The word of the year is: Better. You heard it here first. Twenty one years ago we purchased this land, and since then, a lot of blood, sweat and tears has gone into the place. Despite all the work, this remains a difficult property in which to reside, but we’re getting onto that issue. We’ve got plans, and most of the upgrades we’ve been doing in recent times has been focused on correcting those areas, whilst making the land more productive. It’s a pleasure to enjoy systems when they easily do what is expected of them. The new and larger firewood shed incorporates a lot of things we’ve learned about the local energy source over two decades, and it’s going to be awesome, a real game changer.
Much of the work around here is focused on making things better. Regular readers will recall that a month or so ago, I accidentally damaged an underground solar power cable whilst digging. Easily fixed. But It did raise the awful question: do I really know where any of this buried stuff is? The facts are perhaps suggestive in this instance! Fortunately, over the long years detailed photographs have diligently been taken of the various trenches for pipes and wires. The organisation of those pictures was however, best described as non-existent. With a cold and drizzly day on Saturday, a bloke manned up to the challenge, and four hours was spent trolling through the 30,000 photos taken from the past twenty years. Then the several hundred extracted images of dirt, were sorted into separate folders for each project. Now I know where everything is, exactly. And that is better.
A week ago, the price of oil wasn’t around US$90, now it is (Edit: As of this mornings essay re-read and review, WTI has hit US$107.30 a barrel!) Things were different back then, and possibly cheaper. Funny how much events can change in only seven days. Earlier in the week, two days were spent cleaning up the recent storm damage. Another couple of very warm and humid, sweat filled days were spent doing carpentry for the new firewood shed. An afternoon of fun and adventure took place at the timber yard in the nearby outer urban area. Materials for the new shed had to be collected. Paid work was done. Candidly by Sunday morning, I was feeling a tad low on energy.
On that same day, the Kelpies were not tired, they rarely are. Dame Plum was promoted to class four in the morning, a serious achievement for the once rapscallion. You could say that training makes dogs better, yeah. The Suzuki dirt rat Jimny trundled down the hill to dog school. Upon arrival back home again, we made plans to relax and enjoy a picnic lunch, not too far from here in a bucolic spot higher up in the mountain range. It being a long weekend (with a public holiday on Monday), there were people everywhere, but not where we were going.
The storm last weekend, left the remote dirt mountain roads in a wretched state. It was a pleasure to see tourists daunted by the Suzuki-swallowing sized potholes. They’d clearly stopped to asses the situation, and decided to turn around. The little Japanese four wheel drive is tougher than that though, and we just ploughed on to the picnic spot. A lovely lunch was enjoyed of basic ham, cheese and salad sandwiches, whilst I had an apple cake, and Sandra enjoyed a very traditionally baked custard tart. Yummo! The shortbread in the cake made me feel a bit sleepy, and what better way to spend a cold quiet Sunday afternoon than lighting the wood fire and enjoying a well deserved nap.
Such beauty spots are fortunately not far from here, but then people say that the house itself resides in a rather beautiful location. On the way back home we detoured to stop off in a nearby town so as to fill up the cars fuel tank with petrol (gasoline in US parlance). Those high oil prices have already flowed through to the bowser.
It’s been remarked upon elsewhere, that small vehicles are generally cheaper to own and maintain. The suggestion being that bigger vehicles have the potential to send their owners broke, or into debt. The Jimny fuel tank holds 40L which would cost (using some quick maths) AU$85.40 to fill. I’d expect about 550km (340 miles) of travel, until it is empty again. Incidentally, cheating and using a conversion program, the per gallon cost in US dollars works out to be US$5.70 / gallon (or US$60 for the full tank). Having seen people drive away with almost $200 fuel bills that day, I’d describe the diminutive Suzuki as the economically better outcome.
So yeah, the cost of living pressures are real. High energy costs on the other hand, work like a tax on everything. Expect most prices to go up from here. On that note, the previous week I purchased a small box of Lindt chocolates for Sandra as a present. That’s a favourite luxury, so I win brownie points, and everyone is happy. The small round choccies are delicious, and doled out at a rate of one per week, at her request.
But did I read the price correctly? Are they really a $100 a kilogram (2.2 pounds)? Turns out, my eye sight is good, and that sure was the price. Expensive, yeah. Oh well, I took the box of chocolates to the youthful striking looking cashier who had done a personal spin on platinum blonde goth chick, if that is a thing. It might be. The young lady meekly made the observation that she preferred the locally made choccie, which was one-fifth the price.
The problem with my profession, is that after decades of experience, you can quickly review a financial situation, and produce a story. It’d be hard for most people to survive on minimum wage rates even with the casual loading, and I doubt very much that they’d be driving around in an overly large vehicle (although I’m prepared to be surprised on that front). The question which popped into my mind at that moment whilst handing over the plastic payment card was: Are the chocolates worth three hours of casual minimum hourly rates, ignoring tax? Probably not, and so I replied truthfully: I don’t usually buy these either, it’s a pressie (although inwardly I applauded the professing of parsimony). Candidly, my words sounded a bit lame. Minimum wage probably isn’t enough to allow young folks some freedom from their parents, who you’d hope are nice people, which is not always the case I sure can tell you. Society could do better on that front.
Anyway, we’ve had a closer look at the damage caused by the hail storm last week. The vast majority of the summer crops (perhaps excluding the resilient beans) has been wiped out. All of it, gone. They’ve been shredded, it’s quite horrific. And the fruit in the trees have been heavily bruised. The bright spot is that whilst the citrus trees were damaged, those winter fruits are tenaciously hanging on. And the plants in the greenhouse were unaffected. It’s not all bad, we have already harvested and processed quite a bit of produce this season prior to the storm, so that’s something good as well. What this is suggesting to me perhaps, is that we need a second greenhouse. We could do better again than this outcome. Right now for the first time in years, we have run out of fresh greens from the garden.
I’ve created a new video based on the trail camera footage. Thought you might enjoy seeing some of the wildlife in action:
So yeah, work on the new firewood shed continued, and after two days, the timber carpentry has now been completed. I’ll have to order the corrugated steel cladding this week, and soon before prices sky-rocket.
The first day of work saw all of the 30m / 100ft of steel strapping installed. It’s strong stuff, and also tensioned using a very clever sturdy device. There’s bracing on the roof and also the walls which additionally ties the building together. Having been direct hit by a minor tornado many years ago, we take such things seriously, and it’s cheap insurance. Here’s an example of some of the bracing for the roof trusses.The roof timbers are firmly anchored to the timber posts, which are themselves secured into the ground. It’s not going anywhere.
The roof battens were also installed that day. Those are the chunks of timber which the steel cladding and solar panels will be attached to.
The next day, the roof beams end were cut vertically so that drain gutters can be attached. Those steel channels direct water into a pipe for collection in a tank. Also, all of the external wall battens were attached to the posts. They’ll be what the wall corrugated steel sheeting will attach to.
Right now, if we had the external roof and wall steel cladding, the shed would be immediately usable with a few days of additional work. However, we now have to wait for those materials to be cut and delivered. One of the good things about designing and constructing something yourself, is that you can minimise waste. This project was thoughtfully designed and put together so as to reduce waste. Here’s the total amount of that so far:
A week ago the place was very dry looking. The contrast with today is astounding, and I have had to spend several hours mowing this week.
The tree canopy in the orchard is looking a bit thin because the poor trees are yet to regrow their lost leaves, and they may not get the chance to do so before the winter arrives. The greenhouse on the other hand, is looking very lush, and has barely received any water at all this week.
One thing i’ve noticed with the greenhouse, is that compared to last year, the tomatoes have not grown nearly as tall. Nothing quite says that proper crop rotation is very necessary as that observation, and this is notably difficult thing to do with only a single greenhouse. Hopefully I get the opportunity to do better on that front.
Onto the flowers:
The temperature outside now at about 10am is 18’C (64’F). So far for this year there has been 153.0mm (6.0 inches) which is up from last weeks total of 127.2mm (5.0 inches)
Comments
45 responses to “Better”
Yo, Chris – Sounds like your shooting for arranging all to your comfort and convenience. Your comfort and convenience. A worthy goal. Your body will thank you in coming years.
“…a bloke manned up to the challenge…” So, you hired help in? 🙂 🙂 🙂
Peak chocolate? I think it’s the way a lot of things will go, in future. Not entirely vanish, but, become so dear that it’s rationed, until even severe rationing can’t justify its acquisition. Except for maybe once a year.
I was relating the tale of your hailstorm, to some of the fellows, down at the Club. Of course, one of them had to come up with a twist on that tale. He’s from South Dakota, and they had a hailstorm while a yearly Airstream trailer rally, was being held in his town. Almost baseball sized hail.
https://w.wiki/Ad3$
He said he later saw a bumper sticker, on one of the trailers: “We Had A Hail of a Time, in South Dakota.” People spend a lot of time and money, restoring and refurbishing those old caravans.
Your firewood shed is really looking good. I know exactly how you feel about that small pile of waste, now that part of the job is done. When I pretty much contracted 170′ of 6′ cedar fencing, doing all the measuring and such, that’s about how much I was left with. Not that I did the actual construction work, but it does give one a feeling of accomplishment, that one can hit the target, with very little waste.
Your place certainly looks greener, than more recent pictures. I suppose hail releases water at a slower rate, than say, a cloudburst. Less run off?
The trail cam footage, is great. Looks like the full cast of critters from around your place. The magpies squabbling among themselves was too funny. 🙂
The tomatoes and strawberries look pretty lush. And the cucumbers show great promise.
I wondered how your roses fared, given the hail storm. Looks like they came through good, and bounced back from any damage. Lew
Hi Lewis,
Easier could have been the word of the year as well, and I’ve also been really thinking long and hard on what systems need adapting so that life here is in fact, easier. Firewood is one of the big annual tasks, and far out, having looked back at the very early days with that job, hmm, naive. 🙂 The funny thing is I’m not seeing other folks around here doing similar things to make their lives easier. It’s possible that their plans are to sell up and move on, and so use the cash for retirement. Already there are a few places around here up for sale – a very slow process if I may say so. I’d have to suggest that if the properties were modified so as to make them more productive and easier, their kids would likely hang around as they’d see a future here. But talk of selling up and cashing out, is hardly encouraging for the next generation is it?
