Tag: March

Well how are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

Thas a rum old time at the moment, That there man in charge Russia recon he want t’free them folk in Ukraine cos their polatitions are actin like them folk in Germany did durin the Second Wold War but them folk in Ukraine recon they are alright uz they are und don’t want him a’movin in und are a’putti up a fight. I recon we’d du the same if that happened over here.

Yu hev gotta field sorry for all them folk who are a’tryin t’get away, the look on some o’their faces is enough to bring yu to tears. One thing I hev got t’say is that all them reporters & tv cameras don’t help. I know thas terrible was a’happenin but if you are a tryin t’move out of danger with yar family the last thing you want is somebody a’tryin t’interview you. I think them tv stations are a’havin a competition t’see who can have the most reporters in one country.

They were sum rare storms we had tuther week-end, I drawed round the garden afore them winds started t’meake sure we hant got anything that could take orf when the wind started t’git up. I told the hins t’stay inside or they could end up in next door’s garden. With this here Bird Flu still about yu can’t be to careful I hear today (2nd March) that there hev bin another outbreak of it on a farm down near Diss. What surprised me durin the high winds were that the little old garden birds kept a cummin arter the food in the bird feeders even though they were a swingin about like bells bein rung. The power went orf three times so we ha’a git our old picnic stove out t’hev a cup o’tea und I lit the fire for the fust time in several years, I hev allus kept sum coal und wood in the shud just in case. The only thing I ha’a du was chop sum kindlin, that took me a rare long time t’find my little axe t’do this , cos I hant used it for a while that hed got right t’the back o’cupboard, I ha’a give that a sharpen up with my old rub afore I used it. I remember an old fella a’showin me how t’sharpen a axe und scythe in the late 1950s, un I can still remember how t’du it. Although I still hev an axe or two I dout I could buy a scythe now to sharpen

I hev heard that the village’s History Group are a’goin t’hev a permanent home in the village. They are a takin over the old porta’cabin next t’the village hall. That used t’be used by the play group but since they hev moved over the rood to be nearer the school that hev bin redundant. There’s a bit o’wark t’du to meake it right but I recon the group will be able to tricoliate it up so thas right for their needs.

That were nice t’see sum sheep down in the middle o’the village tuther day. I hed drawed down Drury Lane t’where that meet Summer Lane und on one side o’the road there were a flock o’sheep folded on a crop o’turnips, then I tunned round und on the tuther side o’the corner were a flock o’ewes with sum lambs a’foot grazin on sum grass. Cos years ago folk would hev seen a lot more sheep about as nearly every farmer hed a flock. Cos that were when most farms were what they called mixed farms, that meant that they hed both livestock & arable crops. That way they recon that there would be a profit in when that cum to sell either fat cattle, sheep or pigs or if the prices for livestock were down there would be a profit in the arable crops when they cum to be sold. They used to call it Up Horn down Corn or Up Corn down Horn. Yes I know pigs don’t hev horns but they were rolled in w’sheep un cattle.

I’ll be a watchin the TV t’night cos Norwich City are in a FA Cup game agin Liverpool. If they play how they played last time they were on the TV they don’t need to be a’watch the draw for the next round. I recon they could du with a bit o’luck so I told the Missus I were a goin t’send the Manager a rabbit’s foot cos if he kept that in his pocket while watching the team play that would bring them a bit o’luck. The Missus din’t say anything……….she just gi me one o’har looks…She also recon that she din’t know where I were a’goin t’git a rabbit’s foot from.
I just see that their last manager (Mr Farke) hev left his new managers job in Southern Russia. I don’t know if that hev anything t’du with what I were a talkin about earlier but I recon that might.

Well thas all for now cos thank time for me fourses (tea und a biscuit) thas nearly light enough to git back out in t’the garden arter m’fourses, there’s plenty d’du out the but thas still a bit dauby underfoot.

