of sealant. Then I applied undercoat and then two coats of Weathershield paint. This took all week, and was completed on Friday, but because the weather has been so good, I was able to leave the door outside as you see it.
This morning I was going to refit the door, the second coast of Weathershield having dried. But... the birds had some other ideas !!!
These little f******, whom I feed out of my own pocket, looks as if they've flown to all parts of the West Country and told their mates: "Hey, he's finished the last coat … let's go and shit on it."
And they did (this picture is of the first coat of Weathershield. It remained un-bombed overnight.)
I was going to refit it today, but now I need to think how I'll 'de-shit' it … :gonk:

So I feed them out of kindness, and they shit on me ?

There's a profound message hidden here somewhere … :eek:

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Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
As you can see this garage rear door has suffered from neglect. I haven't done anything to it for more that 15 years. So earlier this week and feeling guilty, I took it off, sanded it down, applied some filler and two coats of sealant. Then I applied undercoat and then two coats of Weathershield paint. This took all week, and was completed on Friday, but because the weather has been so good, I was able to leave the door outside as you see it.
This morning I was going to refit the door, the second coast of Weathershield having dried. But... the birds had some other ideas !!!
These little f******, whom I feed out of my own pocket, looks as if they've flown to all parts of the West Country and told their mates: "Hey, he's finished the last coat … let's go and shit on it."
And they did (this picture is of the first coat of Weathershield. It remained un-bombed overnight.)
I was going to refit it today, but now I need to think how I'll 'de-shit' it … :gonk:

So I feed them out of kindness, and they shit on me ?

There's a profound message hidden here somewhere … :eek:

View attachment 8471 View attachment 8472
I see a red door and I want it painted black.



Excellent picture for this very date, when I first heard Paint It Black in 1966.
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
No I'm not much of a flag waver. It supports a couple of aerials, a VHF/UHF whip at the top and a wire on the rope. The wire you see coming down by the drainpipe was put there by the Sky dish installer so I'm taking no responsibility for the tardy installation of that. I reckon I should replace that or at least tidy it up, but might paint the walls first.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
The wire you see coming down by the drainpipe was put there by the Sky dish installer so I'm taking no responsibility for the tardy installation of that. I reckon I should replace that or at least tidy it up, but might paint the walls first.
Someone I know was waiting to have a Sky dish installed on a three-storey, mid-terrace house. I pointed out that it wasn't that straightforward a job as it might look, as the Living Room was on the first floor, but facing north. The dish would have to be on the rear wall, to get 'vision' of the satellite.

Jokingly, I thought, I suggested that they might just fling the wire over the roof, to avoid the hassle of routing it through the roof-space and down the front wall.

They did.
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
The original sky dish used one wire I put in myself which went up into the attic and straight through to the dish. When I upgraded a couple of years ago the dish had 2 low noise amplifiers so required two wires, and the installer just slung that wire in down the side of the wall and then in through the wall. I should have said something but didn't really see beyond the new Sky facility on the TV. Last year another Sky installer just replaced the dish and used the same wires, but at least he made a good job of mounting the dish.
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
I was mowing the lawn this morning when I suddenly realised the sheer size of the Ash Tree and how it's grown and spread out over the last month or two. I'm sure it's a mutant !!
Here are two pictures: The first one when I planted it in June 2013 after being given it in the pub.
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The second one this morning after I'd mown the lawn. Talk about reach for the sky ..... :eek:

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Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
As things open up slightly here, I got roped into making a couple of brood chambers for a beehive.

The wood was supplied, along with a chamber of a lower height, as a sample.

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Making the four 'long' sides from one plank involved multiple measuring to avoid a cock-up - there was very little left - enough for a pair of chopsticks and some toothpicks.

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The wood, cedar, was very awkward to rip, but I hope things are OK - I'll have a go at some more at some point, when my nerves have settled...

I also got a USB stick with the full instructions on it - all in inches - it's very easy to make a mistake with dimensions like 11/16".
 
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littleme

250,000th poster!
As things open up slightly here, I got roped into making a couple of brood chambers for a beehive.

The wood was supplied, along with a chamber of a lower height, as a sample.

View attachment 8532


Making the four 'long' sides from one plank involved multiple measuring to avoid a cock-up - there was very little left - enough for a pair of chopsticks and some toothpicks.

View attachment 8533

The wood, cedar, was very awkward to rip, but I hope things are OK - I'll have a go at some more at some point, when my nerves have settled...

I also got a USB stick with the full instructions on it - all in inches - it's very easy to make a mistake with dimensions like 11/16".
I always thought cedar was used to make bedroom furniture because it kept away moths, spiders ant other incects.... The bees won't be affected?
 
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