Getting on with the Gate

18- 21 March 2020

Dave has been worried for some time that we ought to be protecting the new gates from rust, and so, with a few days of good weather forecast, he started the prep work.

 While he was treating the rust, I worked on the plumbing in the field kitchen.  Checking the fittings worked for the sinks - but not installing them, as we haven't made the worktop yet, the sink is just balanced there.

 But, crucially, we have to have this pipe in place before we can complete the gravelling, as seven large stones have to be moved to cut out a channel for it.  When I hit a point where I wanted Dave's plumbing expertise, I left this project and went to help with the gate.

Dave applying red protective undercoat to the not-so-fiddly bits of the gate - leaving the fiddly bits for me!

 This is a self-seeded broadleaf oak that has been growing mostly unnoticed near the pond.  We finally got round to trimming away the sprigs, and it is now starting to look quite a handsome tree.

 And another handsome tree - the Moringa that was over-wintered in a polythene cover.  We decided it was warm enough now to risk exposing it, and found lots of new growth.

 Putting the pale green top coat - my fiddly bits.

 The point at which Dave had completed his bits on the left hand gate, and I had done the fiddly bits on the right hand one - then we swapped over.

 Our first tadpoles appear - four days after the spawn showed up

 But the pond skaters seem very interested - not sure what they eat ...