Ha! I don’t think so man… 🙂 Nah, who’d want to do such a tedious task? Plus I knew what I was looking for in the images. Someone else, would miss those visual cues. But it was a surprise to learn that there were even 30,000 photographs, I guess it’s been over twenty years. Where has the time gone?
We are absolutely in agreement here with the future. Civilisation will run short, long before we run out. That’s life, and one of the reasons I use small equipment here. The heavier fuels like diesel will be the ones to watch. I see that big farmers are scrambling to fill their diesel tanks. Hmm. The word ‘rationing’ was even used, and we’ve been there before back in the 1970’s oil crisis. Farmers stockpile diesel as Middle East conflict prompts fuel supply fears . One way, or another, resource depletion means that these events were going to be encountered sooner or later. I’d not appreciated that it would be this week. 😉
Right now, my goal this week is to get the steel cladding order in for the firewood shed before prices get ratcheted upwards. Strike early, and strike hard is my way of thinking at this point in time. 😉 Report to follow later in the week. Businesses take time to adjust their price lists. Fingers crossed. I was not ready last week to place an order for the stuff. Oh well.
By the way, today was glorious weather with a max of 82’F, and so we installed all of our scrap steel two inch x one inch galvanised channels which are being used as supports for the internal lining on the firewood shed. Yes, internal corrugated steel lining will be installed (which we’ve also got a goodly supply of the second hand stuff). It’ll make sense when you see the photos on next weeks blog. But in a nutshell, there is little point in placing weight and pressure on the external steel cladding, because it will fail. I’ve seen firewood sheds with that arrangement, and it’s no good – the pressure from a huge pile of timber will do what it does and push the external cladding outwards. Nip potential problems in the bud is my way of thinking. 😉
By the way, just had the weekly ration of a Lindt ball choccie, and it was good. 🙂
The old airstream vans are actually quite beautiful in their own way don’t you reckon, and a few have even made it down under. For some reason, food vans tend to favour their use. There is something to be said about the durability of aluminium cladding, although I’d be dubious about it’s ability to withstand fire and extreme heat. Youch, repairs from such a storm would trouble me deeply. Thanks for the story, and yeah, things could always be worse. Hey, the trusty little plastic tugboat weather station was destroyed too. Oh well.
Yup! Nice work with the fence and it takes a combination of skill and knowledge to reduce waste to a negligible cost. A builder taught me that trick almost three decades ago, and he took the path to its logical conclusion by learning how to draw up the designs for the houses which he was also building. The ultimate in vertical integration don’t you reckon? Feels good to hit the target in the bulls eye like you did, respect! 😉
The only areas where water collected and ran in the recent storm, were hard surfaces. Where ever grass was well established, even if it were dead, the water infiltrated the soil. Think about the sort of problems that some of the cities in Texas appear to be having with big storms now that they have lots of hard surfaces. It’s the exact same problem.
Candidly the cat with the collar was a surprise sighting in the trail camera footage. Not sure who’s it is. Thanks for the lovely feedback too, and it’s a real menagerie out there. The camera took about 1500 short videos, and I’d been putting that task off of sorting them all out. There was a lovely laughing Kookaburra call in one of the videos. The magpies are fun, and one of the few critters who’s interests are aligned.
The roses bounced back really well, despite being damaged. The plants all received a nice feed and it’ll be sunny and warm for the next two days. The grass by the way, is even greener today with the warmth.
A lovely nickname for a dog, and yes, citizens from that country often migrate across the Tasman Sea, especially when economic tidings are poor in that small country, as they appear to be right now. There are reciprocal arrangements in place which mean that such folks can drop in and hang out, as we can do over there. Unfortunately, citizens from that country are deported if they are committed of crimes here (once time is served), and this can be an issue if they’ve lived most of their life over here, and presents a social problem over there. Still, it is a system which sort of works and is a salient lesson to keep non citizens noses out of trouble. If your lot adapted that policy, then there’d be a whole lot less drama – the deportation goes on out of view of the general public once time is served. People don’t have to be fetched, they fall into that system.
I’d also been wondering as to how the birds fared during the storm. The smaller birds are still around, but nests in trees proved to be of a lower protection than tree hollows which the larger birds sequester. The world of bird is pretty harsh, and I suspect that any smaller birds killed in the hail storm, have since been eaten.
DJ is doing it tough right now. 🙂 As did you last week. It happens.
Yeah, the half dozen hot cross buns (spread over three days) went really nicely toasted with butter this afternoon. It’d been a long work day on the firewood shed, and energy levels were mildly depleted.
Ah, the enigmatic Mr Phillip K Dick sure was an interesting character. I’ve read a few of his works, and they just never clicked with me, dunno why. There were punchy twists, sad derailments, and unusual events, but could I feel empathy for the fictional characters? No. Many of them were one dimensional super focused extreme people, which perhaps reflected the inspirational source, dunno. Also the dialogue between characters just never hit a note with me. The Blade Runner film however, was pure genius. Just a brilliant film, and a true pleasure to enjoy. Hope the author’s ghost doesn’t come and get me after the harsh critique…
Are you enjoying the book?
Ha! Nice one regarding the insights as to the Vicar. Very amusing, yes.
See, the fruit, or is it a vegetable, was simply asking to be mildly over cooked – kind of like what happened to the hot cross buns yesterday. This afternoon my enthusiasm for the controls upon the oven was curbed, and there is a difference between burnt and toasted. I’ve heard the potty mouthed chef declaring as to this matter: If it’s brown it’s cooked. If it is black, it’s fooked! although who’s to know what the gentleman truly meant. 😉
Warmer weather isn’t necessarily drier, but you’re not far off outdoors citrus if they were kept out of the prevailing winter winds. Actually the winter temperatures you’ve been having are in the ballpark for here, except you have the occasional dip into extreme cold air. Not much snow though this year for you, and none here.
🙂 It’s pretty awesome, and looks like an ancient drill to me. Beautifully made too, and I’m old enough to recall the days when drills were powered by human muscle. Many of the bits looked like that one. A time tested device, if ever there was one.
Hope Carl is OK too. Yikes. That lurgi sure is getting around.
Cheers
Chris
Yo, Chris – I’ve seen bumper stickers, on huge street and freeway clogging RVs. “We’re spending our children’s inheritance.” That sends a message, to the younger crowd.
30,000 photos? The phrase, “Picture taking fool,” comes to mind. 🙂 Maybe you were a Japanese tourist, in a previous life? But, seriously, I can see the value in all those photos. To locate all the hidden infrastructure.
That was an interesting article about diesel fuel. I’ve seen a few articles, similar, applying to the US.
You might want to start stockpiling material for the new greenhouse. If you can squeeze out the jingle. I doubt prices of materials will go down.
Our high yesterday was 54F (12.22C). Our overnight low was 32F (-0-C). Although it was cold, and rainy last night, I saw no snow. Our forecast high for today is 46F.
Airstream caravans were really an Art Deco sort of design. They were well designed and constructed. Sadly, there was an old airstream the last place I lived. It was over by Brother Bob the Bachelor Farmers place. Eventually, it was just hauled down to the end of the property, deep in the forest. Out of sight, out of mind.
Parking lot runoff. Let’s just pave over those wetland. And wonder why the flooding gets worse and worse. At least, in this state, a lot of new construction must include storm water basins. And, sometimes, a certain amount of green belt.
I wonder what will happen when those New Zealanders land here, and discover our “health care” system. If they haven’t considered it, they’re in for a rude awakening. I saw an article the other day, that a lot of our nurses, are migrating to Canada.
I do hope The Princess and DJ are on the mend. It’s really a nasty bug. I saw Carl, yesterday. Sure enough, he had the same stuff I did. He went to the doctor, and, it’s not You Know What or flu. Something else entirely different.
I’ve read a bit about the author, Phillip Dick. I guess he had a lot of mental problems. And, was fairly drug addled.
It was a popcorn night, last night. I watched what I thought was a new movie. “Shin Godzilla.” Turns out it was about 10 years old. But, remastered, and had another theatre release. As they’re relaunching the franchise … again. It was odd, for a Godzilla movie. About half of it seemed to be a critique of Japanese bureaucracy. One stuff up after another, as no one wanted to take responsibility, for this and that. Shifting blame. But, worth a bowl of popcorn.
https://youtu.be/eNox1a18qqw?si=gLE1vXiHFSF2teuj
Some other movie news, you might find interesting. Arnie (Schwarzenegger), has said he’s going to make a new “Predator” movie. And, (drum roll please), a new Conan movie. 🙂
I wonder which came first? The bow drill fire starter, or a bow drill? Probably, the fire starter.
The Master Gardeners were here, this morning. Garden spaces are divvied up. As predicted, I’ve regained the half of the bed I gave up to the night manager, but have lost the stock tank. I’ll be transplanting a lot of garlic, red onions and chives. I guess just make sure the soil is really rich, replant, and hope for the best. Lew
Hi, Chris!
First of all – Congratulations! Twenty-one years is a long time and you have accomplished a phenomenal amount of things with your property. Second – 30,000 photographs?! Besides all the work of taking them (and expense if you started with film that had to be processed), how did you ever go through them all to find your buried lines and such?
Also, congratulations to Dame Plum on her graduation!
What a lovely picnic, and well deserved.
Your Suzuki is a real winner; good job choosing that vehicle. When putting petrol in our cars the other day, a lady of my age pumping gas next to me and I talked about when we were young in 1973 and the oil embargo then, and how there were lines – long and slow and sometimes the petrol ran out. It might be a good idea to keep petrol tanks topped off; that might hold one for awhile if there are disruptions. I don’t know about LNG.
I’ll have to finish replying later. Mr. Baby has been very sick and we are on different shifts watching him.
Pam
Chris,
I’m back. Feeling good now. Yes! The Princess is feeling good too. Bonus!
We both enjoyed the video of your critters. Adding the identification tags helped. Well done.
Your place cleaned up great after the hailstorm. It looks much better. Still, sad about the lost produce. Good idea to add a second greenhouse.
That’s an amazingly small amount of scrap left from the new shed construction. Plan. Calculate. Calculate the needed amounts again. And again. It also looks like you did the measure THRICE, cut once routine. Little waste, good looking bones for the shed.
Today was one of our fun days. Much time was spent at the library. Then I dropped her off to get her hair done while I ran other errands. It was one of those March days, late winter appearing. Snow pellets. Snowflakes, high winds, although not like Sunday’s windstorm that featured 80km/hour gusts. Then more snow pellets with low visibility. Suddenly, as is true of March, the storm blew past and the sun was shining.
