Late November 5th.

 

 

 

 

As it had been a little drier the few days before, on Saturday I decided to try to get rid of the wood that was strewn over part of my orchard. I checked to see if there was any sticks that were not too wet. I was surprised that I found just enough to get a bonfire started. The main lot of the wood was wet but decided to have a go.
 I had just a little cardboard box and a couple of newspapers. I was pleasantly surprised how well the first lot burnt so hurriedly went to fetch some of the rotting wood. Sure enough the heat generated soon dried the wood and the fire burned briskly.
 I decided to try to get rid of some of the branches that I had trimmed from my trees, sure enough they went well. I finally decided to get a couple of tree roots. One was an Elder that I had dug up several months ago so no problem there I thought. The other was a Laurel shrub. Plenty of waxy green leaves but to my surprise this also went. I don't know if you can see but I made the bonfire so that an Ash tree that I had cut would take the brunt of the heat. I was hoping to damage it sufficiently so that it would perhaps die.
 Well I am sure that this tree will die. It is my aim to have another bonfire in the early Spring near to a Hawthorn hoping that I can succeed with the demise of that too.
 After I had burnt all which took me nearly all day I thought I would take cuttings of my geraniums(pelargoniums) so on Sunday morning I took 48 cuttings, just in time really as we have had a few frosts. This morning being the worst. Although I got up at 7.30am. to rain I went out to feed the birds well before 8.00am. and noticed that there was ice in the bird bath, not a flimsy bit but quite thick. I went back inside to look at the outside temperature. 1.9c. This didn't surprise me but wondered why it was rain falling and not snow.
 So I have 4 dozen geraniums in pots, mind you I will lose a few as some just don't like it and gradually die. I will be happy with 3 dozen though. More soon.