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I’ve conducted handfasting. It’s just a marriage ceremony. It’s outside of formal religion but over the last 300 years the vast majority of handfasting has been for Christians. It’s more usually Pagan now. The handfasting ribbon or tie joins the couple just as the priest’s stole (blessume) is...

A received treasure or did you make it? Definitely one for the keeping box.

The flood plane of the River Tern comes up to my fence line but the river is fifty metres away. The field next door is boggy but if ever the water were come to anywhere near the fence, Shrewsbury would be completely under water. There is a small brook at the back that joins the river. It...

Off topic but: I love the old B&D drills. I still have the one that I bought when we moved into this house 47 years ago. I’ve repaired the switch, fitted new bearings and new lead several times. Chucks of various types are consumables. I’ve fitted replacement motors and motor parts in a...

Quick, easy, convenient and no significant environmental impact. I am neither religious nor sentimental.

@Paul_B Don’t worry you are very probably making the right decision. We have a small window in a porch that is open to the outside on both sides. Half a dozen blue tits and a robin suicided there before my daughter in law put some decorative stickers on it. In each case we were sure they...

A simply rotary masonry bit works by wearing away the ceramic material that it’s drilling. My house is built out of locally made Lillishall brick. Rotation does not wear away the brick, it wears away the drill bit. When I suggested a hammer drill all I meant was a domestic drill with a hammer...

They used a hammer drill! It was a hardened steel tube with teeth that they hit with a be big hammer. Then they filled the hole with strips of wood and screwed in some heavy hooks. Can’t you borrow an electric hammer drill? Edited to power the drill.

A couple of these will hold it. You’re going to need a hammer drill! EDITED TO ADD: Scroll back to the hooked version.

@Kadushu I How long do you steam for? Approx what size loaf? I’ve never done that!

Hmmmmm have you ever trodden in bear crap? My daughter wouldn’t let her assistant into her pickup when he did. He sat on the gear at the back - in a Siberian winter! He lived.

It’s a while ago now. Like many people we get spotted woodpecker to the feeders. This guy probably hit a window. We found him in the yard. In the words of Granny Weatherwax: “it aintn’t dead “ We put it into a cat cage and an hour later it was awake . We released it after an hour.

Nothing new here just a very simple bread oven that worked well with a yeast based bread. One 16cm Zebra pot in an SS mixing (dog) bowl ……and old faithful. (This works just as well and almost as conveniently on an open fire. ) Start by boiling a Kettle full. Why? Watch this space. Zebra...

Do Red Kites stoop on prey? I know that they dive during courtship. I’m not sure that they do which is partly why I am sceptical about their predation. They can take voles and mice but they must be the slow ones. My neighbour swears she saw a kite taking one of her lambs. I’m guessing that...

I’m going to try the blitz wand on some oats. I may be some time - cleaning up’ (All due respect to Laurence Oats.)

Power

Bread Is easy. My loaves take two hours from getting out the bowl to getting out the cooling tray but I’m only doing anything for about ten minutes of the whole job. I make it in the bowl so no mess. I make with enough oil that it doesn’t need butter. 25K of strong flour will see me though...

Temperature! I’m not sure what the range is but summer heat and winter cold can kill then. They have nowhere to burrow out of the way. Definitely not in direct sunlight. My daughter was using tiger worms (I think)

Valley

I suppose you could have the family ones melted and recast into something chunky.