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... the sky is baby blue, and the just-unfurling leaves ...
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gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 18 2:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

That really s some water Jam Lady, pity you can't use it to produce electricity. I hope it stops soon. If it was snow then all would not be carrying away soil and wood before it, but I guess it would be a few feet deep if snow! Hope all is well otherwise, and it stops soon.

If half you speak to, Cassandra, say they will be voting for you do you should be home and dry-dependant on how many you get to talk to! Shame that the candidate has got the biggest electorate vote going her way although it may fragment the rest of the vote it could just tip a lot of people off her in the rest of the area, never say till it is over; I can't hear the singing yet! You should always accept the tea Cassandra, you can pour it into a plant if you have to! With views like those you don't need to go into politics, just move!
I am so pleased the cats are getting along well, Poppet is well settled.

I managed to get the wood I wanted for today, and also went into the home stores over the weekend. I need to clean out my sheds which are full of wood of most types. I am starting to cut stuff I should keep for 'jobs', but it is no bad thing to be reducing stock, more will take its place, but I am a bit hand to mouth so to speak for fire wood and would rather conserve quality stock, rather than cut it for fire wood-but when you need it .....! I have to get enough for when I go away to the Cotswolds for a week, I am on target right now but will have to keep it up for another week at least to ensure my holiday week is covered. I am just hoping demand will fall off by the first week in May when I go, and temperatures soar into the 80's, ha ha.
Lucky you having light soil, MR; I am on heavy clay which conserves moisture in the summer and holds too much over winter. It is why when I do get excited over gardening I do it in containers so that I am in charge, I don't pretend to be a good gardener, but I get by OK. The way you are talking spring has sprung, not that good up here, today is pleasant but not warm. I aim to saw the pallet I have to night when I get back and chop it tomorrow, and cut another batch if I can. I need to do about 2 bundles a day from now to holiday, a tall order, but that is the plan 'A'; doubtless plan 'B' will come into force, when I can think of one. Swimming tomorrow, for a change from the wood!

Last edited by gregotyn on Thu Apr 19, 18 1:41 pm; edited 1 time in total

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2501
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 18 9:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Cherry trees at peak bloom so off we went.



The weather, unfortunately, was full overcast, chilly, and breezy. Spent a pleasant 3 hours there.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 18 6:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

That is a lot of water Jam Lady. Hope it hasn't done too much damage. I assume what looks like a wide river is your drive. We have cherry trees in flower here, but of course things will be different where you are. It is lovely going down the local motorway as there are wild cherry (gean) and blackthorn in flower everywhere and the larch are coming into leaf too.

Weather here has decided that generally it is spring, although it only takes the cloud to come over for it to turn quite a bit chillier. Apparently the other side of the county yesterday is was wet and with a cold wind, but we were working in sweatshirts digging out the charcoal kiln, and in my case, filling log sacks. Are now delivering mixed loads of log sacks and charcoal to our outlets. I phoned one outlet to see if they needed more charcoal and the told me they had sold 2 besoms!

Edited; have just seen your picture Jam Lady. That looks lovely. Cassandra, I hope you are able to keep well over arms length from the said mayor as he sounds the sort that doesn't keep his hands to himself and thinks he is Gods gift. No doubt you will be diplomatically polite to him and say as little as possible and nothing that can be twisted to use against you.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 18 6:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Oddly enough the conversation was a very civil and professional affair - I was impressed by his insights into the issues of his community and the sorts of pressures they are experiencing (eg 75% working outside the district, 55% sending kids to school outside the district, all of them travelling on a narrow causeway - recipe=disaster and not much money being spent into the community.

I was less impressed when I went to the beach suburbs and confirmed my suspicion that these closely settled areas are all served by septic tanks! How they manage the drainage is a mystery - though perhaps not when I see how the water quality has deteriorated since my youth.

It was a gorgeous day, and tomorrow will be gorgeous as well - I will be out and about down there again tomorrow. I popped into a few households on my way home, to drop off more flyers and arrived home to find a phone message from the ABC radio (our BBC equivalent) seeking some background on me. I must recharge that prepaid phone tonight as a priority after I clean the bank.

I also managed to return a call from a number that has been popping up but not at times I have been able to respond - turned out to be an old school friend who completely forgot to introduce herself in her excitement at being able to talk to me. She mentioned her sister by name (but not relationship) but was talking so much it did take a while for the penny to drop for me. It was nice to chat to her, she and her sister grew up in the SW of Tasmania, their childhood has been the subject of a book - and her mother brought these two wild home-schooled children to Hobart for High School which is when we met. Lovely girls, both of them.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 18 6:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Good that he can talk sense Cassandra. I am glad to say that there are a lot fewer septic tanks round here than there used to be, but we are a more densely packed area generally I would have thought. Also nice to catch up with an old friend, even if she is a bit exitable and absent minded.

