Recent content by slowworm

For a useful and small AAA torch I like my little Ledlenser P3 Core torch. It's the older 90 lumen torch but the focussing system seems to work ok giving a sensible throw and it claims it'll run for 3 hours on high. I've not tested it but the battery does seem to last a long time. It seems to...

I've been lucky and always had loads of slow worms about the gardens I've had. In our current place I leave old black baking trays upside down, pieces of slate and other dark objects and there's often a gathering of slow worms underneath them and lizards use the tops to warm themselves up during...

I've got a few very heavy duty ali bottles and I plan to cut a large section off, polish the inside and use as a candle holder. Not had the time to have a go yet.

I potted these oaks up the other week, hopefully they will be an addition to our woodland. A few years ago I planted 100+ acorns in a field and not a single one came up. I noted someone mention to only collect acorns that are still green when they've all fallen. I did that and put a load in a...

At a slight tangent, I wouldn't mind knowing the legality and where to source a couple of proper smoke signals. The air ambulance is often sent to emergencies around us and we have a suitable landing field for us and the locals in a more wooded valley.

I overwintered 4 hives and 3 seem very active, ones a bit quiet but still has bees with pollen going in. I've been away a lot this year so not done as much as I would have liked. I had a quick look at my best, double brood hive, and the top brood box had 7 full frames of brood and it still had...

I was going to suggest similar although as I've not done it I didn't know how many fish you'd lose. If you're tying your own and prone to sticking them in you a packet of barbless hooks might be worth it. I've used decent silver ribbon to tie my own mackerel feathers before. I think it was...

Curious, what would be in it for them? I assume you would need to pay them? And what happens when the organisation disagrees with your covenant?

Who will enforce the covenant when you're gone? I thought they are only of use when something (company/person) wants to control what's done with land they've sold, such as a property developer.

Looks like a bit like nitrogen fixing root nodule from an Alder tree.

Wouldnt John rather collaborate with Barbie, a nice pink camo catsuit or somesuch?

We a bit of an oasis in an ecological desert. Anyway, a pic of this years, and possibly next years in the making, oil beetles. Shows the use of shortish grass with lots of flowers at this time of year.

It would have made a good new thread. I've often thought about what happens to our woodland and home when we're gone (well, sprinkled about the place). Firstly our plans are to sell our small plot of woodland when we can no longer look after it. One of the main considerations though will be the...

Interesting, I wouldn't mind some general advice about our fields but am wary as the various wild life bods I've met down here nave quite narrow views. I understand the reason for 'no mow may' but did find it mildly annoying as we often don't mow anything until may and then need to mow the odd...

Interesting, to cope with our poor supply and large house area I was thinking of putting in radial circuits rather than rings.