Found my book of Wang Wei poems. You might like this one entitled “A Song on Parting with Spring”.
Day after day we can’t help growing older.
Year after year spring can’t help seeming younger.
Come let’s enjoy our winecup today,
Not pity the flowers fallen!
DJSpo
Hi Pam,
Busy sure is the word that I’ve heard. It’s been a long haul, and life is getting easier and simpler here. Oh Pam, how that was done is a sad tale of woe which is now long in the past. As a teenager I lost myself in video games and now have an ability to absorb a lot of screen information rapidly. Some quick maths (not my area of expertise) and a person can look at two images per second over four hours and reach, ta da, 30,000 photos. Plus having taken the photos, I kind of knew which projects were of importance for the task. Finding a spare four hours was the problem in this instance.
The Dame sends you and your household cordial tail wags of appreciation for the kind words.
LNG requires diesel fuel to transport, so it’s as vulnerable as the rest I reckon. It’s fun the chance conversations which can occur at such moments, and absolutely I agree with your considered suggestion (and have already implemented it). The other day a lady of European descent, possibly German began asking me about the Suzuki whilst at the petrol station.
With a distinct lack of subtlety and also English as a second language, the lady comes straight out and asks me why I bought the Suzuki (as you do). Well, what else could I say: It’s fun. And the third of them that I’ve owned. She mentioned that such a vehicle was being considered for her daughter (lucky to have nice well financed parents) and with that new information, I suggested that perhaps the marginally larger five door model would drive better on the road. I’m not saying that it is the worst handling car on the road, but a person has to stay sharp due to the very short wheelbase. It’s not a vehicle for the careless or distracted, put it that way.
Please do send Mr Baby some good energy from the fluffs and company here. Poor little thing, still he’s found a good home.
Cheers
Chris
Hi DJ,
Top work, and I applaud the speedy recovery of both yourself and your lady. Well done, and it’s always unpleasant to become ill.
Thanks. And did you see the cheeky 5am cat? Dunno who’s it was, but clearly it had a collar. Looked remarkably well fed too. The rabbits lead a nervous life here, as they should. Just between you and I, the thought of singing the ‘Skippy the bush kangaroo’ theme song occurred to me, but copyright issues are such a pest to creativity down under.
Thanks. There’s still a bit of clean up work to do, but we’ll get there. There are diminishing returns to further growing space, but this really is an issue where more is better. I’ve cut back on watering the tomato vines, and they are becoming stressed, but the fruit is ripening.
😉 Yeah, I knew what lengths and dimensions of timber are sold, and so constructed the firewood shed on that basis. Why spend more is my thinking. Man, I’ve heard that the average house build apparently factors in about 10% material waste, which doesn’t sound like much until you consider that every ten houses produces enough material waste to construct another home.
Long ago I heard on the radio a bloke who worked in construction and said that he’d built his own house from the scrap materials he’d scavenged from work sites over the years. Some of the super expensive fire rated plaster used here in the house, came from off cuts from a hospital build – which were slated for landfill. Hmm. Brand new too. Crazy stuff, and society could do better on that front. Of course resource depletion will make that happen anyway.
Two years ago we dismantled the original machinery shed, and that provided enough steel 50mm x 20mm RHS (rectangular hollow sections) to batten out the inside of the firewood shed. It was the exact quantity too. Sometimes the universe does a person a solid, but that does not imply a certain resting on one’s laurels as the old timers used to quip. They were installed yesterday.
Far out it was hot today here at 34’C. The place feels a bit like a jungle with the combined heat and humidity.
Ah, a fine day. Much reading. Dodged hair time (respect, if you know, you know! 😉 ) Far out, I’d not want to experience 80km/h wind gusts, and glad to read in between the lines that there was no damage (presumably you’d have mentioned it) – or flying Husky’s. Just sayin… But then you got some return of the winter monster, snow. Then sun. My brain hurts reading about the changeable conditions, but they sure make ’em tough where you come from.
🙂 I loved the poem. Thank you so much. You reminded me of a quote from a book penned by a long dead favourite author (almost, if not, the concluding chapter): While we are alive we should sit among coloured lights and taste good wines, and discuss our adventures in far places; when we are dead, the opportunity is past.”
Cheers
Chris
Hi Lewis,
Hardly motivating to the younger folks is it? And far out, that happened to both the Editor and I. Irresponsible parents, and it’s not like they did anything good with the wealth. Frittered it all away. Oh well, no point whining over dead peoples mad cash.
It is an important question though. What kind of world are we leaving to the future?
Ha! You’re probably right about the past life, and hopefully it wasn’t a selfie demise or something equally stupid. Hey, long ago you did warn me about filling up the interweb with all these photos. Even on the blog, what is it, almost 12 years x say 15 photos per week = 9,360 images. 😉 Say, that’s a lot of photographs.
The cable repair was a bit of an um, how do they say it, err, wake-up call. Plus did I mention that in creating the new path I discovered that the plastic main sewer pipe wasn’t buried as deeply as it should have been? Another fun in ground find, but now I know where all this stuff is at a glance. Have you ever had a task which was tedious, and couldn’t be put off any longer? Your annual paperwork comes to mind, but you appear to have a good attitude to preparing it.
Word on the street is that strategic reserves are being released, so oil prices have come down slightly, although the question remains after they’re depleted: What next?
That thought had occurred to me about the materials for the greenhouse, and I’m cogitating upon it. And agreed, it’s only up from here, unless there is serious economic demand destruction – which would be very bad for most folks. First, get the steel cladding order in, then delivered. My brain is a tad full, and I dunno how many different things I can juggle all at once. Maybe not as many now as when I were a younger bloke. Life is kind of like that.
Where is spring in your part of the world? On leave without pay, probably. It sure sounds cold to me. 34’C / 93’F here today, but I was indoors doing paid work for the entire day.
Didn’t pick up the coffee grounds. Felt a bit guilty about it, but the negatives outweighed the positives with that arrangement. And hashtag, no muffins, just sayin’. A line had been crossed right there. Stopped off this morning instead at the big box hardware store and nabbed a 33 pound bag of seaweed fertiliser. That should make up for the loss of the coffee, and then some. My understanding is that seaweed has a little bit of everything in terms of various soil minerals. Looking forward to observing what impact it has. Have you ever used seaweed fertiliser?
Did you end up with any frost due to the 32’F morning?
Far out, I’m pretty sure that someone would have hauled the airstream away, and most likely left some mad cash behind. Oh well.
Sometimes stuff dumped deep in the forest, provides mysteries for those who discover it at some unknown point in the future. Been there, and done that. 🙂 I reckon one of the tree dudes dumped a tire down in the forest, otherwise how else did the thing get there? It wasn’t that old.
They do the storm basins in some of the low lying areas at the base of this mountain range. But then, what the heck was the closest town to here, doing as the lead article in the news today? An auspicious achievement if I may say so. Turns out the crazy hail up here that day, produced super heavy rain down there. Hmm. Residents raise concerns about housing development after unprecedented floods.
I’ve seen some land near to that area in about a foot deep of standing water. There’s even a swamp not too far from all of that. What did people expect would occasionally happen?
It’s interesting you mention that about your health care system, because apparently the article suggested that same day appointments over here, were not the norm from where they’d come from – a week wait time was even mentioned as a comparison. The folks might be OK with your system, although it frightens me.
DJ has popped back up to report that all is well, and this is good news. Sorry to hear that Carl has been struck low as well. I’m unsurprised, it’s a target rich environment with lots of choice, and certainly more than just one or two varieties. It’s astounding that we get to the ages that we do.
Yeah, maybe I’m overly sensitive, but the authors issues flow into the words, particularly in the interactions and dialogue between the characters. They lacked a certain empathy and compassion. Dunno. The last two books of the authors I read were: ‘A Maze of Death’ and ‘Time Out of Joint’. Yeah, interesting. How are you enjoying the book? It’s probably his most well known title.
Thanks for the Shin Godzilla video, and what fun utter destruction. The crack team put together was a good plot twist too. Who else can do what needs doing to the city destroying monster?
No, really? Probably a role for a younger actor, and having read the complete Conan series, I don’t recall the fictional Barbarian described as an older bloke. Although the character did age in stature and wisdom over the series, to eventually become a King of a small city-state.
I’d not considered the bow drill as being useful as a fire starter, but yeah, it certainly would have had that function. You’re on the money with that insight. It was beautifully made, and instantly recognisable as a drill to me.
Good stuff, and glad to hear that you’ve got the half of the bed back again. Bummer about the loss of the stock tank, and hopefully that wasn’t where the asparagus was planted? No doubts some beds will be abandoned… Enthusiasm is often highest, early on, then I’ve observed that it can wane. Exactly, work the soil, and hope for the best. If there were another way…
Cheers
Chris
Yo, Chris – No worries about the interweb running out of space. Given the number of server farms, popping up like mushrooms, after a heavy rain. 🙂 Tongue firmly in check …
Plenty of tedious tasks, that can’t be put off. Life is a tedious task. Although as you often point out, the alternative is perhaps not desirable.
“My brain is a tad full…” Is your secret multitasker, broken? 🙂 I’ve got quit a bit rolling around in my brain. I ought to make a list, so I quit ruminating over it all. Housing recertification paperwork, inspection prep, H needs a bath and a trip to the groomer to get her claws ground, stuff to do in the garden, etc., etc.. A trip to Winco.
Our high yesterday was 46F (7.77C). Our overnight low was 32F (-0-C). I didn’t see any frost, this morning. Or, late last night. Our forecast high for today is 42F. Scattered showers.
Well, picking up the coffee grounds was a pretty ingrained habit, and, habits are hard to leave behind. Plus the soil feed / coffee / muffin just lit up all the reward systems, in your brain. You’ll feel a decided lack, for awhile. Might think about replacing it all with something equally pleasant.
I’ve never used sea weed fertilizer. But, I might look into it, next time I’m in the big box hardware store. I was curious enough that I took a look down the rabbit hole. And found an interesting article that’s only about a year old.
https://www.ruralsprout.com/seaweed-fertilizer/
That was an interesting article about the housing development and the flooding. We have a similar situation shaping up, between Chehalis and Centralia. They’re putting in a big housing development, along Salzer Valley Creek. That area has flooded numerous times. Once, the Chehalis River got higher than the creek, and the creek flowed backwards.
I finished the Philliip Dick book. A pretty good read, and not all that long. “Blade Runner,” is in transit to me. I should pick it up on Wednesday.
