Watty's Awakening

greenbee

Slinky said:

Cherryfudge said:

Are you going to dry the wood from the conifer? It could be fuel for the winter after next.

I've read somewhere that conifers aren't good for burning. Leave a lot of sticky stuff to cause deposits in your chimney.

Scandinavians primarily burn softwood - it’s just brits who are obsessed with burning hardwood! You can burn anything as long as it I properly seasoned and you burn it at the right temperature. I’ve burned a lot of conifers (and pallet wood, floorboards etc) and my chimney sweep is always happy with the state of the flue. 

I’ve also recently had a neighbour take down a huge conifer and it has made a massive difference to my garden, and highlighted other tree work that needs doing!

Slinky

greenbee said:

Slinky said:

Cherryfudge said:

Are you going to dry the wood from the conifer? It could be fuel for the winter after next.

I've read somewhere that conifers aren't good for burning. Leave a lot of sticky stuff to cause deposits in your chimney.

Scandinavians primarily burn softwood - it’s just brits who are obsessed with burning hardwood! You can burn anything as long as it I properly seasoned and you burn it at the right temperature. I’ve burned a lot of conifers (and pallet wood, floorboards etc) and my chimney sweep is always happy with the state of the flue. 

I’ve also recently had a neighbour take down a huge conifer and it has made a massive difference to my garden, and highlighted other tree work that needs doing!

I think that's the issue, not burning seasoned wood at the right temperature.

I did a dance when our neighbours took out the conifers from the bottom of the garden that were blocking the light. I think we got more benefit than they did.

debtfreewannabe321

Ash trees symbolise protection, healing & creativity in many cultures. I can see why you'd want to keep that one.

I have a large one I can see outside my bedroom window too and often sit looking at it in bed...the new owners want it taken down which I think is a crying shame and I hope the council refuse to do it! Win on the hedge and the conifer though for you!

KajiKita

I had a huge conifer taken down between us and the neighbours on one side here when we moved in (my mum’s housewarming present to us ❤️) and even though it was on the north side of their house, it made a huge difference to the light in their kitchen. They were really grateful and we became friends after that 😊

Very pleased to hear that you’ve come to an agreement about the trees and especially the hedge as I know the latter has been bugging you for a long time! Result 👏🥳🎉😊

KK

Watty1

Thank you all.   The hedge has indeed bugged me for years but I decided to let that go as they are lovely neighbours and if it makes them happy so be it, and, look how that generosity of thought has been repaid.   Wonderful.

Sadly the lovely tree surgeon I know was to be asked to do it but he has not returned my calls. This might be because he is in "team ex" or on holiday.  I will leave it a few days and see if he gets back to me but in the meantime will ask around to see if anyone can recommend someone.

Suffolk_lass

Slinky said:

Cherryfudge said:

Are you going to dry the wood from the conifer? It could be fuel for the winter after next.

I've read somewhere that conifers aren't good for burning. Leave a lot of sticky stuff to cause deposits in your chimney.

It does leave a tarry deposit if burned before properly seasoned but if you put a grate in the bottom of a woodburner and burn a bag of homefire (pressed dust in hex shapes that lots of garages sell - it's a hot burning smokeless fuel), it removes the deposit

Watty1

Lots of useful comments. Thank you all.  Have not heard back from the tree surgeon the ex and I knew so I think he must be on "team ex".  I will look around for another one next week.

Rode out the Charming Cob this morning and the heavens opened so we both got seriously wet.  I was delighted to be out on him but he is still reluctant to go forwards despite painkillers.   So we had a chat on the way home and I have told him that we will try some options until Christmas and if no better then he can retire.  This afternoon I have dug out a paper I found in the British Homeopathic Journal and read it again.   Even my very conventional vet agreed it was a good paper and worth a try so I went online and bought the remedy which should be here next week.  Now, the interesting part is the remedy was "Quercus robur" which I discovered is English oak and the Charming Cob has been diving for oak leaves while we were out so maybe this will help him.   It might just be a coincidence but it did help me feel a little more optimistic.

I have a couple of other options to explore as well so I am not giving up but I did realise the situation was not good when a car stopped to ask me if I had seen a loose dog and where it had run too and I realised the Charming Cob would not trot to the field where the dog had gone too to help the man.  I hope the man found his dog, my directions were good as I know the landmarks on that lane well so I am hopeful for him.

First try for Charming Cob is a homeopathic remedy because it is the least expensive and the fastest to try (it should be here next week) and then I will try a few others (a vet in the next county I have used before who is a referral vet and practises acupuncture, homeopathy and herbal stuff will be next try).   If we can get the charming cob more comfortable that will be good, even if at the end of the year I decide to retire him.  There have been a few tears as I think this over, but, there are a few months to try things in and then I will make a call

Cherryfudge

The Quercus remedy sounds as though it might just be what your cob is looking for. Well done for noticing that detail, I hope it helps.

PennysIntoPounds

Maybe tree surgeon is on 'team ex' but don't assume it's personal rather than it being normal that labourers of all sorts are a bit sketchy and often rubbish at getting back to people, as I'm sure lots of people can testify! (I say this in a loving way, being related to several)
And if he is then s*d him, but really don't add it to your insecure ammo when there are lots of reasons he might have not got back.
How interesting about the oak leaves, as you say it might be coincidence but animals usually have a good sense about what they need

Watty1

A good point @PennysIntoPounds   I'll leave it a few days then rethink.    

Spent yesterday cleaning out the feed room as it was raining and this morning went through the freezer and the fridge.     It was quite a revelation what was in the freezer!  The VNM and I will be eating a steak pie for dinner as there were two in there which is great as I can spend the afternoon clearing the patio rather than going shopping.

Baby Fell's person came yesterday and had fun with him and turned up today to show him to her partner and to say she would like to take him to a show at the end of September just to get him "out and about".  They are both clearly very happy with each other.   I am both sad that he and I do not just "click" but also delighted he is so happy and "doing something".  I would love to have had the time to make it work but I am exhausted with life, have a full time job and it just was not working.  I watched him giving kisses in the field to the two of them (the VNM taught him to give kisses) and I realised that this works for everyone at the moment.  Interestingly Baby Fell picks his feet up very nicely to have them treated for her which is something he flatly refused to do for me so I think the "connection" worked both ways with him and me.