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the strapping big lad  I'm shite at sewing  But making my own sternum strap/lap belt extender for the rucksack of doom was cheaper than buying them in and they make a massive difference in weight load/bearing Sunday, muddy sunday    I hadn't really planned on this trip, if I had, I would have probably dressed warmer- the mist gets a chill right into my bones   But we ended up delivering bread in the area, so we brought in the surplus loaves to see what animals eat them   Reloaded then rearranged the trailcams and left our offerings of seeded loaf and cat food.   We took care of a few errant trees too, but the sap is already starting to rise- soon it will be time to put plants in the ground again. Wish I had gotten a few more cutting days into the season, but I easily cleared more wood than last year so can't complain much.   The birds are a lot more hesitant when I have a visitor around   Things are slowly waking up and coming back to life all over the place   And that's about it until I go down again and do more, soon
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Feb 28, 2021 14:00
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That the regular version of that thread, or extra strong? Because for that job it really should be extra strong. My go-to is Madeira's 35 for those problems. Also, that sure is a technique. I won't call it a good technique, but it's a technique. ... though after 2020 I already have a counterweight for my backpacks and it's not like I'm going anywhere...
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Feb 28, 2021 14:38
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endlessmonotony posted:That the regular version of that thread, or extra strong? I bought the extra super strong stuff, originally thinking I would sew the extra strap directly atop the old one, but my needle selection didn't go through both the existing webbing straps and the new ones very easily I ended up just using buckles and the slidey adjustable things for the actual holding tension parts and the sewing is just to neaten the cut ends of strap and stop them fraying Still, the strong thread will come in handy next time I need to utterly gently caress up sewing on a button
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Feb 28, 2021 18:11
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Ait good. Someone not super experienced trying to hand sew with regular Gutermann is a recipe for trouble, disaster and torn trousers. I always pick Madeira's 35 when I get a choice, but Gutermann extra strong is fine, and Brexit might make it difficult to get good supplies right now. ... and even that's not people trying to use cotton thread for things meant to last outdoors. I'd really use a whip stitch there but since it's not going to be holding a lot of weight it barely matters.
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Feb 28, 2021 18:42
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I need to add a few little bits to my field jacket for holding stuff like my compass and ferro rod on lanyards inside my pockets so I can't misplace the fuckers- so I will definitely investigate these "stitches" you mentioned and stop giving the hot glue gun some side eye
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Mar 1, 2021 09:51
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smack my ditch up yeah I probably used this already whatever  I mean it's 17 years old now and if it needs a bit more zentralhydrauliköl on a saturday morning then it gets a bit more I guess Let's just not mention the 69,219,420 other things my beloved shitpile needs  Just a few bits with me which was good, because I couldn't get parked anywhere near and had a nice little hike as a result   I was intending on pruning a few fruit trees and taking a few clippings of bushes but spring is really coming along fast, so I left them alone and will try again in autumn     Peeps peeptacular? Yeah I guess so   It has needed doing for awhile and was pretty fun to unclog in the end  Love hitting sand deposits and wondering when the last time they were exposed to the air was  Spot the two things waiting to kill me- I wouldn't have worked underneath these in any real wind  Cold enough to make me appreciate the hot drink but not cold enough to gently caress with the butane     Birdbox time. Point em facing northeasterly, vary the entrance size, amount of cover and height up the tree by species you wish to attract- the widemouth is for wrens and robins, the one with the hole for assorted tits  Glad I brought the driver with me, even if it was a bit over keen on the fancy screws. Much easier to do at a stupid angle leaning through a thorny bush   The crows and magpies were making a real racket at something- I went and had a look, and this pure white dove looked at me a little while before taking off. It got about 2 metres before what I think was a small buzzard smacked it out of the air like a bolt of lightning. It made a valiant attempt at escape but didn't make it far. I sorely wanted better pictures but didn't want to spook it from it's meal  The sound or the smell of the blood in the air even brought the foxes out to see what's going on. I'm not going to include the pictures but I checked out the scene afterwards and the dove had a blue plastic ring around one foot- as far as I can tell there was no writing on it, but I'm going to investigate and gently caress I probably should have taken it off and looked properly before it went smelly/got dragged off  Spring. It sprung a bit. Made a boing sound, I would imagine. More. Soon.
