Wed 25 March 2020 - GG Virtual Session # 001.

In light of the restrictions imposed upon us because of the Covid 19 Pandemic, all GG sessions are suspended until further notice 😒. To keep together, as a group AND satisfy the "no more than 2 persons - 2 metres apart" rule we decided to see if we could master the techno-gremlins and hold a virtual session using the internet. Mark, having had some experience of this, set up a session for 10am Wednesday morning and SEVEN of us managed to get on line...! See Photo below .....

As some of you will be unable to join in with this virtual GG, I intend to write up a brief summary here each week. Obviously, a lot of this week's half hour time slot was taken up with "well...I can see you...can you hear me?" type conversations 😀 but we did manage to check that we were all doing ok and several people had phoned others within the group to inquire about their welfare. One thing that did become apparent was that, due to our forced social isolation, we were nearly all working out in the garden..! I am not sure if garden centres are still open but....how about we set up a plant swap scheme within the group..? Anyone who has too much of anything (NOT weeds!) can try and swap it with someone else within the group. Not sure how we could set this up but I am sure that there must be a way.

Mark has agreed to try and set up a half hour video session every Wednesday at 10am so please try and get along to join us. He has already sent out an e-mail explaining exactly what to do, please contact him if you didn't receive the details.

At this point in the blog I usually mention the weather....Today it is bright sunshine and light winds (and we are stuck indoors..Grrrr...😡)

Take care everyone as we are in uncharted waters. Stay safe...👍

Many thanks to Mark for taking the time and trouble to arrange all this...well done...!

Tue 17th March 2020 - IMPORTANT MESSAGE...PLEASE READ....!

Hello Everyone,

We have come to the decision in the light of the latest guidance on public health. We feel it sensible to suspend the sessions starting this Wednesday and for the foreseeable future until this all passes. I don't think I need to go into detail as to why this is happening but we all know we have to be careful and look after our own health and those of loved ones.  It hasn't been easy thing to do though, as we all love the group of course. I suggest perhaps you all continue to do something of a Wednesday morning in your gardens or in your home which makes you feel good. Meditation, yoga, call a friend, chat on social media, gentle exercise. There are lots of suggestions online.  😊👍

We'll see each other again soon when this blows over. 

Look after yourself and keep smiling. ❤

Mark.

All I can add to that is....KEEP WATCHING THIS SPACE...as soon as we know anything new then I will publish it here. Take care.

Wed 11th March 2020 - Golden Hill Fort, Freshwater. GG # 824.

Terry's Photographs.

Not quite the size of the heap in the car park...but

still BIG...!

What is the collective noun for wheelbarrows..?

Perhaps a clutter...????

Mud, mud....glorious MUD.

Cleaning out the ditches to help the water run-off.

You have to admit, that looks a whole lot better.

This week, Team GG were working out at Golden Hill Fort, Freshwater. We have been here many, many, times in the past and have tackled a wide variety of jobs. As we are starting to approach the bird nesting season, it was decided that our energies should be focused on maintaining part of the extensive network of pathways that criss-cross this beautiful area. The first arrivals at the carpark were greeted with this sight...

Now...we know that Team GG like to take on a challenge but this seemed way too much even for us..! It turned out that the council were using contractors to repair some of the larger pathways and we were NOT expected to wheelbarrow this pile around..PHEW..😓. We were however directed to a pre-dumped pile of limestone chippings to the west of the area and were soon barrowing it along muddy pathways to repair the winter damage (see the video link below). Good progress was made and it was encouraging to hear the kind comments from many of the dog walkers that passed by.

The weather was considerate to us before tea break but it did turn a bit damp and mizzly later on.

Many thanks to Terry for his photographs this week.

And now for something new...      

Bob The Blog has recently got his hands on an action camera and decided to "spice up" the blog with some video. Needless to say, it was NOT easy to edit and then attach video files to the blog page but here is the first attempt. If there are any computer experts out there who can show me a better way of doing it then please (PLEASE...!)  tell me how 😊.

Hopefully, a fun bit of video. Click here to watch..!

Wed 4th March 2020 - Sandown Meadows, Lake. GG # 823.

Terry's Photographs.

Mark's Photographs.

Congratulations to Team GG .... you finally got to have the session at Sandown Meadows..! This must have been the third (or was it forth?) attempt to work here, each time it had to be cancelled due to the extraordinary amounts of rainfall we have experienced during the winter months (the wettest February on record). Going by the photographs above, it looks a bit soggy underfoot and the light rain turned heavier towards the end - so well done to all that attended.

Mark's Editorial.

Yes finally the waters subsided enough to allow us access to the marsh here. It is perfectly understandable, they are water meadows after all, and it is a flood plain. 

Anyway some months ago the reeds had been cut by the Wildlife Trust who today we were working with, so our job now was to move these reeds to a habitat pile. That was hard going in the mud I can tell you. Other jobs included some willow removal and burning. It was fairly wet as the rain increased during the time but a lovely place to work nevertheless. Cetti's Warblers calling and geese flying overhead add to the special atmosphere. 

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/cettis-warbler/

Many thanks to Terry & Mark for the photographs and to Mark for the editorial.