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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: Fri Jun 01, 18 2:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

You appear to be coming into the busy season, MR. We are no where near it up here weather wise yet, although there was a lot of traffic in Welshpool this lunch time so I am guessing that summer is starting here today. About 1/4 mile from work there is a large roundabout, 5 roads, which is normally fairly clear at lunch time, but today I had to opt to go a long way round after I had done my shopping in the town to get to that island from another direction, where we have the priority. I couldn't turn right from the super market car park as the traffic lights in the middle of Welshpool were not allowing traffic to flow away from the lights crossing the top of the supermarket exit. It may not appear to make sense, but I did get through faster than I would if I had tried to turn right. It will be like this for the next 16 weeks.

Yes I was pleased the keys turned up. I had taken I thought the common sense way with my keys. I keep my sheds and outside on one set; driving, work and house keys on another set, sort of works!
Finding the keys allowed me to cut wood and net up 5 more last night, and I will be going to chop wood when I get home. Another 5 nets tonight I hope. Basically I sell 10 nets weekly average throughout the year, so every 2 nights now is a week not having to chop wood in the cold weather! Ain't theory good!. I have ordered another blade for my crosscut saw, as last night's cutting was hard so I took the blade out to inspect and it may go back tonight if I can find some thin stuff, but other wise I will be leaving cutting till the new blade appears. The old blade has been caught on too many nails! the tips are rather one sided and chipped.

We have your rain this afternoon, having been a lovely morning the heavens have opened and it is tipping down, I arrived here just in time. But it makes the grass grow up here for the cows and sheep! I am learning to be positive.

I hope the 2 burns have been successful for you, and that you have good yields and then get going again asap. There is nothing like having stock ready for the demand. It is like having money you can't use till you need it, if that sounds logical.

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2498
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Fri Jun 01, 18 6:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Hot - it is 91 degrees Fahrenheit - and humid. The third and last outside hose bibb is turned on, all hoses now connected.

I was using the hand truck to move a large tub of weeds and leaves to the compost heap. As long as I was down there I started shifting some of the black walnut down by the compost heaps from jumbled to neat. Did 4 pieces, started up the driveway and -

noticed that another heap was not entirely black walnut. There were four nice pieces of ash. Of course, under the black walnut. So I shifted the wood around and now the ash is at the edge of the driveway, clear of black walnut, ready for Himself to retrieve it.

He's been splitting a couple of pieces of ash every day, the big ones that must be done by hand because they are too big to lift up onto the log splitter. Split in half, they're manageable.

Taking a break, then want to pot on some abutilon that I had ordered which arrived today.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15514

PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 18 5:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

You might find it gets a bit quieter again after the half term holiday Gregotyn. Round here the roads are surprisingly clear at certain times of the day because of it. I don't know if people take their kids to school by car because of laziness, distance to school, or what, but it is a real nuisance. Trying to turn in or out of the lane to our woods is impossible at school run time because of all the cars. Taking a tractor down at that time of day does tend to focus the minds of some of the parents though.

Husband and son opened the first kiln yesterday and it wasn't too bad. With any luck that will be enough for our present orders, so the other kiln full is in reserve. We will try to have one firing a week and hope that we manage to keep up that reserve so we have some in stock. We have sold more so far this year than previous years, but that is at least partly down to good weather over two bank holidays. We shall see.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 18 10:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I hope it will get quieter after half term. We have a lot of people going to 'the cottage' for the week end. It seems as though those on half term are going for the first time for a while, and needing to dry their places out, due I am guessing to the amount of kindling sold on Friday-I had to fill up with 10 nets this morning-no complaints it is a bonus, except I am around 2 months behind where I want to be with production. The biggest push for the second homers is usually Easter, but not so this time it seems.
Sorry about the dropping the kids off at school, MR, but there are so many pressing things for young mothers, to have to do like get to work on time!
Well, Jam Lady, I find your weather so extreme from day to day, it only "seems" like a couple of weeks when it was snow everywhere, and now the opposite. And all that water running down to fill the water courses you have, I guess, been reduced to a trickle at best. I think Lord Jam is doing the right thing by preparing for the next winter. It is much better to be splitting logs at your own pace rather than having to work like a mad man later on, in order to keep warm. I find I do a few more bits of things for me slower but sooner! I had so much to do once that none of what I did ever reached to where it ought be, always a step behind. I now do less, once, and do it once properly, rather than twice in a hurry. I will use wedges to split my big logs, and then I have an electrically driven, mini log splitter once I get a fire working. I have to clean a chimney first, something built a nest in it, so the ladders will be out soon and I hope to encourage a neighbour to climb it and do the job for me! Currently I have no heat in the house except for hot water bottles in bed. If I am to retire soon then it might be a good idea to have a bit of warmth during the day!

