Play time in the sun

Well, summer finally came and just in time for the school holidays. The new natural play area was finished last week and opened last Saturday - several acres of grass, balance beams, climbing structures and tunnels for children to run around and enjoy. It has been hard work gettting everything ready along with our other jobs, but the positive comments we have received have made it worth it. The Greedy Pig is open every day of the holidays, and there are childrens trails around the park and Trusty Tuesday club events (next week it's pond dipping - one of my favourites!) - so its a busy time for families. There are plans for more structures and games so keep an eye on it as we develop the site.







This week we have a long list of tasks - coping with the endless grass and weeds that are growing faster than we can cut them, helping Sunnycroft to repair their car park, cutting logs to have a stockpile for the coming winter (strange but true - this week we have started getting orders for logs again, in this heat!), clearing the perimeter fence line, pulling up ragwort in the deer park, patrolling the river, setting up for events and then taking it all down again...

There are 60 or so Girl guides camping at Home Farm this week, so last night Colin and I gave them a treat in the form of a tractor and trailer ride around the deer park. The does and fawns are still sticking together and not getting too close to the public areas of the park, but the bucks are happy to pose for pictures and are looking their best - plump, shiny coated and with antlers in full velvet. I like watching them in the early evening when the park is much quieter and the deer come closer to the paths - now that we are opening until 7pm, I've noticed a few photographers taking advantage of the opportunity and good light.

Right, I'm exhausted after a day on the chainsaw so I'm off! See you around the park!