Cold weather blues

"Lean", by Tanya

 Last day of planting of the season, and we have managed to find homes for all the trees we had in stock.

We were at Scammonden planting 200 sessile oak, and 25 aspen. 

We were: myself, Jess, Geoff, Richard, Stephen, Jon, Tanya, Dave, Kayleigh, Michael, and Peter. Cake was a rather good vegan blackcurrant flapjack.

Nice and sunny, but there was a cold wind, and that took its toll on some.

https://youtu.be/ojfMCYpDda8

Friend army

Jess smiling in the sunshine, and Hap!

 Back to Scammonden to plant a further 135 hazel and 60 downy birch amongst previously planted but diseased ash trees. 

We were: myself, Philip, Stephen, Hap, Dave, Peter T., Jess, and Richard.

https://youtu.be/wTu5HXq4D-Q

Sitting and watching

Back to Scammonden. We planted 105 hawthorn, 45 downy birch and 105 Rowan. We were: myself, Geoff, Dave, Tanya, Philip, Richard, Michael, Steve, Stephen and Hap.

While sitting down having our break Geoff spotted a stoat/weasel, and most of us got a glimpse. Seems the major difference is a black tip to the tail. I don't think any of us got that good a look at it as they are pretty speedy. It disappeared over a wall. But then popped its head back up to look at us! Cute. And as far as I am aware they don't eat trees, so carry on stoat/weasel.

I think there might be a Toots and the Maytals song for every blog entry from now on.

https://youtu.be/ukXlPAm32nM

Hard times

Very occasionally trees don't thrive on a site. On this particular patch at Scammonden this was due to ash die-back disease, and an unknown problem with a batch of alder trees. So we spent today inter-planting oaks and aspen amongst the dead and dying.

We were: Geoff, Dave, Philip, Richard, Adrian, Matthew, Jess, Kayleigh, Stephen, Steve, and myself.

I think we planted 50 aspen and 175 sessile oak?

Hard times to be positive. But we do what we can. Some, like Adrian, go that bit further (literally).

https://youtu.be/zMIzTh0Lafg