One for Barry

The colour of the digger would fit son-in-law Barry's Massey Ferguson red tractor much better than Franz's Deutz.

Franz bought the digger a few years ago and has previously done some small jobs for us but he hates working on our property as absolutely nothing is documented - water, electricity, sewage, telephone, drainage. And there are a lot of such pipes and cables. Last time he gave up after unearthing (but not damaging) two electricity cables. Last year a maize harvester in the neighbourhood got stuck in a high voltage line and it took a while to get the power turned off. Luckily the driver stayed in his cab and didn't jump off.

We thought today would be safe on the horse fields, making a gentle slope in to the stream. As Bliped a few days ago, I had collected some heavy paving slabs and these will be put on the slope. Then Angie can organise a repeat of yesterdays Blip but on home territory! Real reason is that standing a horse with foot/muscle problems in cold stream water is very good therapy.

Franz managed to only unearth a drainage pipe, again without damaging it. As he was here, I asked him to dig me a hole near the greenhouse for a metal post which has an enormous concrete slab attached to it. Although he only had the wide shovel, there was just enough space and in he went .... and surprise, surprise, there appeared half a broken thumb size cable with a dozen very thick copper telephone wires! Luckily I know a bit about this part of the property having done some digging here for the greenhouse. In the past it was the rubbish tip. I have removed buckets of glass (used to be a commercial greenhouse business here), a caste iron wood burning stove, countless plastic plant pots just to name a few. So the wire didn't bother me too much but I did check the line when I got back to the house - all OK!

Shame Franz couldn't help me with the other task for the day - planting around 70 large bare rooted privet hedge plants (about 1m high). As privet is poisonous for horses, I can't place them anywhere near them and had to find a hidden spot but also one where the tractor/digger couldn't reach. Managed about 50 plants but placed them very close together. I had been given them for free on Saturday and they were then in a very forelorn and neglected state. Questionable if they will take.

Dry most of the day but cold & very wet weather due tonight which will be good for the hedge!