Last month Steve and Sidney worked hard to upgrade the footbridge but the damp soil was heavy and made it impossible. Many thanks to Dan and Kay who came to help us next time. With all the hot weather the soil was much lighter and so was the foot bridge! It only took about 20 minutes and looks so much better. Steve got a new toy. It will make keeping the paths open so much easier! Currently we have been using a petrol walk behind lawnmower. Sidney and Paul, his dad, helped t

We were unable to stay at our usual place last time we were at the woodlands so we chose a houseboat on the River Ant. Steve loved it as he could fish from right beside the houseboat each morning before we set off to the woodlands and once again in the evening. He caught several fish, roach and perch. Vespa and I didn't enjoy it so much. Vespa found the slippery floor made it difficult for her to get up. I hated being bitten so badly by the vicious mosquitoes. It took days t

A trip to Kew Gardens had us discovering much about carbon capture. This was a plus as we had gone to see the Henry Moore sculptures. And then, just like magic, this appeared on Facebook! Garden Tips & Tricks · The size of a bee tells you whether it produces kilograms of honey, pollinates specific crops, or lives alone without a hive — and Britain is home to around 270 species of wild bees. 🐝 The honey bee (Apis mellifera) is the only species that lives in large colonies. A

Some prospective buyers have expressed concern that looking after the woodlands might be challenging ir too difficult. The first advice we were given was not to try and do everything at once. That is the recipe for despair and discouragement. It is best to take on small projects and see the effect of what you have achieved. We come to the woodlands twice a month in the summer for two days. Usually we get away with once a month in the other seasons. There are big jobs like th