Wet Day

This will be the last post for a while over Christmas. This morning I went down to club to meet Andy the Plumber as we had a couple of leaking radiators,while I was there I just had to have a walk round it was pouring down.

I tried to be clever with this photo I had it on sport setting trying to capture the rain drops photography was never one of my strengths. Beyond the fence is a Rugby pitch owned  and "maintained" by Leeds City Council. The thought just occurred to me that next season at our ground we will be hearing the cheers and shouting that goes on at Rugby League games, as amateur Rugby League is to be played in the Summer. I wonder if that will Impact on Cricket in any way.

Square looking a little on the yellow side I need to get some liquid iron and seaweed on will do that after Christmas now. I have sold a lot of fertiliser this autumn have topped up once and need to do again I have not a single bag in stock and three other clubs as well a me are in need so that's another job lined up.

Square another view.

Very wet standing water in the slightly low areas at the bottom of the square, you need to enlarge just click on the picture.

You can see the yellowing well on this photo. 

  

Standing water on outfield.

Net area not looking too bad.

More standing water outside machinery store.

As soon as I get back to work I have a few squares to spike some for a second time, get the iron and seaweed on my square then I need to concentrate on getting some air into the outfield slitting or spiking maybe verti-drain if we can afford it.

Happy Christmas every one enjoy your break and forget about your grounds for a day or two.

 Hodgy

Different Type of Grass

Today I had to go up to my Brother-in-Laws farm in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, to exchange some Christmas presents that Anne had got mixed up. Robert has grass to look after but not quite the same kind of rye-grass that we are familiar with.

This is the view across his home meadow.

A few of his Texel sheep in the next meadow -all the fields have names, I can never remember them though- this view is looking down the dale -Upper Wharfedale.

Looking down dale from side of the house fancy waking up to this every day?

I can be a bit bleak the farm is the top one, of this little off shoot from the dale.

The hill you can see is the well known land mark which is "Simon's Seat" slightly lower down is

"The Valley of  Desolation" and on the other side "Trollers Gill".

Look them up it is a beautiful part of the world.

The next photo may give you a better idea as to where on the map you will find these landmarks.

It may be difficult to see in this photo but the lighter coloured area is a cricket square. Any ideas?

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 You may need to enlarge. Did you get it?

I just want to end on a positive, after tomorrow I do believe that the days start getting longer.

How good is that?

 

Wet Horrible Day

Another wet horrible day it hasn't got light all day how depressing. So today I have been completing tasks that we all have to do at this time of year. Sorting out those last few cards that you don't have addresses for or you thought you would deliver my hand and forgot to take -or that you felt it was better not to take to the pub because of the sheer inconvenience to all and that it might get lost or just stuffed in pockets and forgotten about after a few pints. Well that's what guys do isn't it? Or is that just me? One thing that writing this update has made me realise is that I haven't got Anne my wife a card yet so that's my next task.

This photo was taken on the 4th May this year at 6-53 am -Isn't technology good- We had a Leeds Met Uni game that day and had had a keen frost overnight. It must have been a good forecast as I hadn't sheeted up, can you remember how dry the spring was?

And this photo was taken on the same day at 5-40 pm, thought it was better to post a couple of photos to keep spirits up and see what we are looking forward to.

TABS More Aeration

Thorpe Arch and Boston Spa what a mouth full -that's why it is known as TABS- A cold frosty night but a sunny day here in Leeds made me motivate myself to get out and get the square at TABS spiked. I didn't leave home till 11-00am the late start would allow any frost to thaw before my arrival. Actually that is true but a bit of Bull S..t -I had a lay in... well why not on a Saturday in December.

A smallish ground surrounded by house's with a good feel. TABS are a club on the rise they have a massive junior section and in 2012 will be fielding 4 senior teams on a Saturday it is good to see.

The square on arrival.

Nice bit of sunshine.

You may be thinking why do I work across the square rather than stump to stump. Well you have fewer turns which take up more time and if there is any mess it is at the turns. I very much dislike artificial pitches on the square they make ground work difficult and look awe full -I think- I understand that they have there uses but at the cost of more than £6000-00 -I think- How many time a season are they used? I am not sure that they are value for money. Whinge over now.

Nice blue sky.. The little score box is behind the trailer it has a lovely clock above it which, I like to see at Cricket grounds. It is interesting to note that it is an hour fast -it will be correct when they start to play Cricket here in the Spring time.