Weather hot here. I went out in sandals for the first time this year and was warm enough with a skirt and short sleeved tee shirt. Managed to get a bit more garden dug. A robin came and sat on the earth I had just turned over and sat there quite a while looking at me. Might be the young one I had on the compost heaps last year.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 18 7:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It was another day pounding the streets of Sorell today - lovely weather for it, and met some interesting people (albeit eccentric - a Polish chap who has lived and worked here for 40 years who thinks it would be a good idea to get rid of state government altogether (presumably since they, like you, do not have States and so do not have that middle layer of government). In some respects I am sympathy with that approach, but Tassie gets forgotten often enough in Government decisions without voluntarily isolating ourselves further.

Took a break at lunch time and visited the loos in the shopping centre before going to a shop to buy some lunch. Got back to the car with the lunch but could not find my phones (yes, plural). Panic! Dashed back to the loos (last place I recalled having them) but no phones, panicked and approached various shops, one very kindly started phoning my phones with no result and finally got back to the car to find I had popped them ot of sight so they did not overheat in the sun. Phew.

So lunch in the park and checked messages to find the Duke ('John the Duke' as he introduced himself) had called. I returned his call to find he had been the recipient of one of my flyers, was impressed and was now telling all his friends to give me their number 2 vote. Not terribly helpful as I am likely to be knocked out of the count before him, but you never know.

Now home, fire lit and looking forward to another lovely Autumn day tomorrow.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 18 2:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I have cracked the disappearing 'phone problem I had; I don't have one at all! Saves hours hunting something I don't really need. However when my Aussie friends come over, they are bringing his old 'phone for me to try and I can have it if I can work it, we will see, but no one hold their breath, I am not heavily into technology. This phone apparently sings and dances to all the tunes, so why is he throwing it out? It is as much as I can do to get on the net! I usually find a spot to put my phone when I have one, and usually manage to forget where it was put. Glad you have found yours, Cassandra.

I think all is going well for you in the election, Cassandra, you are meeting all and sundry and I hope the Duke is as true to his word if you both get in, and he encourages others to vote your way. And you are now in touch with a friend from some time ago, so this campaign has spin offs.

I will be putting in a new sceptic tank soon, the old one being in the wrong place-don't ask!

The cherry blossom looks beautiful, really spring like Jam Lady, Even if cold, I think I could have managed some time sitting on the benches taking it all in! A good job picking them no doubt? Eat one, Pick one, etc!!

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 18 6:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The campaign ground to a halt today with the news my friend and political mentor has lost her battle with cancer. Monika and I first met as a result of her initiating a public meeting about the proposal to explore for shale gas in the area and introduced me to the mysteries of fracking. She is a former mayor of a growth area outside of Melbourne and so had some personal experience of politics. She recognised in me a person who had the necessary skills if not the interest and has been instrumental in guiding my career in that direction. She leaves seven year old twins and a husband who has happily ignored the possibility she might die and who is, as a consequence very angry that she has left him. Friends and community have rallied around, and I had the opportunity to visit her to say goodbye this afternoon. Blessedly she was home at our cottage hospital where all the staff are personal friends.

In the middle of coming to grips with this news I was approached for the first time by the media for an interview. Fortunately they were understanding and so the interview will now proceed on Thursday morning. I will have five minutes to sell my campaign to the listening public, so now have to organise my thoughts on that subject.

Once her husband has come around I will be posting a requiem for her on my candidates page as she really was a remarkable and courageous woman. The interviewer who contacted me was interested in her story too, so will hopefully pursue it further. I have put him in touch with a mutual friend who can speak more thoroughly on her role in relation to the fracking business.

So today was spent partly printing out and cutting up further flyers for distribution, and partly wandering around feeling miserable. I have spent some time with the family friend who has flown down to be with the family and will be on call if they need me, but otherwise will just be making a financial contribution to the local shop which is taking up a collection to be used in food vouchers over the next few weeks.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 18 7:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

So sorry to hear about Monika Cassandra. I hope her husband gets his head round it quickly; different people react to that sort of thing in different ways, so perhaps that was the only way he could cope with it. The community rallying round seems a good practical way to help the family when they need them. I lost a friend a few years ago, my mentor on morris music, and it was very hard. As you are in the middle of a campaign, you have to carry on for her.

