A Vet fit for a cake!! 20/07/2015

It was Lauren's birthday a few weeks ago while she was on fifth year work placements from Vet School.

As she is home for a week before heading off to New Zealand on a three week placement, we had a little family get together at the cottage.  Myself, Hilary, Lauren, Jonny and Rachel, Helen and Hugh; the five Dorking and two pheasant chicks (more another day!)  wisely opted to stay in the garden as Lauren has a fear of hens?  Just remember that one next time you go to your local Veterinary Surgeon....!!  As it was the first time we had seen Lauren since her birthday we baked a cake which Helen, in her own inimitable style, decorated.  A pastoral depiction of green fields and a wealth of animals, which Lauren thought was hilarious!



I have to confess that I ate the duck, couldn't help myself.......

Up on the roof.....

I bit the bullet yesterday and climbed onto the roof to remind myself of the work that needs to be done up there, not a happy visit.  Apart from the stone roof at the front of the building which needs to be removed so that the supporting timbers can be reinforced or replaced as required, the roof needs to have a breathable membrane fitted and all of the battens replaced.  On the modern tiled roof, all the ridges need to be reset, the tiles in the valleys re-pointed, leadwork repaired and some of the coping stones replaced.  Not least of all, one of the chimney stacks is in urgent need of general repair and pointing..........

So that will keep me busy tomorrow!

On the up side, the view east from the roof is always good, looking over the old orchard, the hen runs and field shelter.  I can just see the horses in the field, some of the young Dorking crosses in the garden and one of the ducks making her way through the orchard gate.

Jon

A Pause......

We are having a short pause in work here at Holly Cottage while we sort out a small problem with the levels on the new driveway.

Chance to remind ourselves why we bought this place, with a walk or two with the boys beside our little burn.

The next scheduled job is to reinforce the foundations at the front of the old part of the cottage with a concrete beam.

Time for a short breather. 26th May 2015

After a busy couple of weeks working on the new driveway at the cottage, time today to wander about the field and beside the burn with a camera.

A dandelion beside the burn.



A plantain flower going to seed.



Cuckoo Flower growing in the lawn.

[caption id="attachment_3031" align="alignnone" width="300"] Cardamine pratensis[/caption]

Back to work tomorrow.......

At Last! 6th May 2015

After months of waiting, we finally received permission from the Highways Dept to remove the garden wall at the cottage in preparation for the building of a new driveway.

The new drive is not something we were especially wanting but it became a condition of planning approval for the renovation and extension of Holly Cottage.



There were three or four old stumps to remove but the digger made quick work of them!



The contractors arrived a couple of days later and within a few hours made a nice job of the new kerbs and working entrance to the drive.

  

By the end of last week we had excavated the temporary area of the driveway and laid the roadstone base.



One ahem? "minor" job that faced Hilary and me was to move a very old Rhododendron which grew very close to the old garden wall (now demolished).  We didn't want to lose this lovely old shrub so, using the digger we eventually managed to lift it out of the ground and move it to it's new position a few meters away.  What a struggle.......



Triumphant but exhausted at the end of a very long day!

Jon.

Apple blossom. 20th May 2015

A lovely bright morning at the cottage this morning, the apple blossom in the orchard is glorious....

Ducks on a Hot Slate Roof! 19th May 2015

I popped out of the cottage to collect the eggs and found two of the ducks enjoying a spot of sunshine on the roof. Not seen them up there before....