That's all for now folks sorry it is a bit repetitive at the moment I either don't post or I repeat some of the processes. Which is the best? You tell me. You can email me direct if you don't want or find it hard to post on the blog. david.hodgson9@btinternet.com

Fertilised Pudsey Congs/Nothing much to report

Thursday if you have been following the blog you will know is my art day over the winter below are a couple of my recent works.

A Young Friesian Heifer -need to come up with a title- Graphite on paper.

Swaledale Tup again graphite on paper.

Pudsey Congs when I arrived. The marks left by the spiker tyres on Monday have soon gone.

Ready to go.

Doing fine then disaster struck the gate that opens to let the fertiliser out at a metered rate got stuck and this is the result of trying to free it it came out completely spilling fertiliser all over the place. Very fortunately it was off the square. I had to pick up what I could and clear what was left repair the spreader and finish off.

It happens aaarrr!!!!!

Job done off to Bradford to collect some parts I need for my other job.

Just before I got back in pickup I noticed this on the outfield can you see all the debris on the surface? - you might need to enlarge picture- it is an area where the birds have been pecking in the moss, searching for grubs- it looks a mess but is superficial.

Welcome signs bulb pushing through in one of the planters at Congs.



Not Much Happening on the Grounds

The forecast for today was poor so when I got up and the morning was fine with some sunshine I planned to go spike T.A.B.S. C.C. square, at lunch time -cause that's when they could get the gate unlocked for me.

Martin my friend from Complete Weed Control visited late morning we had a look at the square together then thought better of it as it was freezing so we retired to the tea room and had some black coffee -no milk available- by the time we had finished it was hailing and looking very black over Bill's mums house. So I made the executive decision to cancel the spiking job. In the afternoon I went round to our Chairman's house to collect some tables the Siddall Bros had obtained from the Skyrack pub in Headingley as they are having a refit. They will come in handy at club1853.

The Siddall Bros Presidents Day 2011.

Big job for one man and one very small mowing machine.

Not Cricket -just to get some practise in for all those Christmas quiz's-  where in the world could this be? It is a self taken photo. Look at the end of the post for the answer.

Taken at the same venue if you click on the picture you will see the names.

The above photo is for Mr. K Bowie in Oz. It is a better view - than previously posted- of the hole that the fox is digging above the drainage system. What a pain!

I have posted this picture so you can see how dry things were at the end of August look at all the areas of the outfield that I had lost grass cover from, they got seeded and I now have grass thankfully.

Back to the quiz.

This is a big clue.

Yes you got it, its the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

"On The Road Again"

Sorry no post for a day or two the weather here in Leeds has been very wet. With bad weather forecast overnight Monday and Tuesday and gale force sometime Friday I thought I would get on with what I could. Pudsey Congs had asked me to spike their square so I gave them a call they got back to me just after 

10-00am this morning and said things were a little wet but should be OK, so off I went. 

Wanted to show this photo so you can see how little light gets to the net area in the winter months this was taken at 10-45 this morning.

All loaded and ready for off. Got every thing?

Just started you can see it is a little wet -it looks worse because there are some worm casts especially at the ends.

You can see the muddy mess it is making where the worm casts are.

Am I sad taking pictures of spiker tracks through a load of worm casts?

In fairness the worm casts are just at the ends here you can see the middle of the square I spiked it lenghtways across the square no stump to stump.

Liking the new Football changing rooms at Pool

This is the square at Pool looking a little short of nutrients apart from that it look in very good condition no worms, no moss and a good covering of grass also surprisingly dry. This is the square that we had Korred and it has done remarkably well over this favourable Autumn. I am sure I put a post up about the Pool work but I cant find it now I must have deleted it by mistake, how did I do that?

No muddy wheel/worm cast marks here.

Two squares spiked before the weather turns. Nice!

It is good to see a club invest it its grass facility and Pool certainly have done that this Autumn. They have also had their outfield Verti-Drained and it is already paying off, as it is significantly dryer that it has been, even after all the recent rain. Well done Pool!

The 1" dia -25mm- tines go down around 16" then the machine applies heave, which if the conditions are right will have the effect of creating fissures in the profile allowing air exchange,  increasing drainage capacity and de-compacting the surface. All this will benefit grass growth. I need to see if we cant get this done down at my club. Treasurer be aware!

It is now 8-00pm and the rain has started I don't see much more in the way of ground work this week but you never know, I will keep you posted.