Here’s an article about “Shin Godzilla.”
https://w.wiki/AWTg
On to the more bucolic. I started watching season six, of “All Creatures Great and Small.” WWII has just ended.
Apparently, Arnie knows his Conan cannon. He referred to the possible new movie as “King Conan.” I’m sure they’ll pad out the cast with a few decorative younger actors.
The asparagus is out back, in a half barrel. I’ve been watching it, but so far, no action. Actually, by giving up the stock tank bed, and reclaiming the entire long raised bed, I’ve actually picked up some square footage. While looking beneficent. 🙂
Lew
Trail Camera Australian Forest and Farm Wildlife ep 81
Chris:
Hell’s bells, I just lost my comment to you before I could copy it and I am pooped. So –
I enjoyed the trail cam so much. It looks like Noah’s Ark has unloaded nearby.
The new firewood shed is going to be wonderful and it looks better than the frame of most houses I’ve seen.
Nor can I believe that there are any roses left to show off. Thanks!
Mr. Baby thanks you for the energy and that is probably why he is feeling a bit better AND he says please keep that huge feral cat away from his house as he is not up to wrangling with it at the moment. But maybe someday he can show it the notches in his ears from past fights.
Pam
Chris,
Another March day. That means another day mixed with sun, clouds, winds and sideways snow. More wind expected throughout the week. Our motto in March is “if you don’t like the weather, wait for 5 minutes and it will change.”
After Sunday’s high of 18C, we dropped to -5C last night. Spring. However, things are greening up, including the dryland grasses. Roses are awake, but are nowhere near looking as gorgeous as your roses. Yours are rather spectacular right now.
The cheeky cat was hard to miss! I was humming the “Skippy” theme when the kangaroos were on. Great minds think alike?
10% waste with house construction sounds about right. I remember dad pulling the trailer to various building sites and getting free wood, as it saved the builders from having to pay to dispose of it at the dump.
That’s fantastic! Exactly the right quantity of RHS for what you needed. Clearly, you designed the new shed with that in mind. 😉 Repurposing the used but still good parts is the way it should be done.
Thanks for the quote. That’s a good one.
Massive storm is supposed to hit the Cascade Mountains this week. White Pass in the southern part of Washington is forecast to get between 8 and 11 FEET of snow by Friday night. Winds there might hit 85km/hour. We’re supposed to have gusts that high on Thursday. A bit of spitting snow and light rain here, but the wind.
Oh, I DID find a that a neighbor lost an old tree. It’s trunk completely broke off at ground level. It looks like there was no damage to their house.
DJSpo
Hi DJ,
Hope you are enjoying the salubrious four seasons in one day in your part of the world, with snow flurries just for good measure? It happens, and today down here was mostly warm, but now cold, cloudy and windy at 13’C.
How are you both doing today?
Far out, that’s a rough temperature dip into the negative. Youch! And definitely a five blanket night. Good to hear that the grasses are greening up, and thanks for the lovely words regarding the roses. Super tough plants, and they’re now also well fed super tough plants.
Very good, ’tis true about great minds, and respect! Due to potential copyright infringement issues, we’ll not sing the catchy little ear worm of a series jingle. And here we must digress, whilst discussing the most boring of national anthems, to which I barely know a word or three. That series jingle on the other hand, I know every single line. Woe is us all down here, for the far more appropriate anthem would have been the poem Waltzing Matilda about the travails of a not so successful cattle rustler. It was a close vote in the end: 1977 Australian plebiscite (National Song). Phooey to the outcome! Candidly the ‘Men at work’ song ‘Down Under’ would have been a finer choice had the rights not had such a dark and sad tale attached.
The feline appeared to be rather well fed with minimal ground clearance, and yet was hunting wabbits at 5:30am. The evidence is, as they say, in the bag – or in more Hawaiian terms: Book ’em Danno. I don’t know what that means… 😉 Although the cat got away due to me being asleep at the time. Another ear worm has entered the chat with that Hawaiian series theme song.
Exactly! It’s astounding that as a society we’ve come to accept such high levels of waste. Think of the coffee grounds which are now going to landfill at a cost to that business. And that’s the stuff I know about. What goes on when nobody is looking? Your dad was on the money with that strategy.
It was mildly weird that the quantity of RHS steel was correct with minimal wastage. Sometimes the universe sends strong messages… By the way, got the rest of the steel order in this afternoon, and already prices had jumped 10% over the advertised rates. Hmm.
When a person has the time, a well thought out demolition, recovers far more material for re-use, than a twenty tonne excavator ever could.
Ah, yes, the quote was from a favourite author, to who’s work I turn too, when the world becomes challenging. A decent grasp of the English language is pleasant to encounter, but occasionally us lesser folks get to hang out with true masters of the art form. Yup! One of life’s not-so-guilty pleasures, reading those books.
The sentiment is much the same as your ancient and long deceased poet, who clearly was a bloke to tell it like it is, for those with ears to hear. Is there a compendium of the poet’s work?
Hang onto your hat, and I do hope that your lady has no urgent errands and obligations which put her at risk near to that mountain pass during the predicted storm. Your neighbour got lucky with the tree. Hmm. Not always the case, let me tell you.
This morning a large chunk of tree fell 20m and partly exploded when it hit the ground. Went out to investigate, and discovered that a small ring tail possum had set up home in the hollow trunk – and rapidly descended to the ground whilst in a soft nest of organic matter. Look, it was never going to survive, and had clearly been injured and could no longer climb trees. Before I knew what happened, Dame Plum did the deed. That possum had one bad morning.
Cheers
Chris
Hi Pam,
Hope you get a chance to rest up and recuperate from feeling pooped. It happens here as well, yup. And watch out for the pesky software, it has teeth and can bite your words. Obviously the system was hungry at the very time you inadvertently fed it. That’s what happened to your lost words.
Hehe! Thanks for the fun comment, and yeah, it is a bit like that with all of the various critters. Just between you and I, I was happy to have not seen any snakes in the trail camera footage. The reptiles have no reason to be here, but they can wander around and through the place.
Bizarrely, the roses grew all of those flowers during the week, which amazed me as well. Gave them a seriously good soil feed so as to say thanks for all the nice flowers.
Measured up the complicated requirements for the corrugated steel cladding on the new firewood shed. Took a few hours, then ringing around, and now the order is in. I expect prices to rise in the short term, and I’d like to have the project finished before winter, and way sooner if possible. Me feeling pooped today too.
After the recent storm damage, the recovery of the roses has been a real highlight. The flowers bring a lot of joy.
How’s spring going in your part of the world? Hopefully the snow and ice is now in the past?
No problems at all, and consider the feral cat a minor and inconsequential matter, who’s not seen the well earned ear notches. The rando cat here never saw what happened to Mr Baby’s enemies. 😉 Sending some more energy to Mr Baby, and hopefully he glows with good enough health and enjoys some spring weather. May he even catch some toasty warm rays out on the deck with his dodgy squirrel mate.
Found out what happens to a possum who falls 44 feet today and crash lands. It’s wasn’t pretty, and if a person does one wise thing in their life, it may possibly be to avoid camping underneath huge Eucalyptus trees. It all happened very quickly, and the possum stood not a chance. Oh well.
Cheers
Chris
Hi Lewis,
Thanks for the laughs, and yeah it’s worth mentioning that I do pay for the use of this local server space. There is some freedom down here to be found in the land of ‘zero free speech’, by paying for the server. The stupid thing that isn’t widely discussed with the tech boors, is that not all that long ago, they distributed mad cash to investors, and yet I hear rumours that those flows are being, err, redirected to serva pharms (!) instead. At what point do the investors reconsider their own need for cash, is an interesting question.
Agreed, when the tedious tasks stop, that condition may be even more challenging.
Spent a few hours today (in between paid work), measuring up the steel cladding requirements for the new firewood shed. Did a ring around for prices, and discovered that they’d increased by 10% already – so much for getting in early (although maybe it still is early?) and so just ordered it with a big reliable supplier. We’ll see how it all goes. They were keen for the sale, which is a good sign, maybe.
Far out, yeah, but please don’t tell the ladies about the secret multitasker. Need we raise regular expectations to unsustainable levels? Always something of a risk. 🙂 But yeah, it feels a bit broken juggling all of this stuff, but we’re getting there. Truthfully, I’m a bloke out of time because I value relationships. When economic conditions get tough enough, well, decline is made up of the vast multitude of minute decisions towards the goal of maximising self interest.
Today I had to sit through an hour of some goobermint bureaucracy which has roped in the profession to report on nefarious mad cash washing activities. Seriously, I don’t hang in such circles, but am now doing what looks like free work (as is the rest of the profession), because they’re building a database. The stupid thing about it all, is that they admitted that they don’t seem to be investigating reported incidences, but are just collecting data. How weird is that? What is the point of that lot? Guess we’ve got to eat a poop sandwich, whilst they pretend to do something.
Sorry to hear that there’s lots of stuff roiling around in your brain as well. Tis the season, huh? As general courtesy reminder, beware of the one list to rule them all approach. Didn’t end well.
Still cold in your part of the world. It’s weird isn’t it how some freezing mornings don’t produce frost. I don’t get that at all. Cold and cloudy here this afternoon, after a warm start to the day. No rain, now it’s just brr degrees of sheepskin boots. 🙂 That translates to 12’C / 54’F outside now. A many blanketed night, put it that way.
Thanks for the suggestion in regards to reprogramming the brain habit-wise, and I’ll cogitate upon that. A very good idea.
Thanks for the article on seaweed fertiliser, and I recall Professor Tolkien’s advice to not go to the Elves for advice for they shall say both, yes and no. However, I derived the impression that the author preferred to use the stuff than not. Here’s the stuff I’m trialling (and the link has a nifty Analysis Table drop down button): Seamungus. It’s got a fun name.
Speaking of fertiliser, people have just woken up to the fact that urea (nitrogen heavy synthetic fertiliser) is produced in the conflict area presumably from cheap natural gas. Middle East conflict hiking fertiliser costs for Australian farmers but what does it mean for grocery prices?
There’s loose talk in the media regarding official interest rates rising as early as next Tuesday.
Oh my! The thought of a creek flowing backwards to relieve larger river flooding, leaves me with a sense of dread. Yikes!
Your book review exceeded my expectations. The film is a work of art. But I’ll be curious to hear your opinion, which could easily differ. It’s been a long while since I’ve seen it.
