Not really the traditional way most people would consider to spend the supposedly 'most romantic' day of the year, but for the PEA crew it was business as usual we headed to Maker for a spot of Vegetation Clearance...
Well, thats what we were all expecting at least anyway...
That is, till a certain project manager remembered
he'd left the minibus petrol cap key at home...Ooops!
After an unexpected detour to Chris's humble abode,
we eventually arrived at Maker in time for a cup of tea....
Chris then insisted on being our star model for this week's Tool demonstration....
He was very excited about the brand new loppers....
Beautifully mimed cutting down some grass...
And gave us a brilliant demonstration of raking...Hmm...Now who does he remind you off...
'He'd make a fine chimney sweep!"
With the demonstration over we made our way to the today's site in the 'literally' blazing sunshine!
Under this mass of wild shrubbery we were informed was a long standing
fort foundation that needed to be unearthed...
With the sun warming backs though we got straight to work...
We even met some of the locals who were enjoying the unusually fine weather with a refreshing pint....
They only have enough change for one!
We then headed back up the hill for some lunch...
During which we were treated to a local plant masterclass by our wild plant expert Esther.
She is currently in the midst of writing up her plant
masterclass into 'blog form' which shall be posted up in the very near future!
masterclass into 'blog form' which shall be posted up in the very near future!
WARNING: Readers with a weak disposition may want to
put their cups of tea down
for after lunch I sustained a severe injury...
In the form of the cut finger from a VICIOUS...bramble.
Luckily as well being well schooled in the way of plants,
Esther is also a dab hand at applying plasters....
She's kinda like a female Gandalf...
Except without the beard and smell of old toby...
On our volunteering sessions you can learn many different enviromental skills...like Camouflage!
It's like I'm not even there!
Which for some people may take a bit of time to perfect...
Keep trying Chris....
Though one of the biggest projects we have yet to take on for this year,
by the end of the day we had really begun to make a visible difference to the site...
by the end of the day we had really begun to make a visible difference to the site...
And as we gathered for our group photos in the setting sun...
We all agreed there couldn't have been a better way to spend February the 14th....
Isn't that right...Esther & Chris?
Michael Gamble-PEA Team
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