Looking across the nature reserve

Originally uploaded by John Barnabas.

OK, so that’s it, the conker tree had to go. While I was in Israel, the fellers came and took the tree down. It proved to have serious rot in the top two thirds, dangerously so, in fact. The bottom third would have lasted another 15 years, but who wants a third of a tree in their garden?

It’s a pity. It had been a nice feature of the garden for the last 18 years, shady and green. The downsides were the sticky buds each spring - the dog would collect them in her fur and bring them into the house - and the leaf fall each autumn.

But it had to go, no question! Far too dangerous to leave it standing. Now we’re waiting for the fencing guy to come and replace the missing fence posts and panels.