Wood 2

It's been half term which means a trip out to The Wood. We collected my friend and her daughter - more manpower and a playing mate for the children and met my brother and his partner at the wood. This was my third trip but no more walking through the wood and admiring it but working this time. We cleared undergrowth away from some new oak and silver birch saplings. Quite hazardous at times with branches poking in eyes and brambles drawing blood.

The children found a likely place for a den and constructed a bridge across a damp patch. C fell in the bog but was undaunted.

However, we will have to get our act together for next time. In previous journeys we have treated ourselves to lunch at a deli in the local town but this time we plumped for a campfire and a stew: cheaper and more in the spirit of wood dwelling. But we weren't very organised. What's the expression....too many cooks.... we discovered that we had no kettle in which to boil water for our morning coffee nor cups from which to drink the reviving brew. But we channelled Ray Mears and boiled water in a wok and drank French style from bowls. First hurdle crossed.

Still there was the stew to look forward to except we soon discovered we had no spoons with which to devour the stew. Well actually we had one spoon and although we are all friends together we did think it might take rather too long for seven of us to eat our delicious fish stew with one spoon no matter how bonding it might be. So one of us was dispatched to the local town and charity shop to procure 7 forks for the grand sum of 10p each. Henceforth they will be known as The Woodcraft Forks ( a gentle pun on Woodcraft Folk which my brother's daughters and his partner's son used to go to when they were children). The stew was delicious and consumed with extra appreciation with our charity forks although Ray might be a tad disappointed that we didn't hewn our own spoons from the twigs surrounding us.

Just as the rain started we packed up, all satisfied of a great day spent in The Wood.

Wildlife spotted: buzzard and evidence of badgers