Ear, Ear

"Can you put the rubbish out?" said Mrs P.

Silence

"Deaf old bugger."

"I heard that!"

"I thought you might. I call it selective hearing. When are you going to get your ears tested anyway?"

"I don't need my ears tested. You need to speak more clearly."

And so starts another repartee between Mrs P and me that has been ongoing for a few years now. To be fair I've known my hearing was getting bad for a while and I've always thought light of it. To me it's an inevitable result of a fair amount of shooting in the Armed Forces, including a couple of very loud explosions that actually knocked me off my feet. Not many people can say they've been blown up twice. Twice in one day that is! That made my old ears ring a bit!

The time came to actually take up Mrs P's incessant advice last autumn. I was also more than fed up with the continuous tinitus. The last straw came when I was tracking with Shadowhawk and inevitably the subject got on to bird language. Privately, I became quite upset when somebody identified a predator walking through the wood 200 yards away based on the alarm calls. If I was to do the same it would be a good idea if I could at least hear the birds!

My trip to the audiologist showed I was deficient at high frequencies in both ears but especially the right. I would need a hearing aid. I explained my hobby and she became sympathetic when I said I probably haven't heard a skylark for a good 10 years and explained about my wish to hear certain bird calls, which she listened to attentively.

After a moment's thought she said, "You'd better have two then," she said. I wasn't too sure what to say about having two plastic lumps hanging off both ears like some kind of lop-eared rabbit! To try and consol me she said, "But at least you've learnt to lip read." I frowned at this puzzling statement. She turned away, lowered her voice and said something incomprehensible. She then turned back and said "It often happens and people don't realise it. There you go. I've just said the same thing twice. I bet you tell your wife to speak more clearly."

After two months I received my new ears. I decided to stick with the NHS ones until I got used to them; nevertheless, the NHS ones are now full spec digital pieces with 3 programmes, a volume control and don't look that bad cosmetically. To buy the same pieces would cost someone £700-00 so I think I'll stick with these. I also realised how lucky I had been when the audiologist provided me with two of them.

After fitting and a blast of sensory overload at the audiologists, which made everything seem like I was in an echo chamber, I waited until I got home to try them out properly. I pushed them into each ear as shown and gradually turned up the volume to about half and went out in the garden. I sat down closed my eyes and took in the sounds around me. I was amazed! I heard every bird, every song and every note of every song. I looked around to find who was singing what and of course realised that I had to relearn what song belonged to which bird.

So there we have it. I have now got a new sense or it seems that way. I can hear again. Not only that, I can cheat and turn up the volume or engage the programme that activates the built in directional microphone! Brilliant! Bionic ears!!

Of course over the last month I've realised that there are downsides. I am literally having to relearn and reinterpret what I hear and not just bird sounds. I also have to turn down my "Sound Enhancers" if the wind gets up; and I can't get them wet. I still get sensory overload when both are in so apart from quieter areas I only tend to have one in at a time at the moment. Oh, and rustling crisp packets are deafening at any volume!

So now the scene plays thus:

"Can you take the rubbish out?"

"Okay...but you don't have to shout!"

Mmmm... no more excuses, but it's worth it!

All the best,

Pablo.

PS I'm taking Mrs P for a very un-bushcraft break in the Mediterranean for 10 days or so. I'll catch up when I get back.

Ear, Ear

"Can you put the rubbish out?" said Mrs P.

Silence

"Deaf old bugger."

"I heard that!"

"I thought you might. I call it selective hearing. When are you going to get your ears tested anyway?"

"I don't need my ears tested. You need to speak more clearly."

And so starts another repartee between Mrs P and me that has been ongoing for a few years now. To be fair I've known my hearing was getting bad for a while and I've always thought light of it. To me it's an inevitable result of a fair amount of shooting in the Armed Forces, including a couple of very loud explosions that actually knocked me off my feet. Not many people can say they've been blown up twice. Twice in one day that is! That made my old ears ring a bit!

