Hope you all enjoyed your extra hour in bed; I as always, get confused as to why I’m up so early, wonder why the day is passing so slowly and think the world is ending when the sun sets at 4pm. There lies the reason why I work with trees and bees rather than anything numerical. The added hurricane simulator did not help; however, I had a blast cycling from Chorlton to Withington, not touching the peddles once, going propa rapid.
Although, it is worth highlighting the National Trust’s rule where if winds reach over 50mph they shut a site so a full tree investigation can take place, to highlight any broken or damaged tree specimens which could pose risk. Whilst we cannot shut the Lower Medlock Valley, highlighting this increased risk is common sense, with checks occurring tomorrow (Monday 26th October).
Whilst the weather stopped mine and Dave’s fun, we still achieved a lot this week. Landscaping, including ‘Besbrick’ steps leading to a new riverside bench, with a developing Stumpary also on the incline, built over the path from Orion’s Orchard. (What3words ///grace.back.this)
An impromptu decision, the stumpary came after a trip to Biddulph Garden, just below Congleton it holds the world’s largest stumpary, made of up-turned oak tree stumps, all inoculated with mosses, lichens and fern verities. Creating quite a creepy atmosphere, our stumpary feels friendlier with the stumps (Large logs) taken from past tree felling just off Gurney Street. Partially sub-merged into the soil, the FOMV stumpary is very architectural with much of the wood already occupied by Fungi and creatures with far more legs than me. Additionally, transplanting a few ferns, tall grasses, geraniums and whatever cool looking vegetation I saw on the valley helped to settle the stumpary into its new place.
Please go check out this new area (Any name recommendations?). Sit on the bench and listen out for the local Coot and have those beedis peeled for the blue flash of a Kingfisher. Then as you eventually make your way up the steps, see how many place names you can see on the bricks, I counted five.
See you about,
Alex, FOMV
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