Mole control

The builders moving my fence the other week said this would happen - all that commotion, digging, removing posts, excavator rumbling up and down, boots walking across the orchard - will upset the talpine community living under my garden - the moles.

There were moles aplenty in the orchard, not bothering anyone; but the intervention of a team of builders plus their equipment had the effect of disturbing them. And so they started moving west, tunnelling under my drive. Today was to be their day of reckoning.

The collective noun for moles is a labour - a labour of moles. And labour they do, for an animal that's only six inches (15cm) long, throwing up all that spoil is a lot of effort. Note that the new molehills are aligned in a straight(ish) line, between the parallel tracks left by wheeled vehicles, which have compacted the soil beneath. As well as being unsightly, molehills and the tunnels between them make for uneven walking (with a recuperating left ankle this is problematic - you can't see where the tunnels are, but you feel it when you step on one).

A delivery of half a hectolitre of my effective mole deterrent (lant) was shipped in today. The soil from the molehills was scooped up by the bucketful and used to fill the holes left by the fence posts in their original position. And I hope the moles will be headed back eastwards where they came from, back on the other side of the row of cypresses.

And such a lovely day today! The temperature touched 11C, plenty of sunshine and Vitamin E. A southwesterly wind reminded Mazowsze of the Adriatic, a thousand kilometres away. Once the molehills were sorted, it was time for a walk and make the most of the such a day in December. Sunshine - and warmth - at this time of year is a real bonus, and lifts the spirit.

Disappointed to find that neither the entrance to Chynów station nor the level crossing at Widok have been finished, although workers were toiling away at both this afternoon.

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This time two years ago:
What I was going to say at COP 24 (but didn't)

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Warsaw by night, early winter

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Burn less gas and do Ukraine a favour

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This time 13 years ago:
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