Time to tidy up!
With scythes at the ready, and some loppers and slashers to hand, the NCVs paid a visit to St. Saviour's church yard, Padside, in order to scythe the wild flower section and generally tidy up the rest of the graveyard. Liz was doing her chain saw refresher course so we had scything champ Joe to help us get the job done.
So - let's have a look at what needed tidying and check to see if the NCVs earned their 'Tidy Up' badge.
Well the wild flower section definitely
needed a good hair cut.
It was two years since our last visit.
Probably something to do with the
grounds man obeying this sign.
Half the team got busy scything and raking....
...and carrying...
...one way or another.
The grass was heaped on the
so called 'sacrificial pile'.
The other half of the gang picked up
the loppers and started removing
elder and other plants growing
under the yew trees.
This often gave a better view
of the gravestones nearby,
This area required the application of a slasher.
Now that IS a lot tidier!
And these branches needed nipping off
and adding to an old habitat pile.
Expert scyther, Joe, kept an eye
on everyone's technique, giving useful
advice where it was needed.
The most important advice?
Imagine you are putting your left elbow
into your back pocket and
keep honing your blade.
Coffee time in the sunshine
was very pleasant indeed...
...made all the more so by Friedy's
superb chocolate birthday brownies.
Thanks and Happy Birthday Friedy!
As the scythers moved down the edge of
the field, Anita's attention was distracted.
Now - what's going on over there?
Joe had started tidying around
the front and back of the sacrificial pile.
A couple of others joined in,
with slashers, at the church end.
This led to a discovery which
generated a lot of interest.
Now - what can it be?
Ahhh. The presence of a
long forgotten gravestone.
With the application of some
water from the rain barrel...
...and a bit of a scrub with Anita's
boot brush, the inscription
was revealed. It dated back to 1739!
By lunchtime the job was finished.
The churchyard was looking very tidy indeed.
Well done team - you have definitely
earned your 'Tidy up' badge!
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