THE RAMBLINGS OF A STRUGGLING ARTIST ON LIFE WITH TWO TERRIERS, A PONY WITH ISSUES AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND BIRDS THAT CROSS OUR PATH

5 February 2014

STORM DAMAGE AND 100 FOLLOWERS GIVEAWAY


About 7.00 last night, as the wind and rain raged outside, OB asked us what 'that whooshing sound' was. We said it was probably the wind. However, when I went to feed Trigger this morning, I found my way blocked by this large Beech tree across the drive. It only just missed our neighbour's house and took a lot of her garden fence down. Just underneath the tree in the picture above on the far left, is where we were parking our cars a few months ago when we were worried about the tree whose limb fell off last May. Thank goodness we forgot to do it last night!




M took the morning off work and wielded the chainsaw in the pouring rain with another neighbour and had it cleared by the time I got home from taking OB to school and my mum to Waitrose:




More firewood I suppose, but not good for the poor neighbours who own it; their greenhouse was completely decimated too. This Robin was looking on with interest:


For the last few days, we've had yet another damp issue, which reached crisis point last night, as water started pooling on one of the Kitchen window sills and soaking the window reveals. M had deconstructed the panel we'd put on the outside over the weekend, finding no damp and last night, the boxing in around the lavatory, which is above the offending window was hacked off to see if there was anything going on there. there wasn't. So, last night, as we wondered whether we would have to sleep in the kitchen between mopping up sessions, we decided to brave the torrential rain armed with torches. We realised that our neighbour's gutter was blocked and was overflowing so furiously that the water was flying up and under our soffit board, into the wall cavity and running down past the bathroom and pooling on top of the kitchen window. So, at 10.00pm when I would normally be off to bed, we were standing outside in waterproofs, M up the ladder, me footing it. At one point, I was hit by a deluge of water, as M released the blockage. All I can say is that at least it washed off the filthy clods of beech leaf sludge that had hit me a few minutes earlier. Not a good night. At no point did we notice the massive tree that had fallen fifteen yards behind us either.

Well before I expected, the 100th follower has been reached. I'm so excited and thanks so much everyone who does follow. So, as promised, I really should do something to mark the occasion, and will do a draw from anyone who comments on this post. whoever wins, I'll send two packs of five note cards: this pony from last year and the snow sheep from the Christmas card collection. 



So, until next time, when I'm hoping the weather MIGHT have improved a bit, here's Jack doing some litter collecting out on the moor, coneless and happy about it. 


72 comments:

  1. I was thinking about you last night
    I lost one of the hen house roofs
    Only one hen was inside and she was fine...sat on a nest all by herself until dawn

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    1. Animals are such stoics. Sorry about the roof John; Not the weather to be mending it either!

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  2. What a mess, glad you got through it withour any major damage... and happy to see that the cone is gone :)

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    1. Thanks Jenn - not as happy as me; he kept banging my shins!

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  3. Oh dear!!
    Here we're struggling with floods as well as high winds - fingers crossed!

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    1. Firmly crossed Gill - it's meant to be bad again tonight.

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  4. I had no idea that I was your 99th follower Em, or that you would be my 100th! That must be some sort of blogging sign, what do you reckon. Indeed, I hadn't noticed that my followers were at that number, it was in the 60's or 70's the last time that I paid any attention. Anyway, so sorry about the tree incident, that is horrid, I am just so glad that no people were hurt or any irreparable damage was done, thank goodness that your cars were not squished and that you had the tools to cut it up with. I hope that you get the damp sorted out, we have got blocked gutters and damp problems too - window sill in the bedroom running with water! - so I can sympathise. I think that the weather really has been exceptional (she says hopefully!) so I hope that all of this weird and horrid stuff will end soon! Take care and I will let you know about some way of marking my follower numbers now that you pointed it out to me - give me a few days for a bit of a think! xx

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    1. I seem to have 101 now so the century is passed without bunting. I'll look forward to whatever you decide to do.....i feel for you and the bedroom running water. Any blocked gutters nearby?