We have been in Newcastle the last few days. Son and DIL decided it was time we went to the place, and must say I was very impressed. We visited the Beamish Museum, which is north east 'villages'; reconstructed buildings of just before WWI in the colliery village and 'town' parts that we visited. We didn't have time to see the 1820s landscape and the 1940s farm, so hope to go again one day. Also went to Alnwick where the old station has been converted to a massive book shop. Husband and I walked down into the town, but the castle and gardens are supposed to be worth a visit. We also went to the market at Tynemouth, again in part of the old station with amazing cast iron supports for the roof. I bought a vine knife that I hope will be usable for splittint hazel. Had a good time, but rather citied out now.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 18 10:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sounds like a good day out and well spent! You have such a richness of history it exhausted me so I missed many an opportunity to explore while I was there.

Today was rather better - apparently crying is good for me as I slept like a baby last night - first time in a long time as I usually have my head full of campaign stuff. Today started well with an opportunity to speak on the radio about a large project recently announced in the electorate. It is yet another luxury resort so I highlighted the anecdotal information I have collected about how these resorts rarely employ locals and suggested that since it is still in the planning scheme the proponents might be encouraged to liaise with the local school and job service providers to explore ways to design employment pathways for locals so as to balance any impacts on amenity that might arise from the development.

From there I headed to town, bought some toner so I can print out more flyers, some shoes so I am not walking on my socks and headed home via a smaller village so far ignored and delivered leaflets to the southern end of town.

On arriving home I barely had time to walk the dog before having to head out once more as there was a Council meeting about the development mentioned above which I wished to attend. Good thing I did as the media reports following the meeting were misleading as to what it was that Council had approved. So I have updated my candidate page with accurate information and encouraged readers to participate in the forthcoming public consultation on the proposal.

I also had to call into the post office to collect an unscheduled parcel (such things make me nervous) which turned out to be a bundle of knitting patterns, some bodkins and other older-style needles and some fabric offcuts from a friend in Sydney who had been doing a bit of a clear out. I will explore it further when I have time. Tomorrow I am off to Sorell for the Anzac Day service and more letterboxing and to visit a friend, get some cat and dog food and crawl home for an early night before a radio interview (same interviewer). He is coming to Oatlands to interview all the other candidates (which means they too will be present, having had to travel from whatever distant land they reside in) and a meet-the-candidate activity for members of the public (and possibly other press) so that means two consecutive days in makeup - not sure my supplies will hold out, haha.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Tue Apr 24, 18 2:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I am sorry to hear of your friend, Cassandra. A devastating disease; it took my mother. So painful, which my mother really did not deserve, as my brother and I had given her enough 'welly' in our lives! I was one of those kids who wanted to do what ever and was very determined and my brother was equally determined I wouldn't do whatever it was, with mother in the middle! My father died when I was 8, so mother copped it all! Must be better to die in a local hospital, Mother was moved several times over 5 years. In fairness my brother was good to mother and to me even if we didn't get on, though I am not sure why. In the end he and I don't see each other as he stole some on my things I had kept in mothers home before I married.

I hope all goes well with the press, Cassandra. You only get one opportunity, and so have to hope they have understood what you want to say accurately, and print it accordingly. Your comments regarding the development should put you in good books with the developers and those locals who could be employed on the building and running of the completed work.

I have never been to Newcastle, MR, always bypassed it on the other side up the M6. It is portrayed as being a bit bleak, with a good university and a lot of pubs! Glad you had a good time. I almost think all stations were done with the cast iron roof supports, it was all the rage of the era of railways and steam. I think they still have some at the Bridgnorth railway station where they still operate steam trains. I have a model railway and am still collecting things for it. I am keeping old windscreen wiper support arms to make some of those type supports for the stations, plan A!

It is raining quite heavily now after a very pleasant morning.
Disaster struck on Saturday; my cross cut saw broke the back fence so that cutting wood is having the wait till I can make another one, well a friend is cutting it and I am taking the machine apart in order to get to the back and replace the back fence. It was oak but snapped for all that, most annoying, but there we are! I have a replacement piece but it is hardish softwood, I just hope it is up to the task. I am out of blanks to chop and have to get some done 'in case' before I go to the Cotswolds to meet up with the friends from Aus.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 18 5:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Yes, we certainly have history here. I think our woods shows history dating back about 4000 years to be going on with. It is all in the landscape and more recently of course in stone. You are right about station canopies Gregotyn, but this was a particularly pretty one. Most seem a bit heavier looking than that one. I don't think my son got a picture of it unfortunately.

