… in Beaufront Woodhead. The weather has alternated between dire and freezing, neither any good for getting out and about, especially on two wheels. A couple of storms have passed through and trees have been lost. We have had a couple of regular visitors to our garden and then, yesterday, they took the liberty of inviting all their friends. The image from our rear bedroom window shows a handful but, just around the corner, there were twenty or so more – they have kindly, liberally, fertilised the lawn.
One bright spot, I have replaced the levers on my Triumph Scrambler – I get a disproportionate amount of pleasure out of such fettling – verb (used with object), fet·tled, fet·tling – Ceramics to remove mold marks from (a cast piece). That may be the official definition but, in Manchester and probably elsewhere, it means to fiddle about with machinery – ideally in a relaxed and time-wasting fashion. An alternative would be ‘ferkle’.
“Goodnight, thank you, and may your God go with you” – Dave Allen 1936-2005
… all are welcome, apparently.
… before and after
… super-wide – the 8mm Samyang on the X-Pro2
… winter moon over Beaufront Woodhead
… and Hard Rain along the Tyne.
… another tree down along the Tyne
… afternoon light, Beaufront Woodhead
northumbrian : light 
To Fettle, is to make something fit, around here, my problem is having initially trained as a Fitter and Turner, it becomes an obsession, current Fettling is trying to repair my Sister-in Laws Nespresso Machine, even though we just bought her a new one as I was fed up with it tripping the fuses. Weather here is appalling.
That sounds a fettling challenge – if it is anything like ours it has a scanner to read the pods and all the functions will be software controlled. Wonderful though the microchip is, it does result in so much becoming un-fixable. I wish you luck with your fettling – keeps us out of bother on miserable winter days 🙂
You should have quite a lush lawn come spring with all that fertilizer. Love the photos,especially the moon.
Thanks Julie – quite well aerated too with all those hoof marks 🙂
I always enjoyed Dave Allen, and that ending of his. 🙂 🙂 When is your trip to Portugal?
Hi Jo – for a variety of reasons (various family events), we have yet to book – it is still in the pipeline though.
I love “fettling” and “ferkle” will have to find someplace to use them, although I have a feeling some in the US will think it has something to do with the “other” f-word. I also really like the Dave Allen quote and your photos (as usual on the latter.)
janet
There is something very satisfying about pronouncing words beginning with ‘f’ – and not just the short ones – they leave me quite flabbergasted 🙂
Frankly, I find it funny. 🙂
Beautiful pictures. I especially like that of the river and the farmhouse beyond. Looks pretty much like a watercolour to me.
Fettling: so that’s what the Big T has been doing all this time in the garage. One Katana almost rebuilt — now there’s just the small matter of the others, and the cafe racer …
Your photos are beautiful as always; the afternoon light especially lovely.
Sounds like Big T is a first fettler with some very fine projects. Many thanks for your ever kind comments, Su.
I’ll tell him you think so. I’m suffering from bike-drama compassion fatigue and am less complimentary of his efforts than usual.