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Mar 6, 2021 19:46
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Probably a Sparrow hawk. Buzzards and Kites tend to be scavengers, where as Sparrow hawks and Peregrine falcons are the Exocet missiles of the bird world. Someone I work with keeps and races pigeons and he absolutely hates them because they constantly take his birds!
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Mar 7, 2021 10:32
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That was a really cool update. That poor birb!
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Mar 7, 2021 10:56
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Finally did my order for more trees but I'm quite late in the season and there has been a lot more demand than normal so limited stocks have kept me limited to about 70. Bit of a pain, but it's going to be a mission to deliver them and the assorted side dishes down there under the current access restrictions anyway. Still, seventy isn't bad, and with other bits already awaiting planting that probably gives a little over a hundred plants/trees ready for combat, and a good target to hit before the month of may turns dry Catzilla posted:Probably a Sparrow hawk. Buzzards and Kites tend to be scavengers, where as Sparrow hawks and Peregrine falcons are the Exocet missiles of the bird world. Good call, that takes us up to three different birds of prey  I did a bit of research and it seems that rings without numbers can be fairly common just to let a breeder keep track of different broods, so I don't need to go rummaging around a dead bird to make sure Maugrim posted:That was a really cool update. That poor birb! Thanks- it was over quickly for it at least, it was knocked out of the air and then very quickly despatched thereafter
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Mar 8, 2021 21:10
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chop chop VIII - a chop too far  Sunny day, first time I didn't need the field jacket since last year  Long hike in, already felt tired out by this point after carrying this bullshit all the way in  Took some time and rested up and watched the world go by and the buzzards circle overhead- despite my entreaties they refused to come devour me, quite rude imo   First up was a stump reduction, mainly because I tripped on it and it pissed me off   Hefted a bunch of logs out the way too  It was mainly construction logs, but a few bits of stray firewood also got processed    Milita beef curry, and it was loving amazing- just the right amount of heat and flavour  Sunny enough for the vent fan to make the caravan sound like a LAN party   Combined my two construction log piles into one, right next to the intended construction site  Checked out the nursery and we have 30+ plants waiting  Made sure I washed up properly   Went around the paths, took a few errant branches down then used them to start a little hedgelet  Under watchful eyes as always  Log cage is pretty much full as I can get it- needs a tarp now   After all that, the extended hike out was just what I needed and it totally didn't wreck my poo poo. more soon.
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Mar 9, 2021 20:43
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logs into logistics part I  well good morning/afternoon/evening  The bit on the left was time consuming to get down here but I can't operate well without it-   Clocked up some mileage on the barrow today   After two trips back and forth up the hill (it's always uphill somehow) I needed this medicinal mocha and sit by the pond   Next up was a little light tidying and sorting so I could rescue a pallet and some bags of sand and some logs  I had hoped to do some more prep work here on the operations area, but my drat stupid wimp of body told me to quit before the pain/fatigue got too bad (editor's note, ow, this was wise)  But I saw a bee  And a buzzard  And I set up the trailcams once more  Some of the deadfall is now much less lethal too     Lots of pretty things to see- wish I had more energy for it.  Home time. Today's small logistics effort will pay off handsomely on our next adventure- more, soon. DesperateDan fucked around with this message at 14:31 on Mar 21, 2021 |
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Mar 21, 2021 14:29
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Mar 21, 2021 14:35
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Mar 21, 2021 23:00
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 y'all are too kind logs into logistics II: toblerowned  Well some boxes showed up yesterday what were full of plants, like  These photina red robin and viburnum tinus will one day be pretty hedgerow, but they need a few seasons to grow a bit bigger before they are combat ready- they normally come bigger than this, but I got the last of the pick   T'other box came with me today, on quite the adventure as tha can see  Union shop, union rules, scabs can gently caress right off  Primrose pond earning it's name   Let's get stuck in then shall we, can't be wanking in a bush the whole day   First up we deal with the bare root plants- the roots get a half hour soak to begin while I set up the work area   Then we drain them and carefully open them up, saving the straw for future use and being careful not to slice the rootball   We make up a thick wallpaper paste like gel, which helps the rootgrow granules stick to the roots and also provides an excellent moisture source  Dip roots, sprinkle in the good poo poo, arrange plants in bucket, cover with a layer of straw and soil, repeat until out of room. The aim is to provide a good temporary home for them to survive till planted, letting the roots get going and plants wake up without the roots growing into each other too badly.   These dogrose were cell grown and were pre-treated at the nursery but they still got the rest of the goop because there was no-one to stop me engaging in such behaviour  A definite two mug day   52+ hawthorn, 6 hazel, 10 dogrose. With a few other bits already down here, this is going to make up some pretty dang good hedgerow if I do say so myself. With my supplies pre-positioned and a good work area (and some gorgeous sunshine) this was easy work- I feel like processing double or even triple the amount I did today would be within easy enough reach for next year  I like that there's still places I haven't gone to. There's one or two parts I intend on letting get so overgrown that no-one can go to them.    Well, I guess there's some work to be done, but that's more, soon DesperateDan fucked around with this message at 18:43 on Mar 23, 2021 |
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Mar 23, 2021 18:37
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That pond has really come into its own.
