Bit the bullet, and if not now when. Mark Woolnaugh’s team of Tim and Roger and Ken came first to clear the ditches then the ponds.
Still no rain, shirt sleeve days. Not smoking, using Bob’s experience of fake cigarette. Tim uses the digger like a ballerina. I ask for a quote for the ponds.
‘What do you think Tim, Mark says, Two days to frighten this one?’
A bees nest disturbed and a sting in my leg. No side effects.
Unexpected encounter with my neighbour.
‘That’s not your ditch’ he says. ‘Ditch goes with the hedge. I’ve checked with my solicitor.
“i’ve plenty of land, Niel, I don’t need another ditch ‘ He seemed content with this.
Ponds
Ponds are invariably deeper than imagined. The larger of the ponds no exception. We ‘frightened’ the smaller easily, reaching the clay base. Pump going most of the day.
Sludge black and treecle contineus to slop out, I expand the area for distribution in the wood. We will need another day
On the third day Time and Ken reached the bottom of the large pond. 3 stumps saved, a spade the only useful treasure revealed. No bodies.
A man walked across the ploughed field, strided the ditch and introduced himself. Roy Garland, the famer whose black cows I see on the grass land beyond. He’d wanted to buy this wood, but got the auction date wrong. If ever I wanted to sell he’d be keen, he said. ‘You’re doing fine, he said. You’re doing just what I’d do, clear out the old ponds. He had a mean and rich sister who found no point in spending money cleaning out ponds. He was deaf in one ear which made me have to look at him when I spoke. Happened in the last four years – all the machinery I’ve used over the years. He knew the wood since he was a child, he knew the corner where all the oaks had been taken down from. He was keen on oak, as he’d like to build a green oak cabin.
‘To be honest I’d already com through the wood. Mark Woolnaugh told me you;d got it. He said you were a bit of a hippy! ‘She’s got deck chairs in front of the pond’, I said to my wife.
So if you ever want to move on, let me know, he said. Life changes at 50. You start seeing things that were always there but you didn’t notice.
Sitting in my hippy deck chairs looking out on Mr Barham ploughing, turning the earth, white gulls competing for the fresh turn, the worm, following as they do fishing boats.
‘You can set your watch by them, says Tim
They fly over mine at 7 back to the sea each night.
With two men, a digger and dumper, the total cost of ditch and pond was £3,000. It’s a once in a life time job.
BEFORE
DURING
‘All I want is rain now’ I say
‘Same as everyone’ says Tim, ‘After they’ve had a pond dredge. May be a couple of years, it will take’.
When 4 came we rolled our cigarettes, walked down to the open area, and watched the tractor plough in the distance. Dog at feet, stick near by.
Rain came within days. It filled the ponds.
A movie of the pond dredge can be found here
Kaliwood 