Impressive!

The need to return the chainsaw blade to TFM at Bromsgrove gave me an excuse to wheel the Guzzi from the garage, and enjoy a ride out in the early morning sunshine.

By the time I got back home, 30% had disappeared for a coffee morning with a few members of her coven.  Consequently, I had the morning to myself.

I therefore decided to amuse myself with little jobs that were not too strenuous, as the weather is still absolutely roasting!

First I made a batch of sugar syrup, as I felt that hive #6 would benefit from further feeding, when I inspected it on Sunday.  The syrup was left to cool, and I headed out to the workshop.

For the past few days I have been pondering the best way to introduce a frame of egg to my problem hives, and I felt that an extra crown board might come in handy. I therefore set to work and soon had one knocked together.*

While I was working I heard a vehicle turn up at the gates, accompanied by the dogs barking. I assumed that it was a honey sale, ignored it, and carried on with my crude effort. At a convenient point, I wandered out to check whether I had made a sale, and noticed a parcel just inside the gate.  I was amazed to find that my replacement chainsaw blade had been delivered in less than twenty four hours.**

A little while later I broke for lunch, but was keen to fit the new saw blade. Within a few minutes I was making a couple of test cuts on a convenient log. The saw now cuts beautifully and I was delighted with its performance.

I was keen to carry on, but the weather was roasting, and I was tired after not sleeping well because of the high overnight temperatures. I therefore decided that a siesta was in order,  and retired to the shade to snooze for an hour.

On waking I headed back outside and set up my Truncator sawhorse.  Then, with assistance from 30%, proceeded to spend an hour producing a large pile of logs ... I'm guessing we'll be splitting and barrowing tomorrow.

I even tried a tried a trial cut of a large branch. It is about six feet long and about thirty inches in diameter.  I have been eyeing it over the past few days and it looks very large compared to the eighteen inch bar on my chainsaw.  I carefully lined the saw up with the branch and started to cut. I was amazed at how well the saw cut through the log. I needed to cut from both sides, but the blade didn't deviate and a perfect slice fell away.  I'm feeling a lot more confident about dealing with the rest of the timber.

After an hour we decided to call it a day, and I retired indoors to cool down and clean up before this evening's Tai Chi class.***

I am hoping that I sleep well tonight, because I have a feeling that tomorrow will be busy too.

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* It's not perfect, but it will do to either keep bees in, or out, of a brood box during my planned manipulation.

** Delivery was stated to be "3-5 Business Days"

*** We were introduced to the Water sequence.