The Jabberwocky
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Beware the Jabber......
No! Stop it! Enough of this Jabberwocky gobbledygook! What Lewis Carroll meant to say (before he got carried away on a whim) was:
T'was Tuesday and the sturdy NCVs
Did lop and saw beside the woods,
All muddy were the footpaths round,
And the branches did protrude.
That's better. Now - what he was actually describing was the final task day of the year (next week the NCVs are out for their Xmas walk) and they were tasked with pruning the overhanging branches by a good 6' - right back to the boundary of the SSSI Guisecliff Wood.This would then allow landowners Fee and Mark to replace the rotten fence, thereby keeping a flock of swaledale sheep out of the woodland.
The path up to the worksite was very muddy
but tools could be transported in Liz's trailer.
Right - so this is the fence that needs revealing.
More so in some places than others
There was a lot of sawing needed.
Ditto lopping of the thinner stuff.
At both the top of the hill...
...and at the bottom.
Graham and Osian got busy lighting
a fire to burn the small stuff.
This grew taller as the day wore on.
As did the log pile of all the big pieces....
...that just kept on....
...coming.
Everyone was very glad of our breaks in the sun...
...especially when Graham revealed a tin of
absolutely delicious mince pies
(made by wife Jane - thanks Jane!!)
The loneliness of the long distance dragster.
Go on Tom - you can do it.
Don't let that holly get you down!!
Oh no - Lewis Carroll was right!
There really WAS a Jabberwocky.
It reared over the fence and roared at us.
Luckily we had 'Will the brave'...
...and 'Mighty Andy' who were fearless.
They managed to lasso the beast...
...which meant that Liz could tow it out of its lair.
Everyone had to then set to with anti-Jabberwocky equipment
to deal with the monster.
The battle was long and arduous but, finally, the beast was overcome.
The Slithy Toves of Guisecliff can now rest safe in their beds!
By close of play the fence was clear....
...and the NCVs could wend their way home
carrying the resources for holly wreathes!
Days
from a bygone age number 6.
Now
which NCV is being featured this week? He is looking very happy and has a fine head of wavy hair. Take
a guess and check next week's blog to see if you were right.
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