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Mar 26, 2021 21:27
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xcheopis posted:That pond has really come into its own. I'm really hoping to do some clearance and maybe this year it will be a year round pond logistics into logs III- it's a spring thing     Sun beating down but the frost was still crisp underfoot this morning   Running low on hot chocolate powder, this continued intransigence from management cannot be allowed to pass    So I got on with some planting anyway     Some potted from last year, some from the bare root stockpile, all lovingly placed in primo spots  Quite a bit of it actually, not sure if I have done 35 in a day before, all chucked into hedgerow activity  Think this is a badger track  Might harvest a bit of rhubarb this year   This larvae thing was tucked up where I happened to put some hawthorn- I used my knife to try and flick it back into the hole, and it promptly attacked the knife savagely. Full of respect for a worthy opponent, I made sure it went back in the ground safely   Lots of bees around  As well as a bunch of these butterflies, and some bright yellow ones too, but neither variety wanted to sit still for me    Well that was a drat fine morning of sticking plants in the ground, more, soon
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Mar 30, 2021 16:16
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bird ball express    Now then    Logistics effort was the first part of today   Should keep the birds fed a month or two  Might make an effort into branching out into cuppasoups      Spent a lovely hour or so rambling around checking on pretty much everything I ever planted and being happy about seeing all the poo poo growing   On my way out I went and checked the spicy rope storage, they keep trying to keep the spicy ropes away, but that just makes me want 'em more, soon
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Apr 1, 2021 12:43
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the flower power hour       So here we are again not that anyone cares   First up was 2 bags of postcrete that got left outdoors for years and are now harder than grant mitchell- excellent foundation material once I strip the bags off   Next was 37 pots that had wildflowers planted last year and kinda forgotten about because that's how I roll. There's also some auxiliary water and some cans of food and a terracotta pot and a plastic tub too   While no-one was looking, desperatedan planted forty* plants   He planted 40* plants     That's as many as four tens*  And that's positive news for the biodiversity of our project  *There were more than 40 cause two of the flower pots had nowt in them so I grabbed what hawthorn was left in a tub and had at it, also I cleared a bunch of bramble and it was boring and painful   Did the trailcams, the older one is being reet shonky of late, and might require a home trip so I can properly diagnose things  Hunted out my strawberry patches, a few bits doing nicely- I expect the animals will eat them all first this year, but if I can get a few more tucked away then in a few more years once the runners get going a proper patch may form    Got to get some further ticks in this book, more, soon
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Apr 9, 2021 18:36
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DesperateDan posted:
Hedgehogs those mate, you can tell with the sideways toe.
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Apr 9, 2021 18:52
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DesperateDan posted:So here we are again not that anyone cares I care! I'm a terrible poster so I just lurk. Thread is bookmarked and I enjoy your updates since I'm outside of Seattle and it's cool to see how similar the weather/climate is. This thread makes me want to do one for my yard, but I'd end up doxxing myself. I got one of those cameras on your recommendation and it works pretty well. Snagged a mountain lion pic the other day which is actually kinda scary. I'll post it if someone wants to see it when I get home. Also I'm glad you're able to make it back out there with the access road fiasco.
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Apr 9, 2021 19:50
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How dare you Dan, we care! We're just the strong silent type. (the pictures and descriptions are amazing and I enjoy them greatly)
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Apr 9, 2021 19:51
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Miftan posted:How dare you Dan, we care!
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Apr 9, 2021 20:22
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Indeed I enjoy this thread!! I just hardly ever have anything to say
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Apr 9, 2021 20:34
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Rotten posted:I care! I'm a terrible poster so I just lurk. Thread is bookmarked and I enjoy your updates since I'm outside of Seattle and it's cool to see how similar the weather/climate is. Hell yes I'd like to see your cougar pics. 
