Daily mud - control plots

Got to the site today about 4pm, having seen two giant fish in a bucket in the village, taking their last 60-a-day gasps. Today I wanted to finish putting the ropes around the metal poles D and I installed to mark out the six 3x3m control plots. But I was foiled because, as the rain patted my green Tilley hat, there were clearly not going to be enough Jubilee clips to go round. So some completed. Two more plots to finish tomorrow and some proper photos will be taken of them. Thrilling to see the R. apiculata growing so well on hill C. Really encouraging.

The drive back was ok today. Slow and cautious on the wet roads. No digging so the usual back-ache didn't plague me. But was almost smacked off my bike on the way to the site by some idiot undertaking everyone by using the hard shoulder / motorbike lane, and weaving through the other lanes. On that highway I spend a lot of time looking in the rear view mirror for just such an idiot. And not only is one born every minute, but some of them drive naff cars with cheap spoilers bolted onto the trunk. Chump.