I hope Cassandra is ok.

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2498
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 18 1:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Well, Gregotyn, it may not have been as hot as I said. The thermostat has clearly gone berserk - this morning it claims it is 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Himself tried various things to convince it to behave - checked batteries for remote sensor and base in house, put remote in freezer, put the two side by side. This afternoon we will go look for a new unit. No idea how old this one is but we have had it for quite some time.

Daughter and son-in-law were on their way to the time-share condo in Colorado, where their oldest daughter and her husband were going to stay with them for a week. There is a wildfire that they could see from 100 miles away. The Durango area has been having a severe drought which only exacerbates the fire situation. She wrote

There is a wildfire that is growing tremendously, it’s currently engulfing 1,100 acres
Over 800 homes have been evacuated
Purgatory is under voluntary evacuation and is in pre-evacuation mode for a mandatory evacuation
550 is closed between mile marker 38 and 44
The mandatory evacuation line is 10 miles down the road
The fire is being called the 416 Fire if you want to look up more details

So they are all going to Santa Fe, New Mexico instead.

What's that Chinese curse - may you live in interesting times. Dull is definitely better.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15514

PostPosted: Sun Jun 03, 18 5:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Glad they are going somewhere else Jam Lady. I only remember one 'wildfire' and that was tiny compared to what you have. It was over 60 years ago, but the memory is that strong I still have it. Strangely the temperature sensor we had upstairs went wrong yesterday, but that has just stopped working, not showing silly temperatures. Husband went to get the mower out yesterday evening, and not before time, to find a mouse had eaten a small part of the fuel system I think it is. Luckily it seems he can get a spare part easily and cheaply, but the grass needs cutting rather urgently as it is getting out of hand. I managed to get the mangetout peas planted out and some more sown in a tray. I have to do them inside otherwise the mice have them.

Gregotyn, it is always better to do something once correctly if you can, even if it does take longer, but I always find I have to do half a dozen jobs to complete the first one. You must get some heating in your house; I thought I was pretty hardy, but I do sometimes need a good thawing out if I get cold, so a fire is essential.

The weather is behaving well this weekend, which after last week is a definite bonus. Long may it last as we have plenty to do like bagging charcoal and filling the kilns for another firing, as well as firewood loads.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 18 5:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Strange to read of wildfires when we have been enduring fog, cold and frosts. At least the Medlars have bletted nicely - now to decide what, if anything, to do with them (other than give them to someone more industrious than I).

I have finished the 10 ply jumper and am half way up the back of the 3 ply one. I have to say it looks rather schmick and will be a glamourous addition to the wardrobe. I have also been eyeing off some pretty red berries on an unidentified tree in Oatlands that might make for some nice dye outcomes. I will experiment later in the week.

I have finally returned to Patient Transport and have had my first trip in some time. Their excuse was there has not been much work, but my passenger told me that another volunteer was saying they were run off their feet, so perhaps they decided to give me a break while I was campaigning?

I will try to load some photos for you tomorrow - I will be heading into town to get some food and will pop into the wool shop en route. I think two balls of the neutral 3 ply will do for a start - I can get 4x50g of different colours out of that - two I will use acid dyes, the other two will be natural (the red berries and some onion skins). I will keep an eye open for mushrooms too as they give a nice dusky pink which will go well with the range I am aiming for.

Sorry for my prolonged absence, no excuse really other than an engrossing knitting pattern encouraged by the cooler weather.

I will have to get my wood man to drop off two more loads over the next few weeks as I have already made serious inroads into my heap which is a bit alarming.

