10.05.2025 A bit more gardening.

 ~o~

  Saturday 10th 47F/8.3C. Overcast. Early cloud should clear to some sunshine.

  Up at 7am after visiting the fire bucket every hour on the hour. 

  I shall be riding to a shopping village about 10-12km away. They have two supermarkets which I don't have locally. First ride with my new flat shoes. I wish they were lighter. My Sorel, lightweight, walking boots weigh only 487g each. 

 I would usually choose my flimsy trainers for increased cadence. [Higher pedaling rpm.] Provided conditions were suitable. The trainers were too cold for cold weather. At 531g I will get more stiffness in the soles from the Scott Alps. We shall soon see what this change brings. 

 8.15. Time for a walk. I'll wear the new shoes to get a better feel for them. The car is dripping with dew. So it won't be very warm yet. We should see 17C/62F after lunch.

 8.50 Back from my walk to the lanes. The new shoes were fine. Some slight sense of lumpiness to the soles. Soon ignored. I was too warm in a jumper and fleece jacket. While my hands were too cold. The jacket came off for the return journey. The sun broke through though remained veiled at times.

 Every tree seemed inhabited by an excited warbler. I saw several moving about. While blackbirds measured their tones as a constant background chorus. Explosive power from wood pigeons. As they applauded their own speed and fast reactions with hard beating wings. 

 I saw the same bird of prey as earlier in the week. Almost all white above and below. Dark wingtips and a long tail. A harrier of some kind? It was too far off today to see much detail. It is in the image above somewhere. The oil seed rape blossom is just beginning to go over. A solitary swallow banked steeply for another run. Out, across the prairie.

 9.00 I'll have morning coffee and then tootle off on the e-bike.  

 10.00 Plants watered. Finally ready. 

 12.00 Back from my shopping trip. Only 26km. Shoes okay. Perhaps a little warm. My feet always found the pedals naturally and felt secure. I was able to spin up to the mid 90s rpm. Though my average cadence is in the low 80s these days. I didn't notice the shoes while I was walking around the shops. Though there is plenty of grip from the soft rubber. 

14.45 I have been out in the garden. Working in the shade of the towering trees. Removing the last of the brambles down by the old pond. There were trailing runners over 5m long. Mixed amongst them is a shrub with similar leaves. Though white underneath. Light fawn, arching, woody stems. No thorns.

 My wife was always planting something. It may be a fruit bush escapee for all I know. Though I thought they were usually thorny. Her gooseberries behind the observatory are vicious! 

 Good guess? Google Lens says it's a red raspberry. I'll leave them to do their thing. The scrambling Yews are still going strong. Spreading along the western boundary and exploring outwards at their feet.

 Vinca Minor still covering the ground after 29 years of shade. Mixed in with pretty Archangel in yellow flower. A Red oak has self seeded. Or grown from a discarded acorn or pot. It won't do any harm there. Being fastigiate they don't take up much room.

 I am repeatedly raking the ground around the Horse chestnut tree stump. To remove the remaining woody stuff, bark and bramble stems.  The heap is fast approaching trailer sized! 

 I am hoping the grass will spread to this whole area for easier maintenance with the mower. The mower doesn't like running over hard stuff. Perhaps I should buy some lawn seed. 

16.30 I pottered about pulling weeds until it was time to take a break. It has clouded over.  

 Dinner was a bit frivolous. Two fried eggs on cheese on toast. I broke one egg trying to turn it over. So I left them in peace.

After dinner I had to catch up on the washing up.

  ~o~