Du yu all keep save und i’ll hev a word along with yu next month. I were a’havin a look back tuther day und I recon I hev bin havin a wud along with yu all for ni on ten years. I don’t know if I can keep a’goin for another ten years but God willin I might be able t’put a dent in it.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin

How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

Since I last hed a wud a’long with yu them up at Whitehall hev got out a “Roadmap” which they recon is a’goin t’see us out of this here lockdown und keep the coronavirus stowed up in a corner. This here roadmap is suffin that’ll wark as long as all on us are following the same map? We all know that there’ll be some folk who’ll be following a different one, less hope there aren’t to many on um!

Well old Mother Nature hev bin a’hullin some rare cold weather at us durin February. As well as the cold winds there was sum snow as well. That weren’t to bad although the police were a’tellin folk not t’drive unless they hed to. There were pictures in the peaper und on the TV of farmers who were a’helpin keeping the roads open und meakin sure Carers could git to their patients who were stowed up in their homes.
Seeing the snow layin about reminded me of the snow und frorst we hed durin the 1962/63 winter. That froze suffin hard afore Christmas. The old ground got so hard that meant we couldn’t git the old sugar beet outa the ground. Then that started a’snowin hard on New Years Eve I ha’a go t’wark the next morning , (there were no New Year’s day holiday then). I lived about eight miles from the farm I were a warkin on & ha’a git there on my little old scooter. The road were blocked w’snow drifts but I were able t’git round them on my little old bike. That carried on snowing und freezing for sum time but I never missed a day’s wark. Arter we hed run out o’jobs in the farm yard our Master got us sum wark a’helpin the Council a’clearin the snow drifts from the roads. My job was to walk along the top of the snow drifts with a metal rod which I ha’a shove down inta the snow t’meake sure there weren’t a car burrowed in the snow. I’ll tell yu how hard that froze, there a gret old pond in the farm yard which we ha’a clear the snow orf so our Master could hold a skating party on it, to clear the snow we were able to drive a tractor with a snow plough on acrors the ice with-out it breaking.
Cos when the snow went und the ground finally thawed out we were all behind with the land work so to git the ground ploughed we were a’goin from 6 am to 10pm. Two on us shared one tractor und plough – I did the 2pm – 10pm shift. There weren’t a lot o’folk about durin the night but one or two on um complained about the noise the tractor were making arter 8pm. The only mistake I made were when I went into a field I han’t bin in afore I ploughed up a footpath that went right across the middle o’the field.

Talkin about Sugar Beet, I see that the Beet Factories at Cantley & Bury are a stayin open until the middle o’March this year cos that hev bin too wet for some farmers t’git their old beet outa the ground. I wonder how much sugar there goin to be in the beet arter they hev bin standin in water, frozen und then thawed out agen. There must be some or they wouldn’t be a’keeping them two factories open.

Durin the snow the Missus und I hev bin walking round the Millennium Green, that were good to see some children using their sledges on the slope round the out door theatre. Arter the snow hed gone und the weather warmed up that did’t take long for the Primroses long to start flowering.
While the snow were laying in the garden I could see that we were getting Deer in the garden over night. Now I don’t mind deer but I don’t like them a’nibbling the Bluebells that are starting to peep through. I could see that the deer were a’gettin in by pushing through the hedges on both sides o’the garden so I hev bin und got sum posts und a roll of stock fencing t’stop them a getting in, The stock fencing hev got a large mesh so smaller creatures like Hedgehogs could git in and out o’the garden. I hev scrapped round und got the fencing up afore the birds start nesting.

Them boys up at Carra Rood are playin well at the moment , if they keep a’goin like this they could be playin with the big boys next year, thas just a pity that supporters can’t be there t’cheer them on. There don’t seem t’be any good news coming up the A140 from the “Tractor Boys” I han’t heard from my Brother recently!! (He recon he support Ipswich) I see from the news today that the Tractor Boy’s manager, Mr Lambert, is on his way outa the door. That seem a rummin that he could do such a good job with Norwich und then a few years later fail with the Tractor Boys. One difference could be that he han’t got the same two trainers with him this time, one on um is doin a good job at Kings Lynn Football Club at the moment.

