Coming back from the shops on Saturday morning I was able to lay some off-cuts from a skip over the top of my shopping trolley. Then, when I reached the old factory where now artists live and work ,one of the big rubbish bins had off-cuts in, so I grabbed one piece - having no room for more.
Once there was some nice wood left outside the old factory and I went home with my trolley, unloading my stuff, going into my neighbour's with her stuff and unloading that, chatting to her, getting the cheque. Then 3/4 an hour later I went back up the road to find someone else had taken the wood.
This time it was down the road, quickly unloaded my shopping and back the road again - less than10 minutes. But the wood had gone! One of the bins was now closed and I couldn't open it. Did this bin still contain the wood?
However I did get one piece from another skip at the end of the road. There were long lengths of nice wood on the scaffolding on the house which the skip was outside. So this evening when I got home I went up to see what was in the skip - four good length pieces - nearly 3 evenings' worth of burning!
I checked the bin outside the factory just in case.
I've a lot of sawing up to do, but a good addition to my wood stash in one weekend.
But I still wish I had not missed out on those extra bits!
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Friday, August 19, 2016
Kings Cross Skip Garden
A colleague at work organises a lunchtime walk most months. This month we went to the Kings Cross Skip garden. This is a little space behind Kings Cross with a lot of second hand stuff, not just used skips, made into a community garden.
As well as the herbs, vegetables and wild flowers, there are also beehives (which we didn't see) and chickens (which we did).
There were two chickens, one of which had wonderful markings. They reminded me of medieval floor tiles.
I don't have room for chickens.
If I did and I had a fox-proof shed and run for them, it would be very stressful when foxes were pacing around or sleeping in the sun on top of them! And if I could have hens I would feel I would have to take rescue chickens. But in my dreams I would have a couple of these chickens!
https://www.kingscross.co.uk/skip-garden
As well as the herbs, vegetables and wild flowers, there are also beehives (which we didn't see) and chickens (which we did).
There were two chickens, one of which had wonderful markings. They reminded me of medieval floor tiles.
I don't have room for chickens.
If I did and I had a fox-proof shed and run for them, it would be very stressful when foxes were pacing around or sleeping in the sun on top of them! And if I could have hens I would feel I would have to take rescue chickens. But in my dreams I would have a couple of these chickens!
https://www.kingscross.co.uk/skip-garden
Friday, August 12, 2016
I've passed the chimney sweep test!
My woodburning stove had its annual maintenance this morning and my chimney was swept at the same time.
This is a little earlier than last year as Mark* said last time he was less busy in August and gets very busy afterwards.
He could tell from my soot that I had been burning dry wood.
He knows from the messy soot stuck to his brushes when people have been burning wet wood. They always deny it! Other people use their fires as an incinerator and burn all sorts of things on it. They often try to burn dog or cat hair, but this doesn't burn easily, so that is brought down all sooty by the brush.
Every time I am arranging for my logs to be delivered I have wondered whether coppicing and pollarding is increasing to keep up with demand as more and more people get wood burning stoves. Mark says we could become like Germany where wood is becoming scarce and expensive.
On Wednesday coming back from kayaking I passed a skip up the road with a large piece of wood in it that looked clean and brought it home, but it wasn't until I saw it properly in the morning that I could see that it didn't have the greenish tinge that showed it had had wood preservative put on it. It should be 2 evening's burning once I've sawn it up.
*Mark Killick 07914 041813 (lives in Enfield)
This is a little earlier than last year as Mark* said last time he was less busy in August and gets very busy afterwards.
He could tell from my soot that I had been burning dry wood.
He knows from the messy soot stuck to his brushes when people have been burning wet wood. They always deny it! Other people use their fires as an incinerator and burn all sorts of things on it. They often try to burn dog or cat hair, but this doesn't burn easily, so that is brought down all sooty by the brush.
Every time I am arranging for my logs to be delivered I have wondered whether coppicing and pollarding is increasing to keep up with demand as more and more people get wood burning stoves. Mark says we could become like Germany where wood is becoming scarce and expensive.
On Wednesday coming back from kayaking I passed a skip up the road with a large piece of wood in it that looked clean and brought it home, but it wasn't until I saw it properly in the morning that I could see that it didn't have the greenish tinge that showed it had had wood preservative put on it. It should be 2 evening's burning once I've sawn it up.
*Mark Killick 07914 041813 (lives in Enfield)
Friday, August 5, 2016
Wildlife and cycling better in the city
I was chatting to 2 colleagues yesterday.
One loved wildlife, particularly birds, and had moved to the country mainly because of this. He said that generally he had seen a lot more birds when he was living in Hackney, especially on the marshes. He also hadn't been out on his bike since moving as he felt the country lanes were so dangerous. He found it frightening enough driving past cyclists
The other colleague had moved to Lewes where the wildlife was not so good as in London (except for the slow worms in the Quaker meeting house garden). He had cycled almost daily when he lived in Walthamstow, but doesn't in Lewes, again because he felt it dangerous and unpleasant.
I know my friend who moved from Walthamstow to Sudbury in Suffolk has nice cycle routes near her as I have twice taken my folding bike on the train to Sudbury for a cycle ride with her. I'll have to check with her about the wildlife.
One loved wildlife, particularly birds, and had moved to the country mainly because of this. He said that generally he had seen a lot more birds when he was living in Hackney, especially on the marshes. He also hadn't been out on his bike since moving as he felt the country lanes were so dangerous. He found it frightening enough driving past cyclists
The other colleague had moved to Lewes where the wildlife was not so good as in London (except for the slow worms in the Quaker meeting house garden). He had cycled almost daily when he lived in Walthamstow, but doesn't in Lewes, again because he felt it dangerous and unpleasant.
I know my friend who moved from Walthamstow to Sudbury in Suffolk has nice cycle routes near her as I have twice taken my folding bike on the train to Sudbury for a cycle ride with her. I'll have to check with her about the wildlife.
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