Still working on the ride

Last Sunday we were joined by Milo, a 15 year old doing his Duke of Edinburgh Award, whose father was keen to get him working during the summer holidays. We found his youthful energy and muscle power an  invaluable help, and he and Sarah used the bowsaw to fell 10 trees along the ride nearest the gate, some big ones included. Milo enjoyed the felling process but  importantly was equally enthusiastic in sawing them up into required cord lengths, and even more importantly cheerfully hauled every last scrap of brushwood , which is the tedious hard work part,  to add to the dry fence started earlier in the year. Result, nothing left on the ride to inhibit the flora.  While he and Sarah were busy with this task I shifted 4 huge piles of thin logs left on the ride to the 'firewood' pile near the gate. Now there are just a couple of large brushwood piles and thin log piles up near the top end of the ride  to get rid of.  We plan to continue thinning  from the gate up, disposing of the trees one at a time as we go. I think this will keep us occupied for a while.

During a rest  from labour I spotted a comma butterfly, on a large patch of flat , bright orange fungus on the right of the ride looking north. We also disturbed some fallow deer, a doe and her fawn - I hadn't seen any for months - they seem to have lots to eat elsewhere in the woods. I had my camera with me but as usual forgot to use it ........