Thas goin to be a while before I’ll be gettin out on the garden, thas to wet und the soil hev gotta warm up a bit, these still plenty t’do though, I hev got a list und when I finish that one I know the Missus hev got a list un all.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin,

Stay Safe

How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?
Well we hev hed three on um so far. Thas these here Gales I am a’talkin about. Why do they ha’a giv um names. I know what I’d call um but that ud be suffin I could unt write down here.
That int only the wind thas caused trouble thas the rain that hev come un all. Thas meade the old ground suffin wet, some Farmers hant been able t’git all their beet outa the ground. I read tuther day that Cantley Beet Factory is a’goin t’stay open a extra day or two so the farmers can git all their beet in, thas if they can git them outa the ground.
Cos that int a’doin them winter sown crops any good a’havin their roots in water. A’ridin about they look suffin yella. That’ll ha’a dry out so the farmers can travel on the land und giv them a drop o’nitrogen fertiliser t’git them a’growin agin und turn green.
In other parts of the country folks houses hev bin flooded more than once this winter so we hev got suffin t’be thankful for.
Since I last hed a wud along with yu the Missus und I hev bin over the water agin. We hev bin t’Lapland for a few days. No we din’t see Father Christmas – he were on holiday. We flew orf from Norwich airport. that were suffin cold when we landed -15c. The plane drew up close t’the terminal buildin so we dint hev far t’walk. Arter we hed landed they took us to a gret old shud where they fitted us up w’some thermal suits und boots. We looked a rumum but they kept us warm. The fust night we were there they took us for a ride on sum snowmobiles. We ha’a driv our own snowmobile. The Missus she were on the back und I were drivin. That were like a’drivin suffin on mud so I were alright. We went along a frozen river und got up to 35kph. That were alright until we stopped t’hev a hot drink – when I climbed of inta the snow I dropped down t’me knees und hed a job t’walk cos you kept a sinking inta the snow. Everybody were hevin the same trouble, the Missus she were a’floundering about like a fish outa water. I thought at one stage I were going t’hev t’pull her out with a rope tied onto back of the snowmobile.
Next day we hed a go with some Huskies, The Missus was in the sledge und I were a’standin on the back, there were only five huskies a’pullin us but they were going suffin quick. I were told how t’stop them – you hed a bar on the back near yar feet, und to stop yu ha’a stand on the bar which driv sum hooks on the bar inta the snow und you ha’a should “whoe” just like yu did when driving a horse. The last time I shouted whoe to a cart horse were ni on sixty year ago.
They tell me they are planning suffin in the village for VE day celebrations in a few weeks time, there is a’goin t’be a do in the Village Hall und on the Millennium Green. I know VE day were a’fore most on us were born but we should still remember it cos a lot of folk gave their lives so we could be here today.
Them boys up at Carra Rood are still a’strugglin t’score sum goals und I recon that they’ll be playin in the Championship next season. I’ll tell yu suffin though, I don’t think they will be a’playin the Tractor Boys cos they seem to be a slipping down their division.
That were a rare fire they hed in Watton tuther week. I know thas bad for the businesses that were lost but at least nobody were hurt.
I know I were a talkin last time about how there were sum Cock Pheasants in the garden , well now these only one on um but he hed got three or four Hin Pheasants with him. The shrubs und rose plants are a’shootin so less hope we don’t git any late frosts to cut um back.
One thing I forgot t’tell yu about our trip to Lapland was that we see the Northern
Lights twice although they don’t look like yu see on photos cos most o’them are a 30sec. exposure.
Tuther week the Missus und I went up t’the Forum in Norwich cos the RBST were at the Forum. They were a shearin some sheep und then some Mothers who were there were a’spinnin the wool und them a’makin the yarn into a woolen cloak.
There were a rare lot o’folk there a’watchin und askin questions.
Another thing the Missus und I went und hed a look at were when they hed a light show in Norwich. That were really suffin especially down at the Cathedral.
Well I hed better close this now und draw up t’bed cos I hev gotta be up suffin early in the morning as some fellas are a’comin to replace our fuel tank cos the old one hev got a crack or two on it und thas a’statin t’list a bit on it’s stand.
Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin.

