Sunday 26 July 2015

Tractors and things

It's been pouring down here all day today.
 But here's a picture of our next door neighbour's little Massey. She's looking good for her age.


We bought our little tractor 37 years ago. She's a 1961 B275 International and she's had a lifetime of hard work. Just recently she needed a new clutch thrust fork.


Hubs & Son dismantled the engine and propped the bits up on jacks,  a milk bucket and a few strategically placed bits of wood. Off we went to the tractor man at Abermule and hey he found the very bit we needed on another tractor in the nettles. £20.00 changed hands quick. The part needed machining so he told us about Phil the Drill a bit up the road near the Anchor pub. I don't suppose many of you have been up to the top of the Kerry Hills. The views across the valley were absolutely fantastic and we seemed to be going up forever. Somebody said that there was a bend in the road for every day of the year. You can say that again! The hedges don't get cut very often and you have to sort of squint around the corners and pray you don't meet anything. The nice thing is, that there isn't one scrap of litter in the hedgerows. As we got higher up, we had to call at a couple of places to make sure we were heading in the right direction. The women grow masses of flowers to try and  hide all the scrap crap machinery entranklements their menfolk bring home from the frequent sales. A lot like here. We eventually found the Anchor pub. I went round to the door to ask the directions to Phil the Drill. They weren't open until 7 pm but the landlord was very helpful and poked his head through the window. 'Bit further up and take care as you go across a very bad bend.' 
'Cheers'.
Apparently they used to hold all the horse sales up at the Anchor, don't know whether they still do.
We got there. We found it ...... and - not a soul about - he was out.
We got home OK. Bit by bit, O/H managed to machine the piece himself. He's had a real battle with his health and I'm really proud of him. Anyway tractor all back together again and rearing to go.
John and Mary in New Zealand, I wrote this for you. John get well really soon and get back in that tractor seat.  Hope you like the video xx

Friday 3 July 2015

July already


 Been out weeding in the garden today. There's a weed mountain at the top of the garden.
All these grew on their own.


The clematis is scrambling over anything that gets in its way


The hardy geraniums have gone berserk


Oxe eye daisies and Geums quite happy amongst the Cranesbill and the odd nettle.


Hemerocallis just poised to burst forth. They should be out by tomorrow. I bought the first one from a church fete for ten pence, five or six years ago.


And the lilies I left in the clay pot are doing their thing, like they did last year. Nothing ever stands still does it!