Today has been skeining off wool I plyed yesterday, making balls of various singles for plying, and generally catching up with various partly finished things. I spent the day at the Oatlands Market yesterday plying the wool I have been spinning relentlessly for the last few display spinning activities so it is nice to finally have that finished. No idea what to do with it - it is probably not enough for a garment, so perhaps another beanie or three I suspect. As it is the softest fluffiest merino though, I will consider something a little more adventurous like a draped vest - will have to dig out the pattern I have in mind and see how much it requires.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15514

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 18 6:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I have never cooked with medlars myself, but I have had medlar mousse which is rather nice. We grew a tree in the 17th century village, and one of the people there used to take the fruit for bletting and using.

Your knitting sounds good Cassandra, and from what I have seen of it on Facebook, you are doing well with it. If you use the berries, I would suggest not letting the dye pot get too hot as above 60 deg C reds tend to go a bit brown. Will be interested to see the results.

We had a Living History Festival over the weekend, and it was hot. Although Saturday was rather slow, it was better yesterday, and we sold several quite high value items including another one of my baskets. That is both the baskets with handles sold now, so I will have to make some more. I made a couple of besoms at the show; not my best ever as I didn't have my clamp, so had to just wedge the bundles of birch in the shave horse before getting help to put the belt round them.

Seems we are in for a week of settled weather now, which after last week will be quite a relief. It was very hot over the weekend, so the ice cream man did very well, but everyone was wilting a little in the sudden heat. This week is supposed to be rather lower temperatures, but comfortable and dry, so let us hope they are right, as we have a charcoal kiln to empty and another one to fill and fire this week, as well as some log loads to deliver and some log sacks to fill.

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2498
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 18 1:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Cassandra, what about a scarf made with your soft fluffy merino - sounds like it would be lovely wound about your throat. Another popular item with my knitting group are shawlettes - smaller than a shawl but comfy over your shoulders.

Our weather is beserk, even with the new thermometer supposedly giving correct temperature readings. From Saturday's hot and humid, yesterday we went to chilly, complete overcast, and windy. Temperature in the very low 60s Fahrenheit down to high 50s at bedtime and still there this morning.

Yesterday was the mushroom society's wild foods foray (anyone welcome) followed by potluck lunch (members only.) We always go to the same area but this time the guide took us to a different portion of the park. So we circumnavigated a huge meadow along the tree line. I, for one, was happy that there was a good wide mowed path to walk on - ticks don't lurk in the short grass.

Two hour walk, found one new-to-everyone non-edible that was astonishing sight - the female flower of Osage orange, Maclura pomifera.



Guide didn't know it either. (He had actually walked right passed it. Yours truly was the one who noticed it.) Someone was able to I.D. it by tree's bark. Very dense rot resistant wood that is hottest burning wood we have. Mature fruit is a funky looking spherical warty looking green thing that gives rise to the common name of monkey brains. Another common name is bois d'arc - Osage Indians made highly desirable bows from the wood of straight grained trees (they tend to branch so not suitable.)

Rain yesterday evening and overnight for a total of 4/10ths of an inch. Today I want to haul more brush that I have cut and weed wrenched - multiflora rose, Japanese honeysuckle, Japanese wineberry - to brush piles. Dentist appointment this afternoon for a filling.

Hope everyone has a pleasant, productive day.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15514

PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 18 6:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

After our busy and hot weekend, husband and son didn't do a lot in the wood, but came back home having bought a spare part for the mower and attacked the lawn; not before time. I managed to deal with another raised bed and move the compost heap that was on it. I had started the move and put the unrotted stuff on another heap, but had got down to what looked like compost. Most of it was, but there were some odd twigs in it that were starting to shoot and produce roots. In the end I identified them as cuttings of grape vine. I had cut the wood during the winter and put it on the compost heap, and for some reason it had decided to shoot. Anyway, a nice bed ready for the runner beans, which are currently curling round themselves in pots, and hope to get some bean sticks home today.