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  5. Oh no! Is anybody having a good winter this year?
    Glad you found the problem,water is so sneaky,getting into every little nook and cranny.
    Jane x

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    1. At least we're not snowed in Jane - I do feel for you over there!

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  6. Ah - I know that spot exactly, where the tree fell, from our visit. Blimey. Just as well you hadn't parked up there or you'd have had a very flat Polo . . .

    Sorry about the leaks too, and a horrid night to be up a ladder (or under one!) sorting it out. I trust you'll be watertight now.

    I'm not surprised you have 100 followers - yours is a lovely blog to follow and lifts my heart every time I see the photos of the moor.

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    1. Even worse than a flat Polo - it would have been a flat Vauxhall Corsa hire car.

      I'm so pleased to be able lift your heart - the ultimate compliment - thank you!

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  7. Hi Em.....
    So glad there were no serious injuries...
    The storms this winter have been crazeeeee!
    Always enjoy your bird pics♥️
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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  8. Since there are no dog's arseholes in those options, I am not entering the give-away, but good about the 100th follower.

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    1. So sorry not to be able to oblige in the arsehole department. I'll see what I can do in the next post. That Robin is verging on turning his rump towards the camera for you....

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  9. I have been reading about the weather in the south west. Glad you were okay, bad enough with what you had to deal with. As always I loved your photos. Congratulations on your 100 followers and so nice of you to do a giveaway.

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    1. Your name will be in the glass bowl Denise - thank you.

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  10. HiI Em. What a terrible mess you have had however it is a miracle no one was injured nor were your cars damaged. I had to laugh when I saw the storm damage shots and yet you still had time to shot that lovely photo of the Robin. That is a gorgeous shot of the horse.

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    1. He was one of the first few foals born last year and that was taken in late summer when he was looking pretty mature. No idea where he is now. I'm afraid many went for meat.

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  11. It's been so rough the last couple of days, I'm not surprised about the tree.. Just glad no more damage was done. Be careful out on the moor, no sign of it letting up x

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    1. I hope you're okay too what with your stream AND the steep hill. The garden is a bog.

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  12. I was wondering about you, with all this terrible wind, I'm so glad you're OK. Nice to see that little scally back to his old self again and looking just as cheeky as ever!

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    1. Wondering about you too Kath. I guess you could always pitch a tent on the tor!

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  13. We have been watching the top of a big tree in our garden swaying against the angry sky. So sorry that you had such a terrible night, but glad that you found the solution to your problem. I am finding the news every evening so depressing, it just keeps going on and on. My heart goes out to all of the people whose homes are continually threatened with flood water, or seem to have it permanently in their homes.
    To end on a more cheerful note - love the picture of your cute little robin, and jack, bless his soul, looks as if he doesn't have a care in the world.

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    1. I think Jack has already forgotten all about it. As for the poor flooded people, I bet if they were closer to London something would have been done about it. What about the railway tracks on the coast? Terrifying!

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  14. What luck that you didn't park your car there.
    What weather you and much of the U.S. in having. And here I am hoping for some winter rain !
    Tucson need it.
    So happy your house missed lots of the damage.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. I will do a rain dance for you Parsnip. x

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    2. Oh Please !
      We are getting some rain tomorrow and possible snow in the Catalina Mountains then it will be clear and temps in the 70's next week... ARGH ! ! !

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  15. I love the little robin. Yikes that was a lot of damage from the tree. I follow you on my Bloglovin' account, as I don't use Blogger. I follow the UK weather as we still have family living over there. We've had an awful snow storm today, lots and lots of snow accumulating. Hope the weather improves on both sides of the Atlantic. I'd love to be entered into your give away.

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    1. I haven't got my head round Bloglovin yet. I think I tried and then cam e up against some kind of problem and never went back. I'll try again as a lot of people seem to use it. Keep safe in that snow over there!

