Week 44 Just Another Monday
A late Autumn
From Dutch News.nl
Trees in the Netherlands are dropping their leaves some two to three weeks later than they did 60 years ago because of the warmer weather in September and October, according to website Nature Today.
The average temperate in both months was around 15°, some three degrees warmer than 50 years ago, the website said. Nor has there yet been any frost.
“Trees lose their leaves for two reasons,” biologist Arnold van Vliet told news website Nu.nl. “Both shorter days and lower temperatures show a tree that it is winter.”
Trees are also more vulnerable to autumn storms if they have not shed their leaves and are more likely to blow over in strong winds.
(Storm Ciaran this week claimed one life as a result of a felled tree - "down South", in Limburg)
Nature Today
In their recent message ' Late Summer in Autumn ', the KNMI provides a nice overview of how autumn has become increasingly warmer. They also provide a glimpse into what the new climate scenarios could yield in terms of possible future autumn temperatures. Around 2100, autumn could average between 12.2 (optimistic scenario) and 16.2 °C (worst-case scenario). Before 2150 even between 12.2 and 18.4 °C (!). Autumn is the season that will warm the most according to current climate scenarios. All figures can be found in the Climate Scenarios Data Portal . Based on the scenarios, it seems logical that we will increasingly experience a later start to autumn in the coming years. The question is which of our current tree species will survive in our country if temperatures rise much further.
KNMI (Weather Bureau)
In today's climate, the average temperature in De Bilt in autumn is 10.9 degrees. In 2050 this will be between 0.8 and 1.7 degrees higher. The expectation for this warm autumn of 2023 is approximately equal to an average autumn in 2050 in the high emissions scenario.
At the end of the century, in the high emission scenarios it could become up to 4.8 degrees warmer than now. If we achieve the Paris climate goals, we will end up in the low emissions scenario and the warming in the Dutch autumn will be limited to 1 degree compared to now. It therefore makes a big difference for our climate to what extent the Paris ambitions will be achieved.
Pedunculate or English oak is tolerant of extremes of climate. It grows on soil which is rich in nutrients and not too acidic. It is a thirsty tree and needs plenty of water. It grows in valleys, near to rivers, and on damp, moist land. (no worries there!)
The Beech trees opposite us have begun losing their leaves...
Nature Today
In their recent message ' Late Summer in Autumn ', the KNMI provides a nice overview of how autumn has become increasingly warmer. They also provide a glimpse into what the new climate scenarios could yield in terms of possible future autumn temperatures. Around 2100, autumn could average between 12.2 (optimistic scenario) and 16.2 °C (worst-case scenario). Before 2150 even between 12.2 and 18.4 °C (!). Autumn is the season that will warm the most according to current climate scenarios. All figures can be found in the Climate Scenarios Data Portal . Based on the scenarios, it seems logical that we will increasingly experience a later start to autumn in the coming years. The question is which of our current tree species will survive in our country if temperatures rise much further.
KNMI (Weather Bureau)
In today's climate, the average temperature in De Bilt in autumn is 10.9 degrees. In 2050 this will be between 0.8 and 1.7 degrees higher. The expectation for this warm autumn of 2023 is approximately equal to an average autumn in 2050 in the high emissions scenario.
At the end of the century, in the high emission scenarios it could become up to 4.8 degrees warmer than now. If we achieve the Paris climate goals, we will end up in the low emissions scenario and the warming in the Dutch autumn will be limited to 1 degree compared to now. It therefore makes a big difference for our climate to what extent the Paris ambitions will be achieved.
Quercus robur, the pedunculate oak, is a species of flowering plant in the beech and oak family, Fagaceae. It is a large tree, native to most of Europe and western Asia, and is widely cultivated in other temperate regions. It grows on soils of near neutral acidity in the lowlands and is notable for its value to natural ecosystems, supporting a very wide diversity of herbivorous insects and other pests, predators and pathogens.
In the lane next door to us there are also American oaks, which have a bigger leaf and different bark.
Our biggest oak - a pedunculate, apparently. I've never heard the term before but found it twice in the information about our late autumn.
Dia De Los Muertos
The Day of the Dead is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. It is widely observed in Mexico, where it largely developed, and is also observed in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage
Soho House is a global hotel chain and group of private members' clubs originally aimed at those in the arts and media, but more recently expanded to include those with a 'creative soul'. The original location is at 40 Greek Street, Soho, London.
The demolition...
...continues, but not without me wondering "what have I done"? Not despairing yet, just happy to plod along until the builder wants to step in and start the real work.
He's given us a HUGE skip and the promise of a "helper" next week.
We discovered that a simple jack made things a lot easier...
I've started cutting the floor joists out...also not before time, as there is wood worm in a few of them. I don't dare try to save any of them, so they have already begun to make their way to the fire! Some of them look like they had previously been used somewhere else - eg as decorative exposed beams in a ceiling - so they must be 60 years here and who knows how long somewhere else.
These makeshift piers or "stumps" were the supports for the beams and joists - must have been OK as they hadn't sunk - and luckily, they were easy to bash out.
Kids' Weekend
It is our kids' weekend so we tried to get them motivated to do some work. Things have evolved here over time - we always used to put the kids to work - firewoood, or cleaning up - anything to be a little bit active. But they spend too much time doing phones, Play Station or computer stuff these days - we limit it to certain times, but it is a sad reflection of the times we live in.
So, it was a revelation to see the bonding and enthusiasm as they helped to fill the skip...
...with Janny driving the tractor
They were allowed to request what they wanted for dinner - unfortunately, it was Ken's Lasagne - so I had another job to do :) - with my normal helper.
Earlier in the week...
Just Another Monday
We have a new system for Birthdays now - we all chuck in 50 cents a month (or any other loose change) to use to buy a small gift for the Birthday Person. And the Care Farm buys the cake... (it used to be that the BP would "shout" the cakes, but this was more onerous for some than for others - so we decided on the new system to make it easier).
I was the BP this week, so my "treat" was to make scones - I enjoy making them and they enjoy eating them - win win.
And we shouted lunch with some Turkish bread and dips - from the Sunday Market in Gorredijk
Ben travelled to San Miguel de Allende, where they were celebrating the Day of the Dead.
Ben also found his way to Soho House.
(He's using a rental bike to get around - about €25,00 a year!)
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