Head in the Clouds – Feet in the Dirt

Hi there!!
Slow Sunday and not much to report!
As you can see – it rained.
I got up early and put the fire on for Jeff for when he got in (20 wife points) Then went back for a little snooze before getting up properly and popping off to the local market.
Barry, my straw man (Straw-Barry??)(Its late and I think I am funny) saved me his last 12 bales.
I picked them up as it started drizzling and got them home undercover before the rain started coming down in earnest.

I’ll take a couple over to Ruby and Margie. I was intending to get a lot more but since I procrastinated I’ll just be happy with this lot!
Generally early in the season I have such trouble finding affordable mulch and the beach doesn’t always co-operate when I need it to and remains clear of my seaweed! Its nice to know I now have a stash ready for spring!

I dragged some of the half pallets up for them to sit on and draped them in the tarp to keep most of the wet off them.
I’ll be using at least a couple to give a final covering to the Huggle-Monsters.

Oh – Jeff found me a rather cool series on Netflix called ‘Big Dreams – Small Spaces’ A UK series – a before and after kind of show where people dramatically change their small gardens. I really like it – I’ve gleaned a good amount of new information and a few ideas I can incorporate here!

Have a lovely day!!
Cheers!

Wow! Winter!! How did that happen?? I can’t believe we are in June.
There was a knock on the front door mid morning – front door knocking ALWAYS means Jehovah Witnesses. Naturally I was in bed because I am lazy AM-Challenged a night owl.

I wandered out of bed and heard voices at the back door. Jeff had somehow found them and seemed to be in the middle of a long conversation.
It showed no sign of stopping so I thought I would put in an appearance and say hi! (yes – still in PJ’s with no shame)
Mother and son this time. New faces. Nice people, son (15) very quiet (aren’t most boys that age quiet??)
They are 6 months new to Tasmania and this area. Honestly, its a hard way to get to know people as when someone turns up at your door spruking religion, its usually a door slam or a curt “No thank-you, we have our own beliefs”
I’ve stopped shying away from telling people that turn up about our non investment in a higher power – at least then we all know where we stand 🙂
I did get the (very serious) young fellow to laugh a few times and even answer a few questions. His mother, sweet but had the tendency to talk for him. Turns out he plays the piano. So I asked if they wanted to buy one!! It was an off the cuff comment, but really, we are babysitting a beautiful old family piano that no-one wants or plays and its a real shame.
So… we invited them in (oooo – says Rommy (the Mum) we never get invited in!!) so Roman could have a go as they did seem interested.
Oh – he plays beautifully. Played Fur Elise for us and it was a real treat hearing the piano again! (My mother and one of my sisters play and we really enjoy listening) He was pretty thrilled with the sound as he has only played on electronic pianos… this old beauty has soul!!
We’ve given them our number and told them to bring gumboots back next time so we can show them what we are doing in the garden as they seem really into this lifestyle change.

After all the religion, piano and garden talk, I had my (by that stage) VERY late breakfast. Jeff went back to bed as he is on nightshift.
It was such a beautiful day I couldn’t stay inside – and since the wind was almost non existent I figured to give the chipper another run. I got through most of the stuff we had set aside and dumped it all in the spaces around the gardens. It seems like a lot of work for a small addition to my paths!! Never mind. I enjoyed it.

The afternoon light was warm and rich! I still feel sad knowing these amazing trees will soon be no more.

My Jurassic Rhubarb is winding down. It has a huge footprint and I really need to make it pay for itself a bit better next season. Getting more stuff together to sell at the front and selling it in bundles. I’ve used it but still not in the habit of really making the best use I could of it.
(Mind you – I really like it there because it looks impressive and happy!)

I crawled into the cabbage patch and gave it a good weeding. They are all doing so nicely! Next I should treat them with the kelp juice!

Nice solid trunk on the passionfruit! I raked all the remaining leaves and mulched them around the plant.
Then I got onto my ‘bucket seedlings’
I had a bucket of random brassicas that I couldn’t fit into the outside plots and a bucket of lettuce that didn’t fit into the straw bale… both lots had been in there for AGES!!! And reasonably happy (ie not dead)

So – into the hothouse. Hopefully everyone will be happy there.
I do suspect the lettuce will race to seed, but I am not unduly worried.
I’d also like to plant some carrot seeds in here to see if they will germinate at this time of year and also a few potatoes… just for the fun of it!