The time came to actually take up Mrs P's incessant advice last autumn. I was also more than fed up with the continuous tinitus. The last straw came when I was tracking with Shadowhawk and inevitably the subject got on to bird language. Privately, I became quite upset when somebody identified a predator walking through the wood 200 yards away based on the alarm calls. If I was to do the same it would be a good idea if I could at least hear the birds!

My trip to the audiologist showed I was deficient at high frequencies in both ears but especially the right. I would need a hearing aid. I explained my hobby and she became sympathetic when I said I probably haven't heard a skylark for a good 10 years and explained about my wish to hear certain bird calls, which she listened to attentively.

After a moment's thought she said, "You'd better have two then," she said. I wasn't too sure what to say about having two plastic lumps hanging off both ears like some kind of lop-eared rabbit! To try and consol me she said, "But at least you've learnt to lip read." I frowned at this puzzling statement. She turned away, lowered her voice and said something incomprehensible. She then turned back and said "It often happens and people don't realise it. There you go. I've just said the same thing twice. I bet you tell your wife to speak more clearly."

After two months I received my new ears. I decided to stick with the NHS ones until I got used to them; nevertheless, the NHS ones are now full spec digital pieces with 3 programmes, a volume control and don't look that bad cosmetically. To buy the same pieces would cost someone £700-00 so I think I'll stick with these. I also realised how lucky I had been when the audiologist provided me with two of them.

After fitting and a blast of sensory overload at the audiologists, which made everything seem like I was in an echo chamber, I waited until I got home to try them out properly. I pushed them into each ear as shown and gradually turned up the volume to about half and went out in the garden. I sat down closed my eyes and took in the sounds around me. I was amazed! I heard every bird, every song and every note of every song. I looked around to find who was singing what and of course realised that I had to relearn what song belonged to which bird.

So there we have it. I have now got a new sense or it seems that way. I can hear again. Not only that, I can cheat and turn up the volume or engage the programme that activates the built in directional microphone! Brilliant! Bionic ears!!

Of course over the last month I've realised that there are downsides. I am literally having to relearn and reinterpret what I hear and not just bird sounds. I also have to turn down my "Sound Enhancers" if the wind gets up; and I can't get them wet. I still get sensory overload when both are in so apart from quieter areas I only tend to have one in at a time at the moment. Oh, and rustling crisp packets are deafening at any volume!

So now the scene plays thus:

"Can you take the rubbish out?"

"Okay...but you don't have to shout!"

Mmmm... no more excuses, but it's worth it!

All the best,

Pablo.

PS I'm taking Mrs P for a very un-bushcraft break in the Mediterranean for 10 days or so. I'll catch up when I get back.

Bad Day for Tracking

13C  Sunny N wind 5 mph.

Friday was the vernal equinox; the first day of spring. This was confirmed yesterday with wonderful weather again. I decided to go into Poor Park to see what was going on. I was a little dismayed when I approached the main path to see a number of vehicles and men with rifles. Farmer B. came over. He's a nice guy and although we've talked about game and hunting in the past, he was a little coy when he said they'd just culled 5 deer. Of course I have no issues with this but I had a feeling not all was right with the world. I went on into the woods after confirming the shoot was over.

As I hobbled  into the woods I was overtaken by two of the vehicles I'd just previously seen. Two lads got out of the vehicles and commenced searching the area at the edge of the wood. When I caught up I realised they were looking for tracks and sign. I wondered if they'd shot and injured a deer and it was still out there. They were young lads and had new kit. This was not a good sign. My previous bad feeling seemed more justified.

They confirmed the shot was good and clean but the deer had bolted from the field where it had been hit into the wood. I suspected the shot couldn't have been that clean. It was a fair way from where they said the deer was hit to the wood. A well placed shot would have seen the deer go down well before it ever reached the woodland edge. I didn't believe them and knew there would be a wounded deer nearby that had to be found. I said I'd give them a hand; a comment which was ignored.

