De-branched

I’m typing this while swelteringly hot and under concerted attack by ladybirds. We’re expecting a high of 16 degrees C today and it’s a lovely day out and already very hot. But I can’t open my caravan door or roof vents because once again there are huge swarms of ladybirds outside all of whom are trying to get into my caravan. As fast as I can catch and throw two out four more come in so I’m having to bite the bullet and keep everything battened down.

On to today’s subject. I’ve been wanting to get cracking building my store-cum-workshop as the base that was laid-down a week or so ago is now amply hard enough to take its fixing screws. I’ve been unable to, however, because there has been a low branch from one of the adjacent oak trees hanging over it which if left would have likely fallen onto the new building if it was cut after it had been built. So I had to arrange for it to be taken down before I started building.

But the branch was one of six that needed lopping from two of the large oaks that overhang my land, several of which were over the area on which one of the corners of my house will be located. So I really needed them all to be taken down at the same time and as the weather is so good, the guys who laid the base came back yesterday to clear away their shuttering and lop the branches, returning again this morning to clear everything away. Here are some shots of the result.

So now not only can I go ahead and start constructing my new little building but everything is also now ready for when the builders start on my new house. And the timing was good because the leaves on the trees were also turning meaning that their sap has now fallen and they should heal nicely from their wounds over the winter. So all in all, a win-win all round.

Because the weather is so good I prepared a 1½ flight in the Savannah for today. However, although I’ve charged my GPS etc ready I still need to get fuel. So I took another look at the weather and it’ll be the same again tomorrow but with a light breeze from the north, which will help landing back at Malbec. I’ve decided, therefore, that I’ll get the Savannah fuelled and prepped today and do the flight tomorrow. It’s been a longish time… yet again 😐