Category: Maintenance

In the outdoor environment, one learns that nothing is permanent. In our homes, there is the illusion of permanence; the reality is that impermanence is the rule.

What we appreciated to be a beautiful entrance surface a year ago proved to be an unsuccessful experiment.

The pleasing floor of sliced log rounds with pebbles between them began to disintegrate as the winter rains made their impact. The resultant hazardous surface had to be removed.

The shallow cavity needed to be filled, and the soil required was sourced from the site allocated for developing a paddling pool. So, two tasks were being addressed at the same time.

There followed laying chips and sand.

And then the fun began as cobble stones were carefully located.

What a shame that the clean, bright surface had to be spoiled by the process of adding mortar between the stones.

After a good wash we have the intended result, but what about permanence? Just wait until a dozen muddy boots have trampled the surface!

This week it was not children but adults climbing in the woods. To make everything safe for the next school year, dead wood was removed from the woodland area where children regularly play.

A fallen tree was cut down.

And then the exciting stuff: up to the level where branches had to be removed.

Meanwhile, more mundane work continued too.

The grass may have dried up in the summer drought, but nettles and brambles continue to thrive, taking over any space possible. Clearance of the unwanted growth takes hours, but it is satisfying to see order restored. Nevertheless, it doesn’t quite compare with tree surgery.

If the children were on site, they would have demanded, “Can I have a go? It’s my turn”

It hardly seems credible that in the past few months, we have got through two mailboxes at the gate on Potters Lane. The first was vandalised and another stolen.

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So, we have replaced the commercially produced metal mailbox with a solid handmade wooden one, secured to its independent stakes.

How this stylish successor fares may depend on the reason for past attacks.

The weather forecast had warned of the arrival of Storm Bella on Boxing Day night. Resources had been removed from the marquee and every precaution taken to preserve the tent. Nevertheless, the following morning the sight from a distance suggested that the tent was not right. It certainly was not its normal shape.

There had been a problem with extreme winds before. One morning after a stormy night, the contents had been exposed. Of course, that was easily remedied by putting back the front canvas.

But this time the impact had been more serious. The toilet gazebo was no longer on the plat but the other side of the stock-proof fence. The marquee was overturned, and the frame bent and broken.

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The damaged gazebo was recovered and put together again. It will serve for a short time before it is replaced with a shed. The marquee has been dismantled and the site cleared. The polytunnel is serving as a temporary furniture store.

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There is work to be done before the children return in a week. Pressure!

In the words of the Apostle Paul: “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair.”

Tarly Pit is a beautiful site and offers a wonderful environment for the enjoyment of little people. But … nearby Water Lane is rightly so named, and flooding is a constant threat.

Even the route to Tarly Pit can be challenging. Whether driving from Water Lane or from Cranbrook Road floods must be navigated.

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Ditches have had to be dug.

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A very slippery track to the site has had to have attention.

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And then more ditch digging.

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But that proved insufficient to carry away all the water flooding across the field. It needed to be deeper and broader, and a solid bridge was constructed.

This is far from the end of the story. Much more must be done before we are safe from the elements.