oi, mosschops!

 today was possibly the start of something new for me....

I volunteered to do work.... i know, right, normally you couldn't pay me enough money to get out of bed and listen to your bullshit, but this is different....

For those of you what knows me, you'll know, i'm not "normal" - i don't do "normal" things.... and work is a good example.... we've all been there.... i hate my job, i hate my boss, i hate my life..... well, surprise surprise, in my 40 years (minus a hefty spell where i did what i want and didn't go to work) i've never really had that thought that i am drowning in my own work related problems......

a) i've never applied for a job, had an interview, and got a job.

b) i've never had a job that wasn't doing something i loved

c) i don't usually last more than 5 years in a job cos i usually say FAR too much - i don't have a folter - if i see it and it pisses me off i generally call it out

So, here i am in a trough.... in-between crests of employment where i can honestly say, i've done some amazing work..... and let's put this in perspective, i don't mean i did all the work by any stretch of the imagination, but i've picked the team members..... i've divvied up the tasks.... i've instilled the work ethic. the standards..... the metrics..... the pride, passion, yadda yadda yadda.....

I remember once watching an Andy Goldsworthy documentary (he's only my favourite artist of all time - works in the medium of which we'd call land art(?).... and in this documentary there was a guy driving a digger making this thing and a load of people building this drystone wall..... and i identify with that......  these good people can build the thing.... the vision.... but it's one person's vision)

I am VERY grateful for the hard work of everyone who has helped me/us achieve so much over the years - i am indebted to them......

Anyways.... i think it's time to try something different..... so today i hopped over to a nearby village, checked in with the National Trust Office there and started my volunteering episode.

We tidied up a storage yard.... stacked some stakes, moved some timber, tidied up and old container, moved some bags of fertilizer..... chopped some firewood..... you know the kind of thing...... and then.....

w e  p l a n t e d  m o s s 

MOSS!

sphagnum, to more more precise, and of the twenty or so species of sphagnum, we planted fallax, to be even more precise!!  I forgot to take pics.... i'll try and find a stock image.

oh, here's an interesting article about sphagnum fallax..... go on, fill your boots.

Anyways.....  bit of hard manual graft..... followed by an hour and a bit in the polytunnel.....

Going back Thursday for another go...  will take photos, promise.

Here's a photo of my friend, Rich..... he had a big birthday today.... and i made him a birthday card featuring his image from this pic - i like the pic a lot because a) he never usually poses for pics and b) it very much reminds me of the crucified monkeys from planet of the apes..... see what you think.... hapopy birthday Rich! x