Painting and Decorating
I’ve spent the last few days at the Trees for Life property, Dundreggan. The lodge is currently being altered to meet building regulations (disabled access, etc) for use as accommodation for the work weeks to be held there. Myself and Norman were meant to be painting but, perhaps not surprisingly, the builders had overrun. So they were in our way, and we ended up spending more time prepping than painting.
Still, it was good to catch up with Norman, who I’d not seen since my first work week, back in October ’06, and we managed to scrape together some decent meals and extract a conversation or two from Pierre, the French volunteer, who is staying at Dundreggan for a month, where he hopes to learn English. To be fair his English is better than my french, but then I have no intention of learning french or going to France. I had to speak to him very slowly as apparently I have an accent which he finds difficult to understand. I wasn’t very good at it.
Must remember to add some photos… Ok, here they are.
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- The Passion Wagon parked up next to the cottage.
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- One of the bedrooms. Mostly we were filling and sanding, prepping for paint. But this one had a layer of paint on before I left…
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- The main living area. Probably the last we’ll see of the stags heads, a legacy from Dundreggan’s sporting estate days.
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- Jane, the TFL Marketing Manager, checks out the Dundreggan deer fridge. Plus Sika stag.
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- Norman admiring our handywork
A week at Plodda/Corrimony
A brilliant week working at the Corrimony RSPB (Black Grouse) reserve, whilst staying at Plodda Lodge. Lots of singing and cakes (even some three course meals). Jane successfully navigated us through the first couple of days, before Rosie joined us on Monday evening to see the week through.
We finally got to see a Black Grouse (male) on Friday, and I personally managed to visit three sizable waterfalls in just the one week, Guisachan, Plodda and then Corrimony falls on Friday afternoon for lunch with the vols on our last full day together.
All too soon it was Saturday and time to pack up and leave. As Mick sat in Plodda Lodge garden strumming and singing “You can’t always get what you want…”, I was loading bags into the back of the van, thinking about what an amazing group of people I’d had the pleasure of getting to know over the week. And I must admit I got a bit of a lump in my throat. Later, after the Focaliser changeover in Tesco car park, I drove Birch (a van) back to Findhorn. The Sun was shining and I realised that I was pretty damned happy to be working on a Saturday. You can’t always get what you want, but if you try…
Ok, photos now available here
Some of my favourites are shown in the gallery below…
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- The first day of the experiment.
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- After applying the spare wheel Jane needed to rest
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- Jane’s last day on the hill. No one looks sad to see the back of her, but of course we were.
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- Mick Dimaio put a peartato in my lunch box. This is the silliest photo I could find of him. It’s not even close to pay back…
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- Craig came out to see us and then spent the day on the phone! Only kidding, he did take some pics of us too.
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- Guisachan Falls
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- High vis vest fashionistas Naomi and Louise. And Ellie.
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- Friday lunch next to Corrimony Falls
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- Charlie, Lisa and myself. I look happy, but it was time to pack the bus
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- “I saw her today at the reception…”
On my OWN! And a pretty cool sunset.
I’m back at Findhorn – after a slow start (pretty much the same as usual then) I eat a hearty breakfast and head into the TFL office. It turns out that Rosie, my co-focaliser for the forthcoming week, is ILL! I will have to take a bunch of potentially unruly volunteers out on my OWN!
Actually, Jane from the office will have to come out and drive for me because I’ve not taken my PCV practical yet. Jane has only been on one work week, ever, and hasn’t done the Focaliser training. It’s ok, I’m fine about it. Everything will be just fine…
Craig picks up Rohan, who I’ve not seen since the training, and we get our briefing in between sorting out the food order for the forthcoming work-weeks, and grabbing some extortionately priced food from the Universal cafe. We make up for it by taking seconds during our TFL bought meal in the CC later.
Finally, after a bit of revision, Rohan gives me a shout from outside, and I go out to see what he’s on about, and see this…
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- The boy Wadham in The Blair Witch Project, But Without Any Rooms.
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- The shepherds were delighted.
Owls and Dolphins
I’ve spent the last couple of days in the East, around Aberdeen and the surrounding coast. Last night I parked up in Balmedie beach car park. Whilst sitting in my van at dusk, texting, an owl (Tawny?) flew alongside the van and landed on a post a couple of metres in front of me. I tried to take pictures, but the light from my phone camera alerted it of my presence. We stared at each other for a second before it flew off. Beautiful.
Balmedie is a very beautiful place. I believe Donald Trump wants to put a golf course down here. Google it and find out what you can do to stop it. It is criminal that a SSSI site can be ridden over rough shod thanks to a few back handers.
This morning I moved up the coast a little to Collieston. As I sat checking out the sea from a handy view point, a group of Dolphins made their way up the coast. Apparently Dolphins jump out of the water whereas Porpoises just break the surface. These guys were jumping clean out at some point. It was amazing to watch.
I’ve taken some pictures of some of the other things I saw, fungi, herons, Aberdeen, etc. All these things will have to wait until I have time, after the forthcoming work week.
A walk in the woods
After a wee drive yesterday I stopped the night in some woods near Spey Bay. This morning I walked about the woods, which was predominantly Scots Pine, probably planted, maybe 30-50 years ago, and took some photos. The Scotties allowed sufficient light through to allow some birch to get away, and the odd Rowan. There was also some sneaky non-natives near where I’d parked (Spruce and Lodgepole). It would be nice to think that these might be removed at some point soon. A brief description of why is located here http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/tfl.ww_work.html.
It’s also worth checking out the following page while you’re on the site, just because, if nothing else, it gives a good feel of the celebrity status that I’ve already acquired here in Scotland: http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/tfl.appeal_supplies.html
Anyway, I took some pics in the woods. Here are a couple of small reproductions until the internet situation improves (I’m currently using a broadband dongle in my van at Findhorn – think old land line speeds).
If anyone wants to tell me what they are, that would be great. Otherwise I’ll have to dig out my id book. Which is at least 4 feet away from me. Under a pile of stuff in the van, in the space where the fridge used to be…
TFL Week at Strathan Cottages on the Attadale Estate.
I’ve just finished my first TFL week of the Autumn season. We stayed on the Attadale estate – worth a look if you’re passing – and worked at Achnashellach and Reraig. Big praise goes to Calum, my co-focaliser, who I felt totally comfortable working with. Good job really, as, due to the lack of beds, we ended up sharing a double together. Compliments have to end here I’m afraid, as the big man sure does move about a lot in bed, and is 6 foot 5, or something.
Anyway, we planted 3000 trees and the group seemed to enjoy themselves. Photos to follow when I get a better internet link
Ok, photos are now available here
Here are reduced res versions of some of my favourites… (actually I’ve just noticed that they are higher resolution than the way they’re displayed through photobox!)
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- Mr Wilkinson posing for the front cover of next year’s work week brochure
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- Fine accommodation.
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- Alex receives his ‘surprise’ Birthday card
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- Being kept amused…
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- So, you can see what I was laughing at…
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- I have no idea what this is, but it’s very cool.
Life since the office 
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