Look who’s back in the next-door paddock!
Little Moo, thats who!!
He was so happy to see me!! He came galumphing across the paddock to see me and spent ten minutes slobbering all over me!! (Awwww)

I am in love with the photo below…

Such a crack up!!
I fed him a few tomatoes and some silverbeet – all of which he seemed to enjoy along with a good patting and scratching.

Anyway, by this time I had to do the usual end of day stuff… lock chooks up, collect some salad items for dinner, get fire going, prep dinner… wash off cow goo.

I hope your day included someone that was so happy to see you too – perhaps without all the slobber though!
Cheers!

Hi there! Are we all set for the weekend?? 🙂
I popped into town this morning to post some garlic to a friend and drop some off to another local fellow who wanted to buy some.
Was nice meeting him and we had quite the garden chat before I had to go.
I premade dinner (mostly) as I don’t feel up to making a huge effort in the kitchen after long hours working in the yard. (We had home made hamburgers tonight!!)

I checked on my worms… even though I totally over fed them, they seem to be happily chowing down on the food I gave them! This makes me happy.

I decided to add a few layers to the latest Huggle-Monster. I grabbed our panning sieve tray to sift the coffee down. Its a rather nice task!

I dragged out the wood chipper today, intending to get all the saved branches through, but the wind really kicked up this afternoon and I was seeing a lot of the woodchips flying randomly all over the yard. It was a bit annoying as I was in the groove, but… it would have been a wasted effort. So I gathered up what I had done and mixed it with the coffee and fed it to the Huggle.

I popped the passionfruit leaves on first, then weighed them down with the woodchip layer.
Then I emptied the other dry neglected compost bin on top of that.

THEN – I mowed the front lawn so I could get a heap of grass clippings as well.

Enough. Just have to wait until Sunday for my straw now.

Its a cold night… Pip is, as usual tucked up in his fire warmed towel. We’ve created a monster there. He hangs out pointedly staring at you until you get the hint and as soon as the towel comes off the heater, he gives an approving Meow and stands waiting to be swaddled in it!!
I wish someone would do that to me!!
Cheers

Hello!!
Well… the B12 definitely kicked in and I aimed at a totally unrealistic lot of tasks I wanted to get done today.
I finally dragged myself inside, just on dark to sort dinner out!! 😀

First up – a trip out to Bunnings to get some cocopeat and worms. I was all-fired keen to get my wormlings into their new home.

I ignored their fancy ‘worm blanket’ which sold for about $11 and dropped by spotlight and picked up 2 metres of hessian jute for $12. That should last for a while 🙂
I decided to put the worm farm down in the hothouse for the winter where they will be protected from the cold winds and get a little warmth through the day. I’ll probably move them to the BBQ area in the nicer seasons.

Learning curve #1 – soak this in bucket of water first.
While it was soaking I went and chopped up a gourmet feast for my new pets.

Once I got that sorted out I put it back in the worm farm tray, then added my new worm family in.

I need to ask my worm farming friend about the level of cocopeat I have used and how much food I gave them. I think they have a bit much but I will sort that out as I go.

I gave the hessian a good soaking and it went in on top.

I did find a lot of tiny worms still clinging to the bag that I carefully had to relocate.

I am rather excited about finally getting a worm farm!
If I do everything right and get nice castings and worm wee, I will have to share with Gerry who gave me the setup! I am sure he will love some for his garden too!

What I didn’t intend today was clearing out this disgrace of a hothouse. Sure it is on my ‘List’ but it wasn’t planned for today.
However, since I had to make a bit of space for the worms, I figured I might as well keep going.
Tentacular really needed to be brought way back under control too.

With luck that won’t hurt it!!
Now have to find a spot for the mountain of offcuts!

The outside got a trim as well… once I untangled more of the passionfruit vine from it!

I think the poor fuscia on the right will need to go… it got really leggy and straggly.

Picked up plenty of passionfruit!!
And now I have lots of space in the hothouse!!
Oh the possibilities!!

Then it was time to feed the new Huggle-Monster.
I thought since marigolds were so beneficial, they might do well composting in a hugelkultur…??

