!!! SEPP to Boot: Stephen's Experience (BEL)

I really appreciate a forum of helpful people who can share information accompanied by a sense of confidence level, as well as indicate when an error has been made...

BEL #804

I spent most of the day over at Allerton Abbey today. It was one of those days when weed-whacking was just what the doctor ordered.

For example: here's the backside of the WOFATI at Allerton Abbey. We'd done plenty of irrigation in the area, but not so much grass-cutting. So the path was completely overgrown.



When the team wrapped-up prior to lunch, here's how things looked:



I went in there with a hand sickle and cleared-up around the construction materials - those logs close to the ground. It's almost like we want to go back there and complete the wing wall repairs now.



I also re-cleared a path on the north side of the fenced-in area. This helps us quickly cross the paddock without having to resort to the access road along the south side.



There's also a path leading to the southeast corner of the paddock with a few healthy trees and saplings we want to help grow. That path's now cleared and those trees are easier to access.



That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!

Mike Haasl wrote:That looks a lot like mullien to me...

That was my idea too: some kind of Verbascum. Maybe not Mullein but a different species? This one does not seem to have the fuzzy leaves.

BEL #805

Back in the saddle, after some time away from the BEL.

Today, a highlight of mine was coaching a few of the Boots through how to make wood-burned signs.  In these photos, I captured both Catherine and Caroline practicing with some new tools and techniques.

I tasked Boots Catherine and JP with making a wood-burned sign for our small Black Locust Nursery. Here's Catherine using the router for the "Nursery" segment.



After routing the letters for the sign, the next step was to scorch the wood with a propane torch, preparing it for the planer.



Here's Caroline, practicing using the torch on her practice piece.



Caroline and Stephanie were tasked with continuing work on the storage system inside the Kiwi Shed (found behind the main House). I didn't see them in the Woodshop, so after a short walk around I was surprised to find that they were in the Library, using Stephanie's CAD software to plot out the shelves and hanging hooks for the inside of the shed...! It's an excellent design they've devised, for certain.



That's all for now. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your day...!

Stephen B. Thomas wrote:BEL #802
[...] Meanwhile, prior to checking out the sunshades, I was up at Allerton Abbey with fellow Boots Seth, Stephanie, and Tiernay. While chopping-and-dropping at the Greenhouse, I noticed this massive pigweed.

Totally fine with conceding that this is mullein, by the way. I've taken a closer look at other mature mullein plants round here since then, and I'm almost certain I was being preternaturally stubborn for one reason or another. My apologies.