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  16. Goodness... yes I think there has been a lot of new firewood lately. Glad you've got Jack so usefully trained... love the card images too... keep safe and cosy.. smiles Cass x

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    1. You too Cass. I wish we had the space to store all that firewood while it seasons!

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  17. Whoa quite the tree down .
    Pony behind the rock ~ marvelous !!
    COlorful fleece on them there sheep .
    But my friend JAck always takes the cake being busy as a bee as alway ~ now litter collecting. ha ha

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    1. I know most of the sheep marks that the farmers use but I've never got to the bottom of who's the red and blue one is. Glad you like the pony. Will enter your name....

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  18. You are one great blogger - and certainly my favorite. What a terrible winter you are all having over there. So glad your cars were safely out of range and that Jack is up to mischief again. I love that robin photo. I feel so guilty about our winter this year. It's been so wonderful, I keep thinking something dreadful must be just around the corner! My sister came down from Canada after horrendous ice and snow and now she returns as another outrageous snowstorm has just hit and we are concerned about her flight back. Ah well I suppose it keeps life interesting!!

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    1. Thank you Chris! Just keep positive about your winter. It sounds like you're in a lovely minority this year.

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  19. Oh dear Em, you sure had a bout of nastiness all at once! Good that is over with hopefully for awhile for you now. Congratulations on your 101 Followers !!! well deserved as yours posts are always interesting and photos superb ! xx

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    1. I daren't even wonder where water could enter the house next.....

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  20. Sounds a bit grim all in all! I just hope you have an open fire, so that next year, when the wood has dried through a splendid summer, you can throw on another log and laugh about "that evening"

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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    1. The whole house is heated with a woodburner so the cloud does have that silver lining. However, I'm not pinning my hopes on a good summer - I think last year was a flue but you never know. It must be quite late at night with you over there, and pretty hot too I imagine!

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  21. Oh Em, I would have cried for you if your Polo had been squashed. So glad no cars, people or animals were in the way of that tree. I did wonder how things were up on Dartmoor as it has been just terrible here. Our chimney is leaking in the loft and a few leaks in the conservatory, but nothing I can do right now.
    As soon as this nasty weather has cleared we must arrange a meet up to celebrate out 100 years!

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    1. Definitely! Meeting up I mean. The loft thing is so difficult. It took us four years to work out where the last leak was coming from and we THOUGHT it was the loft. It wasn't. Water is a terrible thing for houses!

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  22. I've been thinking of you and Suzie during the recent awful storms - it looks dreadful from BBC News coverage. Relieved though that your car is ok and no-one was injured. Take care and stay safe!

    Well done on the 100 followers :) Well deserved too - your blog is always interesting and such great photos :)

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    1. Thanks RR. It's just started raining again and I'm really not looking forward to walking the dogs!

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  23. Thank goodness you and your cars are safe! It`s always sad to see a tree downed. I hope you have a good pile of firewood from it as some compensation.

    Thinking of you today on this wet, wet day. I expect Trigger and his Ladies are being as stoical as our poor New Forest ponies, but I still wake up in the night and wish I could turn the rain off for them.

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    1. Trigger is on his own today so I'm feeling doubly bad for him!

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  24. Fortunate that your cars were not in the way! I always hate to see a tree fall, but all the rain softens the ground making falls frequent. We are having heavy rains again also, least it's not the white stuff or ice.

    Congratulations on the 100! Your blog is special!

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    1. Thanks Gail - you too! I'm very relieved you have rain not snow. Thick miust to compliment that rain for us this afternoon.....lovely!

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  25. Crikey, I'm so glad the tree didn't damage the car. These storms seem never-ending, don't they? I'm sorry about the damp and the miserable evening fixing it, too.
    I'm sure Jack is so much happier without the cone! He looks full of beans!
    Congratulations on getting over 100 followers!

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    1. How is it in Essex? We have relatives there but haven't spoken to them for a couple of weeks. I hope they haven't been washed away!

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    2. No real floods that I've heard of. But lots of new fords in the roads, trees down here and there and water lying everywhere. Very soggy!