Well How are yu all a’gettin on t’gether?

Thas suffin cold this week (26th Feb) they recon that there Beast from the East is a goin t’pay us a visit. Well I hope that hurry up und git here und then go agin.

I’ll tell yu suffin what like this here weather, thas Husky Dorgs. They were a’racin in Thetford Forest tuther week-end und I drawed along und hed a look at um. There were a rear lot on um there. They were a racin round a trail through the forest. They set orf one arter the other und were timed round the trail. The winner was the one who got round the quickest. They start a’racin fairly early in the mornin (8.30am) so they don’t ha’a run durin the heat o’the day. There were different races depending on how many dogs are a’pullin the sledge. Cos there wern’t any snow they were a pullin a 3 wheeled pram thing where the driver or Musher as they are called stand. Them dogs are suffin fit und they were a’gettin suffin excited when they were a’waiting t’start.

The last race were for young dogs they were a’trainin. The Musher were on a bike w’one husky on a lead a’runnin beside him. I say the Missus when I got home that I could do with a dog like that t’pull me round on my old bike every morning when I go und git me peaper. She din’t say anything…….she just gi’me one of har looks.

I see in th peaper and on the TV that the Farmers hev elected a Mawther t’be their new (NFU) leader. Good luck to har I recon she hev got suffin t’git har teeth into cos she’ll ha’a try und talk t’them up at Whitehall who are dealin with BREXIT. I recon that ull take sum doin t’knock sum sense into sum on um. They want t’be a gettin on with it cos thas only a year until thats all spus t’happen. If that mean that our farmers ha’gotta be growin more of suffin cos that aint a’goin t’be a’cummin over the water they want t’be a’knowin about it cos most crops teake ni on a year from sowin t’harvest. That

teak a’lot longer than that t’git a calf t’grow inta a cow und produce a’drop o’milk.

Them old pot holes in the roads are gettin suffin bad. Theres a master one up Summer Lane. Folk hev told them up a County Hall about it but they recon the pot hole don’t meet their criteria t’be filled in……I recon that would git filled in suffin quick if some folk from County Hall ha’a drive down Summer Lane every day like a lot o’folk do t’teak their younguns t’school.

Thas the same with them folk who repair the telephone wires. The Missus und I are a’havin a master job t’git anybody out cos we are heven a lot o’trouble with our internet connection. Last week them engineers made 4 appointments t’come und see us: We hev waited in und nobody turn up. I hev hed a rare go um on the the phone. That aint BT’s fault thas that other company who they git to repair the fault und who you cant talk to. One on um did ring up t’say he were runnin late . We told him we could not wait in any longer und could be come back t’see us. He recon he could’t cos his next appointment were in Lowestoft!!!!!

Talkin of Lowestoft, them old Tractor Boys still cant beat them Canaries, even arter 10 years o’tryin. As I told my Brother(who support the Tractor Boys) we left it a bit Klose this time.

Thas to cold und wet t’git onta the garden at the moment but I hev sown my Sweet Peas inta some long pots und put them inta the green house t’chit. I hev got one o’them heated sand trays und I hev stood them onta that just t’git them started. I am a’goin t’start some wild flower seeds the same way und then plant them inta the garden when that git warmer. As I git older I hev told the Missus that the conservation area is a’goin t’git nearer to the back door. She recon she don’t mind as long as I leave some where for har to hang the washin out und keep a’growin a few sweet peas for har t’cut.

Well I hed better close now und meake sure we are ready for the Beast from the East.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin.

How are yu all a’geetin on t’gether.

Last time I hed a wud a’long wi yu I reconded we could du w’sum hard weather. Well we’r a’havin a bit on it right now. (Feb 16th) but that old froost dont stay in the ground like that used to.

