A different point of view

6.15 am view back to the Bonsai Mountain on this mornings mini Triathlon. We are on the dark side.

The answer is no

I was asked if I had a pressure washer today. Can't think why!

Evening Primrose

 Its been a long and very interesting day, early doors saw yours truly on the bonsai mountain with

 some dogs ecstatically  rolling in fox scat and after a quick shower and change (me not K9s) I piloted Gerry in a south easterly direction to spend a few hours bathed in academia (read eating yum yums, drinking tea, talking politics and ignoring the ever closer deadline for three assignments and a dissertation)

 at the university stupid enough to think they can make me a doctor. Then just as the  cakes and parking meter ran out Gerry and I headed north where we surprised a friend who I had not seen for some 14 years, neither of us has changed, much, and then got back to HQ in time to see the sunset

over the hills and evening primroses of home.

A day of contrasts to say the least.

Daffodils in the garden

 Daffodils in the garden again.

And by the looks of it so is Springtime.

Technical hitch

 The erection of the shed went smoothly early doors and despite a slight technical hitch caused by a small oversight of the location of the door things were soon resolved and

 once weather proof the work on the insides began under the ever-watchful gaze of a Berner.

 In fact no matter where I was working in the garden there was always someone looking at me.

As it was such a glorious day it seemed a bad idea to spend it gardening so

as part of my almost sticking to a training plan regime I devised a mini triathlon involving the rowing machine, the mountain bike and shanks' pony.

Fun and games

 Second breakfast saw yours truly suitably attired in lycra to blend in with other Mamils outside Climb on Bikes with Stable Sprite (also clad in lycra emblazoned Pink Floyd, I'm not jealous) ready for a jolly jaunt in the countryside to raise money for charity and to burn off enough calories to allow cake consumption.

 Unfortunately yours truly had lacked the foresight to ensure the batteries were charged in his new GoPro camera so there are no exciting clips of the fantastic route which took me along lanes I had not cycled since I was a mere boy. This picture will mean nothing to many but to me it means a lot as its my house where I spent my formative years (its the one in the centre)

 Anyroadup after a blistering pace (ahem) the finish line was crossed allowing free access to abundant cakes.

 There was plenty to go around, plus gallons of tea.

 Posing on the finish line.

 Getting amongst the free tea and stickies.

Stable Sprite happy at the tea urn after surviving his longest ride to date.

 

 Back at the ranch no rest for the wicked as some big jobs needed attention which was why I was at the business end of a hammer attaching half round rails to a new stock fence.

 Thanks to the major effort of a non Steve the job was ticked off the list before tea which gave me enough time to coerce him into shovelling gravel into a barrow so I could lay a new base for a shed that is about to be erected.

 First check of levels revealed this, expand the picture to see that the bubble is almost dead centre which isn't bad for first attempt with a bent rake.

 More good news followed in that 8 salvaged slabs laid on the new level gravel bed matched exactly the footprint of the shed base.

So an hour after starting the base was ready for the build and this might have taken place had the bolts for the new shed not been put in a safe place and the person who put them there hadn't forgotten where that place was.

The missing link

This clip failed to load, its how to behave when you have a large bouncy dog between you and very big fall. Cader Idris 2015. What a day :)

Stand by....

 The green menace located on todays circuit of the Bonsai Mountain.

Its back. The war continues.

End of play

Not as much progress as I wanted but we are getting there, halfway there in fact. Should all be done by the weekend which is when the new shed gets put on the new concrete base. Or not.
Yesterday saw the first Swallow of the year!

Big jobs

 With the longer evenings it means less time indoors and more time to do big jobs that  lurk on the jobs list, like finish the fencing which is why yours truly could be seen thumping stakes in at six foot intervals halfway along the orchard.

 I am not technically qualified to undertake such a task so I am doing the easy bits, like pay for the materials, put materials where I want them ready for a non Steve to finish off what I have started.

This is also on the jobs list, to turn this bit of building site into an attractive water feature. Then there's the hedge laying, more fencing, putting up a shed, extending the kennels, demolishing the old kennels, building s new stable block and feed store.............
Its going to be a busy summer!

Closer to the edge

Video clips from yesterdays epic adventure on Cader Idris, this is the point at which the long haul up the steep slope yielded a reward, in the distance Cader Idris is in the cloud, this soon disperses. Its a bright sunny day but very cold. 

This is the summit trig point and view across the mountain range.

This is the next peak around and a lethal drop just in front. I decided that me between a lethal drop and a bouncy big dog was a bad idea so retreated! 

:)

Return trip

 Its been a while since yours truly did Cader Idris so today along with the action Berner Spotty, John and Keef we set off to bag some summits.

 As can be see the weather was perfect, in fact it was a perfect mountain day.

 With steep exposed climbs, fantastic views and great company.

 Spotty enjoyed himself, here we both are posing on the summit before

 retiring to the mountain refuge to cook our second breakfasts.

 The interior of the stone hut soon filled with the heady aromas given off by a Bombay Bad Boy.

 This is a curious view down a stone chute, near vertical in places, up which Lil Bef aged six and he who cannot be named aged nine followed yours truly and John as we re-enacted pages from a very soggy copy of The Hobbit. They still remember the Orc caves and looking for Smaug in the fog, the type of experiences you don't get on a playstation.

 This is the view back along the ridge

 and here is Keef trying to take a picture of as sudden death drop, his fall being prevented by a less than sturdy looking fence post.

 The scenery was stunning

 every step seemed to yield another perfect photo opportunity.

 I was careful not to get too close to the edge with such a brainless dog keen to jump up.

 Down at the lake we had our own beach

 and got a brew on

 for a cuppa while taking in the views. Again.

 This massive piece of quartz has fallen from the summit.

 A handy map at the start of our hike showed where we had been

 and a short distance away we found a café that served up excellent sausage sandwiches especially for Berners.

Suitably refreshed we headed back to reality for tea and medals. A great mountain day.