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



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sun May 06, 18 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Shame you seem unlikely to win Cassandra, but you have done very well to beat some of the other candidates that have more of a political record and more media exposure. Look forward to hearing the final result.

Jam Lady, at present we don't have emerald ash borer, but it is high on the potential hazard list. At present our ash is suffering form chelara ash die back. Happily, a lot of the natural regeneration from the last few years is coming into leaf quite healthy, and they are the most vulnerable, so at least they survived last year. We will have to see how bad it gets and whether we lose any trees completely or if they just get infected and survive.

Gregotyn, we usually store our charcoal wood in long lengths, then cut enough at one go for a firing as it is more economical in time when using the firewood processor, but we do hook out any odd bits that are unsuitable for other use as they won't split of that are over length and put them in too. The last burn wasn't as good as we thought as it should have been allowed to go another hour or so, but at least we got a reasonable quantity. It is still an art. Retort kilns use the gas they generate to continue heating the wood inside them to charcoal it. We are hoping to get a big one soon, but they are very expensive as they are more complicated and effectively double the amount of steel of an ordinary kiln plus a bit more. One manufacturer is thinking about how the waste gas can be used for other purposes. As even a retort kiln is not the nicest of neighbours, it may well be used to generate electricity to store in batteries.

We had our first show of the year yesterday afternoon and evening and for once the weather was perfect and it was an amazing show all round. Loads of people, and all interested in what we were doing and quite a lot buying. Very tiring, and I did have a glass of perry, so feeling not at my brightest and best this morning.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 18 9:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

In terms of how many additional votes I picked up around the Southern Midlands MR, I am looking pretty good for the local government election later this year, so I am not complaining. The count has been stalled due to the non-arrival of some 412 votes, so we are all on hold and will not have an outcome before 15th, though no later as that is the cut off date for postal votes.

Today I went into Oatlands with a view to being seen (I suspect some locals expect me to be licking my wounds, so want them to see this is not the case) and had a chat with a few friends, but mainly I stayed at home, walked the dog and sheltered from the wind - we are having a couple of days of gales, so staying indoors is very appealing.

And tomorrow I am off to collect those of my signs that have not been blown away and to visit a few more people as well as collect some groceries.

The gossip stream informs me of further unlawful (if not downright illegal) behaviour on the part of one of the candidates - since he is in the top four who are all very close together, I will be mentioning this in my report to the Electoral Commission.

Meanwhile it is nice to be able to sleep in a little longer and spend my evenings comfortably instead of jumping up and down to the printer!

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2501
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 18 11:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Well done you!, Cassandra. Going it alone - without backing of a party and without support staff I think you have done very well. Your laurels are brightly burnished. And next time out you will be starting from some steps above where you did this time out. Now it is indeed time to pat yourself on the back (which sounds so awkward but it's what is said) relax.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Tue May 08, 18 6:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Yes, the Electoral Commission certainly need to know about any candidates unlawful behaviour. You have done very well, and as you say, it will help at the local government elections.

I managed to finally get my onion sets and some seeds in the garden yesterday and do some digging. It was still very hot and the first job was to bag and deliver some charcoal to one of our outlets. Got a few Brownie points for doing it on a Bank Holiday anyway.

Weather is supposed to cool down a bit but stay more or less dry, which will be a definite bonus.

Woke up very early this morning; before it was properly light, and the birds had already started singing.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Tue May 08, 18 8:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I spent the day removing all evidence of my campaign from the remaining streets, dropping off chocolates to those who supported the sign placement.

Also called in to a supporter and dropped off chocolates to her as we have had some interesting conversations and I know she has been sharing information to others.

Home to walk the dog who was a little over-exciting and snatched the lead from me twice. The first time it was still in the yard so not a problem the second time was on the road and potentially a problem but as the two houses in his path are currently unoccupied, not quite so bad. Having disappeared over the crest of the hill he apparently realised I was ot of sight, so came back of his own accord (good thing too as I was getting quite puffed hastening up the hill) and even 'came when called' for the last 100 yards.

Last night we had very strong winds - one wall of wind hit the house and shook it to its foundations, tore some metal somewhere nearby (not the roof it seems, so I will have to track that down tomorrow) and dumped a load of rain on the roof (which was not forecast so a little surprising). Today was an ideal day for washing, but I was out.

Tomorrow and the next day will be single figures with rain, so I think I will take advantage, put my feet up, do nothing and generally relax (and stay away from FB)

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed May 09, 18 5:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The squall sounds quite frightening. Hope it is nothing serious damaged. About time you had a chance to put your feet up for a couple of days; you have been very busy with your campaigning and deserve a break. Let us know when the final result is in as we would really like to know how you did. Pity it seems unlikely you have won the seat, but coming pretty near the centre in your first campaign as an independent is pretty good and shows you could have won on merit alone.

