DIY During the lockdown

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

Not my DIY, but someone else's.

Last summer we welcomed a swallow family fo the first time since we moved here.

Early this spring, and enterprising wren family 'borrowed' the empty nest and made their own modifications.

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Been waiting the return of 'our' swallows.

Keep thinking, they should be here tomorrow.

Eventually, some swallows have rocked up...but mostly singletons orbiting about and looking shell-shocked.

Found out that while crossing Greece on this year's migration they were caught out by heavy rain and low temperatures, compounded by strong headwinds. They were falling dead from the sky. House martins and swifts, too.

So, the little nest is probably never going to be used again.

If you are lucky enough to be blessed by these birds this year, please let them nest. Yes it's messy, but only for a few short weeks.

[Steve T]

"Our" swallows arrived a week later than normal on the 21st Apr. . . but still a full week ahead of last years late arrivel. To me they do mean the brighter days are here (maybe not happier, just visibly brighter )

DIY - over the last 4 days I've been de-mossing the house roof. I'd have been safer out riding my bike i reckon

Steve T

[boboneleg]

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[Richard Simpson Mark II]

Very neat, Bob.

[Steve T]

Wot you doing Bob, painting the weeds to match the rest of the patio?

[92kk k100lt 193214]

ive got a mate whose a pilot doing a bit of painting and decorating for me. hes made a good job of the landing.

Can he do a flight of stairs?

[bill_qaz]

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[steve the grease]

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The lintel on one of the sheds has rotted away after having been bodged with concrete maybe fifty years ago, I've been meaning to get on to it for ages. The big stone was going nowhere but down. Granite is very heavy, I couldn't even begin to lift it. 2 replacement concrete lintels went in and the faced back up. Less than one bag of cement was used!

[steve the grease]

The old lintels were , ' a bit rotten'. The bit of 4x2 is nothing to do with the job.

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The metal strip is part of the steel tyre from an old horse drawn cart , you can see at the left where the old rotted lintel has been made up with concrete, the wood is absolutely crumbling away , nothing left of it

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[daveuprite]

Nice job, Steve. I've got a barn-door lintel just like this to do. Actually it's even worse. I've been leaving it because it's a bit scary, and I'm no builder. I've got hold a couple of akros. You might have given me the boost I need to get on with it this Summer.