The last 2 English Elms on our Rec have had it, victim of Dutch Elm Disease. The Swale boys will come and fell them soon with their chain saws. The disease, vectored around by beetles kills by blocking or disrupting the water channels within the tree, so the poor things die of drought, not helped this year by the real drought. We've been told that the beetles tend to fly at about 15 feet up, so elms are safe till they get to that tall, and doomed there-after. It's just a matter of time till a beetle happens upon them.
Today, a real treat. Dad is leading the Friends of Kingswood 6 mile walk. Haggis, at 13, is a bit to old for these now, so I'm on my own, but one of the walkers has a 1 year old whippet called Stan who is a superb substitute, racing about and trying to make me chase him. We get on really well and both dogs are severely tired out by the end of the walk. The drought has left the forest nice and dry, so walking is relatively easy, but it's still a bit mountain-goat in places and even the humans long legs are aching a bit by the end.
We drop back via the Cambria for a check up on progress and to take a few pics, Then we hed home (for BLT's if we happen to be human) and a bit of a kip to await the arrival of J-M Silverwood, who is heading this way even as I type.
Deefs
1 comment:
Make sure you take care of her Deefer, you know what trouble us humans can get into.
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