(Della) Our sweet cherry tree bears lovely fruit, but the local birds of all varieties have it well marked on their seasonal tour map. Each year they strip the tree earlier and earlier. This morning’s raucous visit by a flock of cockatoos is probably the earliest I have witnessed, being only 2 weeks or so […]
I am slowly working my way through the many issues involved in constructing ultralight wood burning stoves for tent heating, cooking and electricity generation. This will take some time. The most important first step however involved whether I could construct an ultralight roll-up chimney without having to be able to weld such lightweight metal foil
(Della) Leeks are now into the harvest phase and tonight’s asparagus pick was ample. We did justice to both in tonight’s tea of an omelette with leek, garlic, asparagus, ham and cheese. The lilac is a special triumph for me. I planted it about 7 (?) years ago and have been disappointed by it’s refusal
Omar Khayyam of Naishapur (I prefer the old spelling) was a tent -maker, as I have observed before. In the past the truly great seminal thinkers were all tradesmen of one sort or another, that is they did not expect their thinking to pay their wages, but earned their living with their hands – as
(Della:)”I enjoy the spring more than the autumn now. One does, I think, as one gets older” – (Virginia Woolf). Spring in my garden today: Even 10 minutes gazing at the plants or pulling some weeds lifts my spirits. The brooding skies this afternoon created the right light and the perfect backdrop for the delicately
I know I can so if this had been one you would not be reading this! When we were at the coast the other day I found a mysterious small oblong block of what we both took to be marble at the time but it was surprisingly heavy. We popped it into the superlight daypack
Given my predilection for this wonderful material it will probably not surprise you that I have carried a Tyvek wallet for many years. I have probably worn out half a dozen over the years. I guess they usually last me 2-3 years before they look so shabby I feel I must replace them – as
Due to the Covid lock down none of our children could visit us but Della and I could still go for a drive together. Such freedom. That’s what we all fought for! We headed down to a secret place along the Gippsland coast where we thought we might be able to scramble down the cliffs
Della: Today’s job was the asparagus bed: This is a perennial crop, and having planted the crowns about 30 years ago, we have little to do each year other than cut off the dead fronds each winter. Gardening guides say that you can do this once the fronds turn yellow in autumn, but that is
If you have read this blog regularly you will realise that I have been a farmer for many years. For the last few decades a sheep farmer. And more specifically Finnsheep, but not just any Finnsheep. These sheep are the result of forty years of very careful, very practical sheep breeding. I believe they are
