End of Summer?

By the look of it we HAD Summer ...
Slowly the berries go into veraison. This is the Baco which is always the first to colour. We have to net them ASAP before Number 1 Enemy (birds) discovers them :-) Number 2 (wasps) must have been wiped out by the winter cold. So far I've seen only 3 flying around...good!... cross fingers they will not be in plague proportion like last year x x x x x x ...The other varieties are way off yet and this year 's berries will be very small, promising exceptional quality but much less then last year. All of them set the berries uneven, as you can see from the pics. We know that there was no microelement deficiency in the soil so I think it was caused by the prolonged flowering due to unusually cold weather at Spring.
Hang some paintings on the gallery walls, Danny's and Eszter's and Ian will bring his works sometime in the coming weeks. Our first exhibition is stirring in my mind...but before we'll have everything just how I imagine it, I'm not getting excited... :-)
The boys (P. and Yoann from France) are cutting firewood and put down the floor of the new shed. Development plans were handed in to council and the girls (Isabelle and Delphine from France) are harvesting the garlic. HUGE ones! It was a good crop this year also. We'll be able to sell some like last year.

Preparations for the septic system

Paul shaved off a few cubic meter of earth again from the side of the hill to make the terrace where the septic system's pipe will be laid. Dug the trenches and the tank and the pipes arrived.
We are picking the last of the apricots. Had heaps of fruit this year.
The French onions keep growing and we did a choock swap with Jozsi :-) His 1 rooster and 2 hens took to grazing/scratching at the neighbours. Neighbours changed. Choocks and rooster faced the execution block. Our 1 choock is eating the eggs she lays. Rooster went with her to not be lonely :-) Also a drake. 3 for 3. Change of scenery, farm...they might work out well and all of them escaped the slaughter :-) Here Jozsi's flock wouldn't find the neighbours. They are several hundred meters away.
My ones will be so confused on his paddock that she will lay her egg squatting down where the urge will hit and she will have a hard time finding the spot next day in Jozsi's jungle :-)
No dramas this week.
Isabelle is progressing well with the leaf plucking. We had a surprise visit from dear friends from Pemberton, WA, it was nice to catch up on news from our former town.
Ohhh...and I've been admitted to nursing school. Start next month.

Digging ourself deep

Literally. And figuratively speaking also :-)
Literally... the hole is done for the vegie cellar.
It's not very big but it will be big enough to house the harvest and -in case of a fire storm- to serve as a temporary shelter.
You have all seen and read about the fires in Victoria. Our thoughts and sympathy are with the affected communities!
Paul is digging the site for the septic system.

Figuratively... our bank was generous and we managed to dig ourself deeper into debt. But now I not only dream about but I actively research to buy espresso machines, commercial dishwashers etc.... which will grace my kitchen.
The berries are growing nicely.
Isabelle from France is helping with the leaf plucking. BIG help, thanks Isa! She's a country girl! She knows the difference between a potato and an apple tree! :-)) and we were hunting for special cheeses for special dishes.

Hot weather makes the berries grow

Last week's hot weather was pumping the berries :-) they are growing at a visible rate :-) All are very healthy, there is not much disease pressure. Paul just sprayed them again yesterday, ahead of the predicted rain. He didn't have to spray for more than 30 days :-) Hopefully one more spray will be enough this year, he'll do it before we net them next month.
He finished cutting the tops of, the vineyard is looking picture perfect :-)) It's a pleasure to walk the rows.
He's done the pad for the new shed where he'll move the woodworking workshop and all the timber currently stashed under the House. Note, that I'll call the cellardoor building The House from now on :-)) I'm itching in my skin to move up there ASAP :-) While digging dirt from the side of the hill to fill up the pad's location, he had a 'sparkling' idea :-))...this hole will be my vegetable cellar! Properly underground. For the spuds, carrots, cabbages, apples, pears...
The sun shines, the Plum Pond finally seems to hold its water, , the Redhot Pokers are visited by the honey-eaters, the Gallinula Mortierii (native hens) had their morning bath and we have visitors to the cellardoor daily now :-)
All is well at St Imre!