Sounds an interesting walk Jam Lady. This isn't such a good time of year for foraging in the UK. We are between the early leaves and the mushroom seasons, although there are a few things that can be eaten, like nettles, and the tops of burdock are up, so the roots can be found.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 18 6:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

A scarf/cowl sounds like an excellent idea JL! Clever you! Since I have just had my head shaved again it will be good to have something to bridge the gap between shoulders and beanie. The reason for the trim was because I have been invited to a function at Government House and felt my currently wild and woolley look might not sit well with certain guests, haha.

Photos follow:
This is the ten ply (aran weight) jumper that I knitted up from my stash. I ran out of the mid green before the end but at least finished it at a point where adding another colour did not look odd.


Here's me at the Campbell Town Show - the yarn behind me is from the Lucky Ewe at Oatlands which is where I tend to shop.


This is the one i am working on at present -


The pattern is Whalsay from Marie Wallin's book 'Shetland' if anyone is interested.

This is the tree is am trying to identify - someone is trying to tell me it's hawthorn - if it is, it is nothing like anything i have ever seen. No thorns for a start - I would have though more likely arbutus of some sort, but if you can work it out for me JL that would be helpful.
The berries are around a centimetre long if that helps.





Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2498
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 18 12:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

There is a thornless hawthorne, cassandra. It is the cultivar 'Cockspur' I think. Flowers next spring will be helpful. It sure looks rosaceous.

Agree that we're sort of betwixt and between for foraging, Mistress Rose. That's why the mushroom society was having a wild foods foray rather than a mushroom foray. (They look for all mushrooms, don't care about edible / non-edible, as long as it is fungus.)

Here's the link to my write-up about the event: Wild Foods Foray

Nice sunny day, cool temperatures. We've off to vote in the local preliminary election. Midday I'll go buy some strawberries from the local orchard who called to tell me he would be picking. And in-between and afterward I will be weeding, weeding, weeding.

Do you have a favorite weed? I adore jewelweed, Impatiens capensis. No matter how tall it gets I can easily tweak it out of the ground. And it dies easily too. Unlike garlic mustard which can be left in the sun on hot asphalt until it withers, but revives when thrown in the compost heap. Or lesser celandine, Ranunculus ficaria, which I begin to believe would survive an atomic explosion.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 18 2:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I have had a good week end doing nothing much but chopping firewood and achieved a few more for the winter stock. after most of last weeks production went out on Saturday, I had a good Sunday however, with a bit of a bonfire, a 'saw-'in and one or 2 other household chores-fixing the broken tiles on the front room bit that sticks out. Not that easy off the ladder but success-well the winter will determine if it is successful!

I don't do heat well, MR. and have difficulty in houses with too much of it. My Bridgnorth friends are hot house fiends and I am in shirt sleeves at Christmas whilst the rest of the gang are in pullovers. I guess I am lucky. Trust me if I get cold then I follow up by getting warm ASAP.

Talking of fire, take care, Jam Lady. And talking of thermostats, I have a belief that all control thingies have life controlled by the makers of such devices depending on the state of their company and whether or not they need to sell more!

I hope winter is soon over for you, Cassandra. I have missed you. The friends who came over sent to me a present last Christmas which got to me but they wouldn't post it through the letter box as a bit too big; my regular postmen just leave it outside normally, but I think it must have been a relief chap on the job, and my parcel found its way back to Brisbane, and the friends brought it back with them for me this summer. The present was a guide to Tasmania. Various views; I was hoping to see Oatlands, mentioned not shown. I think it says 'Oatlands in the central uplands'. I will fish it out and have another look through!
I have been admiring your knitting, looks really good. I think it is so good when you can do the job from fleece to wearing the garment. I think you could get out of mowing lawns if you kept a few sheep and then do the whole job, just need to learn to shear!

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2498
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 18 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The 416 fire in Colorado is much larger and only 10% contained. Here's a link to a news update: https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/wildfire/416-fire-north-of-durango-grows-to-2-250-acres-now-10-percent-contained

And there are some scary pictures in the site's GALLERY: See photos from the 416 Fire in La Plata County

Today is bouncing from sun and clouds to rather dark, then repeat. Storms, maybe thunderstorms this afternoon. I am only weeding what needs to come out to plant some perennials and a couple of shrubs.

Finished my lunch. 'Bye for now.

gz



Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8562
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 18 9:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Love the grey on grey, Cassandra. I like subtle

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