You seem very busy with the campaign Cassandra. I hope it goes well for you. Good that the interviewer is coming out to Oatlands and the other candidates have to make the trek.

We have more orders for charcoal, so we have to bag up some more and run the little kiln again with the brown ends from the ring kiln firing to get a few more bag fulls, then run the big kiln again. It hasn't been so good here the last couple of days, and we are back to cooler, showery weather this week. Hoping it isn't too bad as I have at least two bluebell walks scheduled, then a course to run on Saturday.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 18 7:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It's been a long day today but not terribly productive. I partook of the one weetbix, and dribble of sour milk that was all I could find for breakfast (I forgot to buy supplies yesterday and the shops were shut till Noon because of Anzac Day), then headed to Sorrel for the service I wanted to attend. I was being a bit cynical about this as an opportunity to be seen and to mingle, but soon realised this would be totally inappropriate. The Liberal Party (conservative party) candidate made a fundamental error today in that she was presented to us as the Government's representative for the laying of the wreath. It was not well received and I confess to a certain smugness about that. After the ceremony I wandered over to shake hands with the mayor who I had spoken to the previous week and he introduced me to one of the local leaders of the farming community. Turned out he was the younger brother of a class mate so we chatted for some time and he intimated support for my candidacy.

Then I collared the young lad who had spoken on behalf of his generation of school kids as I had been particularly impressed with is demeanor and told him so. He and his mum came up to me later and agreed I could post his speech on my candidate's page.

From there, since I was wearing smart shoes, rather than walking shoes, I visited a friend and then another friend then finally got home to get my washing off the line (but unfortunately not before the dew settled). The person who loaned me her puppy cage came to collect it (what a relief as I have been walking around it for some time now) and now I have had dinner, I will catch up with a few posts on the candidate page and then read a report on voting patterns in the house, and head to bed so I awake dewy eyed for the radio interview (and probably presence of television crews).

It's all consuming, this sort of thing!

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 18 6:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sounds as if it could be quite constructive as well as a good Anzac Day. You seem to have got support from several people by just being you, which is always an advantage. It is always useful to know someones's brother/sister/aunt/mother, or even your mother to have known their grandmother. As a local person you definitely have an advantage there.

I had a bluebell walk planned for yesterday evening with a Horticultural Society. Luckily the bluebells came out over the weekend when it was so warm, and the mud had dried up well. Unfortunately we had several showers yesterday, including a sharp, but small thunderstorm which came directly over us, pelted us with hail to the extent the ground was white, and a lot of rain. The ground isn't too bad under the top surface, and a lot ran off, but puddles all over, and we had a river running through our yard at one point. Luckily we have shelter up there, but the noise of the hail was quite frightening at one point. Only about half the people expected for the walk turned up as they thought it was going to be too wet, but we only had a little shower as we went up the lane, and then dry. We found plenty of different flowers and a nice lot of bluebells anyway. I even found some moschatel without trying too hard.

I have another walk today, taking the local area Trefoil Guilds round. The weather forecast is good and looking lovely at the moment.

We were trying to fire the little retort kiln yesterday, using the brown ends (incompletely charcoaled wood) from the ring kiln burning, so hope after all that weather, that it worked.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 18 7:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I suspect that, as in the Council Election I will come second last in the field MR. But it has been great fun and almost like a perverse sort of holiday to be out on the hustings. I remained on the town today as the person who came down to help Mon's family indicated she needed some time away from the family. Unfortunately that didn't happen - I expect something came up - but I popped in this afternoon and found out the time and place of the funeral and we had a brief chat as Kevin and the kids were out in the garden.

The radio interview was a bit of a disaster - all three questions were entirely predictable but there was insufficient time to expand on them, and so I really only got my introductory words in before we moved on. Later he chose four of the candidates to grill them in forum which basically means they are the names that will stick with listeners. I have boosted a post on my candidate page elaborating on my answers so hopefully that will achieve exposure.

I also caught up with a couple of the other candidates - one from T4T (Tasmanians for Tasmania) who tried to recruit me, but I assured him my Party politics days are over and besides I was concerned the name of the Party implied a degree of parochialism which was unhelpful for their future growth. I did suggest we stay in touch as I may well be able to recruit him into some more constructive framework where his skill sets might be better employed.

So it's back on the road again tomorrow - Mon's funeral is Saturday which will limit my activities and so I really need to get out and about urgently as we have a moratorium on self-promotion preceding the actual election.

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