WORKING WITH FRIENDS?
As the 30th of July is International Friendship Day, one would expect the day to pass peacefully, with everyone feeling happy working with colleagues they meet with on a regular basis.
However, although there was absolutely no bad feeling between NCVs today, the gang did not feel quite so friendly towards the individuals they were having to deal with along the banks of the river Nidd and its tributaries. In fact you could say there was a good deal of animosity towards them.
"Goodness!" I hear you saying. "The NCVs are normally such good natured, friendly folk. What may have caused them to be otherwise? Someone spotted dumping plastic bottles and drink cans on the shore? People leaving poo bags hanging on a tree?"
No - neither of these. It was individual Himalayan Balsam plants that they were cheesed off with. The river banks were thronged with the things and they just had to be dispatched before they started exploding their seed pods all over the place.
"Ah. That makes sense. HB is something NOBODY can feel friendly towards. In that case get pulling and slashing in an unfriendly manner to your heart's content, whatever the date!"
Work began on the far side of the river,
where, at first, everything
looked promising.
Tnen some unfriendly stems
started to appear -
on the far side of the fence.
Brenda dispatched a number of them
by wringing their necks.
This patchy nature of invasion
continued up to the Foster Beck
inlet where a rocky shore
provided an uneven challenge.
Tim crept up on some unsuspecting stems,
slasher at the ready, and swiped them
to the ground before they had chance to retaliate.
At the confluence of the beck and the river
steps had to be retraced.
However - a nearby oak tree beckoned,
offering shade from the glaring sun.
It provided everyone with a refreshing
place to sit for their coffee break.
What a friendly plant!
Not only that, it provided Liz with
an opportunity to channel her inner child
and have a swing.
Then it was back across the bridge
to the other side, where things
were far worse.
Anita ripped up those horrible hooligans,
then practised her javelin throwing...
...before dancing delightedly on the heap
to make sure none survived.
One had to take care not to slice through
every pink flowered plant, without
first checking it wasn't red campion.
Onwards the NCVs strode towards Wath,
leaving no balsam stems standing in their wake.
High above the old narrow gauge
railway embankment there was plenty to
take out.
And take out they did - in no time at all,
despite the steep slope.
After this point the balsam petered out -
probably due to grazing animals.
Just one last short stretch remained.
It was on the far side above the Foster Beck
confluence. 4 hardy souls volunteered
to help Liz clear it.
This particular set of stems had
developed horrible, fleshy,
red arial roots.
They were sent packing with
no compunction at all.
After this rather unfriendly 'International Friendship Day'
Liz took tools back to the new look barn.
What nice new doors!!
