Blog
We bought these to sit in and rest. Two chairs for sale, as new. Offers?
5th April
Primroses and Marsh Marigold out in Pit Wood.
9th April
Disastrous meeting with farrier - Paul reared, took the gate off its hinges and careered into the barbed wire fence.
22nd April
Bee shed constructed with Mel's help.
During May continued maintenance work on path west end of Top Strip - logs used for southern edge.
One of the new ponds proves fruitful
Evidence of fruitfulness
Kissing still in fashion (Thanks to Tim for these three photographs)
Snow on the hills
1st March
Roadside Beech trees trimmed by Mark.
2nd - 5th March
Owl box made.
6th March
Chip from top strip bagged; owl box put up on Oak overlooking wetland; first woodpecker heard drumming in Scrub.
8th March
Barn owl seen hunting over Wetland, tantalisingly close to owl box!
13th March
Hal and Beth came to help - clearing, splitting and clearing Rowan logs from the quarry and pulling brash out; Beth planted Cinquefoil by the picnic stone on the meadow. Dead woodcock on meadow. Logs stored in Shed No. 3 (Shed No.1 repurposed as tool shed.)
19th March
John bought 50 posts from the Mart Sale to use for path edging (brought to Liddells 20th).
During March Clare worked to remake path east of Top Strip, laying membrane, relaying chip and edging with stones from Liddells. Beginning of construction of shed for apiary. Or, as acute observers will realise, Shed No. 4.
Wednesday 30th March
Pair of pied wagtails on the top grazing.
Don't they look better
Ready for splitting
But who made the owl box's maker?
Gathered winter fu-u-el
Cinquefoil
3rd February
Part of the south boundary wall collapsed.
7th - 8th February
Dry-stone-walling repair!
9th February
Mark and Bill took down 3 Rowans that had been causing bulges in the south boundary wall.
10th and 12th February
Long-reining tutorials in Cumbria.
12th February
Bird hide Willows netted. Barn owl seen hunting over the Wetland and along near Top Strip.
14th February
Bird box fixed in scrub near (s) of south west corner of Meadow.
16th February
All bird boxes cleaned and checked, No 4 resited to Orchard; shed section 3 started; logs moved from top strip. (Even referring to 'shed section 3' hints that there will be more to come...)
20th February
3rd shed section completed.
21st February
Paul the Fell pony arrives!
23rd February
Meadow wet area refenced and additional stile. Seat made on old wall line. Wood cleared for chip from Rowan felled in quarry and logs split.
Between 16th February and 23rd February owl seen regularly! Pellets found.
Barn owl pellets
While we work, life carries on
Shed 3, construction day 1
Shed 3 construction day 4
Our property expansion
Recycling to make a log shelter
2nd January
We filled 37 bags with chipped brash...
3rd January
... another 11 bags filled, then all 48 stacked over the fence in the Top Strip and the unchipped brash from the same area moved too.
4th January
John made a start on the shelter for Paul. (Please note we have already discovered we need more sheds.) Clare continued in her attempts to remove humps/molehills from the Meadow and excavate surplus stone from near the road wall.
11th January
More work on pony shelter - frame now stable (pun intended) Clare would like it noted that while the photographs she took show John at work, she fixed every single board to the frame. Just saying.
12th - 28th January
Work continued on shelter to completion. Stumps cut in Top Strip. Stiles completed on new fencing at top of Crag; all stiles now have wire on the treads.
27th January
Chris visited with a drone camera and took footage of Liddells. Clare had a go at flying it - probably the most technologically advanced thing she has ever done.
29th - 30th January
Wildflower seeds collected locally last year, sown in pots/trays at home.
Bags of bags
Kissing in fashion
From this...
to this...
to this...
to this
2nd December
John and Clare visit Paul the pony at Roadhead.
3rd December
Hedge started - Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Guelder Rose, Dog Rose, Field Maple, Crab Apple and Hazel.
9th - 11th December
Clare worked on hedge in adverse weather! Mole hills decapitated!
10th December
Torrential rain, spring burst its capping, 2 Ashes blown down in Pit Wood.
14th December
Hedge completed, Crab Apple planted in Orchard hedge line; Christmas tree cut for Tynedale Community Choir party.
15th December
Christmas trees cut for John and Clare and for Hal and Beth.
16th December
Paul vetted at Roadhead; he passed!
21st December
2 metres of hedging planted to screen bee hives from the west.
27th December
Damson and Wild Cherry moved from Meadow to Orchard. Post tidying/topping on lower entrance.
30th December
We dug a pond on the site of the old water trough on the wetland.
31st December
Luke came to visit Liddells having not seen the land since before we bought it. Pond so full, the stepping stones are covered! John made 2 stiles along the new fence. Clare worked on taking humps and molehills off the Meadow.