Gathered the wood together and filled the kiln again yesterday. Husband and son went along a ride with the trailer on the tractor cutting the smaller wood we had left behind when felling trees for firewood. Got enough to fill the trailer, which is enough to fill the kiln. Went back and filled it and it is ready for husband to light this morning. I was hoping to do some more gardening, but was so tired after shifting best part of 2 cu m of wood that I just had to have a rest.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Wed May 09, 18 9:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

If the mood of the voters had deserted the political parties and gone for an Independent I might still be in with a chance, as there would not be so many votes solidly in the political camps, but no point crying over spilt milk. It was fun, tiring, gave me a chance to see bits of Tassie I have not revisited since my return and that's really all you can ask for I reckon.

And it sounds like I am not the only one who deserves a rest - go and lie down you silly woman! Two tonne of wood is a lot of shifting!

Today I was persuaded by sunshine and breeze to do the washing - Things were getting a bit grim in the clean clothes department so that was a good thing, but despite the encouraging indicators everything is still damp. Hopefully something will be dry for tomorrow or I might be dressed a little oddly haha.

Tomorrow and the next day will be in single figures, so the damp stuff in the shed is unlikely to get much drier, but what is in the loungeroom should be good to go.

I have resumed knitting the jumper I started (clearly I will be needing one this winter) and am halfway up to the yoke which, since i am knitting in the round means I should be starting on the sleeves soon.

Once all three are done (body and sleeves, not three sleeves), they will all join together for the yoke which contains patterns that have three colours in a row so there will be delays as I untangle myself from time to time. Two to a row is easy, three a little more tricky. I am using Cascade 220 Aran weight which is superwash merino - won't use it again as it feels synthetic - apparently there are several ways of making wool superwash, and this one seems to be the 'spray a layer of plastic on the yarn' approach. Ick!

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2501
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Wed May 09, 18 12:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We also have a fair amount of wood to shift - the tree company was here on Monday. Three men, a chipper machine, and a bucket truck with a 50 foot lift.



One tree had a huge colony of carpenter ants in the base.



Another was tilting, and lifting at the ground. Two others had rot in their center.

All told, 8 trees down. The wood, cut to 4- to 6-foot lengths is jumbled in piles along the driveway. Some of what they chipped could have been firewood but as it is this will be enough for two winters. Now it all has to be moved up the driveway to the parking area, cut to length, split, stacked. If our friend down the street can come with his Kubota to help move the wood that will be wonderful. Otherwise it is Himself with the ATV and its cart.

Oh my poor garden. They did their best but there are squashed plants. If only they could have come before everything hurled into growth. Oh well. It is what it is.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Thu May 10, 18 5:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Hope they haven't irreparably squashed anything Jam Lady. At the very worst it should be back to normal next year and hopefully sooner. You have a good lot of firewood there. We don't get carpenter ants, so interesting to see that. Our trees sometimes get butt rot, which is why we take down some, but most in some areas of the wood were planted for cutting, so at present we are thinning them. Others grew in the coppice or as part of the coppice, so they are potential firewood for us. The plus is that the flowers come back beautifully next year.

Cassandra, I had a 'day off' yesterday; doing the shopping then going up to mind the kilns for a bit. We bagged a bit more charcoal too, so that is for delivery today. The sun is still out, although it has got cooler, so everyone wants charcoal.

Glad you enjoyed the electioneering, and as you say, it will give you a good chance in the local elections later. Sadly the main political parties do have major advantages over independents, and a good number of people vote by party not candidate. We reckon in some Parliamentary constituencies in the UK that you could put up a monkey for the party candidate and they would win. In some cases they would be about as much use....

The jumper sounds interesting. The main thing with more than 2 colours is to keep them untangled at least each row, otherwise a lot of time can be spent on the job, especially when under the influence of cats, although no doubt Seb would also join in the game given half a chance.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Thu May 10, 18 8:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sebastian is studiously pretending to be completely relaxed in front of the fire while Poppet is lurking nearby (closer to the fire) going into stalk mode - I await the results with interest.

They promised us 7 degrees today but it didn't quite get that warm. And the rain and strong winds have now arrived so having the fire going is a relief. So too is the 'new' roof as the front windows which have leaked chronically every time it rains from this direction (the wall below them being regularly saturated) seem to be keeping the weather out - seems the roofer knew what he was talking about when he said it would sort them out. They do still leak a bit so clearly a bit more putty is required before that problem is resolved, but all in all it seems to be working well. And the stopping up of the holes in the front door also seems to have reduced drafts. That said, it's still jolly cold and I will be moving to the other end of the sofa before the night is out.

Given the inclement conditions my only outdoor activities today have involved walking the dog and getting wood in, and so I have made further progress on the jumper. Still quite a way to go before I get up to the armholes, but well on the way.

I expect the overflow tank to also be overflowing by the end of this lot as there is quite a bit more to come judging from the radar.

JL - what a pity the trees were so unhealthy and how frustrating they damaged the growth. But at least at this time of year it should recover well before the full flush of summer.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri May 11, 18 5:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I am glad to say that spring seems to be staying with us at the moment, although by May it should have well and truly sprung. Cooler that last weekend which gave us summer temperatures, but at present dry, which a great bonus, and we had sun yesterday and hopefully today.

