Still up for it....

We will have been in this house for 30 years in December and for about the first 15 we got our water from this stream, feeding it from further up the hill into a series of tanks.  

When mains water arrived in the Glen (the pipe goes past our road end and our connection comes up the hill under our track ) we kept the supply going as it also ran down into the pond above the house , just by my study, and it still does.   When it stops it not only means our pond drops but - more importantly - it also signifies a possible  interruption in supply for our neighbour's three holiday rented caravans between us and the main road.

I had to go up to the tanks today as it hasn't been running  into the pond for a few days .   When it was our main source the vegetation was kept down, mostly by tramping it as we made our way to the supply pipes, usually late on a wet Wednesday evening - in other words at the least convenient time,   Now however the hill is very overgrown but I was still able to get it all working again, which I suppose shows I am still up for it on this, my 69th birthday !  I did have to wear a midge net though, as the hill is alive with them at present and my extra is therefore a far from flattering birthday self portrait , taken by the same stream. 

Thanks for all the good wishes on social media, by the way.   Far more than I deserve or can effectively reply to but I am grateful for them all, if a little embarrassed !