That dont matter t’farmers round here who are a’farmin on light land but them who farm on heavy (Clay) land like in South Norfolk want a bit o’froost t’git inta the ploughed land over the winter. What happen is that any water in the soil freeze und expand, that meake the clods o’soil break up. when the land dry out in the spring that mean the famers don’t hev t’wark the land s’much t’meake a seed bed cos Jack Froost hev done it for um. These a name for it to, thas called frost mold.

While I’m a’talkin about farmers, those on um who are a’keepin pigs are a’havin a tough time on it at the moment, they recon their are a’loosin £10 for every pig they sell orf the farm. Thas all a’cors them super markets can buy their pork cheaper a’broad. Them who now about these things recon thas cors pigs over the water arnt kept up to the same wefare standards as our farms. . Thas the same with them egg producers. A friend o’mine ha spent thousands a bringing his hin houses up t’EU standards white other countries arnt a meakin their farmers do the same so their eggs come over here cos their cheaper than my friends.

That seem like most things in this here EU, Our farmers ha’a farm by the rules set in Brussels but some o’them other EU countries don’t meake their farmers do the same.

They recon we ha got a’vote, afor the end of 2017, about if we want t’stay in the EU or get out. When we fust joined up in the 1960s that were called the Common Market, that seem t’wark for a’while until we hed a grain mountain, They got over that by a’buyin up the farmers corn und puttin it inta storage. A’lot o’corn from Norfolk farms was stored in the hangers on Watton air field. Then there were a butter mountain, they got round that by paying dairy farmers t’get rid o’their cows, when that din’t wark they give each dairy farm a milk quita a’tellin him how much milk he could sell each year. I seem t’remember there were a wine lake un all, I dunnow how they got rid o’that?

Now acors thas called the EU und we seem t’hev more rules a’comin outa Brussels than London. There were a small business man a’talkin on the TV tuther night, he recon that EU rules cost his business £35,000 a year und thas a’for he start a’doin any business w’other EU countries.

Afor we go un decide about wether we want t’stay in the EU or get out them up at Whitehall want t’meake sure we are all gettin along t’gether over here so we can still be called the United Kingdom! And another thing, thas worth remembering that at one time or another,in the past, we hev been t’war with all them Countries who are in the EU except Portugal.

Well them boys up Carra Rood are meakin a rare fist o’trying to keep up w’them big boys. I thought they hed got suffin a’goin at the turn o’the year but they seem t’ha lorst their way agin.

There were a good turn-out tuther Sunday at the sheep farm in Scoulton. The Missus und I drawed up t’hev a look. That were good t’see s’many folk there a’lookin at the lambs and their mothers. They all looked in good fettle und I hear that a tidy sum of money were raised for the local Churches.

Them old evenings are a’startin t’draw out a’bit und that ount be long afor I cen get outside agin arter I hev hed me fourses. My old concrete paths hev turned suffin green so I want to git a cleanin them wi me pressure washer. Cos a lot o’the Missus shrubs und Roses are still a’growin I want t’be given them a drop o’firtilizer t’keep them a’goin. I allus give them a handful o’Epsom Salts like my Father used to. That meake the leaves go a good colour durin the Summer. I say the the Missus “Do you think I’d go a good colour if I hed a handful of them salts on my porridge”…………She din’t say anything……… she just gi me one o’har looks.

Fare ye well t’gether und do yu keep a’troshin.

Well how are yu all a’goin on?

Since I last hed a wurd along with yu we hev hed them gale force winds at the end o’February. They recon that were called Doris. Why do they ha’a give them high winds names? I know what I’d ha called it but that would be to rude to write down here.

When that started a’blowin hard our electrics went orf. I took the Missus to hev har hair done durin the arternoon in Watton , Their electric were on. The Mawther in charge wanted t’know if I would like t’go in und hev a cup o’tea which were kind on har. Our Electric din’t come back on when that got dark we ha’a use torches t’find our way around the house. The Electric come back on just as we were a’thinkin about goin t’bed.