I quickly found some blood marks but despite feverishly looking for more and of course trying to find fresh tracks amongst the multitude of other tracks, I was at a loss. The two lads went off to the west without even acknowledging my blood find. I wouldn't be able to keep up with them and had no wish to follow their backs in any case so I followed the path to the north. I found nothing and saw nothing. I was thinking about returning and studying the area in more detail (which I should have done in the first place) when I heard two shots ring out from the west and presumed they had found the "dead" deer.

I continued into the woods and reflected that I had rushed into looking for tracks and signs.  I returned later to the same area and again drew a blank. I was beginning to doubt my own ability and I had no idea how the injured deer had gone from the area where the blood was to where it had been eventually found.

The incident dampened the morning a little despite the warm weather.

I re-focused at lunchtime and practiced fire lighting with flint and steel, a cotton yellow duster and dead grass. I was a bit rusty and it took a while but eventually I had a small cooking fire going with which to reheat my left-over Chinese meal (always tastes best after heating up the next day!)

Sightings of a woodpecker, a fox and buzzards helped to raise the spirits even more than the food and by the end of the afternoon I was back to normal.

Activity in the form of two trials motorbikes in an adjacent field drove me from the woods at about 4pm and I returned home.

A strange old day and one to store away in the archives.

Thanks for the visit.

Pablo.

Bad Day for Tracking

13C  Sunny N wind 5 mph.

Friday was the vernal equinox; the first day of spring. This was confirmed yesterday with wonderful weather again. I decided to go into Poor Park to see what was going on. I was a little dismayed when I approached the main path to see a number of vehicles and men with rifles. Farmer B. came over. He's a nice guy and although we've talked about game and hunting in the past, he was a little coy when he said they'd just culled 5 deer. Of course I have no issues with this but I had a feeling not all was right with the world. I went on into the woods after confirming the shoot was over.

As I hobbled  into the woods I was overtaken by two of the vehicles I'd just previously seen. Two lads got out of the vehicles and commenced searching the area at the edge of the wood. When I caught up I realised they were looking for tracks and sign. I wondered if they'd shot and injured a deer and it was still out there. They were young lads and had new kit. This was not a good sign. My previous bad feeling seemed more justified.

They confirmed the shot was good and clean but the deer had bolted from the field where it had been hit into the wood. I suspected the shot couldn't have been that clean. It was a fair way from where they said the deer was hit to the wood. A well placed shot would have seen the deer go down well before it ever reached the woodland edge. I didn't believe them and knew there would be a wounded deer nearby that had to be found. I said I'd give them a hand; a comment which was ignored.

I quickly found some blood marks but despite feverishly looking for more and of course trying to find fresh tracks amongst the multitude of other tracks, I was at a loss. The two lads went off to the west without even acknowledging my blood find. I wouldn't be able to keep up with them and had no wish to follow their backs in any case so I followed the path to the north. I found nothing and saw nothing. I was thinking about returning and studying the area in more detail (which I should have done in the first place) when I heard two shots ring out from the west and presumed they had found the "dead" deer.

I continued into the woods and reflected that I had rushed into looking for tracks and signs.  I returned later to the same area and again drew a blank. I was beginning to doubt my own ability and I had no idea how the injured deer had gone from the area where the blood was to where it had been eventually found.

The incident dampened the morning a little despite the warm weather.

I re-focused at lunchtime and practiced fire lighting with flint and steel, a cotton yellow duster and dead grass. I was a bit rusty and it took a while but eventually I had a small cooking fire going with which to reheat my left-over Chinese meal (always tastes best after heating up the next day!)

Sightings of a woodpecker, a fox and buzzards helped to raise the spirits even more than the food and by the end of the afternoon I was back to normal.

Activity in the form of two trials motorbikes in an adjacent field drove me from the woods at about 4pm and I returned home.

A strange old day and one to store away in the archives.

Thanks for the visit.

Pablo.

A Wonderful Day

It was a wonderful day. Not merely because the temperature was 15C; nor that the goat willow was out; nor that the woods were filled with the sound of birds building their nests. No. All that was secondary to the fact that I was out and I was witnessing it first hand.