From Shin to the Fukushima nuclear accident. What a mess both made.
Ah, yes a departure from the epic destruction, to the bucolic English country life, sans psychopaths – that we know about! The series could take an unexpected turn? 😉
Respect to Arnie for getting it with the role. Yes, Conan ended up as King, and I do recall some quote in the book to a nearby ruler, that his people loved him, for his demands were less upon them. That crafty author Howard had a sly sense of adventure.
Oh well, it’s probably early days for your asparagus, but they’ll get there. Truly hardy plants, if well fed, and occasionally salted. Fingers crossed that you can enjoy some tasty spears in a month or two. It’s still way too early in your growing season for much of anything, other than maybe, radish.
Feels good to have that steel order in man. Now, we’ll wait and see if they deliver.
Cheers
Chris
Yo, Chris – So, what’s the ETA on the steel cladding? It’s good you got that nailed down. So to speak. 🙂
Well, it keeps data collecting people occupied, and off the streets. They probably imagine every accountant is Ben Affleck, busy stashing the dirty money of drug lords and militant groups.
Our high yesterday was 46F (7.77C). Our overnight low was a steady 41F (5C). Our forecast high for today is 52F. H and I managed to hit a dry spot, on our morning walk. Must be living right. DJ mentioned deep snow at White Pass. That’s the pass out in the eastern part of my county. Most of the Cascade Range, is under blizzard warning. We may get a bit of wind, this afternoon and evening. Pushing 30mph. I saw another article about a possible El Niño. Prof. Mass has a new post, up.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/10/weather/el-nino-wild-weather-global-heat-record
The seaweed fertilizer looks like it has everything in it, but the kitchen sink. I checked our local big box hardware store, and, surprisingly, they have very little of it. Although it’s available other places. Plenty of fish fertilizer, though. I think I’ll pass on that. I think I told you, I used to know a fellow who had a big organic garden, out in our east county. He used a lot of fish fertilizer. Until the day he discovered a cougar, in his patch, digging around looking for the fish. 🙂 Since we had that bear in the area, not all that many months ago, best not.
They like fish, too.
That was an interesting article about the urea shortage. Peak urea? Not really. The article didn’t mention it, but we do flush millions of gallons of the stuff, out into the ocean.
Well, “All Creatures Great and Small,” does take place in a small English village. And, we know how perilous they can be. 🙂 I see there’s to be a season 7 of “All Creatures…”
If my asparagus comes up, being the first year, I won’t eat much of it. Maybe a spear or two. My radish has gone feral. I need to start eating some of the stuff. And I do want to try that redish pesto. Lew
Chris:
If you are pooped, you’d better recuperate, too. But you have gotten an amazing amount done in a short time, especially if it is now cladded, also.
What Spring? It was 87F (30.5C) (hotter in the garden) 2 days in a row, not getting much less tonight until, they say, 5am, where it drops 12F degrees, then by 6am drops another 12 F degrees, and keeps dropping. No wonder I feel dizzy.
How on earth did the possum come to do that? Isn’t it koalas that also drop out of eucalyptus trees? I guess they’re all dizzy, too.
Thank you for the more Mr. Baby energy; it’s sorely needed.
Pam
Chris,
The other way of looking at it is that we have two seasons: March and August. March can get to subzero F temperatures, get 15cm snowstorms, have rain, wind, temperatures above 21C, sunshine. August can be HOT and dry, have rain and drop to +5C. In other words, the two months have overlapping weather while including the extremes also. Thus, we are having MARCH. 😉
Thanks, we are doing well enough today. I figured when the rain and wind would hit, got out for a long walk with Dame Avalanche, returning home 15 minutes before the meteorologic theatrics started. The Princess had a dental procedure this afternoon that went surprisingly well. The dentist and his staff suggested that the best thing for her mouth would be to eat a banana split. Yes, we stopped for one on the way home. It was raining, and the wind has really picked up since we got home. We are snugly indoors out of the wind and wet.
Agreed. Waltzing Matilda was always at least the unofficial national anthem. Of course, “Down Under” was a classic, complete with a zany video.
Our state has an official state song: “Washington My Home”. It is overbearingly serious. Dreary, even. The unofficial state song, by popular acclaim can be heard here. It is MUCH more interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfRZNNyQoF0
Ha! I’m avoiding your ear worm suggestion. How? Listening to this young lady again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ile_m_CjsYk&list=RDbsRaCgxTqKw&index=10
Much better than a tv theme song. 😉 And she has snowflakes in her hair. 🙂
The amount of waste is astounding. Someday people will start mining the old landfills. Lots of metals in there. Thanks to your work with the coffee grounds, ours go directly onto the bluegrass in the front yard. We’ll see how that works later in the season. We had been adding the grounds to the compost pile, but adding them directly to where they are needed sounds better.
Lots of prices are going up rapidly. Petrol was $3.29 per gallon here a month ago. Increased to $4.39 now, and it was $4.09 two days ago. Yes, cheap by your standards, but the rate of increase has been nasty. Other prices will follow, I’m sure. And building materials? Ugh, they have gotten astronomical.
I found a copy of the 1958 book “Poems by Wang Wei” translated by Chang Yin-nan and Lewis C. Walmsley. It was in a local secondhand bookstore.
This link has several of his poems, including my favorite translation of “Reply to a Magistrate”.
https://poetrychina.net/poets/wang_wei/4
Then there are these:
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/wei-wang
http://www.chinese-poems.com/wang.html
Fallen limbs happen. Too bad for any critter inhabiting the fallen limb. Nature says they will end up as somebody’s lunch. Bad day for the eaten, good day for the fed. Dame Plum simply had the fortune to happen by when opportunity struck.
DJSpo
Hi Pam,
Yeah, there’s no rest for the nice folks, or that’s what someone told me long ago. Or was it no rest for the wicked? Doesn’t seem right though, the wicked barely break a sweat, unless they’re facing the law and consequences. Hmm.
Had a very intense work day today, and the internal corrugated steel lining for the new shed was installed. That used all of the scrap metal we had to hand, and it was weird because we had just enough to do that part of the project – the second time this has occurred recently. Anywhoo.
The external cladding (the walls are clad with steel on both sides) on the other hand, has been ordered, is in production (it’s all cut to the exact sizes), and will hopefully arrive next week. All being well, the shed will be finished by the end of the month, maybe. Much depends upon the weather and other miscellaneous vagaries – you’d surely appreciate such a situation? 🙂
87’F is summer, yup, no mucking around. It’s a bit early for such heat, isn’t it? Oh my, heads do spin during such rapid temperature drops. Have you ever grown melons? Some very hot years that fruit becomes possible here, although the downsides are that the weather is horrendously unpleasant. Probably better if the fruit is grown elsewhere, and the summers are cooler don’t you reckon?
Possums climb high up into trees and live in tree hollows, which in this case fell about 60ft back down to the Earth. Not good. Yes, drop bears are bad, but drop possums are the pits. Pam, why is all the wildlife around here so vicious?
Here’s a little ditty to cheer up Mr Baby in his hour of need. It’s a story about fussy dogs not enjoying their new rawhide chews. Here goes (sung to the melody of Phil Collins, You can’t hurry love):
Ah hem, just clearing the throat and performing vocal warm ups…
You can’t hurry rawhide consumption
Fussy dogs will wait
Tastes don’t change easy
It’s a game of starve ’em and wait
How many ‘spensive uneaten chews must I stand
Before fussy dogs resume their chomping
Right now, the only thing that keeps me hanging on
When I see the tooth plaque building up
It could be gone
The human says
You can’t hurry rawhide consumption
Personally I liked the ‘In the Air Tonight’ song better, but it was a difficult flip around with the lyrics… 🙂
I can hear them chewing in the air tonight
Maybe there is some hope. They really hate the new rawhide chews. Mr Baby is a gentleman of the finest pedigree who’d give the fluffs what for, for the temerity of disregarding ‘spensive chews. Hope he got some laughs and is feeling better.
Cheers
Chris
Hi DJ,
Man, I so hear you about those two months of weather extremes. It’d be February and August here, by contrast, but same, same, effects. Yes, you are very much enjoying the perquisites of a MARCH climate in your part of the world where things can be both hot and cold, but usually extreme.
Nice timing with dodging the worst of the weather, and isn’t that forecasting and radar technology pretty darn good? No doubts Dame Avalanche is built for super tough cold extremes, but I reckon if the canine could choose to spend those moments indoors, she would. 😉 The Kelpies both hate the rain, whilst Ollie is unfussed.
Hope your lady is feeling better now after being subjected to the gentle ministrations of the dentist? And a banana split would absolutely soothe my rattled nerves too after such invasive procedures, and it was a nice call by yourself and the dental crew to do so. Yum! Was it good? 🙂
Yup, stay out of the wind and rain. It was cold and cloudy here today, with occasional strong gusts of wind. We installed all of the internal corrugated steel lining for the new firewood shed. Maybehaps I’ve not explained the finer details, but there is both internal and external steel cladding. It makes sense when you think about how much pressure a huge load of firewood could otherwise bring to bear on external shed cladding. Avoid the entire problem by adding an internal lining.
And, in a super weird synchronicity, we had just enough spare scrap corrugated metal sheeting, to line the entire internal walls. Weird huh? Anywhoo, the external wall and roof cladding is brand new, and is now in production and will hopefully be delivered next week – maybe (the wider news of the world ain’t all that good). But we’ll see, fortune favours the brave, as they used to say, maybe (hubris is to be avoided at all costs).
I love both the poem and the song, and either would suit me for a national anthem. One is of the exploits of a nefarious cattle rustler, whilst the other is of Aussies meeting other ex-pats in far distant locales. The national anthem chosen is so very dull and boring, that it hurts.
Go on, I’m tough enough to subject myself to this drivel, and expect report to follow… … Oh my! I thought you were going to link to the state anthem! Dodged a bullet there. But what a classic, and yes, I’d be proud to sing those incoherent lyrics, and maybe even belt out the odd naughty word too. The Kingsmen produced pure unadulterated genius with that recording. It’s got every box ticked, and aspects of it were introduced by sheer accident. Awesome. Thanks. 🙂
Very enjoyable, and the snowflakes were a nice touch. Hard to work the fingers along the fret-board in such cold conditions, and the song put me in mind of a secret assignation in a remote locale, gone horribly awry. Sweet, and sad all at once. The solo artist can produce sublime magic: Paul Dempsey covers Middle Kids ‘Edge of Town’ for Like A Version. Agreed, that theme song melody was an ear worm.
