It had to come down because it adjoined a ride, with the inherent danger that it may fall on somebody during a brisk sou'westerly gale this winter. Yes, but why hang on to trees like that anyway, I hear you ask? Well, they have been teeming with life and host to all manner of insects; food and nesting places for birds - particularly our super green woodpeckers. And even now that the tree has found its final resting place, the stag beetles (a bit scarce these days) and bugs will finish it off. So nothing is wasted. Mother Nature continues to recycle just about everything eventually.

We had checked the dead tree as we were mowing the lower ride. Unfortunately it suddenly came on to rain quite hard and we had to give up with very mixed feelings. All of us need the rain, but not just at that time. It never rains but it pours, as the saying goes, and the following week had a breakdown with the mower - a belt came off. However our green team associate Arthur, who is a wizard with all things mechanical, sorted it out. If I had replaced the belt on the correct pulley I could have done it myself. Silly me!

It's sharpening and painting time ready for the forestry work in the winter. Not but what we don't sharpen edge tools continually while we are working; blunt tools are not only dangerous to use but are very hard work. So I generally grind the blades to make sure of all the correct angles, and put a touch of grease on all the metalwork and a touch of linseed oil on some of the wood, ensuring that on the following day all oil is wiped away. Slippery handles can be lethal to colleagues! Red paint is liberally applied to various parts of our tools so that they can be seen more easily in leaf litter. And try looking for an unmarked hatchet in heather! We lost several that way until we discovered red paint.

John Hall © 2003