I don't know what I expected but I assumed spring was in full swing. It was in many ways, but apart from the odd spurt of nettle, the odd outcrop of bitter arum lily leaves and the aforementioned goat willow, there wasn't the carpet of green I expected. Mind you, I was only in the local woods (Park woods) and there's not a great amount of ground flowering plants.

It was a different matter in the trees. The rooks were shouting the odds and if there was any aural indication of spring, this was it. Normally they would be foraging in the nearby fields. Now they were squabbling at the top of the trees, building their nests of long twigs. In my euphoria to be out in the woods, even their constant squawking was acceptable.

The sounds of the rooks were often inter-dispersed with the sound of the green woodpecker or "Yaffler" as it's known in these parts.  Its laughing call was a mocking challenge to try to locate them in amongst the tree. Only occasional glimpses of green and red were seen. The more common smaller birds were coming uncommonly close. The inquisitive robin, blue tits and great tits chattering excitedly.  I was pleased to capture an elusive wren. Normally they don't stay in one place long enough to focus on them. I realised the reason for the sudden company. A sparrowhawk swept silently at speed across the woods at head height; once from north to south and then back again.

I rigged my hammock, opened a flask of coffee and lapped up the warmth of the sun. I had plans and a rucksack full of tools. I decided to soak up the sun instead. It wasn't long until I was asleep.

The woods were still soaked from recent rains. Being a run off for the fields, they were also still quite flooded. Unfortunately the Aircast boot I was wearing is not in any way waterproof, which restricted me to the drier west side of the woods. But enough was enough for today. I took my time walking out of the woods grateful that I had brought the crutches for additional support. I saw old fox, badger and muntjac tracks. Yes, it was a wonderful day.

A Wonderful Day

It was a wonderful day. Not merely because the temperature was 15C; nor that the goat willow was out; nor that the woods were filled with the sound of birds building their nests. No. All that was secondary to the fact that I was out and I was witnessing it first hand.

I don't know what I expected but I assumed spring was in full swing. It was in many ways, but apart from the odd spurt of nettle, the odd outcrop of bitter arum lily leaves and the aforementioned goat willow, there wasn't the carpet of green I expected. Mind you, I was only in the local woods (Park woods) and there's not a great amount of ground flowering plants.

It was a different matter in the trees. The rooks were shouting the odds and if there was any aural indication of spring, this was it. Normally they would be foraging in the nearby fields. Now they were squabbling at the top of the trees, building their nests of long twigs. In my euphoria to be out in the woods, even their constant squawking was acceptable.

The sounds of the rooks were often inter-dispersed with the sound of the green woodpecker or "Yaffler" as it's known in these parts.  Its laughing call was a mocking challenge to try to locate them in amongst the tree. Only occasional glimpses of green and red were seen. The more common smaller birds were coming uncommonly close. The inquisitive robin, blue tits and great tits chattering excitedly.  I was pleased to capture an elusive wren. Normally they don't stay in one place long enough to focus on them. I realised the reason for the sudden company. A sparrowhawk swept silently at speed across the woods at head height; once from north to south and then back again.

I rigged my hammock, opened a flask of coffee and lapped up the warmth of the sun. I had plans and a rucksack full of tools. I decided to soak up the sun instead. It wasn't long until I was asleep.

The woods were still soaked from recent rains. Being a run off for the fields, they were also still quite flooded. Unfortunately the Aircast boot I was wearing is not in any way waterproof, which restricted me to the drier west side of the woods. But enough was enough for today. I took my time walking out of the woods grateful that I had brought the crutches for additional support. I saw old fox, badger and muntjac tracks. Yes, it was a wonderful day.

Wood and Leather Maintenance

Although I have a few bits of the most up to date textiles and plastics in some of my kit I still prefer leather, wool and wood. Not only are they functional in a traditional way but they are also aesthetically pleasing and come within the ethos of the what I like to consider is the spirit of bushcraft and wilderness living.

