A Peacock

The allotment quarterly meeting took place on Friday. The meeting was concluded quite smartly which left plenty of time for apres meeting drinking. Steve, the wise one, and his missus and Ali plus me and H had a very nice time over Guinness for the gents and fruit base drinks for the ladies.. The ladies retired leaving Steve and I to the tender mercies of Di the Land lady.

Saturday dawned too soon and in my head I had a long list of things to do and could be done. I cleared up the garden and got he chiminia going to burn up the rubbish and spare wood. I tidied up the garage and whilst the garage was clear I decided to fit a bit of carpet. When I cleared the dining room for the new wood flooring a reserved the carpet. I cut a piece out of the middle of the carpet and fitted it in the garage. Sorting the carpet made space in the greenhouse. I did not have time for lottie paths so set about the old wheelbarrow.

I have to walk over the 100 yards from where I now have to park Degsy over to the hives. Supers and brood chambers are heavy so I need something to ease the load. I put my feelers out for an old wheelbarrow. Alan, a friend of mine, found an old wheelbarrow in a ditch. The frame was sound but the bucket was shot and the tyre was soft. I took the angle grinder to the rivets holding the bucket to the frame. The used the hammer and dot punch to free the rivets and with it the bucket. With the frame released I pumped up the tyre. I had a two square piece of plywood, in the shed, which I bolted to the frame. I put a lip on the lower end of the plywood to stop supers sliding off the base. I happened to have some green panel paint. I gave the timber a good coating of paint and left it aside to dry. All the while I kept he chiminia going. I had a run out to the tip to drop the wheelbarrow bucket, junk from the garage and junk from the garden. After dinner H and I watched a DVD, The girl with dragon tattoo. We watched in Swedish language with sub-titles. It was an excellent film.

Sunday 1AM British Summertime started. I could use that hour. I heard on the radio that America has daylight saving and that started two weeks ago. Who knew? I need petrol for Degsy. I went over to Swad then to the stables, back to the lottie to empty the trailer. Whilst at the lottie I filled the bird feeders and put the house recyclables in the compo bin. I noticed that the weed killer is starting to have an effect. Then back to the stables to return the trailer. Next was to run up to the bees. I dropped off the bee barrow, as it is now named. Its new home is under the Holly tree by the fence by the Mease. I had a look at the bees. One hive is stronger than the other but that is to be expected. However both colonies are alive and that is good news. I took ten minutes to write in my journal and to revel in the peace. I had a look into the river. The Mease, although not very wide is quite deep. I figure it is at least five foot deep in places the ankle deep in others. Whilst sitting there I saw A Peacock butterfly. I had the check again to make sure what I saw. Mr Internet proved I was not dreaming. It was indeed a Peacock butterfly.

After lunch was a trip to B&Q for a few bits and pieces. I set up the chop saw when I got home. It was a short job to get the old architrave and skirting board off the door frames. Again a relatively short job to cut the new architrave and skirting to size and fit. Having cleaned up and still some daylight left I looked to the bike. Then it was dinner. A glass or two a clean cold Chardonnay and I was done.