After so much wind and so much rain some of the sitka spruce could not bear to stand any longer. The ground has been so sodden that there was nothing left for the roots to hold into.
About forty trees have come down at the last count, which was about a week ago. Who knows, maybe all those that were going to fall have done so already.
There is quite a clearing now infront of the barn, and one tree just missed the hut by about thirty centimetres. The noise of creaking and cracking and crashing must have been amazing.
So now there is more light for all the spring flowers to enjoy,when it comes. There is lots of timber to sell without having to wait for another felling licence, and lots of work to convert it all. Silver linings?

On Monday, we were so lucky, with the weather, which was glorious, and with our friends and family, who were fantastic. They gave up their Bank Holiday Monday to help us finish cladding the barn, which had been pending for, oh, months and months.I think we all ended up with aching wrists from swinging those hammers, and offering up those long lengths of cladding. It now looks like a proper building, and I am so proud of what is being built, and for the help that we are getting.
All this work was being done to the background noise of a tractor and extractor, as eventually we managed to get the man and his kit into the wood to start extracting the timber. It’s making an impressive pile in the loading area and will be even more satisfying when it had been converted into money in the bank.
There have been months when it has felt as though we have been moving two steps forwards and one step back, what with the weather, tractor axles breaking, mud, over priced accountants, banks demands, not having enough time and just a long, hard winter. then comes the long awaited and much longed for Spring and everything seems to be moving again, two steps forward, and even a little hop, skip and pirouette, there somewhere.