Doris blew a tree down and that were a’blockin the road twix Carbrooke und Watton Green. When they finally got round t’movin the tree the telephone line come apart. That were a job t’get that re-connected. Every time I rung them up on my mobile I spoke t’somebody different , sum on um were in this country und some on um were in India. One on um recon they were a’goin t’put a call divert on so when folk tried t’ring us they were diverted t’my mobile . Well bor they made a right mess o’that. When folk tried t’ring our home number they got re-directed. The only trouble that wunt t’my mobile that were t’sum Lady who could not speak any English, and when folk tried t’ring my mobile direct they head the ringing tone but my mobile did not respond. That took about six phone calls t’get that sorted out.

Anyway that took 11 days before we were r-connected and now BT recon them folk who did not report the fault will not get any compensation! I recon there were sum 15 houses that were cut of for the 11 days. If some o’them folk din’t hev a mobile how were they suppose to report the fault?

Well I recon Spring hev arrived, although old mother nature keep a hullin in a few cold days just to let us all know that she can still change the weather if she want to.

Still thas good t’see things a gettin green und that meake yu want t’git outside und start a’doin suffin in the garden. The trouble is my old shoulder is still a’playin up so I arnt in full harness yet. I hev hed my old pressure washer out und hev cleaned the concrete und brick weave paths down, thas suprising how much dirt there is t’clean orf. As I said to the Missus thas best that stay outside rather than get carted indoors. The Missus do mob sometimes if I go indoors und hant cleaned my old boots or forget t’teake them orf. She hev even bought me a proper brush und foot scraper t’use.

The grass that hev a’started a’growin. I hev bin over it once with my old mower so the next job ull be t’get the moss orf und put some slits inta the ground t’help the drainage. I hev got one o’them machine that do that for me. That hev got a motor on it but I hev still got t’push it along. I’ll tell yu suffin thas easier than using a hand rake t’get the moss orf und using a four tined fork t’aerate the soil.

Thas all change up at Carra Rood. They hev got rid o’that young manager. I suppose that were a’goin t’happen cos the team hant been playin to well leartly. The trouble is once the game start the Manager can’t do anything apart from shoutin at um Another thing I recon is that the Manager was not much older than the players and that could meake it difficult for him(the Manager) to earn their respect. I remember what that were like when I became a Farm Foreman several weeks before my 21st Birthday. I dont know if that would apply t’football managers but the Principal at the Agricultural collage I went to recon that “you should never ask a man to do a job you cannot du, or hev not dun yourself”.

We hev just hed a Breckland Council election in the Village. That were because one of our Councillors were rude to a lady at a Hunt Meet in Yorkshire. I arn’t a’goin to repeat what he said cos that were very rude. When somebody is pointin a mobile phone at him you would hev thought he would have been careful what he said. I recon that were a case of him puttin his mouth in gear a’fore his brain. I hope a lot on yar went and voted cos unless you vote I dont recon you should criticise them who git elected. They tell me there is a’goin t’be NCC elections in May so we’ll ha’a turn out agen.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a’troshin

How are yu all a’geetin on t’gether.

Last time I hed a wud a’long wi yu I reconded we could du w’sum hard weather. Well we’r a’havin a bit on it right now. (Feb 16th) but that old froost dont stay in the ground like that used to.

That dont matter t’farmers round here who are a’farmin on light land but them who farm on heavy (Clay) land like in South Norfolk want a bit o’froost t’git inta the ploughed land over the winter. What happen is that any water in the soil freeze und expand, that meake the clods o’soil break up. when the land dry out in the spring that mean the famers don’t hev t’wark the land s’much t’meake a seed bed cos Jack Froost hev done it for um. These a name for it to, thas called frost mold.

While I’m a’talkin about farmers, those on um who are a’keepin pigs are a’havin a tough time on it at the moment, they recon their are a’loosin £10 for every pig they sell orf the farm. Thas all a’cors them super markets can buy their pork cheaper a’broad. Them who now about these things recon thas cors pigs over the water arnt kept up to the same wefare standards as our farms. . Thas the same with them egg producers. A friend o’mine ha spent thousands a bringing his hin houses up t’EU standards white other countries arnt a meakin their farmers do the same so their eggs come over here cos their cheaper than my friends.