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  26. Gorgeous buildings! (Most of our world here is made of wood~ ) I have quite a vision of your at the bottom of the ladder, will bits of rotted leaf mung trailing off you... before the good "rinse" you got. :)))
    Congrats on your following! :))))))

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    1. They are gorgeous.....just not watertight.....Would rather have a wooden house any day!

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  27. The trains were stopped here last night as the track goes alongside our local bay , part of it is over a bridge and the water was so high it was touching the bottom of the bridge. We've had several trees over but luckily nobody has been hurt x

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    1. My thoughts are with you too Bridget. When will it end? No wonder I've been scrubbing window reveals with tea tree oil to try and suppress the mould we never had before this year.

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    2. Does that stop mould then? We've got some in our bedroom as it's been so wet and it affects Malcs asthma. Do you just put it on neat?

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    3. It doesn't stop it but I hate using bleach, which is M's favoured method. I use a solution to clean it initially and then wipe some on neat afterwards, doing the whole window reveal so as not to leave an obvious patch. It just suppresses it for a bit. I think the only way to get rid of it forever is to scrape the plaster off and re-do it; something we did actually do on a beam in the bathroom at one point! I once talked to a builder about it and he said it happened in his house and he had no idea how to stop it, which was rather depressing. Bleach and then anti-mould paint might help I suppose? I'm rambling now.....

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  28. I don't know who I love most, the robin, the pony or your sweet dog.
    I am glad you escaped serious damage in the storm.

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    1. Thanks Cait. I hope your weather isn't so bad!

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  29. Poor you what a dreadful night for you , it must have been awful clearing the gutters in the rain and the dark! So glad the tree didn't cause damage too the houses or the cars. We have had lots of rain today and they said that Dartmoor was going to be worse hope you haven't more rain coming in. Congratulations on reaching 101 followers. Sarah x

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    1. It's just been persistent but not torrential, which is something I suppose. We've had a power cut tonight and are only just back up. Plumbing emergency too....during power cut. Getting a little cross now!

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  30. Just popped over from Amy's blog to say hello. Ugh, that sounds like an awful night you had - this winter really is taking its toll here, I'm so over all this rain already and we seem to have escaped the worst of it here in the Midlands. Hope it lets up soon and you get the damp etc sorted.
    Looking forward to following along on your adventures :-)
    Love Gilly xx

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    1. Hi Gilly (number 102), and welcome! I'm sure your time will come with the weather but I'm just pleased some bits of the country are okay!

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  31. I am not surprised you have a hundred followers Em - your wonderful photographs of Dartmoor, the dogs, the sheep and the ponies, as well as your text giving us a taste of life lived down there - all combine to make your blog compulsive reading.

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  32. I stumbled across this from the Three Muleteers. I'm so sorry you've had such awful weather. We had something similar happen last June. The trees still partially rest on our old garage.

    Stay safe and thanks for this blog, wonderful reading.

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    1. Lovely to have you visiting Val. We're a bit worried about the forecast for tomorrow night. We're supposed to be going to a party in North Devon but I think we'll be giving it a miss.

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  33. Congrats on your hundredth. Terrible weather here too- Romsey is flooded out this morning and friends in the town have been up since 3am sandbagging their house. I've never been more glad that we live on a hill! x

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    1. We feel the same about being on a hill CT. It's only the horizontal rain we have to worry about. I can't imagine how those who are already flooded must feel about tomorrow's forecast. Just awful. x

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  34. I am never good humored about water where it shouldn't be--I think being soaked outside at 10 p.m. would leave me either raging or feeling sorry for myself--maybe both.
    We get slender branches blown down from the back yard maples with most storms--I do look at them from time to time and think about a crash onto the roof.

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  35. I like the photo of the stone wall. They were a regular landscape feature of our native New England. I haven't seen them here other than rebuilt examples of the Shakers' art at the museum grounds. Interesting to see that your hedges are still mostly green--this has become a rather brown season in Kentucky.

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