I came to, around 5am and it was light. I tried to go back to sleep but it wasn’t possible and the prospect of sitting in my wood and a campfire coffee at that time day was sufficient to get me out and about. The trail camera I had set up where deer appeared to have been resting recently, showed nothing but to be honest I didn’t expect it to with me being there. Breakfast was fruity bannock and banana which I had enjoyed last time.

The previous evening I had spent some time carving a billy can pourer. It allows you to hold and tip/pour the hot can withough burning yourself. A simple but clever idea.

I had a few “proper” jobs planned for the weekend – erect deer netting, split some large logs to try to make stakes for it and possibly planks for making a shaving horse. The forecast looked abit iffy – possible rain between 10-11am and thunder in the afternoon. I prioritised my tasks – first pack my camp away and anything I’d left around that wasn’t essential, ready for a quick getaway if necessary. Next, try splitting some wide, six foot long logs for stakes. It worked quite well using steel wedges and the technique learned on my green woodworking course.

I headed around to the neighbours for a social then bang on 10.30 the rain started, just like someone turning the shower on. I scuttled back to mine but it had almost stopped ten minutes later. Back to work before the storms. I pointed-up the stakes and drove them into position around four newly sprouting hazel stools. There was thunder nearby and a strong wind was brewing up and the sky darkening. Time to pack the last things away and head for my shelter to sit it out. It might be an early finish today. There were several loud claps of thunder and the trees rustled loudly in the wind but surprisingly, very little rain fell. I was disappointed, hoping to witness a terrific storm in my woods and water the trees too. After it passed the sun shone again and I managed to put netting around the stakes and finish the job.  I headed home, tired and happy. A great weekend I shan’t forget.