That seem like most things in this here EU, Our farmers ha’a farm by the rules set in Brussels but some o’them other EU countries don’t meake their farmers do the same.

They recon we ha got a’vote, afor the end of 2017, about if we want t’stay in the EU or get out. When we fust joined up in the 1960s that were called the Common Market, that seem t’wark for a’while until we hed a grain mountain, They got over that by a’buyin up the farmers corn und puttin it inta storage. A’lot o’corn from Norfolk farms was stored in the hangers on Watton air field. Then there were a butter mountain, they got round that by paying dairy farmers t’get rid o’their cows, when that din’t wark they give each dairy farm a milk quita a’tellin him how much milk he could sell each year. I seem t’remember there were a wine lake un all, I dunnow how they got rid o’that?

Now acors thas called the EU und we seem t’hev more rules a’comin outa Brussels than London. There were a small business man a’talkin on the TV tuther night, he recon that EU rules cost his business £35,000 a year und thas a’for he start a’doin any business w’other EU countries.

Afor we go un decide about wether we want t’stay in the EU or get out them up at Whitehall want t’meake sure we are all gettin along t’gether over here so we can still be called the United Kingdom! And another thing, thas worth remembering that at one time or another,in the past, we hev been t’war with all them Countries who are in the EU except Portugal.

Well them boys up Carra Rood are meakin a rare fist o’trying to keep up w’them big boys. I thought they hed got suffin a’goin at the turn o’the year but they seem t’ha lorst their way agin.

There were a good turn-out tuther Sunday at the sheep farm in Scoulton. The Missus und I drawed up t’hev a look. That were good t’see s’many folk there a’lookin at the lambs and their mothers. They all looked in good fettle und I hear that a tidy sum of money were raised for the local Churches.

Them old evenings are a’startin t’draw out a’bit und that ount be long afor I cen get outside agin arter I hev hed me fourses. My old concrete paths hev turned suffin green so I want to git a cleanin them wi me pressure washer. Cos a lot o’the Missus shrubs und Roses are still a’growin I want t’be given them a drop o’firtilizer t’keep them a’goin. I allus give them a handful o’Epsom Salts like my Father used to. That meake the leaves go a good colour durin the Summer. I say the the Missus “Do you think I’d go a good colour if I h
ed a handful of them salts on my porridge”…………She din’t say anything……… she just gi me one o’har looks.

Fare ye well t’gether und do yu keep a’troshin.

Missing Month

At the beginnin of February they were a’remembering the 1953 floods. We were a livin on a farm ny on 2 miles inland from the East Coast when that happened. I remember M’Father hed t’go out a couple o’times that night to look at’an old cow that were arter calvin. he cum back in and recon that were a moderate night und how he could hear the waves a breakin on the beach at Walcot. Acors we din’t hev a TV, most folks din’t hev a phone then and there were no local radio t’tell us what were a happening all along the coast, we leant about it next day by a listin the wireless and a readin about it in the pearper Afor the floods at Walcot yu ha’a push yar old bike orf the road und through sand dunes t’reach the beach and the sea. When we cycled down t’hev a look arter the floods the beach, sand dunes and road hed all bin washed away. We ha’a bring a letta home from school a’askin our parents t’send in spare clothes und blankets so they could be given out t’them who hed lost their homes. Everybody helped even though rationin were still on some things.. That were true then und thas true now… “theres allus somenone wuss orf than yarself”.
A lookin at the old photos of the floods yu can see how every thing were done by hand then, there were no mechanical diggers and forklifts t’help bung up the gaps where the sea hed cum through. As I hev said’a’for Mother Nature will allus keep yu on yar toes cos yu never know what she is a’goin t’du next and you’ll never beat har.

