Itchy itch itchy. It was a full on midge-tastic week last week as my lumpy itchy arms now testify.
Another long break in blogging I’m afraid. There’s a longer update in the works covering some of the missed weeks. Lots of new photos on the website though including some extra ones from the recent Leith Links project, which turned out really well. Even the tricky bit building a fence over a wall.
Chris in work shock. / Myke has a brainwave.
Lovely weather though this week though, finally, after last weeks miserable rainy Tuesday taking down the Gardening Scotland show garden. And last Wednesday was a game of two halves at Inverleith Allotments. We’re building a wall, hard standing area and compost bins for them. Or would have been if Thistle’s delivery had been a bit less delayed. Cue a fair bit of I-Spy, taking silly photos, sitting in wheelbarrows and twiddling our thumbs. Then it was all go as the materials appeared and we tried to do 3 metres of proper concrete foundations in an hour. No chance. but three of us stayed on till about 6pm finishing it off, getting it plumb. Cheers Kris. Word to the wise. Don’t try to overfill the concrete mixer. It’s not quicker, it will all try to escape onto the floor and you will get annoyed and frustrated. But it did all look beautiful and level by the end.
This week Tuesday saw us back at Polkemmet having a change from the usual Rhodie slash ‘n burn and hunting down Beech and Sycamore in the south? side of the park. Invasive species that they want to discourage. Also the older Beech just carpet the floor with hundreds of mini beech sprouts. Whisper it. Weeding is quite dull. Working in pairs cutting saplings, forming habitat piles and generally having a nice relaxed day after some of the hectic ones recently. Blame Andrea for the Charlie’s Angels posing photo.
It’s the plaid shirt that makes it, I think. / A wasps nest.
Wednesday was full on step replacement, path resurfacing and bench fixing at…wait for it..you guessed… Blackford Pond. Our old favourite. Muggy day by the Lake which is quite low despite all the rain. A lone swan has appeared from somewhere, hopefully to be joined by another quite soon. Neasa proved a dab hand at step work. The rest of the group put Sisyphus to shame pushing barrowloads of type one up the steep hill to pave the top steps on the other side. A good workout, as Ruth put it. I’ll say. Once was enough for me. We were missing a few of our regulars though glad some have work to take them away from us. Come back soon Neil, Sarah and David.
To view photos of past and present project and our volunteers in action please click here