I finally rang the market guy, Barry, about the straw and glad I did! I have secured the last 12 bales which he will bring to the market for me to collect on Sunday. Then I can complete the Huggle Monsters and let them compost properly over winter.
By this time it was actually fairly dark, so I abandoned any ideas of adding more to the Hugelkultur or woodchipping.
Tomorrow is another day!

Hope you had a great day too!
Cheers!

Hello!
Our silly cat seemed to want to sit outside today! It wasn’t raining but it sure wasn’t warm either!!
We were in town early – Jeff had a tooth extraction (ow – he was a sore fellow for a lot of today but seems to have come good this evening) and I finally got my B12 so hopefully I’ll be bouncing about again 🙂
We really didn’t bounce today though 😀

I finished drying and putting the garlic salt through the mortar! Such a lovely lot there! I plan on using it tomorrow night when cooking so I will be able to give you a report then.

I cleaned up my worm farm – actually while the weather is cold and dodgy I should pop out to Bunnings and get some cocopeat and get online and order some worms to get started!!
Now that I have had my B12 I’ll write a list and get all re-motivated 😀
Not much else happened today. Had the fire going and spent a very nice lazy day inside!

Off to bed for me.
Will aim to look as relaxed as Pip 🙂
Cheers!

It’s been a quiet few days at Norwich House
Pip went through a ‘hide and seek’ phase… he is not very skilled at the game but we had fun anyway.

I picked up a bag of tulip bulbs at a market recently! I had chosen a place to put them (in the old zucchini patch) and went outside today to tackle the cleanup

I didn’t really last that long out there!! Pretty sad huh? The wind was awful and the sticky mud was annoying me! My boots became about a kilo heavier and none of the weeds would shake off my gloves!!

And there is that one tomato plant right there that I don’t know whether to pull up or not. We are probably five seconds from frosty weather but while there is fruit there is hope and I hate pulling them out early!

So I decided to decide another day!! haha
The tulip bulbs will have to wait a little longer.

Lots of baby fennel has started to appear everywhere!! I’d like to transplant it – no idea if it likes being moved but I will have to try. Thought I would put it along the fence where the sunflowers were (that Little Moo ate) so if another cow arrives and eats the fennel it won’t matter all that much.

No, thats not vomit with a parsley garnish.
Thats garlic salt in the making!!
I got some pink rock salt and whizzed it all up with some garlic (1/3 garlic to 2/3 salt)
I had it in the dehydrator for about 9 hours… I had to break it up and put it back through the ‘Gee Whizzer’ and finish it off a bit more in the dehydrator. I have more to do, but I crushed what I had ready more finely in a mortar this evening and I think I am happy so far. Have to test it on some baking potatoes to really see if I did it right!!

Oh – and I put seed garlic up for sale on a local facebook noticeboard and got a bit swamped with orders!! So I’ve been busy putting packs together and organising that! But Yay!! Should come home with a few $$ in my pocket tomorrow!

We had a couple of funny visitors the other night.

A set of rather dodgy possum photos and a really grotty window… but they are cute!! I don’t know what it was up to!
Pip was fascinated!! He tried to pat the possums face through the window!

(You can just see the paw up there!!)
Then the look on the possums face asking what on earth that was!

Then there was some mutual staring…

Another possum came on the scene – after first inspecting my pumpkins then they both ran off and had a nice loud squabble!!
If you haven’t heard Australian possums – well… they sound like little banshees or something 50 times larger and more frightening than they actually are!! 😀

Anyway – I best be off to bed as I have garlic-delivery duties tomorrow morning!!
Hope your week has started well!
Cheers!

Hello!!
For some mad reason, Jeff was all super keen to get out and work outside. I was looking longingly at the unlit fire thinking ‘Netflix’.
He had been into town earlier and picked up some more steel droppers and Cousin Jeff had dropped off some more pallets.
So we built a wall for the wood.

My previous efforts were just not working so well this time. The pressure of the heavy green wood really pushed the stakes out alarmingly.

Its a lot easier to quickly stack the wood up this way – we don’t have consistent enough sizes to do a criss-cross stack at each end. (I am sure we will get better at this as we go along.)

The pallets under the wood really help too – I hated getting the manky bottom pieces full of mud and bugs!

Ready for some more wood now!!

