Getting a Start at Last

Well the weather in Leeds has been a bit better for the last few days so I have been able to get on with some work on the grass. 

Monday I was off up to Pool Cricket Club to slit their outfield I forgot my camera so sorry no photos. 

When I got back to Kirkstall I spent some time identifying the square by finding my marker pegs which had got hidden under the winter growth  I then marked them all with white marking fluid and that was about that for the day.

Today Tuesday was very frosty first thing but the sun was out so things had just about thawed out by 

10-00 am the time I got down to the ground.

The first job I got on with was to get the old Mastiff out and cut the square.

Not looking too bad except the pitch ends at the bottom which have stood under water just about all winter (more about them later)

 With the medium rake fit to the "A" Frame I rake the middle of the square from about the five foot make to the five foot mark keeping clear of the ends where I have weak or no grass at the moment. 

I also seeded the bare/weak pitch ends with Hurrell,s Coldstart seed mix (well my version of it Colosseum and Topgun 50-50)

 Here you can clearly see the raking and the bare ends I seeded up.

And again. After raking I left the rubbish on the surface to dry out a little while I had some lunch.

We got a small grant to re-hash the ladies toilets and Zipp the sparky along with Johnny the chippy were working away below are some pictures.

 Toilet unit out and door reversed.

 Johnny looking happy at his work.

Zipp who is six foot plenty creeping about in the loft he had to crawl from one end of the club to the other up there -he keeps telling me we need another hatch at the the other end.

One of the security lights on the score-box was not working so I got him to have a look at that while he was here.

 I have a setting on my camera which says "Magic" the photo above is taken on that setting and the one below is just about the same view on normal setting.

I think the fertiliser companies must have the same setting on their cameras.

I find this interesting on the left is a pitch that I sprayed off two Autumn's ago and reseeded this was to get rid of a build up of annual meadow grass. The pitch on the right was not sprayed off and still has annual meadow grass in it.

Now if you look closely you will see the disease in the untreated pitch but the treated on is free of disease and that is just one reason we should try to rid our pitches of the weed grass it is vulnerable to this sort of attack.

Its been a good day today and I feel I have made some progress.

Before I left for the night I put the oddments of germination sheets on that I have kicking around my big sheets are still up at Pudsey St Lawrence C C.

This fence has been up for just over two weeks now and has been vandalised for a second time already.

It is half term of course as if we haven't enough to do just running a small Cricket Club without all this it make me sick.

No rain tomorrow please.

Keep smiling.

Hodgy

Spare a Thought for Sessay Cricket Club

I haven't been very active on the ground for the last few days, I was down last Saturday fitting a new letter box and doing a little tidying up around the club house. One disappointing thing was that the fence which went up only the week before had been vandalised.

I understand if vandals want to do damage they will, no matter what measures you put in place but I do think the fence is a little on the "domestic" side so as I see it we need to beef it up some to make it harder for them.

Today Tuesday I went of up to Farndale on the North York Moors to collect a Sisis Lawnman I had bought on e-bay. When I was bidding I never realised it was 61 miles away so I spent a fortune in fuel and time. I did manage to call at Sessay Cricket Club on the way back as I had been talking to John Flintoff the groundsman at BTME back in January when he invited me to call in. 

Below are the photos I took and I have posted them all as I have never seen anything like it.

First are the photos of Farndale.

 My used Lawnman with a slitter attachment all I need now is a rake I have a brush.

Farndale famous for it daffodils, it is a lovely part of the world. I have never seen so many Pheasants and Partridge as I did today and the shooting season has just finished, they have left plenty of stock birds for breeding.

Spare a thought for Sessay Cricket Club I am told the ground has been under water almost consistently since September last year.

 Saturated outfield, that is just...... well mud.

 Just look how wet the outfield is every foot print is visible.

 The square still under water in parts.

Looking toward the clubhouse. In about nine weeks time Cricket is due to be played on this. 

They need a leg up and I hope the Cricket bodies they are affiliated to can give support.

Today when I arrived John and his crew were about a quarter of a mile away, digging out a drain they had traced and cleared to that point across local farmers fields.

 Just look how the grass on the outfield has died back due  to the lack of oxygen.

 Though the water has receded the surface is saturated because there is a layer of 25mm of thatch just holding on to the water like a sponge.

 The water is sitting in low spots on the square.

Not easy to see but there is a 25mm of thatch here below the top 30mm the soil is relatively dry.

Well no matter how badly off you think you are there is always some one worse off than you.

 If I can help them in any way I will I think I have started the ball rolling so time will tell.

I had a nice surprise when I got home because today is Shrove Tuesday or better known to me as 

Pancake Day  and after a warming stew I had my three Pancake a good way to end the day.

Keep smiling.

Hodgy

Waiting for Spring

Well the winter is still in full flow here in Yorkshire this week we have had rain, hail, snow, and a wind blowing straight from the Arctic ho! and a little sun.

The result of this is that I have not been spending time at the ground but doing other things of  little interest so no updates. 

Last Saturday a few of us met at the club and started to get some work done in preparation for the season below are a couple of photos.

 Mike our new cricket chairman taking on his resposibilities painting the passageway I must also point out his was assisted by Jos who is camera shy.

  

We have got a grant for some fencing work so Tom one of our members who has experience in such work has been involved re fencing the outside boundary. It looks impressive and will stop a lot of balls getting through the hedge on to Queenswood Drive. Top effort Tom only another 200 metres to go now! Please keep it on budget.

Tuesday and Wednesday have been days mainly of meetings Yesterday I was with Hurrell and McLeans Director Nick Gladstone negotiating prices for seed for this season be prepared it has gone up but they do all they can be forward ordering to keep the increase at a minimum.

If any of you out there want seed prices for 2013 let me know and I will be pleased to quote you, I buy a lot of seed and can offer favourable terms for delivery anywhere in the country. 

You might be surprised give me a go!

 I can have special mixes made up to your requirements

Don't forget the "Cold Start" Topgun - Colosseum mix for your weak pitch ends. 

In stock now.

Wednesday I had meetings with Jonatham Latham from AJ Lawncare Phil Mottershead from 

Brushes North West and Ian Mather-Brewster from the IOG/ECB turned up.

So as anyone who knows me will confirm a lot of talking and not much work today as well.

I made one delivery when every one had departed, of a new Drag Brush that Phil dropped off, a bag of Autumn and Winter fertiliser and some Carbendazim just keeps the till ticking as it were.

 The rail viaduct on the line to Harrogate from Leeds with Almscliffe Crag in the distance.

 Almscliffe Crag in the distance a place I have painted on many occasions.

 St Peters Church Arthington.

Snowdrop what I call the first flowers of the year, if you see any please enjoy them they will soon be gone.

 The journey to the Market Town of Otley -where I made my delivery- is always a delight passing through some beautiful country. 

The redundant and re-sited Victorian post box now on the side of the Village Hall at Arthington.

I love my job getting to go out on little trips like this on a sunny day. 

We are so fortunate living in Leeds with this landscape so near to hand. Some times you just have to stop get out of the vehicle and be a part of it, breath in the air, take in the vista it is a treat for the senses.

Looking forward to tomorrow Thursday its a Painting day first job is to call at the picture framers he should have a couple of works framed. I will try include them in my next post.

Sorry no ground stuff but I just wanted you all to know I am still around.

Keep the piece

Hodgy