I went a walk acroos the old airfield t’other day(along the new footpath), my heart they are, a makin a mess on it a pullin up the run ways, that seem along while ago now when there were planes a flyin there, still thas good t’see it going back to farmin though they’ll want t’make the fields bigger than they were in 1939 as 2 Hosses have bin replaced by 250 horse power tractor and equipment that want the best part of a acre t’tun round in.

At least then old nights are a startin t’pull out now, I’ll soon be able t’draw outside again arter I hev hed my tea. As I said in last time the garden is still t’wet t’get about on although as I am a writin this (Early Feb) the old Snow Drops & Primroses are a peepin through und a’time yu read this the’ll be over und the old Daffs will be a breakin out on the verges around the village.

While that ha bin moderate outside the Missus ha’a started a doin har family tree, She ha bin a’doin it on har new computa that I got har for Christmas, my hart she’s ha rearly got the Bit between har teeth und so far she ha found over 150 relations, I told har that I wern’t a’goin t’start a t’sending them all a Christmas card,…… she say that I hant got t’worry about that cos sum on un ha bin buried for two hundred years und more. So far she hant found any who ha bin t’prison and, more’s the pity, she hant found any on um who ha’got a bob or two. Still the good thing while that while she’s a doin this family tree she hant a bin findin jobs for me t’du so I ha bin a pullin a bit of a light harra lately, I recon that ull soon change so I am a’meakin the most on it while I can.

Fare ye well t’gether und du yu keep a troshin.

As I am a writin this (mid February) thas suffin cold outside, that got down’t minus 12 outside my old greenhouse last night, I dussant open the door t’have a look inside as that’l only let the heat out. We had sum cold old winters afor. I remember the fust year I started warkin arter I had bin to farming collage we had sum rum weather, I recon the freezin rain were the wust. The tractors we were a drivin had canvas cabs on with a glass windscreen, well, the rain that froz on the screen and the only way you see where yu were a’goin was to open the door and stick yar head out, yu cont do that f’long cos the rain holy stung yau face, still that were worsa for one o’the other tractor drivers I were a’warkin with, he were a wearing glasses so when he stuck his head outa the cab door t’see where he were a goin the rain fros on his glasses. That tractor driver, he were a master one for losing things, one year when he were a ploughin he lorst his leather Jerkin , (that were like a body warmer) he recon that must a’fallin orf the back o’the tractor and he ha plough’d in, du you know the next year when he were a ploughin the same field he ploughed it out agin it out a’gin……. and that were good enough for him still t’wear.
Yu ha’a put up w’the cold if yu ha’a drive a tractor w no cab on at all, thas how that was a’for they ha’a put safety cabs on tractors. Yu might have a canvas cab but they were drafty. I remember askin my Boss (in 1966) why he dint hev cabs on his tractors, he recon that yu shount be a warkin on the land when that were a’rainin so there wernt any need for cabs, he dint ha’a sit on the tractor when that were a blowin from the North Pole and all yu ha’a keep yu warm were an ex-army great coat: thas another one o’them ‘good old days”I dont want t’see back agin.

I hear that the Watton air field ha bin sold back t’local farms, they’ll hev a job a breakin up all that contrete and a’gettin rid on it, perhaps sum on it will be used when they start a buildin the new bit of the A11. One farm I were a warkin on in the 1960s had part of a old air field on it, when we started a ploughin on it we dragged up sum cables that still alive so when yu ploughed through um sparks were a comin orf the back o’the plough, we ha’a stop until somebody cum and turned orf the current.

I hope a lot on’yer took part in the bird watch at the end o’January, I did, well that meant I could sit down for an our t’do that with out the Missus a findin me a job cos I kept a’tellin har I were a concentratin on a countin the birds, I tried t’stretch the our out as long as I could an all. The trouble is w’this cold weather I cant get outside so the Missus keep a findin me inside jobs t’du……..the trouble is as fast as I knock the jobs orf t’list she keep a’’addin more on.

Fare ye well t’gether and du yu keep a’troshin.

Missing Month