Winter Doldrums

[Carole]

Well it's that time again, stuck in Bortle 8 until the Spring.  Also with next door's tree I can't even do Orion area for more than 1 - 1 1/2 hours either side.

There looked like a couple of nights early next week (Monday and Tuesday) were a possibility so I contacted Cairns but the ground is boggy and the POD is not available even parking in the car park, as they have workmen on site building new stables.



So going to have to be very selective in what I can image over the next few months.  Trouble is I have done most of the doable targets from home already.

Carole

[Carole]

Just set up in the obsy, I also need to get my apple tree pruned it's got too high and will be an obstruction.

Carole

[Fay]

Next door we have new neighbours moving in. they  have eliminated the fully grown oak tree. it was in its finest colours. not happy. we had had it trimmed a couple of times as I could not see polaris. it was not protected. he knew i was unhappy about it. i sent him a letter suggesting the council have a look and make a decision, he did not answer. I am sure they would have protected it, but it could still have been pruned. it was around 200 years old.......

i will now have a view NW. imaging from the East i would always have to calculate how many exposure i could do before camera went into the oak. having said all this, i would much prefer the  tree was still there. it put up a hell of a fight and took two weeks to complete the task.

Fay

[Carole]

Shame for the tree, good for astronomy. Mixed feelings like you.

Are you planning on getting out again Fay?
Carole

[doug]

Someone obviously isn`t a Daily Mail Tree angel ... I wonder if they are going to plant a new smaller tree to compensate...

Doug.

[Rick]

Some folks just don't "get" trees...

My old neighbours had some trees trimmed a year or three back. Some of the work was done quite well, but the rest of it left the trees they attacked looking sadly mis-shapen. It would almost have been better to take them right down.

The new owners of my old place took down the horse chestnut at the front. A few weeks later storm Gareth blew in and one of the chimneys came down. No solid evidence that the two were connected in any way, but the tree was tall enough to take the sting out of some of the wind...

At my new home the woodland management folk had hacked a couple of ash trees close to the back boundary a few years back. When we got a tree surgeon in to do some work on a few wild cherry trees early this year he looked at the hacked ash trees, shook his head sadly, and just said "Oh dear.".

[ApophisAstros]

Next door we have new neighbours moving in. they  have eliminated the fully grown oak tree. it was in its finest colours. not happy. we had had it trimmed a couple of times as I could not see polaris. it was not protected. he knew i was unhappy about it. i sent him a letter suggesting the council have a look and make a decision, he did not answer. I am sure they would have protected it, but it could still have been pruned. it was around 200 years old.......

i will now have a view NW. imaging from the East i would always have to calculate how many exposure i could do before camera went into the oak. having said all this, i would much prefer the  tree was still there. it put up a hell of a fight and took two weeks to complete the task.

Fay

Look on the bright side Fay, those big trees' roots can undermine house foundations so they might have done you a favour.
Roger

[Fay]

well it was at the top of the garden, so not near the house. i have a feeling he is a developer, but says this house if for his family to stay in. will be even unhappier if he moves out again soon.
wont forgive him for it. he had said, we dont want any problems with out neighbours want to be happy and to discuss any problems we may have. well he never answered my letter and has not moved in yet. difficult situation as we need to get on as well, so I will have to put on a friendly face.

Carole I always plan to get outside again,  hopefully I will soon. also hope to be at the next meeting

Fay

[Rick]

Turns out the folk who bought my old place were developers of a sort. Have a look at the new mansion if you're driving past....

[Carole]

Well at least you didn't have to cope with the chimney problem Rick.

Carole

[Rick]

Sure, and I'm glad I wasn't still there, but I do wonder whether the chimney would have come down in that storm if they'd not cut the tree down...

[MarkS]

I have my own doldrums which means I won't be using my observatory for a while. 

Two weeks ago I had surgery on my left hand for Dupuytren's Contracture - the ring finger and little finger were at right angles to the palm. The procedure included full depth skin grafts on the affected fingers, which were taken from my arm.  I was awake during the surgery which was quite a surreal experience.

Mark

[Fay]

Oh gosh Mark. do you know I think I may have the same thing. I have a hard lunp on my palm that is connected to the ring finger but finger a are fine at the moment. doctor said it is something that only men usually get. was yours like that|?

[MarkS]

Oh gosh Mark. do you know I think I may have the same thing. I have a hard lunp on my palm that is connected to the ring finger but finger a are fine at the moment. doctor said it is something that only men usually get. was yours like that|?

That's exactly how it starts.  It may or may not develop into a string of lumps that begin to contract the finger inwards.  It is more common in men than women.  My own case is particularly aggressive - it started at a relatively young age (before I reached 50) and I've already had surgery on the same hand.  But the problem returned.  Plus, both hands are now affected.  That's the reason I've been given the full depth skin graft this time - it minimises the risk of recurrence.  But the recovery period is much longer.

Next year I need to have the same procedure on my right hand.

Mark

[ApophisAstros]

I have my own doldrums which means I won't be using my observatory for a while. 

Two weeks ago I had surgery on my left hand for Dupuytren's Contracture - the ring finger and little finger were at right angles to the palm. The procedure included full depth skin grafts on the affected fingers, which were taken from my arm.  I was awake during the surgery which was quite a surreal experience.

Mark

Sorry to hear that Mark, hope the prognosis is good,
Roger