Thursday 16/11/23  Eddie started rubbing down the outer door of the visitor centre with sandpaper as it would not close properly last time. I found Joe’s plane and took it to Eddie, he then used that to trim the door to size, which soon made it fit.

Howard got a bonfire going in the incinerator and burnt the rest of the tall thick weeds which we pulled from the compost bay, as they will not rot down. Eddie and Howard brought brash from other areas to be burned. I made us all coffee and brought biscuits which we had by the bonfire. 

I removed wire mesh from the bottom of the Kingfisher tunnel, as we will mount it on a board and build it into the river wall when we repair it, which will probably be next spring. The nest tunnel needs to be installed at a slight angle to allow water to drain out, so I fitted a wooden strip to the board to prevent eggs rolling out. The pieces of mesh I removed can be used for making another insect habitat. 

I filled the bird feeders and topped up their drinking water, the baked potatoes I put on the bird table last week had not been eaten. I strimmed the Blacksmith’s area now the flowers have finished, but I left two Teasels growing as Goldfinches like to eat the seeds. Howard and I took the thick cuttings away to burn on the fire.

Howard got two buckets of river water and used them to put the bonfire out before we left. The incinerator has now rusted badly, the base is falling out and its beyond repair so we will need to get a replacement.

Wildlife seen today were a flock of Fieldfares which Howard spotted in trees opposite the mill and a Heron which flew over the mill. On our way back to The Maltings we saw two Cygnets in the river, last time we only saw one, but the Swans are still a family of four, the Cygnets were quite a distance away from their parents who were further downstream. The Swan family flew over us a few weeks ago. 

Thursday 23/11/23  There were four of us at the mill today, we took the trailer with the open days car park signs and our towed sweeper, as we need to refurbish the signs before Mills Weekend in May, and we planned to sweep cuttings from the wildflower meadow. We stopped at the railway piers to load up some old fence panels from the fire site as they make good kindling for our fire in the wagon, we also loaded up some wood for making signs and fence posts.

I went on the mower and cut the grass at the upstream end of the site and in the corner of the track as it got missed last time. I also cut the wildflower meadow as it needs cutting throughout winter to keep grass and weeds under control. This should be cut on the highest setting so it did not leave many cuttings, so we didn’t need to use the sweeper today.

Eddie lit the fire in the wagon and I put my Quiche in the oven above. Howard lit a bonfire in what’s left of the incinerator, Emma has ordered us a new one. I went back a short distance along the track to get a fence panel which fell off the trailer on the way down and some brash beside the track for the fire, when I got back the Gator truck had a flat tyre.

Anne Marie brought Tulip bulbs and planted them in the garden near the tunnel exit as well as tidying the garden near the small Oak tree where more bulbs were discovered. Anne Marie noticed the Cyclamen on the river bank are still flowering, they have been in flower since August.

We all had lunch in the wagon by the fire and I ate my hot Quiche, Eddie made us tea and coffee and we all agreed that the chocolate cake Anne Marie made recently was really delicious.

In the afternoon we jacked up the Gator and tried to undo the wheel bolts to get the flat tyre off, but we couldn’t get them undone. I needed to borrow an impact driver from Fred’s workshop, I had to go and get it on the mower. I came back in my Jeep to save time, I got the Gator wheel off straight away and took it to the garage and gave Anne Marie a lift back. The garage fixed the tyre while I waited so I took it back and fitted it. I saw a Swan and two Cygnets near The Maltings on my many journeys along the river bank.

While I was gone, Eddie went over the bridge and cut up some of the fallen tree which was cleared from the footpath a few weeks ago, he brought a barrow load back for firewood, but there’s lots more so we will collect the rest another time. It got very windy so Howard put the bonfire out, as the incinerator had collapsed and it was too risky to have an open fire on such a windy day. Eddie and Howard pulled nails out of some wood we salvaged from the fire site at The Maltings.

I cut down the board for the Kingfisher nest tunnel so it fits the tunnel properly, I also cut straps from builders band to hold the parts onto the board, then painted it. When we repair the river wall the Kingfisher tunnel will be built into it, only the tunnel entrance will be visible. The Kingfisher tunnel is left over from our Green Grant.

We put the car park signs in the visitor centre ready to be refurbished over winter. We also stored the sweeper in there ready for when we need it to clear cuttings from the wildflower meadow. There was a good view of the sun on the field behind the visitor centre as we were leaving.

Graham Bartlett  

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