Hedging and mud - Bramble in her element
More mud
Stylish stile
Paul's favourite trick is putting his hay net on his head. Clare also thinks he is punning. He clearly has a sense of humour.
3rd November
Magnificent Meadows - Northumberland Wildlife Trust talk with Naomi Thwaite.
11th November
Hedging to shelter bees ordered from Trees Please; woodcock sighted.
During November John completed work on Top Grazing fence - made a gate into Scrub; strimmed, tidied and sawed Ash in Orchard; strimmed for Meadow edge.
27th November
Hedge plants arrived; trench dug.
1st October
John visited Barry at Quarry House and so began the idea of borrowing his sheep to graze the Wildflower Meadow.
During October, Clare finished brashing all the Hawthorns on the Meadow; replanted the bird-watching arbour with sprouting Willows; Spindle Trees moved out of meadow to new site near spoil heaps west of Meadow; all brash to bonfire site.
11th October
Mike T came to help collect Barry's sheep - 8 Rylands and 6 Shetlands - now grazing the Meadow.
12th October
John began preparations for fencing the Top Grazing - strainers/stripping.
24th October
Robbie came to help with the fencing - bottom wire, barbed wire and post in; help from Derek and loan of tractor and knocker from Barry; John hired a digger and began levelling site for shepherd's hut.
2nd September
A fox strolled along the top of the Crag east to west.
7th - 14th September
Shed painted, still awaits guttering. First logs cut and stacked inside. Top path restrimmed and in Orchard. Rosemary's Oak, Penny's Plum, Mathilda's Bird Cherry and our Damson all weeded!
One of the bird boxes in the Pit Wood had been filled with leaves. We suspect by a grey squirrel.
21st September
Logs from Top Strip cut and stacked in shed; tools now stored there. Note the log shed is already changing its purpose. Read on for developments in the shed department.
3rd, 4th and 5th August
Preparing for Green Gym days - hauling brash out of Top Strip.
7th August
Green Gym: Tim, Sally, and Rachel: more Top Strip path; weeding around Meadow trees; Hawthorns brashed in Meadow; chipper.
8th August
Green Gym: Mel, Sally, Jane E, Pat, David: more path; more weeding/brashing in Meadow and round Sally's trees; tree-felling; chipper.
12th August
Perseid meteors seen from Top Grazing.
13th August
John dismantled shed from Mike D and it was trailered to Top Grazing to become a log shed.
Application (2) to Countryside Stewardship.
20th August
Preparing site for log shed - levelling, making base; 7 trees felled in Top Strip; clearing site for shepherd's hut; thistles taken out of planted section of Meadow.
26th August
Mel came to help and we erected the log shed. It awaits roof and guttering.
John not leaving a twig unshredded
Clare usually taking photographs, so good to have proof she works too
And here's what she helped to achieve
It's not a proper Green Gym Day without a picnic
Mel in a vital role
Shed erection stage 1 complete
Mel reckoning his role might not be so vital
Brashed Hawthorns on the Meadow
Putting the world to rights no doubt
John and power tools - a match made in heaven
Birds and bugs welcome here
2nd July
Grey partridge on south boundary wall.
6th July
We lined and back-filled second and larger wet area in meadow and planted Yellow Iris, Mints, Monkey Flower, Ragged Robin, Purple Loosestrife.
8th July
Brashing Meadow Hawthorns and brashing at east end of top strip; clearing at west end of Top Strip; completed rabbit proofing meadow.
6th - 27th July
Work on Countryside Stewardship application.
13th July
We built the bonfire for Lughnassa.
25th July
Green Gym Day - path at west end of top strip started, 30 metres completed, with Mel and Tim.
27th July
Brash hauled out of Top Strip and some clearing in quarry.
Building bonfires is proving to be one of Clare's favourite activities. Here's one in progress...
1st June
John had an accident felling and bruised his thigh very badly. (Clare took a photograph, at John's request, so that he would remember how easily accidents can happen. Although John has very fine legs, there might be readers of a sensitive disposition, we decided not to publish it!)
Throughout June
More planting in meadow. Hares seen several days, 2 on one occasion. John took the first step towards his plan to build a Shepherd's Hut and bought a flatbed trailer at the local farm sale.
4th May
4th - 29th May
More planting, majority in meadow.
10th May
Jonathan made his first visit.
14th May
Keith helped with this year's bird survey.
14th, 15th and 21st May
Tim began helping us think about a website.
18th May
Mel came to help with digging the pond/wet area.
21st May
We planted Willows for the bird-watching bower on the wetland.
23rd, 24th and 25th May
Much work in the Pit Wood - paths - strimmed and brashing started; re-strimming of path in top strip and brashing at west end.
25th May
Nick visited and offered to help map the history of the land; we was of a mind that there might possibly have been ancient woodland here; we heard a green woodpecker in the Pit Wood.
29th May
Andrew from Cottage Garden Flowers in Bingfield came to see the site; he has donated some Lady's Bedstraw plants.
