And there it stands in all this cold and frosty weather, a lovely blue Delphinium, it flowered earlier this year and has come again in the mild weather we have had this autumn, bit of a shock for it now I suspect but I cant talk Delphinium so cant ask it how it feels. Not the only thing still out though is it, anenome's, quite a few rose's too.
Been a fair week gardening, I have finished of a few oneoff bigger jobs as well as seeing some of my regulars. And still the gardening work goes on, odd jobs mainly now though and tidying up but work none the less, new gardens still coming forward too.
Looking back a few months and seeing how I have got on I am happy. The variety is good, gardens, stories and helping out an ecologist.
Talking of stories, finally getting a show sorted for early December, yes I know its a bit late but its not looking too bad so far, two of us both members of Cambridge Storytellers are going to entertain for an evening, whats planned is a mixture of story and song. Should scare and entertain I reckon.
Still digesting last weekends conifer course, my last module of the university certificate course I signed upto in April, it has been very interesting but hard in places, I am going to miss it all the modules have been good but the plant ones especially so. The module assessments were done at and coming back from Bedgebury Arboretum, where there are some spectacular trees. Especially Tsuga heterophylla and Cryptomeria japonica "Elegans", and the Cedrus and the Pseudotsuga. A brilliant place.
Friday 26 November 2010
Wednesday 17 November 2010
Still learning and Ceonothus
After more years than I care to remember working for other folk there is still much to learn about running your own business. I did go to a lot of the Business Direct courses and recommend them to anyone thinking about running a business.
The thing that got me recently is quoting for jobs, I usually charge by the hour. One of my regulars asked me to quote for a bigger job, I thought about it and looked at the job then gave a price. Thing is though its now obvious I should have put in a higher price for the amount of work and time it has taken.
Just goes to show we never stop learning and I dont mind admitting it. Note to self think a bit more and dont underestimate how long the job will take.
What was the job, clearing an area of mainly Ceonothus on a bank at the entrance to a small business park, that and a bit of crown raising on a small number of nearby trees. The Ceonothus plants are about fifteen years old and most were very overgrown but with epicormic growth on the main stems, some though had died whether of old age or what I dont know but I have worked on a few this year in the same states.
It was a good job to do though, kept me warm on these cold days and using some of my countryside skills breaking up scrub and getting in some exercise while working.
The thing that got me recently is quoting for jobs, I usually charge by the hour. One of my regulars asked me to quote for a bigger job, I thought about it and looked at the job then gave a price. Thing is though its now obvious I should have put in a higher price for the amount of work and time it has taken.
Just goes to show we never stop learning and I dont mind admitting it. Note to self think a bit more and dont underestimate how long the job will take.
What was the job, clearing an area of mainly Ceonothus on a bank at the entrance to a small business park, that and a bit of crown raising on a small number of nearby trees. The Ceonothus plants are about fifteen years old and most were very overgrown but with epicormic growth on the main stems, some though had died whether of old age or what I dont know but I have worked on a few this year in the same states.
It was a good job to do though, kept me warm on these cold days and using some of my countryside skills breaking up scrub and getting in some exercise while working.
Monday 15 November 2010
fenland tales
Told a couple of stories last night in Brandon Suffolk, told at the leisure centre with two other members of Cambridge Storytellers. A set called Fenland Stories in a short series of events being run in Brandon as part of an east anglian folk month.
Last week they had Ramsey Storytellers, next weekend Hugh Lupton telling The Mardling Acre and if you have not heard storytelling or think its for children go see Hugh he is an amazing teller.
Its good to see they are trying to raise the profile of storytelling and more importantly the gathering of local stories that contain the history of the area its characters and happenings.
Last week they had Ramsey Storytellers, next weekend Hugh Lupton telling The Mardling Acre and if you have not heard storytelling or think its for children go see Hugh he is an amazing teller.
Its good to see they are trying to raise the profile of storytelling and more importantly the gathering of local stories that contain the history of the area its characters and happenings.
pink footed geese
Got back last night from a few days away looking at birds and relaxing on the North Norfolk coast, yes thats right North Norfolk just up the road. Yes I even stayed in a B and B just up the road.
