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cassandra
Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
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Jam Lady
Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2507
Location: New Jersey, USA
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cassandra
Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15579
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 Posted: Mon Aug 17, 15 6:40 am Post subject: |
 
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Hope your lamb turned out all right Cassandra; it sounds as if it could be a leg chop.
Our show is over now. Weather stayed dry the whole time. Some sunny intervals, but very hot when the sun came out. I have a picture of our stall, but too tired at the moment to try to work out how to post it, so will try to get it sorted over the next couple of days. The show was good, but sadly not that many people. Strangely our best day was Saturday. Yesterday seemed to be more people drifting or into woodwork or some sort themselves. Hardly sold any charcoal, but at least that means we don't have to make any more for a bit.
We took some smallish timber up for one of the other stallholders to cut up using the cutting stand he was selling. It isn't as good imo as the one we bought some years ago, but not sure if that is available any longer. Result is that we now have a couple of cu m of wood cut up, some of which can be used for the kiln and some of which may be suitable for firewood or log sacks. Some will need to be split, so some work with the splitter or the axe.
I need a rest today, so hope I can manage one. |
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cassandra
Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
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| Posted: Mon Aug 17, 15 8:10 am Post subject: |
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The southern half of Tasmania woke up this morning, took one look out the window and went to bed. There was not that much snow here when I woke up (around 5), but by the time I had breakfasted, showered and dressed it was coming down a treat and had covered the ground fairly impressively. Unfortunately after the sun put in an appearance it was melting faster than it was falling (but not for want of trying, it has been snowing on and off all day) and was all gone by ten. This was a good thing as I was called in unexpectedly to clean a couple of cottages - it had the added advantage that I was able to confirm that the bank was not open, as apparently they were of the group that went back to bed. School closed once again - they will never get educated these kids! Some of the teachers commute from down in Hobart and as the highway was closed to all but fourwheel drive for a while there, I guess they would have had difficulty getting in.
My pea and ham soup seems to be coming along nicely. It is back in the fridge now to set the fat that accumulated, so I can skim it off. Dinner will be served shortly. The lamb last night was actually surprisingly tasty, so a good call on my part I think.
Spoke to the neighbour about his chooks today, asked him to keep them confined to his yard (this was after I had arrived herding a dozen or so of them ahead of me). He gave me a very bored 'oh, all right' in response to my comment that they were damaging my fruit trees. I will give him a week to get into gear and if not will just call Council. Sick of dealing with someone like that. The other half of the group was on the opposite side of the driveway and out of shot till I was chasing them down the street!
Meanwhile all this lying in front of the fire gets boring, so Seb found himself a comfy cushion.
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iaf
Joined: 30 Oct 2010
Posts: 168
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cassandra
Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 15 8:36 am Post subject: |
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I have a couple of roosters of my own to dispatch thanks, IAF. They have outgrown the size of the hatch I put them through to get them into their present run, so I will have to make a long-handled net to get them out from the other end! I will not, however, restrain the dog if he decides to go for them.
Contrary to expectation, however, they left the chickens locked up today. This was not entirely successful since so many of them have been sleeping out that they only got about half of their birds. It is also clearly not a long-term solution as the shed has a floor area of around 6 square metres which will cause problems with a dozen hens and five roosters in it!
Still, that and running into a friend in town while buying petrol inspired me to call into some nurseries while down in Hobart. This is the friend who runs the Garden Centre (ornaments, not plants) in town, from whom I ordered some Mason and Ball knee pads some months ago. She has had to wait for the various trade shows to be over before getting her container of products - hence the wait. Since with these I will be able to clear out the weeds in short order (just in time for the spring bulbs to emerge), I may yet have a front garden this year. I have bought eight punnets of spring flowers - everything from delphiniums, to primulas. Cinerarias, petunias, wall flowers, foxgloves - I forget what else. Oh, snap dragons as well. Since I have no faith whatsoever on the chicken solution, I will build a frame over them that I can drape with bird netting until a more permanent solution has been achieved next door. Obviously it will not be able to remain in place for too long as things will get tangled and I won't be able to weed that easily, but at least it will let the plants get established and I won't be too late getting them in to the ground. Since we have frosts for the next two mornings, however, they are presently hidden under upturned plant pots and the box some were packed into has had its flaps closed. Only zero tonight, so they should be ok. and if one of their chickens gets tangled in the netting, I will put it out of its misery.
