Well, perhaps just one more time. Chilly today but mercifully dry with a brace of Ems, ditto of Grahams, a single Richard (the Younger), Catriona, Roger and Mr Chairman (as I am absolutely never known).
Between us we finished off the remainder of the stretch up to the gatepost. Another section of the old wall had obligingly fallen over during the week, thus exposing all manner of new raw material which we fell upon (not literally altho' ...). We now have a very passable imitation of a wall end and some tidy piles of surplus stone for next time.
I have contacted Sarah to ask if she can arrange for a trailer/dumper to be at the barn next week so that we can muster such copes as can be located, ship them up to the wall and finish of with some half-decent toppers. That's the plan anyway.
Would anyone reading this drivel please signal as soon as possible whether they will be available next week so that we can be sure of adequate numbers to finish the project by close of play.
Many thanks to those who showed today - I think we can all be well satisfied with what we have achieved at Markenfield especially given the rather 'mixed' materials at our disposal.
Apologies again for the absence of photos - PC and camera still not on speaking terms.
Wednesday 29 February 2012
Tuesday 28 February 2012
A belated salute to the brave
Whoops! Forgot to blog Wednesday 22nd February.
Most of you deduced from the Met Office gloom that it was not going to be much of a day, and you were right. Nevertheless, five (fool)hardy souls turned out and it's a 'big up' to the Richard twins, Phillip and Roger for having braved the elements.
Actually the first part of the morning was merely damp and it was only towards lunchtime that life turned properly soggy. Meantime, we pressed on with the final stint, intending always to build into the good-looking stretch of existing wall by the gatepost.
Yes, well, the best laid plans and all that. Seeking to consolidate a slightly dodgy end section, we removed a few teetering stones and the rest followed suit with the gentlest of rumbles. Cue expletives and executive decision to forestall further tumbles in the section of wall not yet surveyed by FOMH by building a wall end to finish off with. Looking good so far though stone selection is a little .... challenging.
No action as yet on copes - maybe this week?
Most of you deduced from the Met Office gloom that it was not going to be much of a day, and you were right. Nevertheless, five (fool)hardy souls turned out and it's a 'big up' to the Richard twins, Phillip and Roger for having braved the elements.
Actually the first part of the morning was merely damp and it was only towards lunchtime that life turned properly soggy. Meantime, we pressed on with the final stint, intending always to build into the good-looking stretch of existing wall by the gatepost.
Yes, well, the best laid plans and all that. Seeking to consolidate a slightly dodgy end section, we removed a few teetering stones and the rest followed suit with the gentlest of rumbles. Cue expletives and executive decision to forestall further tumbles in the section of wall not yet surveyed by FOMH by building a wall end to finish off with. Looking good so far though stone selection is a little .... challenging.
No action as yet on copes - maybe this week?
Wednesday 15 February 2012
The end is in sight ...
With advance apologies for the absence of photos (will publish later when I can persuade PC and camera to talk to one another) a quick update on walling today.
One of those rather pretty English late-winter days with low sunshine and a sharpish breeze to remind us that spring is still some way round the corner, though rather closer than it appeared to the hardy souls who showed up last week.
The end really is now in sight - photos taken today include the target gatepost without the use of wide-angle lenses. Yet another good turnout of wallers and thanks to Roger, Phillip, Catriona and a brace each of Richards and Grahams for making us 8 in all. It was hi and goodbye to Emma II who has injured her hand and sensibly opted to go walkies instead.
The last bit of stripping out and the last foundations were completed and the wall continued its gentle uphill march with the penultimate stint just a couple of courses below coping stone level. No action on copes as yet but maybe next week. By my reckoning (fallible to the last) we should be done in another three sessions.
I will talk to Madame Secretary (and the Lord High Treasurer if he ever stops galivanting) about our next project but I will be voting for the pinfold project at Winksley which needs only three or four visits. We can then select our next big one from a growing list.
Thanks again everybody.
PS who was last week's mystery guest?
One of those rather pretty English late-winter days with low sunshine and a sharpish breeze to remind us that spring is still some way round the corner, though rather closer than it appeared to the hardy souls who showed up last week.
The end really is now in sight - photos taken today include the target gatepost without the use of wide-angle lenses. Yet another good turnout of wallers and thanks to Roger, Phillip, Catriona and a brace each of Richards and Grahams for making us 8 in all. It was hi and goodbye to Emma II who has injured her hand and sensibly opted to go walkies instead.
The last bit of stripping out and the last foundations were completed and the wall continued its gentle uphill march with the penultimate stint just a couple of courses below coping stone level. No action on copes as yet but maybe next week. By my reckoning (fallible to the last) we should be done in another three sessions.
I will talk to Madame Secretary (and the Lord High Treasurer if he ever stops galivanting) about our next project but I will be voting for the pinfold project at Winksley which needs only three or four visits. We can then select our next big one from a growing list.
Thanks again everybody.
PS who was last week's mystery guest?
Wednesday 8 February 2012
Tales from the frozen north!
Brrrrr...
Well, it's unsurprising that we had a low turnout this week, what with the mercury dropping to a teeth chattering -1 degrees c this morning.
Three intrepid (there is another word for us but this isn't the place) wallers headed out into the hostile elements. They stepped out, they may be some time...
Thank you, thank you, Roger and Catriona for flying the flag, it was freezing and miserable with no sunshine to warm us!
Undeterred by the inhospitable weather and the fact that a lot of the stones were frozen to the ground we pushed on and managed to throw up a couple of courses. We stuck it out until lunch when the cold finally overcame the weakest member of the team (ie me!) and we called it a day or morning to be more accurate!
We were visited by an old friend who hasn't been seen in a while, he came for coffee and didn't wall, we'll let him off this time!
I see from the forecast that we are in for more fun weather tomorrow, but it's not a walling day so I'll watch it from the window and enjoy.
See you in a couple of weeks, Em
The evidence that we did actually turn up is below!
Well, it's unsurprising that we had a low turnout this week, what with the mercury dropping to a teeth chattering -1 degrees c this morning.
Three intrepid (there is another word for us but this isn't the place) wallers headed out into the hostile elements. They stepped out, they may be some time...
Thank you, thank you, Roger and Catriona for flying the flag, it was freezing and miserable with no sunshine to warm us!
Undeterred by the inhospitable weather and the fact that a lot of the stones were frozen to the ground we pushed on and managed to throw up a couple of courses. We stuck it out until lunch when the cold finally overcame the weakest member of the team (ie me!) and we called it a day or morning to be more accurate!
We were visited by an old friend who hasn't been seen in a while, he came for coffee and didn't wall, we'll let him off this time!
I see from the forecast that we are in for more fun weather tomorrow, but it's not a walling day so I'll watch it from the window and enjoy.
See you in a couple of weeks, Em
The evidence that we did actually turn up is below!
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