Good to hear, and you’ll find that over time, the applied used coffee grounds will disappear faster. I’ll be interested to hear what your experience with them is over time.
Not much steel waste from this firewood shed project, and we’ve decided to take it to the recyclers once the job is done. Metal is one of the few materials which actually gets processed, despite the many issues.
The same is going on down here, and possibly we are sleep walking into a period of stagflation. I’m just old enough to recall the economic dramas of the 1970’s. Still, what was once old, will be new again, and there are plenty of activities going on, like say leisure travel, which can be jettisoned from people’s lives, without much real hardship. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, only the ‘jet set’ flew anywhere, and that’ll happen again in the future. The 10% price hike on the building materials was alarming, and makes me glad I got onto this project prior to the current dramas. Things can always get worse, and failure is always a possibility.
Thank you so much for the introduction to the poet and his view of the world. It’s a wise poem that particular verse, and we all probably feel that around this digital camp fire.
The large branch fell 20m, and it was amazing that the possum survived the fall, but was not in a good way. Dame Plum performed an act of kindness, despite her probable motivations. The inhabitants of a tent would not have survived that branch.
Cheers
Chris
Hi Lewis,
🙂 A fine intended pun, if I may say so. Although between you and I, my preference is to use screws to anchor steel onto timber. And um, they make stainless steel screws for use in timber treated with heavy doses of Copper, Chrome and Arsenic – a potent combination for lesser alloys. If a dude is going to make something, why not do it well? Sorry for the digression into the murky waters of philosophy!
Oh yeah, next week apparently – which could not come soon enough. Ah, oil is on the up today, what a fine roller coaster ride we’ve suddenly found ourselves upon. Hope it doesn’t crash… Far out! The more distant energy outlets are having dramas down under: Fuel shortages hit rural Queensland businesses. Can the centre hold? Guess that we’ll find out.
Ha! Man, thanks for the reminder, and yeah that Ben Affleck film should be on the to-see list. You’re probably right though, but at it defies my imagination, at what point does collecting data, do anything remotely useful other than keep them all in jobs? Off the streets is a lovely way to say pretty much the same thing.
Truly, I don’t hang with such people. Sooner or later, you’ll find that their trouble, becomes your trouble – and who needs others troubles? Note the final use of the plural, because it sure would escalate. I’d imagine the pay would be good though, but we live off the smell of an oily rag.
Not much warmer here today. 14’C / 57’F and it’s now dropped to 9’C / 48’F. Brr! Winter is coming as they say in that unfinished book series, although it’ll warm up over the next few days. A fine act of dodgery to miss the rain on the walk with H, and yeah, that’s a truly fine explanation. Although err, try to avoid hubris, if possible. 😉
They’re suggesting down here that an El Niño is a likely possibility in the future. I must add that this weak La Nina was quite dry in in my little corner of the world. The opposite can bring big storms here but also the heat. Oh well, it happens. The Professor’s metaphor with the lion was enjoyable, looks like your mountains are in for some drastic March weather. Stay warm. Brr!
Interesting about the fish meal, and the author of the essay also mentioned such downsides, suggesting a powerful and somewhat stinky aroma. Far out, you have some critters to worry about in your part of the world! Probably a wise idea not to encourage them, with the dead pungent fish, yeah. Some trouble is not worth inviting in the front door, or the less fashionable side entrance for that matter. I suppose since you’ve applied the blood and bone meal, that hasn’t attracted them, so it’s probably OK.
Utterly perilous! Good stuff, are you noticing any signs in the series regarding the economic misery following on from WWII?
Yeah, a spear or two won’t hurt, maybe. Hehe! Man, that’s awesome news about the radish. If there is a finer fast growing plant, I’m yet to meet it. Four weeks from seed to consumption is a superb outcome. We usually grate the bulb, and I’ll be interested to hear what you have to say about the pesto. Your addition of walnuts instead of pine nuts, is a fine swap. Almost forgot to mention, the stuff doesn’t keep, so make small batches and consume fresh. Probably something to do with the large surface area of all of the blitzed up food stuffs? Dunno.
Oh hey, started early this morning and finished late. We got all of our scrap corrugated metal sheets installed as the internal lining for the new shed. I must have punched over 350 metal self drilling tek screws into the shed today. Me tired, but pleased with the outcome. In another weird moment of synchronicity, we again had just enough corrugated scrap metal sheets, to get the job done. Weird huh? Do such moments ever line up for you?
Cheers
Chris
Yo, Chris – Well, things are a bit chaotic, here. Little Mary Sunshine, did her pre-inspection, along with the maintenance guy, Jeremy. Luckily, he’s very competent. And, pleasant. I’d put through a couple of work orders on minor things. Well …
The kitchen sink sprayer, needed to be replaced. Which morphed into a new facet and a leak was discovered, under the sink. I had a break in one of the struts on the living room blinds. Which were replaced a year ago. So … new blinds, both rooms. More substantial, this time. Re-caulking around the toilet. Some fine tuning on the bathroom and front door.
So, while Jeremy was running around turning off valves, I emptied out everything from under the kitchen sink. I guess the big news is, I’m getting a new refrigerator. Sort of. It’s from the night manager unit. But, Chad only used it for about three years. So, I had to empty out the fridge. We’re in the midst of all that, right now. H is in my lap. With all the coming and going, I don’t want her to do a runner.
That was quit an article about your fuel shortages. Here, we’re hearing about rising prices, but not much about shortages … yet.
Yes, do watch both the “Accountant” movies, when you get a chance. I think the Editor and you would get a real kick out of them. I did, and I’m not even an accountant. 🙂 I think there’s an airstream in them.
Our high yesterday was 54F (12.22C). Our overnight low was 45F (7.22C). Our forecast high for today is 44F. We did get a bit of wind, yesterday. The lights flickered a few times. I did see a headline that a lot of people lost power, up north. I got curious about that lion / lamb quote of Prof. Mass. Turns out, it’s from another obscure Englishman.
“The phrase “in like a lion, out like a lamb” is often attributed to Thomas Fuller’s 1732 compendium, Gnomologia: Adagies and Proverbs; Wise Sentences and Witty Sayings, Ancient and Modern, Foreign and British.
Mental Floss The Paris Review”
There is snow in the forecast, from today through the weekend. Again.
The blood meal I get now a’days, doesn’t seem as stinky as the good ol’ days. I wonder if it’s as effective. Speaking about more shitification, I saw this article about chocolate.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/took-two-bites-had-spit-150045265.html
Season six of “All Creatures Great and Small,” ends just as WWII ends. So, people don’t know, yet, that the economic misery of rationing, etc.. will continue on, for quit a few years.
Boy, you’re really moving along on the new shed. Sometimes, supply meets demand. If it doesn’t, I make do.
Well, back to the chaos. Lew
Chris,
As much as we’re having March here, I’m very glad that it is not as hot as what Pam is experiencing. Her winter has been more extreme than mine – both ends of extreme. Putting up with variable weather and some wind, not hurricanes or tornados, is okay by me.
Well, except the wind did get ferocious overnight. Several gusts over 95 km/hr. One gust hit 110 km/hr. I drank coffee outdoors on the patio this morning, saw no damage. Ditto when poking my nose out the front. Otherwise, although the wind has decreased, it is too much for me to be outdoors.
That said, I just looked outdoors and saw a rather large cat flying down the street, a smallish dog getting blown right behind it. 😉 Well, maybe not, but it sounds good.
Yes, the Princess is doing pretty well today, thanks. The excellent banana split helped. The “bedside manner” of the dentist and his staff really helped keep her stress level down. Very little pain today, but no energy. Which with the wind, I have no energy either. Dame Avalanche is stretched out on the floor next to me, deep asleep.
Dame Avalanche clearly enjoys the cold. Rain doesn’t really phase her, either. However, in adverse weather she prefers to be inside with the rest of her pack in the Comfy Den of the Humans. She does tend to hibernate during rainy and windy days but will still be excited to go for a walk or a ride.
Yes, internal lining is smart. I’ve seen what happens with only exterior lining with a woodshed. Double is best.
Well done with the quantities of repurposed lining too! Either you are using up several months of luck, or else you performed a wonderful job of planning and calculations. Hope the remainder of the metal arrives soon.
Oh, no way would I subject you and your readership to that horrid official state song. After 15 seconds of it, I had to listen to something else and quickly. My opinion is that the official song needs to be renamed “vomitus eruptus maximus” or something similar.
Thanks for that Paul Dempsey song. “I’m upside down, I’m inside out!” That’s very descriptive of the state of most of us at some times or another.
Yeah, we’re really sleepwalking into something. You have seen different times that were difficult. Gives you some idea of what can work, what won’t. And the experience to perhaps get through something that is the same but different. Same thing I am observing here and contemplating how to proceed.
Glad you’re enjoying the poet and some of his works. I’m finding that reading his works tends to get me into a calmer frame of mind. Which if my mind can get calmer, that is a good thing.
A branch from 20m would not be kind to anybody that it landed on. My office was in the building next to the county courthouse. The courthouse has huge old sycamore trees around it. During one bad windstorm about 15 years ago, a gentleman was walking underneath the tree on the sidewalk when a large branch fell and dropped on him. Fortunately, it missed his head, landing on his shoulder. He was okay but did get taken to hospital in an ambulance. Had a few bones broken in his shoulder.
Things falling on you can be nasty, right? The Dame sometimes gets hit by a falling crabapple form 3 or 4 meters. She does NOT like that. Can’t say as I blame her, as I’ve been hit on the head by them myself. Not dangerous but doesn’t feel good.
DJSpo
Chris,
I forgot to include this. Listening to it made me hungry. 😉
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kEsh7tN1Dc&list=RDPemofre-eBk&index=12
DJSpo
Hi DJ,
‘Tis been remarked upon elsewhere that everything yummy, tastes like chicken. Thanks for the song, and those dudes looked like they were having some fun. Hot chicken, hot diggity! Alas, vegetarian pizza is for dinner this evening. 😉
Pam sure has been doing it tough weather wise, and 86’F after glacial conditions only four weeks ago, is a very difficult experience to endure. Our civilisation pours more smoke onto the atmospheric fire with each passing year. It’s become something of a habit which no longer serves our best interests, but strangely, it is my belief that economics, resource depletion and geopolitical strife will sort the entire matter out – we just might not like what we end up with.