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Apr 10, 2021 07:14
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AceClown posted:Hedgehogs those mate, you can tell with the sideways toe. Also I suspect Badgers are much larger than that.
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Apr 10, 2021 07:35
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I read every update as soon as I can just to not care harder. We all care.
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Apr 10, 2021 13:04
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Hi Dan, Please don't be desperate. I love this thread! Please continue on your 5 acres!
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Apr 10, 2021 14:05
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Miftan posted:How dare you Dan, we care! We're just the strong silent type. (the pictures and descriptions are amazing and I enjoy them greatly)
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Apr 10, 2021 14:14
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Dan, I love this thread. As someone with a black thumb it amazes me how much you do and how you know to do it & when. Esoteric knowledge!
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Apr 10, 2021 14:39
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I like to see your UK wildlife and while I don't understand all of the rules about settling property you own in the UK, I'm curious to see what happens. It's semi rural here so we get a lot of American wildlife and for example our deer are both bigger jerks and bigger in size. The main animals that are about the same are the foxes as well as birds and bumblebees.
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Apr 10, 2021 17:14
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Ladies, gents and non binary folks- that comment was intended as at least 92.7% sarcastic but your kind and unkind comments are warmly received none the less I just get lonely sometimes, kay? Been due to visit twice already in the last week and had illness then circumstances gently caress me over but I have an excellent feeling that tomorrow there will be more, soon
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Apr 15, 2021 13:10
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DesperateDan posted:Ladies, gents and non binary folks- that comment was intended as at least 92.7% sarcastic but your kind and unkind comments are warmly received none the less I just get lonely sometimes, kay? Take care of yourself and your fam, DD
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Apr 15, 2021 18:14
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DesperateDan posted:Ladies, gents and non binary folks- that comment was intended as at least 92.7% sarcastic but your kind and unkind comments are warmly received none the less I just get lonely sometimes, kay?
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Apr 15, 2021 21:38
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Finally got a chance to sit and do some postin', postin' palsAceClown posted:Hedgehogs those mate, you can tell with the sideways toe. Angrymog posted:Also I suspect Badgers are much larger than that. I shall reposition a trail camera, post haste, cause I love hodgehegs and haven't seen one down there or on cam Rotten posted:I got one of those cameras on your recommendation and it works pretty well. Snagged a mountain lion pic the other day which is actually kinda scary. I'll post it if someone wants to see it when I get home. Oh hell yes post cougar pics Miftan posted:How dare you Dan, we care! We're just the strong silent type. (the pictures and descriptions are amazing and I enjoy them greatly) spookygonk posted:Yeah this is one of the best threads in SA. Toughy posted:Indeed I enjoy this thread!! I just hardly ever have anything to say cakesmith handyman posted:I read every update as soon as I can just to not care harder. Loki Kunti posted:Hi Dan, You are all too nice and I'm gonna plant you all a tree and then I'm gonna pee on them Sloth Life posted:Dan, I love this thread. As someone with a black thumb it amazes me how much you do and how you know to do it & when. Esoteric knowledge! A bit like with doing blackthumb work, the main part is just having a go, loving up then having another go with what you learned last time from mistakes/some studying- if you keep at it, it mounts up over time Rexxed posted:I like to see your UK wildlife and while I don't understand all of the rules about settling property you own in the UK, I'm curious to see what happens. It's semi rural here so we get a lot of American wildlife and for example our deer are both bigger jerks and bigger in size. The main animals that are about the same are the foxes as well as birds and bumblebees. The muntjac are indeed small, but there are also roe and red deer around which are the largest in the UK- they just havent shown up on camera yet- they tend to stick to quieter areas and are a lot warier than the muntjac, which I see pretty much every visit There are developments and plans afoot regards the slow march to settlement which I will reveal a little more of when the time is right logistics into logs into hedgerows whatever part I dunno, seven       Esteemed greetings be upon you, friend  So- the road is closed, you knew about that one right? But today (and luckily just for today), the road leading to that road had been closed and also the road that led to the road that led to the road that was originally closed was also closed and I hiked all this crap in anyway, from an even stupider distance. But the hot chocolate powder must flow.  The lizard hotel hath fully emerged from the unknown depths. Think it's got some krakens inside? Might take a peek soon before it gets relocated, but I had other intents and purposes today   First up (after a hot drink) were 20 plants   I loosed the fateful lightning of my terrifying swift spade   Then I put a plant in the gap and sometimes a handful of soil too and then stomped it and I kept doing it till I got hungry   Lunch worked out pretty drat great, but I need to bring down a spatula of some form cause flipping this over with nowt but a little spoon and hot oil everywhere was challenging  After lunch, at least a dozen more but then I stopped-  Because these tubs? Done. There's some potted plants at the front of the caravan that need to go in, but that can happen some other time    The skull of a sparrowhawk, if I'm not mistaken. Well. I found it where a dead sparrowhawk was. Morbidly interesting to examine, so lightweight it feels like there's nothing there at all. I was lucky to find it intact- the rest of the skeleton had been munched on extensively   About time I did something other than plant though- more soon
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Apr 17, 2021 08:06
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Phone posting so I hope this works.