There are a couple of drawbacks with using these materials though. Firstly, they tend to be heavier than modern plastics and fibres and fabrics, which is why I don't really use them a great deal when going light or when tracking. The second drawback is that they take a little bit of breaking-in and maintaining.

Every six months or so I give my wood and leather an overhaul usually in spring and autumn. This is in addition to the more regular chore of ensuring that after each excursion, blades and axes are wiped down and sharpened and any leather and wood is likewise wiped down and clean.

For the natural woods i.e. axe handles and handles of knives I use a very fine sandpaper and gently rub the surface of the wood. I like to keep the grubby patina on the wood so I don't rub too hard. I then give the handle a thin coating of boiled linseed oil.

Some people prefer other oil coatings such as Danish oil and they use a piece of wire wool to knead the oil into the wood. If you use linseed oil it's important that it isn't applied too thickly or it will take too long to dry and the handle will become slippery and dangerous to use (especially when the hand is sweating or during wet weather).

I don't tend to do much else with the handle as it should be well maintained from new. As soon as I buy an axe I soak the head in a bucket of anti-freeze for 72 hours. This will forever seal the axe head on to the handle. The water will make the wood swell and the anti-freeze will make it stay swollen.

A tip I learnt was to remember this little ditty for applying linseed oil to new axes handles:

"Once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year and once a year for life."

If you follow this then a little annual maintenance is all that's needed. I use a coating of walnut oil for any wooden spoons I use. This is the only oil I really trust for use with or near food stuffs.

Many folk apply renaissance wax to their blades. I tend not to do this, but I do check to make sure carbon blades aren't rusting. If I'm not going to use a blade for a while, I'll coat it in a thin layer of oil before returning to a dry sheath.

You can't beat giving leather items a good polish, especially leather footwear. Boots made completely of leather aren't really in vogue nowadays, however I still use a pair of Rogue Rangers and Bison tracker boots both of which are leather. After cleaning them and giving them a polish I gently warm up the leather in the sun (or on a radiator) and apply a bit of leather wax. Finally, I apply a coat of dubbin.

The dubbin works for leather sheaths and pouches as well. It puts back a little moisture and nourishment back in the leather and provides a degree of protection against moisture and water.

I believe that wood and leather are there for a purpose and not purely for show, but it doesn't do any harm to shine up your kit and make an effort to maintain it now and again. I've found that you will be rewarded by the effort.

All the best,

Pablo.

Wood and Leather Maintenance

Although I have a few bits of the most up to date textiles and plastics in some of my kit I still prefer leather, wool and wood. Not only are they functional in a traditional way but they are also aesthetically pleasing and come within the ethos of the what I like to consider is the spirit of bushcraft and wilderness living.

There are a couple of drawbacks with using these materials though. Firstly, they tend to be heavier than modern plastics and fibres and fabrics, which is why I don't really use them a great deal when going light or when tracking. The second drawback is that they take a little bit of breaking-in and maintaining.

Every six months or so I give my wood and leather an overhaul usually in spring and autumn. This is in addition to the more regular chore of ensuring that after each excursion, blades and axes are wiped down and sharpened and any leather and wood is likewise wiped down and clean.

For the natural woods i.e. axe handles and handles of knives I use a very fine sandpaper and gently rub the surface of the wood. I like to keep the grubby patina on the wood so I don't rub too hard. I then give the handle a thin coating of boiled linseed oil.

Some people prefer other oil coatings such as Danish oil and they use a piece of wire wool to knead the oil into the wood. If you use linseed oil it's important that it isn't applied too thickly or it will take too long to dry and the handle will become slippery and dangerous to use (especially when the hand is sweating or during wet weather).

I don't tend to do much else with the handle as it should be well maintained from new. As soon as I buy an axe I soak the head in a bucket of anti-freeze for 72 hours. This will forever seal the axe head on to the handle. The water will make the wood swell and the anti-freeze will make it stay swollen.

A tip I learnt was to remember this little ditty for applying linseed oil to new axes handles:

"Once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year and once a year for life."

If you follow this then a little annual maintenance is all that's needed. I use a coating of walnut oil for any wooden spoons I use. This is the only oil I really trust for use with or near food stuffs.

