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<p>This weekend has been one of normality...</p>
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<p>Now the ash and beech trees have been removed and the stumps ground out I need to replace them. I have two <a href="https://www.ashridgetrees.co.uk/p/garden-trees/fastigiate-hornbeam-carpinus-fastigiata" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hornbeam fastigiata</a> on order and I thought I should work out where to place them so they are not crowded by the lime trees and horse chestnut.</p>
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<p>I've hammered in a couple of stakes to get a feel of where they will best be suited.</p>
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<p>In <a href="https://pigyard.com/wordpress/archives/6639">January 2021</a> I planted some willow whips as hedging. Despite my best efforts to control them they have got out of hand. I was advised that if I cut them back to within 30 cms of the ground I should be able to train the side shoots.<br />I was totally surprised to find how thick the stems had become and the amount of shredding that would be required. So far it has taken me 3 hours and that's only half the willow cut. </p>
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<p>This is part of the reason I planted the willow hedge... to absorb some of the water that accumulates along the drive. The problem is the willow isn't growing when we have most of the rain.</p>
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<p>It's a wonder the grass keeps growing.</p>
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<p>A few days without rain (unlikely looking at the current forecast) and it will drain away.</p>
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<p>I'm always looking at ways to improve things in the kitchen. The plastic microwave containers I have at the moment have become pitted and stained. I thought I would try glass ones. They are supposed to be microwave, dishwasher and freezer proof. Time will tell.</p>
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<p>A habit on Sunday mornings is to have a poached egg on toast listening to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludovico_Einaudi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ludovici Einaudi</a>.</p>
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<p>Sometimes the egg turns out perfectly.</p>
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<p>Gosh, Sunday morning cleaning the car. How suburban is that?</p>
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<p>After a year of ownership it has done just over 8,000 miles. I do use the Porsche a lot in the summer so my collective annual mileage is about 11,000 miles.</p>
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<p>I'm gradually getting used to charging the Kia on longer trips but it doesn't charge as fast as some people claim and it is 10 times more expensive to charge away from home. The joys of EV ownership.</p>
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