Gunpowder, Treason and Plot! But not in Ireland

Sorry I've been away for a few days. Just didn't seem much to blog about. The weather's actually been rather good, cold in the evenings but no rain. Phew! We've attacked the piece of land across from the fairy hill. It's always been covered in 'stuff' left by the previous occupants, which we've not investigated too closely before. It also became overgrown with brambles. For a change!

Although not completely finished, it is so different. I haven't taken a complete 'after' picture yet as there are still bits of wood about and the remains of a daily bonfire - mostly to keep the midges away. It's been so still, and they seem to have appeared in their hundreds.

I've taken a few photos of different views, so will post them. We've moved all the odd bits of pipe up to the old greenhouse at the top of the allotment. Most of it slotted in neatly behind the greenhouse and some went inside. Then it was time to remove the brambles and finally, remove about four inches deep of ivy. This little section is opposite the proposed chicken shed and run. They'll have such a nice view!!

This is the view from the re-done area to the fairy hill (you can see the bench on the top). The red roof is the barn adjacent to our cottage. There is a ditch between the 2 sections over which Jim is going to make a little bridge, though you can step over the gap if you have long legs!








This is the old compost toilet - soon to be chicken shed.
















All these logs were hidden under the pile and the pipes and bits of rubbish, now moved. We'll dry out the logs for Stanley.






This is the area to be cleared. Underneath the logs and ivy there is a load of black polythene. It wasn't easy to pull this out.








This sycamore is at the side of the ditch. I have trimmed up the shoots on the right hand side of it and cut through the huge ivy shoots going up the tree. Once the ivy dies down it will let in much more light. You can see the ivy carpet beneath the sycamore tree.







Jim planted some bulbs and viola on the fairy hill. We had stops for coffee of course and Buster was interested in all the goings on.


Buster in front of the sycamore tree. I'd cleared this little bit!









Jim and Buster on top of the Fairy Hill


















Not a very flattering photo of me with my coffee on the fairy hill!














One of the logs had this amazing little fungi growing on it.


































Jim called me to the barn a couple of days ago. There was a bat flapping around in there, during the day! There had been one a few days before and I had tried to photograph it, to no avail. Jim took 2 shots and managed to get this amazing photo:





It's a pity it didn't catch his head, which is facing away from the camera. What a cute fat little body he has.










BlackJack seems to have taken to sleeping on Buster's head in the evenings!


Buster had his stitches out on Monday and has seemed a lot more settled since. I think they were pulling and uncomfortable.







It's all very quiet here for November 5th. In the UK, there are always lots of bonfires about and fireworks popping and squeeling all evening, in fact, often all week! Of course nothing like that happens in Ireland. I had my own bonfire instead.

I must go and finish the bag I'm making now. It seems to have taken ages. Then I can start thinking about Christmas.

Great news about the USA election. I'm not too up on their politics but am thrilled for Barack Obama and his family. Who'd have thought we'd see a black family in The White House. Wonderful.