12th September 2016 Gotta sew a priairie or two.

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Monday 12th 60-77F, 16-25C, very cloudy, light breeze, acrid smoke from next door.  Promise of brightness later. Early walk for an hour and a half through the forest. A quiet strip of sunflowers beside a huge field had attracted large numbers of early birds. Mostly mixed finches with a few sparrows. I heard jays but could not see them up in  the beech canopy. The sun broke through as I reached the road for the long, warm walk back. Not a single bird of prey or wild animal spotted so far. Only a single chevron of noisy geese being led by a much larger bird than all the rest. I thought it must be an optical illusion but stared hard through my binoculars to confirm it. I have a goal for my trike ride as soon as morning coffee is over.

Quite a helpful wind going but increasing headwind on the second half. Hot and dry fighting my way home while heavily laden. Several close shaves with nodding drivers swerving away just before they reached me.

I was just reading that Denmark councils intend to research the use birds of prey to catch rats. The rats are increasing in numbers to plague proportions thanks to so many mild winters. Having checked 100km of ditches the council found 43 rat colonies. The councils are being inundated with calls from home owners after rat invasions. 21 miles of hilly, rural lanes and forest.


Tuesday 13th 63F, 17C, light breeze, just waiting for sun up for another even warmer day. We should see 27C or 80F. And so we did.  I started with a 3 mile, clockwise walk around the rural block. Later I moved around the garden looking for shade and the hope of a breeze as I worked on a project. Noisy tractors worked the fields all around us adding to heat stress. No ride today.

Wednesday 14th 64-78F, 18-25C, breezy, cloudless sky.  The temperature is rising rapidly but should top out below yesterday's 80F. It was already warm as I walked up to the woods to capture a large tractor sewing the prairie. 500kg bags of seed had been dropped at intervals along the edges of the track. With a little, old tractor sporting a crane jib on the front waiting patiently to lift the bags above the hungry seed hopper.

The big tractor had doubled wheels all round to offer grip and lower the ground pressure to protect the soil structure. I hung about in the shade of the single tree until he finished a row and returned to the track to turn around. The pictures aren't very exciting but help to capture the scale of the machine. All my "artistic" images straight into the sun, with clouds of dust and the machine in dramatic silhouette, were largely a waste of effort. As can be seen alongside.

A couple of the neighbour's pretty chickens had escaped into the drive and pottered steadily ahead of me as I walked very slowly to avoid a panic. The moment the drive widened they turned around, nipped past and then walked together all the way back again.

Late afternoon ride in baking 78F heat with quite an easterly headwind. I rode up the hill and then back down through the beech forest to add a couple of extra miles. Several cyclists out training at twice the speed I was going. Only 10 miles.

Thursday 15th 60F, 16C, clear sky, bright sunshine. Another day on the tropical island of Denmark. Another hour and half walk to capture more farming activity. Rest day from the trike.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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