Some variability is nice here as well, and tomorrow we feed and replant the hail damaged vegetable beds.
Oh my! Could you feel your house being buffeted by such strong wind gusts? Like bridges, the things are better to flex with such energy, than be broken by it. Nice to hear that the coffee could be enjoyed without having to consider any damage, mostly because there was none to worry about. 🙂
And a flying husky would be something to see too, but fortunately calmer conditions prevailed. Imagine if an unwilling flying cat decided to use it’s claws to anchor upon your flesh, in order to slow further momentum. Ouch!
Lovely to hear, and please extend my understanding for your lady’s trial which by all accounts was being held into a dentist chair whilst unspeakable things take place in the oral cavity. Ouch. Rest up and recover energy is a wise option. Life is full of such challenges, but just between you and I, the dentist is one area that it’s best to get onto early. And even then, they don’t stop that hungry unseen entity – entropy.
Man, I so hear you about damaging storms, and what else can you do other than sit them out and hope for the best. The experience saps away at your core energy, so it’s gladdening to hear that your household is resting up. Wait a bit, and the sun will shine through the clouds, and warm your bones.
Hey, the dogs here do exactly the same in such weather, although from time to time, they need to head outdoors and do what is needful. You can almost see their thinking processes at such close encounters with inclement weather. After a while they’ll decide that overall, conditions are sub fluffy optimal, and they’ll want back indoors. And a towelling down…
😉 Thanks, and I’ve seen enough damaged cladding on firewood sheds to know that the pressures exerted by the mass of timber, are quite epic. And once the external cladding becomes damaged / malformed, the rainfall gets in. It’s also worth noting, that having an internal and external layer of cladding for the shed walls, makes the entire structure a lot stronger.
DJ, exactly, and those were my worst fears. The luck has been used up twice with the scrap. It’s a bit of a worry actually. Oh well. Hopefully by the end of next weekend, the roof sheets are fully installed. Fingers crossed for this is a very important project here. What will be, will be.
Man, I’m grateful for not being exposed to the, as you so finely call it: “vomitus eruptus maximus” melody. 🙂 Sensitive ears may be damaged.
So true as well, sometimes events are just bigger than all of us, and what else can we do but be turned upside down and inside out? 🙂 The best music often has it’s roots in poetry.
Far out, it is hard to know what to do. Yup, and I so hear you about that. But there is no way that this will be neatly wrapped up with things back to normal (whatever that was) in no time at all. So this afternoon, I paid AU$2.30 a litre which converts to US$6.15 a gallon. Diesel was AU$2.60 a litre which will certainly slow the movement of goods and increase the cost of everything. Thank goodness for small efficient vehicles, and petrol requiring farm tools. I dunno about this one man, but have some suspicions and a theory.
Hehe! Dunno about you, but I can’t say as I’ve felt calm all week, despite the relaxed and cool outer demeanour. It feels like the beginning experience of strange things six years ago.
Oh my, that’s rough for the gentleman who was hit by the falling branch, but truly, it could have been much worse. People around these parts are killed by falling trees, and weirdly they often fall onto people in vehicles. I treat all of the trees here with the respect that they deserve. Actually, a while back a 35m tree began slowly toppling over on the forest edge, and last week I heard it finally hit the ground and become horizontal. Lots of firewood in all that timber, and a goodly sized smoosh sound.
Ouch! Poor Dame Avalanche, and the indignity of being hit with a crab apple. Agreed, no fun. Have you considered the ravens? I’ve often wondered if the Sulphur Crested Cockatoos were aiming apples at us ground dwellers? Clever birds, and a dangerous game to play.
Had today mostly off paid work. Headed an hours drive north pick up local apples, carrots and honey from that warmer area. It was nice and sunny up there and quite pleasant. The recent fires did a bit of damage to the town and nearby mountain. They lost their communal cool store, and I hope that the growers get together and rebuild that important bit of infrastructure.
Cheers
Chris
Hi Lewis,
Competent and pleasant are crucial qualities for person’s who deal with the largely unknown problem of: ‘how is this here thing meant to be fixed?’
Sorting out, or at least identifying the leak is brilliant – water is remarkably damaging to contents and building structures. Hey, you’d hate to think what would go on in massive multi-story high rise buildings on that front. Err, remember the 2021 Surfside condominium collapse? Far out. Just spent some time reading about that disaster.
I remember when you got those new blinds, and the hassles with them being installed. Only lasting a year is not indicative of quality. But a new refrigerator is a fine score, and hope it has more capacity, and more importantly, works. Nice idea to keep a close watch on H, who’d probably be perturbed that her routines have been upended by all the commotion.
Yet… is the fricken word for this week. Filled up two jerry cans this afternoon and a small top up amount for the Suzuki Dirt Rat, and $120 later… Petrol was AU$2.30 which converts to US$6.15 a gallon. Diesel was AU$2.60 a litre which is just way more per gallon. Ook!
You know man, this won’t be no quick strike and back to normal thing. I was reading in the media that plenty of oil infrastructure in the area is being damaged, and yeah. When an oil refinery which processes 5 million barrels a day is damaged, one wonders where the crude oil will be sent to for refining. Guess it depends what’s left after the dust settles but at a guess it will head to south east Asia and the US for refining. Hmm. Your biggest chief literally means what he says when claiming that your country will be considered first. This looks like a crazy bold roll of the dice to me, but hey, I’m just some dude living up in the forest, what do I know?
Won’t run out, we’ll run short. Here’s the news from today on that front: Only service station in NSW town of Batlow runs out of fuel amid surging prices
On a more interesting note, I’d not realised that way back in the day, we used to manufacture pinball machines locally: Iconic Australian-made pinball machines preserved for generations to come. It’s impressive that some of the machines survived, and are now being maintained in a library of preserved interesting stuff.
Hey, I recall arcade amusement halls. Yup.
🙂 Thanks for the review, and yeah it’s a movie to watch for sure. Hope the Editor doesn’t get any ideas though from the film!
Do I detect that it is marginally warmer in your part of the world? 54’F is on the up. It was briefly 63’F and sunny today, but now we’re down to 48’F and my summer soft self is feeling cold. The wood heater is cranking along nicely though. It should warm up here over the next couple of days.
Ha! That’s funny, and expresses the gentleman’s inner thoughts upon the subject. Searching through the text, one cannot but appreciate the aphorism that: All things are difficult before they are easy Wise words. Thanks for the introduction to the book.
Yeah, that’s been my impression of blood and bone meal as well, although I did pick up that 4% or 5% bag a while back which was notably on the nose. I recall the days of 6% phosphate. And that stunk almost as badly (from memory) as did the dead deer carcass. Fertiliser is a serious issue now.
Any signs of snow today?
Oh my! The article on choccie perhaps explained why the locally made mass produced stuff is still sort of affordable. Incidentally, I don’t purchase or consume much in the way of chocolate (the recent gift was a rare exception) but thinking of the item as an affordable luxury good was not at all how I saw the stuff, but could be wrong there. What’s your thoughts about chocolate being described that way?
Wise words to make do, and worthy of keeping in the back of one’s mind. Just hope to get the delivery, fingers crossed. And also happy to have started this project long before signs of trouble. Now it’s here. Yup, I so hear you about that chaos, and hope you get everything sorted at your place easily, and that you and H enjoy some quiet time.
Headed north to stock up on local apples, honey and carrots today. A nice run, and it was warmer in that area. Went for a walk and enjoyed the sunshine.
Cheers
Chris
Yo, Chris – All this talk of state songs. 🙂 I grew up with the Oregon State song. It is rather … rousing. If you can’t take the music, turn off the volume and enjoy the scenery. I still prefer Washington’s “unofficial” state song. 🙂
https://youtu.be/t-ACUTtBmUA?si=PYHlecj8FTuce6oe
Our maintenance guy is more a “you get what you pay for,” kind of guy. He’s pretty much convinced Little Mary Sunshine, of that fact. The new blinds are a lot more … substantial. And, block more sunlight. He noticed that the break in the old blinds, looked a bit “burnt.” He speculated that it might have been, from, say, sunlight reflecting off a car in the parking lot.
The “new” refrigerator is quit nice. I’ll have to fiddle with the shelves, and temperature, a bit. Also, it easily rolls, for cleaning behind and under. The old one was pretty immovable.
I’d say the maintenance guy was here, twice as long as he needed to be. Quit chatty. I got the impression that he doesn’t have many “dudes” to talk to, both here and in his outside life. Of course, the plumbing bit required three trips to the hardware store, and shutting off the water to a few of the units. I’m probably also one of the easier tenants, to deal with. I’m always making things as easy for him, as possible.
We also talked about, “Will we make it through a year, without a major expense?” Probably not. I finally discovered how the vent system works. There’s a vent in the bathroom. Up in the attic crawl space are motors, to suck the air out. Well. Most of them have stopped working. And, the original company (in France!), is no longer in business. He’s got some ideas on a plan B.
Also, it turns out are elevator is due for some major work and replacement.
When Dawg and I headed for bed last night, I told her, as I sometimes do, “We can sleep til we wake up!” And, we did.
As far as recent events go, I’m sure the boys will be home by Christmas. Where have we heard that, before? Of course, a lot could happen, but I predict (which is worth nothing), that the present administration has sealed its doom, as far as the midterm elections go. And maybe even the next presidential election. People “feel the pain,” first at the gas pumps … and then in the grocery stores. Fearless Leader is alienating his base, as, he promised we’d have no “foreign entanglements.” Yet here we are. One after another.
Of course, people don’t know what we’re possibly in for. It’s just us old duffers, who remember the “Oil Crisis of 1973.” I was living in S. California at the time, and still have vivid memories.
That was an interesting article about the Australian fuel situation. Especially, the phrase, “The tyranny of distance.” You live in a big country, as do we. We “get it.”
