Thursday 10/8/23  Eddie spent most of the day weeding the brick floor around the hammer mill and cistern as there were tall weeds all over it, most pulled up easily so the brick floors were not damaged.

Anne Marie left a box of Lambs Ears plants and a bag of Honesty and mixed Poppy seeds which we took to the mill. Anne Marie walked down the Nar Valley Way which was very overgrown and crossed our bridge, then dug up nettles and planted Lambs Ears around the old bird table, watered them in and watered the other plants. 

Anne Marie then removed Honesty seeds discs from the stems and put them in the greenhouse to dry out, then sprinkled Mixed Poppy seeds over the Oak tree area.

I got compost from the bottom of our compost bay and planted red Lupin seeds which I brought from my garden into a pot and blue Lupin seeds from our Lupins in another pot, I watered them and put them in the greenhouse in a tray of water.

I took a barrow of bird food, filled up the feeders and topped up the water bowl. We had lunch outside as it was a very hot day. Anne Marie made Flapjacks and Ginger cake for us, they were both really nice.

In the afternoon I used Barry’s mower to cut the paths in the wildflower meadow again. The white Yarrow and Catchfly are now in flower in the meadow. I saw a Frog, but it disappeared into the wildflowers before I could get a picture.

My last job was moving one of the lights in the shed as it was on the side of a rafter and did not give much light, I moved it to the bottom of the beam which now lights up a bigger area.

Thursday 17/8/23  There were five of us today, on the way to the mill we saw the footpath the other side of the river being cut with a brushcutter, so I posted on the Narborough facebook page so people will know its useable again after being overgrown for so long.

Anne Marie and Emma walked down, Emma weeded the hammer mill and surrounding brick floors as well as making tea for us all. Anne Marie weeded the gardens, then cleared nettles and weeds from the river bank. Cyclamen grow on the bank this time of year so we need to keep it clear for them to flower. Anne Marie also sprinkled Love-In-The-Mist seeds which I brought recently. 

Ryan brought the petrol strimmer and cut all the edges, I rode down on the mower and cut one side of the track on the way. At the mill I cut the area over the blacksmith’s shop for the first time, we had covered it in soil, so vegetation has now come up. I cut the upper riverside lawn and paths through the wildflower meadow again.

Eddie noticed one of the insect hotels had fallen over and was missing a leg, so he took it to the shed, made another leg and repaired it. Emma got us a sack of bird seed which Eddie emptied into the sealed tubs, then filled up the bird feeders. Ryan mowed the area between the river and wagon with Barry’s mower and I cut the large and small lawns with the ride on mower.

I took off the Perspex panel over the brick floor next to the steps and pulled out weeds from under it, then cleaned the panel. I watered the Lupin seeds I planted in the greenhouse last time.

We all had lunch outside as it was a hot sunny day and we had a discussion about the fallen river wall and a few other things including preservation of the site and some left over nest boxes which we need to install soon.

In the afternoon I removed the glass panel over the brick floor between the grindstones, pulled out weeds and refitted the panel using new screw caps. I then washed the glass panel as it was covered in dried grass cuttings.

Ryan went across the bridge to strim around the gate frame, bench seat and notice board, he confirmed the path had been mown by the brushcutter, this will be useful for our open days on 16 & 17 September as walkers will be able to cross our bridge to join us from the footpath from surrounding villages. 

I checked the table next to the visitor centre, the legs were loose so Ryan tightened all the screws. Ryan noticed several Bees around the insect hotels, we watched one reverse into a hole. They are getting more use in the wildflower meadow than when they were at the other end of the site. 

Emma continued weeding the brick floors and noticed two Buzzards flying overhead, Anne Marie watered the gardens. Eddie took the mower back and cut the rest of the riverside track, we saw a lone Swan and purple flowers in the river on our way back.

Graham Bartlett  

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