Getting near the end of the season he was obviously trying to crack on with it now that the sap's started to flow and the trees are budding out - ie working on a Sunday!
It does look much nicer than a flailed hedge
Sunday, 28 March 2010
Hedge Laying
I've heard or read that hedge laying was developed in Leicestershire in the 18th century as a way of maintaining the field hedges in a suitable condition for the horses to jump in a foxhunt. Be that as it may it was nice to come across this chap in the Lee Valley Park today.
Getting near the end of the season he was obviously trying to crack on with it now that the sap's started to flow and the trees are budding out - ie working on a Sunday!
It does look much nicer than a flailed hedge
Getting near the end of the season he was obviously trying to crack on with it now that the sap's started to flow and the trees are budding out - ie working on a Sunday!
It does look much nicer than a flailed hedge
Friday, 26 March 2010
Back in the Swing
Had two guys here on courses this week. Chris from Clacton, Essex on Wednesday
and Kevin from Stanbridge in Bedfordshire today
Kevin is a power lathe turner and had been given the course as a birthday present from his wife last October. Chris googled 'green woodwork in Essex' after seeing the Monty Don Mastercrafts programme last month - and came up with me! He's going to stand as a candidate for the Green Party at the next General Election and has bought an 8 acre wood in Clacton where we are going to go and run a workshop for him and some of his mates next month.
I'm glad it's all kicked off again and Spring has arrived - I was beginning to feel a bit stagnant.
and Kevin from Stanbridge in Bedfordshire today
Kevin is a power lathe turner and had been given the course as a birthday present from his wife last October. Chris googled 'green woodwork in Essex' after seeing the Monty Don Mastercrafts programme last month - and came up with me! He's going to stand as a candidate for the Green Party at the next General Election and has bought an 8 acre wood in Clacton where we are going to go and run a workshop for him and some of his mates next month.
I'm glad it's all kicked off again and Spring has arrived - I was beginning to feel a bit stagnant.
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Radio Bodger
We were out and about this morning walking the dog, shopping etc and intermittently listening to the radio. There was an interesting phone-in show on Radio London about Crafts and when we got home I thought "I'll have some of that" and gave them a ring. You can listen to my 3 minutes here between 2.14.00 and 2.17.30.
Unfortunately I went into motormouth mode and rambled on a bit. I was going to get a plug for my website and mention the work of The Heritage Craft Association but got sort of cut off in mid flow.
Unfortunately I went into motormouth mode and rambled on a bit. I was going to get a plug for my website and mention the work of The Heritage Craft Association but got sort of cut off in mid flow.
Thursday, 11 March 2010
News from Somewhere
I've felt really poorly (and still do) since I picked up some kind of bug at the Abney Park Cemetery event. My mate Gary who I went with has also had the same thing.
Had loads of enquiries about courses since Monty Don Mastercrafts about Green Woodworking - even though I don't like him and didn't think much of the programme it has generated a lot of interest.
Had a really nice walk in the Forest near Chingford Plain in an area where they regularly pollard the trees.
Unfortunately the brush is chipped and the branches are just left to rot...
That's a real shame as it's mainly Hornbeam - one of the best firewoods - and my god haven't we burned a massive amount of wood on the log burner during this Long, Cold Winter of Discontent.
Had loads of enquiries about courses since Monty Don Mastercrafts about Green Woodworking - even though I don't like him and didn't think much of the programme it has generated a lot of interest.
Had a really nice walk in the Forest near Chingford Plain in an area where they regularly pollard the trees.
Unfortunately the brush is chipped and the branches are just left to rot...
That's a real shame as it's mainly Hornbeam - one of the best firewoods - and my god haven't we burned a massive amount of wood on the log burner during this Long, Cold Winter of Discontent.
Monday, 15 February 2010
Urban Bodging
You wouldn't imagine that there was a Bodger's Camp only a stones throw from this busy High Street in Stoke Newington, N.E. London...
But here it is in the grounds of Abney Park Cemetery.
It was a meeting of the London Group of the Bodgers Association on Saturday organised by Gerry Smyth (in the middle in above photo). It was nice to be a part of this gathering at a time of year when not much is happening. A lot of interesting and interested people turned out and one fairly major topic of conversation was Monty Don's Mastercrafts (watch it on BBC iPlayer) shown on Friday evening.
Abney is one of three Cemetery Parks in London, the others being Tower Hamlets and Nunhead. They all have some kind of bodgery activity.
The cemetery is a bit of a jungle but fascinating glimpses lurk round every corner.
But here it is in the grounds of Abney Park Cemetery.
It was a meeting of the London Group of the Bodgers Association on Saturday organised by Gerry Smyth (in the middle in above photo). It was nice to be a part of this gathering at a time of year when not much is happening. A lot of interesting and interested people turned out and one fairly major topic of conversation was Monty Don's Mastercrafts (watch it on BBC iPlayer) shown on Friday evening.
Abney is one of three Cemetery Parks in London, the others being Tower Hamlets and Nunhead. They all have some kind of bodgery activity.
The cemetery is a bit of a jungle but fascinating glimpses lurk round every corner.
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Forest News
They're nailing numbered tags to the trees in the Forest -
- so that they can keep track of them maybe and make sure they don't move around too much? They've probably got each one globally positioned too . . .
Thanks to Ray Mears & Co a lot of these structures are appearing all over and quite deep in the forest.
Just the sort of thing we would have set light to as kids!
I.D.
Any ideas on this fairly scarce woodland shrub?
Click on all photos to enlarge.
- so that they can keep track of them maybe and make sure they don't move around too much? They've probably got each one globally positioned too . . .
Thanks to Ray Mears & Co a lot of these structures are appearing all over and quite deep in the forest.
Just the sort of thing we would have set light to as kids!
I.D.
Any ideas on this fairly scarce woodland shrub?
Close up of the foliage
Click on all photos to enlarge.
Thursday, 4 February 2010
???
The reason there are no new posts on this blog lately is because I've had one of the worst colds I've ever had and this seems to have left me feeling completely disenchanted with modern electronic communications media.
Time will tell if this is temporary or not.
Time will tell if this is temporary or not.
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