Please use your imagination to see this as a woven bower in years to come, encircling a binoculars-wielding Clare
Nick identified some of our trees as Red Oaks, pointing out the 'pins' or 'whiskers' on the tip of each lobe, and the red base of the stalk
30th April
Another fire festival - this time Beltane. Small gathering, big fire, embers were leapt over and Brid blessed the flowers.
Ongoing work to flatten the Meadow.
2nd April
Forget-me-not, Wood Anemone and Primrose planted in the Top Strip.
6th April
(Easter Monday). Wood Cranesbill planted in Top Strip.
7th April
White Violets planted in Top Strip. Ponies collected and taken to Geltsdale. Campion planted on grassy bank in SW corner, Alchemilla and Wild Strawberry planted on Crag. Bendy Larch in NE Strip felled; stile built at western end of Top Strip.
8th April
Purple Violets planted in top strip; Larch felled in NE plantation. Pied wagtails on top grazing.
10th April
Green Gym: Pat freed more trees in Pit Wood; Tim planted Teazel and Honesty on spoil heaps west of Meadow; Sally planted Leopard's Bane, Monkshood and Dame's Violet in Pit Wood near the spring; John made a stile into the Pit Wood; Clare did more Meadow flattening!
11th April
Green Gym: Mel and John felled the second bendy Larch in the NE plantation; Sally planted Bladder Campion, Solidago and Yellow Loosestrife on spoil heaps in the Top Strip; Clare and Sally started the Ramsons Ramble at the far end of the Top Strip path; Clare continued to hone her mattock management skills on the Meadow. Mel and John planted one Rowan and one Birch from Sally. Stoat hunting at east end of the Crag base.
13th April
John rotovated the eastern quarter of the Wildflower Meadow and 2 paths from the gate to the stiles in the north fence. More work on these paths and banking up the edges of the wet areas in the Meadow. More mattocking.
Seed mix (Sweet Cicely, Garlic Mustard, Wild Carrot, Wild Parsnip and Weld) scattered in Scrub, on Top Grazing and along eastern edge of Meadow.
17th April
We decided to distribute the plug plants around the Meadow by delineating several circles laid out with string and apportioning the plants between them.; Foxglove and Hedge Woundwort planted under Hawthorn stands on Meadow; Wood Sorrel planted in Top Strip and more Geranium Sylvaticum. Brash on paths.
18th April
More path brash in Meadow; 3 circles planted, one by entrance; Plantains to ward off serpents and serpent-like thoughts planted in quincunx and triangle either site of gate; tray of Sweet Cicely seedlings planted on north edge of Scrub; discovered bank of Cowslips on spoil heap west of Meadow.
19th April
Trip to Egglestone Hall Gardens to buy 3 Spindle Trees, 1 Wild Cherry, 1 Damson and 1 Rowan.
20th April
1 more circle planted; Wild Cherry, Damson, Rowan planted. (NB we were to discover later that planting specimen trees on a meadow is Not a Good Thing, so we had to move them!)
22nd April
23rd April
Eastern quarter of Meadow seeded.
24th April
2 more circles and 3 Spindle Trees planted.
25th April
Spoilheap planting.
27th and 28th April
Digger for roadway from lower entrance and ponds on Meadow.
29th April
Bonfire prep.
John helping to flatten the meadow
Pat - Tree-Freer in Chief
Result of rotovating
Bramble helping Tim plant on the spoil heaps
Sally planting in the Pit Wood
Ganymede and Anonymous awaiting departure
Specimen trees on the meadow
Meadow path
More meadow trees
Plug plants waiting to go in
Spindle Trees west of the Meadow
12th March
Hare and woodcock on Wetland; Snowdrops in Top Strip and Bluebells coming through.
14th March
Green Gym Day - Mel and Tim - much work on the Meadow.
Throughout March we continued work to flatten the Meadow.
31st March
Decision to take last 2 ponies off.
13th February
We realised we needed a gateway to give access to the lower part of the land. Hal helped with clearing this new entrance and completing removal of hunt jump and re-walling.
14th February
Both above tasks completed. Bird box entrances altered.
19th February
Snipe on Wetland; hare on Top Grazing.
Hunt jump before
Emboldened Emily meets emboldened Ganymede
Hunt jump gone
Where there was wall...
The cap is not a permanent fixture
...we now have a gate
Having spent January working on the lower entrance, on 1st February 2015 we held our Imbolc fire party. Fire and ice make a great combination. Thanks to Sally and Jane B for photographs.
We made a cross of St Brigid from of rushes from the Wetland. Such crosses were to protect from harm. Clare also made a broom from fallen twigs to sweep out the old and make way for the new.
Snowfall meant that we couldn't get much work done this month, however it was very pretty, particularly in the Pit Wood. The ponies' coats proved their effectiveness