Many folk apply renaissance wax to their blades. I tend not to do this, but I do check to make sure carbon blades aren't rusting. If I'm not going to use a blade for a while, I'll coat it in a thin layer of oil before returning to a dry sheath.

You can't beat giving leather items a good polish, especially leather footwear. Boots made completely of leather aren't really in vogue nowadays, however I still use a pair of Rogue Rangers and Bison tracker boots both of which are leather. After cleaning them and giving them a polish I gently warm up the leather in the sun (or on a radiator) and apply a bit of leather wax. Finally, I apply a coat of dubbin.

The dubbin works for leather sheaths and pouches as well. It puts back a little moisture and nourishment back in the leather and provides a degree of protection against moisture and water.

I believe that wood and leather are there for a purpose and not purely for show, but it doesn't do any harm to shine up your kit and make an effort to maintain it now and again. I've found that you will be rewarded by the effort.

All the best,

Pablo.

ATI + 128 (on 7th Sat March)

I'm getting irritable. Twitchy, moody and irritable. There's talk of Birch tapping. The sun has been out. The temperature is up and the catkins are drooping in their fresh green finery. I even heard a lawn-mower going a few days ago. And I'm still sitting here with a cast on! Is it really 128 days (a third of a year) since the original Achilles Tendon Injury. Seems like yesterday! 

I am forbidden to put any weight on this last cast under any circumstances. The last time when my foot was manoeuvred into the "neutral" or flat position I was given a shoe and I was allowed to wander around. Not this time.

 

Well, the good news is that there's only one more week to go. Next Friday I will have the final cast removed. The consultant warned me that I will be going back into the Aircast for a while, but at least it will be weight-bearing and I will be mobile again. I suspect I will be able to take it off every now and again to build up the muscles around the injury. I agree that this time I've got to be ultra cautious and for a month or so and the Aircast will be staying on when I go on any trip to the woods.

 

Of course I'm glad that this is coming to an end. So is my bank manager. I've spent a small fortune on leather-making stuff! Mind you if it wasn't for the injury I wouldn't have discovered it or had the opportunity to practice.

So far I've made a sheath knife for my EKA W11, a laplander saw holder, a large possible pouch (in a sporran style) an axe holder and a notebook cover. They could all be improved especially the stitching.

I've called this series "Antique Oak - Tan". The Badger print was kindly manufactured by Jim (Kerne) over at BCUK.

Thanks for the visit.

Pablo.

ATI + 128 (on 7th Sat March)

I'm getting irritable. Twitchy, moody and irritable. There's talk of Birch tapping. The sun has been out. The temperature is up and the catkins are drooping in their fresh green finery. I even heard a lawn-mower going a few days ago. And I'm still sitting here with a cast on! Is it really 128 days (a third of a year) since the original Achilles Tendon Injury. Seems like yesterday! 

I am forbidden to put any weight on this last cast under any circumstances. The last time when my foot was manoeuvred into the "neutral" or flat position I was given a shoe and I was allowed to wander around. Not this time.

 

Well, the good news is that there's only one more week to go. Next Friday I will have the final cast removed. The consultant warned me that I will be going back into the Aircast for a while, but at least it will be weight-bearing and I will be mobile again. I suspect I will be able to take it off every now and again to build up the muscles around the injury. I agree that this time I've got to be ultra cautious and for a month or so and the Aircast will be staying on when I go on any trip to the woods.

 

Of course I'm glad that this is coming to an end. So is my bank manager. I've spent a small fortune on leather-making stuff! Mind you if it wasn't for the injury I wouldn't have discovered it or had the opportunity to practice.

So far I've made a sheath knife for my EKA W11, a laplander saw holder, a large possible pouch (in a sporran style) an axe holder and a notebook cover. They could all be improved especially the stitching.

I've called this series "Antique Oak - Tan". The Badger print was kindly manufactured by Jim (Kerne) over at BCUK.

Thanks for the visit.

Pablo.