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Apr 17, 2021 19:17
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Posting to say that I bought a new cordless drill last week. Bosch and Makita were the same price(ish) but I thought of this thread and Dan's tools and went Makita. Goddamn that is a good drill. One day I will get a cordless reciprocating saw of the same brand and buy an old Audi as well. Inshallah. Anyway, please keep posting
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Apr 17, 2021 19:40
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Rotten posted:Phone posting so I hope this works. Look at those huge paws on that cat.
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Apr 17, 2021 20:11
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Rotten posted:Phone posting so I hope this works. this face confused the hell out of me 
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Apr 17, 2021 20:19
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Rotten posted:Phone posting so I hope this works. dats a big 'ol puddy tat! Mzuri posted:Posting to say that I bought a new cordless drill last week. Bosch and Makita were the same price(ish) but I thought of this thread and Dan's tools and went Makita. Goddamn that is a good drill. Tbh I have used plenty of bosch and milwaukee tools around the same price band and been very happy with them- I just started with a makita and now I have the battery logistics chain for them so it's always cheaper to buy a makita product bare in box than it is to buy another manufacturers offering, and batteries, and a charger Makita tend to balance things better than just about any other manufacturer though, and parts availability is excellent, even on ancient products- I always appreciate that. Mzuri posted:and buy an old Audi as well. Inshallah. For heaven's sake comrade, if you value your sanity or your wallet then avoid the hell out of audis in that age bracket- Otherwise make sure you get one with quattro and drive it like you stole it every drat time logs into office walls CCXIX     Nice fresh sunday morning    So first was the bird feeders as is the custom- a daughter of Cass watched me collect the feed    Then was second breakfasts- nice to have a chef from the militia on duty for the bacon sarnies  So, building logs. Turns out for long term construction, you wanna strip the bark- otherwise the interior wood tends to hold onto water- and if you want to do that the easy way you do it within a few days of felling them. Feck. Plus they are pretty drat wonky logs for the most part. Double feck.  But if I have to turn it all into firewood that would be both tedious and necessitate building more firewood storage so we did a bushcraft style log wall thing instead     Went together pretty nice, learned a few things and wish I had enough wood to do some more but I guess that waits till next year now   I want to make a pretty much identical one in mirror image to make a box shape, but allowing for a large entrance on the front and back. Going to add the bench and a new luxury office item soon, TBD.  Water storage seems to be growing mosses and lichens and suchlike   Bugs and slugs doing good too- wish I had more time for pictures but it was all about getting poo poo done today   Then it was time for home. More. Soon.
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Apr 18, 2021 18:06
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should probably buy a sickle at some point, eh?    pretty day for saving a bit of the world   Brought in auxiliary water and another large water container which also had some water in it       About 12-14 years ago or so me and a buddy made a firepit out of paving bricks and concrete, it fell into disuse and got overgrown but I figured the bricks could serve other purposes and the area could use a little clean, so my young lad brought the baby sledgehammer and he took it apart like a surgeon- only one brick broken. The bricks will need a clean up, inspection and inventory before I decide quite how to use them, but that's easy work compared with today's demolition and transport.   The lad had noodles, I had a curry intended for hot princes (or maybe it attracts them? one can only hope)      Nice day for a wander round and poke at things and a watch of the birds and also I need to do something about a deceased fox at some point soon because it was an excellent lesson in being up or down wind of something   Then it was time for home- got some plans, but thats more, soon
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Apr 25, 2021 16:14
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