The seeds I sowed indoors last week are mainly up, and I have put the cabbages outside as there isn't any room on the windowsills indoors. The greenhouse is too hot for them during the day, so they are on the patio which is fairly well protected, so will hopefully grow and harden off at the same time.

Hope your weather doesn't get to wild Cassandra.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Sun May 13, 18 8:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It wasn't too wild in my neck of the woods MR, I 'only' recorded 69mm of rain in 12 hours (that's about 3 inches JL). Hobart really copped a battering though with wild winds and drenching rain (about 170mm and 170 kph winds), so whole streets were flooded, residential colleges and libraries at the University, a couple of rivulets topped their banks and washed cars down the roads - all very exciting to watch from my nice warm loungeroom once the television resumed work (the main antenna on top of the Mountain was struck by lightning).

Another 19 mm yesterday and 1.5 this morning, but it was fairly dry for the rest of today and I went out into the streets to check on various friends, clean the bank and so on.

Yesterday I was rash enough to attend a meeting of my professional body which was all too conveniently held in Oatlands so I now have to read several reports and draft a letter from us to a developer highlighting the range of heritage values that exist in their site and advising the sort of management tools that would be necessary for them to deploy before they decide where the put their golf course and crematorium (it's a very eclectic development complete with palliative care and a sex shop!).

This is the same development that taxed my brain during the election and which I had rather hoped I had seen the back of, but apparently not.

Since I also have to account for my electoral expenditure and prepare a report to the Electoral Commission on malfeasance from other candidates I guess I won't be getting out much in the next few days. Though since i was rash enough to suggest the letter might be drafted by Wednesday (when I am having lunch with a colleague and my helper from Sorell), I guess I should be getting on with it. Fortunately there is nothing worth watching on television these days, so there will be few distractions.

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2501
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Sun May 13, 18 1:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We've also been having some rain, Cassandra, but not so much as you. I'm just as glad because A) we need the rain, and B) as you can see things have been busy around here Tree Work and it is a good thing that Mr Jam Lord has a couple of easier days.

I'm busily repotting summer bulbs, mainly amaryllis, pineapple lily, and rain lilies. Somewhere is a box with the tigridia I grew last year but blessed if I can find them. Upsetting, to say the least.

Tuesday is another press preview at the New York Botanical Garden, Georgia O'Keeffe in Hawai'i. I've been teasing my friends in the PR department, asking if there will be a volcano in the exhibition gallery and do I need to bring some ti leaves to appease Pele.

Time to finish my breakfast and move more plants outside to be rained upon, then shelter in the tool shed repotting others. Just as glad my tool shed is fixed firmly in place and doesn't race down the sands trying to set any speed records.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Mon May 14, 18 6:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Glad the weather wasn't so bad with you Cassandra, but it really sounds as if it was nasty in Hobart. Good luck with all your paperwork; don't addle your brain too much.

Jam Lady, it sounds as if you are really busy with the gardening at the moment. I need to do a lot of work, but just haven't had time, although I think I have everything sown now and mostly coming up, so I have to clear the ground for it to be planted.

We were at the Pole Lathe Turners 'Bodgers Ball' over the weekend. Husband decided we were going to camp, which I thought was a bad idea, and having done it I know it was. Friday through Saturday were cold and then wet as well, so from Friday evening right through to Sunday morning I was cold. Unfortunately I don't think the bedding we have is up to cold weather camping, and add damp to it and it is really uncomfortable. Some very interesting things there anyway including a Dutch and British clog maker next to each other, a charcoal earth burn and any number of assorted pole lathes. Met a few people we knew and hadn't seen for a while, chatted to a lot more, helped to keep the tea urn topped up with water, and even sold a few bits, so not a bad weekend on the whole. The weather was a lot better yesterday too, so that made life a lot better.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Mon May 14, 18 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The link to the report did not arrive till midmorning MR so by that time i had two loads of washing on the line (it is the last window to get washing dry for some days, and even then it is 'not quite'), had visited a friend for a long chat (she has been away for some time and can drone on for hours about nothing in particular, so fitting in my local news proved impossible), and headed home to read the report. As expected it has some fairly significant omissions (no attempt to address Aboriginal occupation of what was undoubtedly an important place for them, no mention of the named 'home' paddocks lined with trees or extensive gardens once you go to the section talking about management requirements etc). And since it is in dropbox which would require me to use Chrome if I wanted to print anything I am struggling to compare the various site maps against the intended (reduced) heritage overlay. But so far I have five major issues they need to address. And that's without checking out the five additional properties subsumed into the parcel which all presumably contain historic buildings given their dates of settlement. I will re-read the report in the morning against my recommendations and adjust accordingly.

Luckily I still have the agenda papers from the Council meeting so if all else fails I will use them as one point of reference as against the plans they have provided and perhaps a google earth image of the site also as I am sure they fiddle with such images to blur out things they don't want you to know about.

Not as daunting as I had expected it to be given how out of practice I am, so am feeling pretty happy with progress. I have tomorrow to continue playing with the information and the weather is unlikely to tempt me outdoors for longer than necessary.

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