The pea and ham soup was not at all fatty. That clear liquid above the pureed soup was jelly! The jelly is so firm that you could bounce a tennis ball on the cold soup - so presumably rather heartening and good for me.
I have concluded that unless i am called into work tomorrow I will stay at home and take advantage of the forecast sunshine to do some strimming and get some wood in - perhaps even cut up the fence posts now I have finally purchased a wing nut to stablise the sawhorses once more (another of today's purchases).
For some time I have been concerned my hair is getting way too long - so much so that my plait falls forward when I am using the chain saw and other power tools and I have been concerned it will get caught up (I do take precautions to prevent this). So when I noticed there was a hair dressing salon cunningly hidden in the shop that I always thought just sold hair ornaments and shampoo, I popped in to see if they could squeeze me in. They offered me an appointment in two hours time, so I declined, and bought a bundle of elastic ties instead. Then one of the girls offered to do it straight away. Wow, talk about quick. Usually when you get that much cut off they take forever, but she did it in no time flat, and did an excellent job as well - so I now have a rather more manageable plait and instead of ending in an ever-thinning twist of hair, it now ends bluntly - as it should. I can now paint and use power tools with impunity for another few months!! |
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gregotyn
Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
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| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 15 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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I have found a way to make a cone for the topiary; I will draw a circle on the a piece of cardboard, then drill a few holes, half, quarter, eighth, etc. then put the ends of some canes in the holes and join them together at the top, and twist a wire round the canes, using a circle of plywood at a guide. Then I will get the wire that I intend to grow the box plant round and see how it works; at the least the things will die, but you never know! Do box plants need fertilizer? they strike without any help, but don't seem to take off with any gusto, which is contrary to what I expected as it grows like anything in the hedgerow in front of my house!
The show was ok, a typical mini show that you go to meet the neighbours and not a lot else-except drink or shear sheep, I didn't stay long but enough to be noticed-stop them talking about me. Not a lot changes, the fire engine was not there though this year, or the police!
Thank you for the link to youtube, Cassandra, there are problems this afternoon so I can't get to see it till it is fixed. I will have to wait till Thursday now. Thank you also JL, I have to wait before I can look at anything till the problem here is sorted-not sure how I am on here but I don't understand anyway!.
I am glad the weather held for you MR, nothing worse than a poor financial return and awful weather to endure too, the sawn timber will have reduced the expense a bit!
And there was me telling you that spring is on the way and it snows, Cassandra, I will keep my mouth closed in future, (little hope in reality). Shame the bank was shut as it is money coming in and you could get there, and not a lot else to do outside anyway. I just hope you had enough wood cut. There is nothing like a dog that is happy in the company of a cat, it shows how settled he is, my old sheep dog just would not tolerate a cat at any price, lucky she never got the chance to go for a cat as I think the cat would have won. I think I may help myself to the odd chicken or 2 of the neighbours, under the guise of you thought it was one of yours as there was only one outside at the time! Dinner for all your trouble to date, seems fair. oops I missed iaf's post! two of a kind there me thinks iaf? |
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iaf
Joined: 30 Oct 2010
Posts: 168
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15579
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 15 6:14 am Post subject: |
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Your pea and ham soup sounds as if it was good and nutritious Cassandra. Lots of gelatine seems to have come out of it. Hope it tasted good.
We had a very dull day here yesterday. Husband and son did some tree felling. Son and I had a look at an area which isn't scheduled for any coppicing yet, but decided that it has to get done as soon as we can as the stools are getting a bit unstable and it is very dark under the canopy. There were some people in working under the pylon line too. The plan was to cut some pole sized ash, which they had done, then clear under the tower itself. I don't know whether they did that or chickened out as they were working on a hedge in the next field when I saw them, and no sign of any attempt to clear under the tower. It is rather brambly, so can't say I blame them if they didn't.
