Sunday, October 26, 2008

Timur died this morning !

Timur was hit by a car between 5 and 7 AM this morning. He died instantly by the force of the impact. We are in the 60 km zone. It's Sunday morning. The driver didn't brake, didn't swerve and didn't have the decency to let us know...
I'm too upset to write anything more this week...

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Winter on it's last leg

Miserable weather :-((( raining and it IS cold. This is the time of year when we get the last really cold days. No frost at our place but down in Southport the grass was white yesterday morning. I waited with planting out anything that is sensitive to frost but we managed to sow the dwarf beans and plant some more garlic. The cucumbers went into pots in the hothouse, just in case....
I was running like a headless chook all week :-) To Huonville to tourism meeting (discussed the Green TEA project), to Southport (at Barbara's discussed the promo panels for Far South), to Hobart -several times- on taxi duties...bringing Paul home after he drove up with all his gear (truck, tractor, excavator, post driver etc.), the kids -to and fro- to camp a few days at Cockle Creek, HelpX guest Tracy who arrived Saturday...
Here are some photos...sad colours of Esperance Bay
not much more cheerful Ida Bay but a few minutes later the Sun came out and lit the nearby farm

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Melbourne weekend

Finally the phone cable is in and buried but it's not working yet.
Ha-ha, you thought that it is THAT simple! Only 3 weeks and you have a working phone??!! Too long a saga to bore you with it. Let me just say that it's not Telstra and is not the contractor who is mucking things up but the people in between. Yes, you call Telstra that you want a new connection, you are given a job number...they call the ORGANIZERS...they call the contractor...job done. Unless job number and your phone number is lost in the system. Not the new one! The old one. Or they looking for you in ADELAIDE ...????? Now the middle bit is connected. And the end bit. Just the start bit needs connecting...They will call within 24 hours to let you know when...4 days later...tomorrow Paul has to call them AGAIN! But at least now we and the ducks don't have to jump over the abyss.
The wall painting is progressing gallery, toilet and store room are done, kitchen smoothed to receive the paint
Friday we flew over to Melbourne to visit Eszter
Went out to Jim's Greek Tavern
...the food was excellent, plenty and around 30 $/person and they don't charge corkage !
Traveled light but couldn't resist a purple pair of shoes and a bottle of Hungarian grappa... :-))) A girl has to have her shoes ! and checking out the competition liquid-vise is always an obligation :-))

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Usual Spring week

My orchid opened its petals.
I's a joy to look at from the kitchen window :-)
The button mushrooms coming up in fairy circles all over the farm
Little duckies were let out from the nursery. They are big enough now to have a chance of running and hiding from the predatory birds' sharp eyes. They LOVE the water :-)) Mummy duck led them into the pond... first they all pattered around at the edges then, seeing Mum swimming out, they followed her...discovered they can duck underwater...all went into a frenzy of wing slapping, ducking-jumping...then run out very frightened of their own racket :-)) Now they are pros! Majestically gliding about on the pond.
The grapes are opening the second set of leaves. Paul managed to spray them between howling gales and spitting rain :-)
Pierre fixed the clips for the wires onto the posts in ALL the young plantation. Thanks Pierre! we really appreciate your help.
Run up to Hobart a few times to get the bits and pieces...wall trimmings, screws, paint, planting pots for the flowers...
Happy Spring! I'm off to pick those mushies...:-))