In Huggle-Monster news… I have two sadly neglected compost bins that I have decided to clear out and start again from scratch. I emptied one today and spread it over as one of the layers on this second Hugelkultur garden.
Then I got in touch with my bushcraft skills (er… lacking)

OK – here’s the plan. I saw a really great little fence woven out of sticks and branches on Mavis’s page over at One Hundred Dollars a Month.
I need to prepare more stakes but to be honest by this stage of the day I was saturated and pretty ready not to be outside. (I started off in wet weather gear but just overheated haha)

At some point, these ‘snowball’ bushes need a brutal pruning. I think the branches are going to be ideal to weave through the stakes around the Huggle-Monster. Then I can finish going the hack with adding more compost and materials and finish with a layer of straw

I have so much to do in here!! It was great to use it over summer but I didn’t have a chance to really sit down and think about how I was going to organise the space properly.

I am thinking a lot more of those smaller brick raised beds… or similar.
I should just sit with paper and pen and some measurements and figure it out!

Not much more I could have fitted in time wise, but there is a lot of potential here!!

Once the tomatoes come up I will put the garlic back in the same place as last season… At least the grass and weeds were kept down where I had mulched with the seaweed.

This is one cherry tomato plant that decided to grow right next to the garden bed!! Not being a great tomato-disciplinarian, I went ‘meh’ and let it go!! I even picked a tomato off it the other day!

The leek and brown onion I put in here a couple of weeks back are now mostly all sitting up fine.

Lettuce, capsicum, cool wriggly willow branches and hopefully rocket seedlings and not weeds!

The cabbage patch needs weeding but apart from that and a few chewed leaves, they seem to be going along well. Perhaps its time to be kind and give them a feed of my kelp juice!

Oh, and good news… we sold the ride on mower today!
A couple dropped in that had seen it before – complete with cash in their pocket and a trailer on the car!! One more thing done!
Hope you had a slightly less muddy day than me!

Cheers!

Today I had a couple of spoils.
I went in for a massage which was rather divine!! The lady instructed me not to throw about wood for the rest of the day!
I dropped off eggs and veggies to Shirley and also popped in with some eggs and pumpkin for Ruby, sat and had a cuppa and a good old catch up. (She very apologetically brings out the ‘shop bought’ biscuits (cookies) and reckons she is letting the side down)
I asked how she has been and what she has been up to…. she gives me that funny grin and says, “You know… I think I am just getting old!!”
Bless her cotton socks. She does things but wears out quickly and has to sit and have a rest or a lie down. You can imagine it doesn’t please her much!!
But then we are talking gardens and planning what we are going to do this year… then she laughs and says, “Listen to me at 102 planning on what I am going to be doing next season!!” But then we agree that planning really is 3/4 of the fun of things!

The other egg delivery was to Maureen and I also dropped off my latest bin of coffee grounds for her husband Gerry – he was very pleased to get that! He was showing me his compost system and we are talking about worm farming (I a currently proof reading an ebook on worm farm for beginners for a friend of mine which is giving me a solid understanding of it) and Gerry offered me his setup that he had never used and didn’t plan to!

Ooooh – yes please!!! So into the back of the car it went!
Now to clean it up, finish proof reading this book so I can jump right in there and start my worms!!

I love the idea of getting the worm wee and the castings – all that good stuff is magic for the garden of course.
I’ll let you know when my friends book is available in case there are other beginners out there that just need to know where to start!!

Anyway, lovely, lucky day for me!
Hope your day was just as bright!
Cheers!

Hello!
Pip was being Mr Irritating today. I don’t think I was translating his Siamese very well. I had no idea what he actually wanted. Multiple times he was up places he knows he shouldn’t be! And look how remorseful his face is!! Like not in the slightest!!
In the end I put him on his harness and shut him outside for a while!

Enjoyed a big veggie dinner last night with some baked chicken marylands to go with them. I love baked veggies. Even better when everything is 100% home grown. (Ok… my friend grew the broccoli but it still came out of a home garden!!)

The weather was a bit ‘meh’ today so I was just as happy to get into the mess that was my seed storage and make use of that lovely drawer unit.

From chaos to harmony

No excuses not to have everything from now on right where I can find it!
I even have a drawer for all the little envelopes.

I fancy a trip back to Japan to stock up 😀
Anyway, thats another job I can tick off the list! Now I can go collect seeds to my hearts content!
Have a lovely day!
Cheers!