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On guard! 

Started the day with Mike at Sherborne nursery splitting wood, this time to my relief some really good ash and of a 'manly' size. Yet again Sherborne seemed to defy the gloomy weather forecast and we remained dry. Once more another deserving local! on the receiving end of this Sherborne ranger wood service. By lunch time the  dry weather disappeared and at one time my days work looked under threat. However after some gentle pushing Mike was persuaded to venture down to the water meadows area to install some hefty sweet chestnut guide posts. The rain had died down but nevertheless, and inspite of the 'drought', I thought we might be better off with a canoe vice the 4 wheel drive. Have to say that apart from the water hazard I was a little wary of the usually stony ground in these parts as we began to dig the hole to place the first of the three posts in. Happily the first at least went in a treat. But 'how many tools' did it take to carry out this task. Interestingly all of 'the above' with the screwdriver for the direction arrow discs absent in the shot. At last we found a job for Maddie while we searched for it, couldn't risk losing this many tools. As is normally the case different challenges were faced for the next two posts but in true ranger fashion they were overcome and at least one local dog walker benefited from the newly installed  guide posts.

Bibury, never too early to start the swimming lessons

After weeks of rain struck lucky with Martin earlier in the week where we and a large number of multi national tourists visited sunny Bibury. The river Coln was in full spate and the water channel in between Rack isle and Arlington Row was as full as I had seen it. Martin in appropriate water gear ignored the dangers of the high and fast flowing water to carry out removal of the rapidly growing weeds. My job given I wasn't waterproofed was to wheel barrow the extracted weeds to the trailer on the main road. As it happens my other role, hugely underestimated by Martin, was to control the crowds of tourists who converged on Martin.  Have to say the most public engagement I've experienced although some of it a little trying. However it was worth observing Martin, somewhat a captive figure wading in the stream , fend off some 'trying questions' from the enthusiastic tourists. My award went to the brave person asking Martin what he was looking for! On a positive note some of the more sensible passersby appreciated this bit of conservation work and did have one or two interesting questions on 'countryside ' work in general. More of this in a future blog.