I went up and bagged up some of the logs that had been cut over the weekend. We got 25 bags out of that, so a good start to the store of log bags for winter. There is still about half of the big trailer left, so best part of 1 cu m. Husband and son will fill it up completely today and deliver that plus the back of the truck to one of our customers who wants 12 loads. That will be the first instalment of 3 loads.
We had a bought liver, bacon and onion ready meal; it is a type that is made from real ingredients fairly locally, that I had in the freezer. With it we had potatoes, French and runner beans, a very tiny courgette and a few mangetout peas from the garden and some local green broccoli. Rather nice meal.
I don't know about box Gregotyn. I thought it grew quite slowly, but if you have not long transplanted it, it will take a while to get established I expect. |
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cassandra
Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
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| Posted: Wed Aug 19, 15 6:36 am Post subject: |
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Iaf I thought i would slow roast one of them (ie set it to roast but on a low temperature rather than the usual 180). The other one may become a curry or some such thing, or be quartered and become several somethings.
You were only a little bit premature Gregotyn, I have had the most glorious Spring day here today - although officially it is still winter - and the next week or so looks very promising. As a result I spent the day strimming (in between putting out loads of washing) until I ran out of cord. Since i have to go clean the bank tonight, I decided that was God's way of telling me to take a break (I can get a bit carried away in weather like this and reduce myself to an aching heap if I am not careful), and I will buy some when I am in there this evening (along with some milk as I am out of porridge also).
I don't lose pay from the bank if I miss a day - it is officially a permanent part time job so comes with all the perks like holidays (not that you earn many holidays when you are working three hours a week), sick leave, superannuation contributions etc. I have only had one sick day since starting so have never lost any time or income as a result, and snow days are paid in full as far as I am aware.
If I get the cord tonight I will spend a bit more time swinging the strimmer tomorrow, after I get back from cleaning one of the cottages. And I must (I really must) cut some wood tomorrow too as i did not do it today. With minus two forecast for tonight I expect I will use up most of what is indoors and will need to replenish supplies properly.
Plants are annoying -they never follow the rules and it does not matter what schedules we put in place, they will always find a way of disappointing (or exceeding) our expectations I find. My crabapples out the front are seven years old and barely reach my waist! One of the plums down the back, planted last of all, is twice the size of the tallest of the other fruit trees - go figure. I takes what is offered and hope for the best, lol. |
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gregotyn
Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
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dpack
Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45472
Location: yes
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Jam Lady
Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2507
Location: New Jersey, USA
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15579
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| Posted: Thu Aug 20, 15 5:55 am Post subject: |
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Good to have the odd spring day towards the end of winter Cassandra. We still think of August as summer, although the harvest is well under way here. It came on to rain yesterday after lunch, which put paid to harvesting, so there were grain trailers being pulled by tractors everywhere, including along one narrow lane I have to use to leave the farm shop. I just managed to get into a passable place in the road after a bit of manoeuvring.
Apart from shopping yesterday, all I managed to do was make another loaf in the breadmaker; the third this week, somehow, and do some spinning.
Gregotyn, if you have managed to produce a topiary ball already, you have done well.
I knew that box was used for making printing blocks Iaf, as it has a very close grain and presumably is quite hard too. I have only seen one place that has box big enough to make even a small block, and that was on Box Hill. Generally the stems are rather small.
Jam Lady, I hope you have a good time at your show. Sounds like a good one. Pity about the chickens. We had trouble for years with sheep dog trials because of restrictions on animal movements, but the show we just went to had them. They must bring the sheep in, as the only year they tried with sheep from the hill, nearly all the dogs ended up with nervous breakdowns as the sheep wouldn't do anything a mere dog said as they were so used to them being brought in by visitors. |
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