And why not it meant I could stay out later and get out earlier, oh yes and support business there and they need it like everyone else does, cos we are all in this together hah.... Getting back to the blog, it took me back years especially the pink footed geese and there behaviour.
Seeing tham in flocks feeding on newly emerged wheat , flying between feeding areas, and then the most spectacular flighting into there roosting grounds in the wash off Snettisham.
Went out two evenings to see them flighting in, its cold its darker than the pictures suggest and its magic. Thousands of geese coming in in waves, strings and lines. Flocks merging dividing and all the while calling as they go overhead and then out to land on the mudflats and still calling. With them other geese and ducks in smaller groups and flocks of waders also calling and flying around, the atmosphere is incredible and very pleasing for the soul.
And why not it meant I could stay out later and get out earlier, oh yes and support business there and they need it like everyone else does, cos we are all in this together hah.... Getting back to the blog, it took me back years especially the pink footed geese and there behaviour.
Seeing tham in flocks feeding on newly emerged wheat , flying between feeding areas, and then the most spectacular flighting into there roosting grounds in the wash off Snettisham.
Went out two evenings to see them flighting in, its cold its darker than the pictures suggest and its magic. Thousands of geese coming in in waves, strings and lines. Flocks merging dividing and all the while calling as they go overhead and then out to land on the mudflats and still calling. With them other geese and ducks in smaller groups and flocks of waders also calling and flying around, the atmosphere is incredible and very pleasing for the soul.
a JR moment or three
Been a long time since I last posted and a lots happened.
Such as;
Did my Daubentons Bat Surveys for this year, the one at Stow cum Quy was very touching, there are a pair of Mute Swans near the site and the male was shot earlier this year, the female has persevered though and raised a number of cygnets to fledging point, very good to see that nature is more powerful than we are as a race. The police said they had DNA from the offender when the shooting happened but have not heard anymore about it.
Bat surveys went well reasonable numbers looking back over my figures for the last tenish years I have done them on the same two sites. Also did a couple of Nathusius Pipistrelle surveys at a place I know well, found them there last year and unless my hearing and mind have totally gone they are still using the site.
Changed my car for a newer version of the same make and model, I can work from it okay and use it for private use as well.
I have been lucky enough to get some wildlife work from an ecologist I first met over 20 years ago while working as a protected plant protection scheme warden. Been some interesting work one of the highlights being unearthing a mole on a site. Marvellous things and those front paws are so big, couldnt help think of Max Bygraves and that song, uuhhem "you need hands......."
And all the while we have life going on and cuts being made in all sorts of areas of public life. What concerns me a lot are the cuts in parks and green spaces whether in towns or the countryside and the hope that volunteers can pick up the slack or that someone else will run things instead of local councils or govt organisations. Guess what because of the cuts being made its going harder to for other groups to take these places on.
Enough for now.
Such as;
Did my Daubentons Bat Surveys for this year, the one at Stow cum Quy was very touching, there are a pair of Mute Swans near the site and the male was shot earlier this year, the female has persevered though and raised a number of cygnets to fledging point, very good to see that nature is more powerful than we are as a race. The police said they had DNA from the offender when the shooting happened but have not heard anymore about it.
Bat surveys went well reasonable numbers looking back over my figures for the last tenish years I have done them on the same two sites. Also did a couple of Nathusius Pipistrelle surveys at a place I know well, found them there last year and unless my hearing and mind have totally gone they are still using the site.
Changed my car for a newer version of the same make and model, I can work from it okay and use it for private use as well.
I have been lucky enough to get some wildlife work from an ecologist I first met over 20 years ago while working as a protected plant protection scheme warden. Been some interesting work one of the highlights being unearthing a mole on a site. Marvellous things and those front paws are so big, couldnt help think of Max Bygraves and that song, uuhhem "you need hands......."
And all the while we have life going on and cuts being made in all sorts of areas of public life. What concerns me a lot are the cuts in parks and green spaces whether in towns or the countryside and the hope that volunteers can pick up the slack or that someone else will run things instead of local councils or govt organisations. Guess what because of the cuts being made its going harder to for other groups to take these places on.
Enough for now.
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