That was a great article about the Australian pin ball machines. They’re collectible, here, too. I loved the fact that George Lucas licensed the machine, for the cost of … one machine. And, yes, money laundering could be a problem. Call the Accountant! 🙂 It was interesting that they brought up the “moral panic,” that the machines inspired. Pin ball machines, pool halls, comic books. Why does Oliver Cromwell come to mind? 🙂
I can remember, vaguely, when just about every cafe had at least one pin ball machine … and a jukebox. And, although you don’t care for musicals, there’s one rousing number from “The Music Man,” that’s all about the dangers of the pool hall. It’s great.
https://youtu.be/LI_Oe-jtgdI?si=EEhLMjFPQtvmJm57
The library put a new DVD on order. Another retelling of “Dracula.” It looks interesting. Although I think it was a poor pick, for the count. I probably shouldn’t say this, but, I think he looks a bit like a toad. Poor man. I put it on my hold list, anyway. Plenty of room, these days.
https://youtu.be/VlYPuapSKLA?si=gi0oathmkG086kUM
Our high yesterday was 43F (6.11C). Our overnight low was 37F (2.77C). Our forecast high for today is 41F. No snow, but incessant rain. We went from “flood watch” to “flood warning,” overnight. Although they’re predicting “minor” flooding. The back lawn where I walk H is awash. We’ve been getting pretty wet.
Well, I guess you could call chocolate an “affordable luxury.” Maybe if you’re what we used to call “well off.” 🙂 Other than Lindt and Ghirardelli, just try and find chocolates, that list the cocoa % up front. I still have quit a stash of Lindt bars, and hope I can make them stretch, until the prices, maybe, come down.
I also saw an interesting article on plug in solar panels. You might find it interesting, too.
https://www.npr.org/2026/03/12/nx-s1-5737287/solar-panels-utilities-energy-saving
I see egg prices are down, 42% from last year. Oddly, when I went to the Yuppie Discount Store, over the weekend, most of the dairy case was pretty empty. No almond milk! But, when I was in there night before last, it was stocked up, again. I have 6 1/2 half gallons, in my fridge. Do you think that’s excessive? 🙂 Some of it has an expiration date, in May.
I was going to make my monthly Winco run, last night. But after yesterday, decided I can postpone it til next week. Lew
Chris:
Mr. Baby still hovers: At death’s door, then he peps up and can do things for awhile, then that’s repeated over and over. A strange case.
I now have the flu and feel pretty ghastly, so am just staying out of the way with my germs.
Pam
@ Pam,
Wow, you are really having it tough right now. Best wishes and sending positive thoughts your direction. Hope you get better quickly.
DJSpo
Chris,
No wind today! Woke up with 5cm of snow on the cars, rooftops and lawns. Maybe 25% of that on the sidewalks and streets. Very slippery stuff, so was very happy to stay home. Naturally, with snow on the ground and snowing all day, Dame Avalanche’s feral ancestry came to the fore and she was in her element. She was one Happy Husky on our walk. Snow melted off the hard surfaces but is beginning to stick again this evening.
This has meant a LOT of rainfall equivalent today, some earlier in the week, and about 11mm a week ago, so, maybe 3cm of rainfall equivalent in the past week. The Cascades are NOT getting the forecast 8 to 11 feet of snow, maybe half that or less. However, the two main passes between Spokane and Seattle are both closed. With temperatures expected upwards of 22C much of next week, this might be winter’s last big gasp. And there will likely be flooding with next week’s unseasonably warm temperatures which should bring warm temps and rain atop the recent snow in the mountains.
Yup, we could feel the wind buffeting the house. And hear it, although we somehow slept through the worst gusts and howling winds.
Oh, no damage here from the wind upon inspection today. There were a lot of downed trees and power lines throughout the region. Some falling trees landed on homes. Happy to have escaped another round.
Dentists. Preventative care and regular cleanings are best. Whenever a problem develops, get it taken care of as quickly as possible. Yup, I think our viewpoints are nearly identical. The Princess is still doing well, this turning into one of her best recoveries from dental work.
Okay, here’s another good song. Linda Ronstadt singing “Heart Like a Wheel” from her album of the same name. My favorite lyric in the song:
And it’s only love,
And it’s only love
that can wreck a human being
and turn him inside out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfMNnZL-YuM
Sort of the same idea as “I’m upside down, I’m inside out”.
I think we’ve discussed in the past that the Desperado album by the Eagles might be put together the best of any. I rate Ronstadt’s “Heart Like a Wheel” and “Songs from the Wood” by Jethro Tull as being tied for second, both being a serious notch down from “Desperado” yet still better than any others I’ve heard by far.
There is no going back to the latest plateau of “normal”. It’s Mr. Greer’s long, slow decline. You know, 5 steps down, 2 or 3 steps back up to another unstable equilibrium until the next drop. Peak oil, naive expectations for wind and solar, climate change. That’s enough. The window for humans to have done something about this was likely the late 1970s to 1980s, much as Mr. Greer has said in the past. That has been my view for several decades also. Since humans are doing nothing substantial to adjust, Nature and the Earth will do what is necessary based on natural and universal scientific laws. It will be much more uncomfortable and worse for humans than if we had bit the bullet 50 or so years ago.
So far, neither the crows nor the ravens have bombarded this household in the 30 years we’ve lived here. Then again, they seem to sense that I’m rather an ally, that our dogs, past and present, need to be tolerated, and that the Princess and I genuinely like them.
Good job on getting some fresh goods. Sad about the store. If it’s the type of store that I’m familiar with in the nearby orchard area on Green Bluff, it is an important and necessary store. Hope they can build a new one.
DJSpo
Oh Pam,
That’s truly awful news with your flu, and hope that you’re looking after yourself (and Mr Baby in his hour of need), getting rest and staying hydrated. Hopefully you wake up today feeling better.
It’s awful to have a much loved friend teeter on the precipice of his next to final act. I’ve known some good cats over the years, and the one from my childhood shared a really close bond, and it was heart wrenching when she died.
Any words we can provide are a soothing balm, but Mr Baby is faced with his challenge, and he’s had a blessed life. May he get through this trial, or pass away peaceful without pain and hardship.
With sympathy,
Chris
Hi DJ,
Glad to hear that you’re on the other side of all that wind. The recent gusts you experienced, were startlingly dangerous. The snow sounds delightful, and the Dame sure took advantage of the conditions. Yeah, wolflet scampers through the snow and revels in the winter. It’s good you could both get outside for the walk.
Speaking of weather, I replaced the tug boat weather station this afternoon. That was another thing that the hail storm smashed up, but then, brittle plastic…
Oh yeah, with 22’C daytime temperatures in the immediate forecast, winter is done. What a fast transition, but I reckon the soil will be slow to warm up. If the seasons suddenly flipped upside down, I’d not plant any warm climate plants like tomatoes and chilli’s until early May. Any earlier and a late frost can wreak havoc, so 22’C next week, but who knows what after that? Two steps forward, one back, so it goes.
🙂 I’m envious, those strong wind gusts wake me up. Fortunately it is rarely windy here. Glad to hear that there was no damage for you in all that wind. Nice one. The same happens here as well in this area. All depends on what risks a person wants to live with – like tall trees towering over houses. Rarely do they interact well.
Now that’s the best news of the day. When your lady recovers swiftly from the dentist’s procedure, that’s what a job well done looks like. 😉 Exactly, we go because, the alternatives are worse, and what did the old timers used to say about a: ‘stitch in time, saves nine’?
Brought a small trailer load of compost back up the hill, and cleaned up the dozen round raised garden beds just outside the kitchen door. Mixed up a heap of additional minerals into the stuff, and it smells intriguing out there now! Trialling a fish and seaweed based fertiliser, so who knows? Transplanted a lot of silverbeet (chard) and radish plants, and seeded up the rest. It’s looking very neat out there, and all done on a sunny 24’C day with no wind. Glorious to be outdoors in such fine weather.
Ha! The epic wardrobe malfunction at the start, set the scene for humility, and Linda is a wonderful story teller. What a voice too. I recall the song from back in the day. Nice country key change too early on in the song. Yeah, it’s a similar expressed sentiment, but I ended up with a different song of the lady’s.
Man, that’s so true, The Eagles, Desperado album gives off the same vibe, note and flavour. The Editor was a fan of The Eagles way back in the day, and hated that album, at first. Then hang around to experience the genius that it was, and the record grew to be her favourite. Lovely music, and what a fine thing that you’ve said about it.
We’re of a similar opinion in regard to all of this latest business. It was in the aftermath of the early 1970’s oil crisis that a different path could have been chosen, but no. That didn’t happen, and so now we’re living in interesting times. Agreed, every time the can gets kicked down the road, the eventual bill just ends up being potentially bigger. And that is the conclusion I’ve likewise drawn, if we don’t choose to live within our environmental means, some other force, whether it’s nature, energy, resources, the economy, will drag us to that point kicking and screaming the whole way. Uncomfortable and worse is a good way to describe the future.
🙂 Respect, and to have a positive and beneficial relationship with some of the local bird species, is a thing of beauty! Magpies, just sayin’.
Dunno whether they’ll rebuild the cool store, and haven’t read any news on that yet. I hope they do. It’s an interesting business because I believe that it was a community co-operative which had been in operation for decades. Fingers crossed for them.
Cheers
Chris
Hi Lewis,
The epic scenery of mountains leading down into the ocean was impressive, and well, anthems, they’re a thing. 😉 It’s interesting how many different environments your state has – quite varied too from one extreme, to another.
I’m so with your maintenance guy in that regard, although occasionally quality can be weirdly mispriced. Not everything that is expensive, can be associated with the concept of quality. And equally, the bottom priced stuff, is not necessarily rubbish. A person has to sort of take a best guess on that subject.
Hmm, yeah, I’m unsurprised by the ‘burnt’ blinds, and you’d be amazed at the damage the sun can do to various materials. I’ve seen plastic carpet which was in the process of breaking down in a rental property, and it wasn’t old. My preference is for natural materials, but synthetic stuff can be treated for resilience to the sun. The stuff probably looks the same, but costs more. Are the new blinds already installed?
You’re positively spoilt with the new fridge and blinds. Nice score on both counts too.
We’ve discussed the bowling alone phenomena, and yeah it’s real, and it’s out there. I’d read a statistic recently which suggests that the younger a person is, the less likely they will be to have friends. And something like a quarter of the youngest generation, don’t have any friends. That’s not a good statistic.
I get that about three trips to the store in order to sort of unexpected issues. Some tasks are like that, you think it will be easy, and an hour later you’re feeling a sense of frustration. Had an episode of that earlier this evening. Went to change over the last two damaged water tank inlet filter baskets, and discovered that the plumbers had run an almost four inch pipe over the edge of the old basket filter, and a screw sat directly beneath the pipe. Took a while to remove that screw, let me tell you. Still, got it done in the end, and hope not to see such a hail storm again for a very long while.
Did I mention that the tug boat weather station was also smashed up by the hail? Anywhoo, replaced that machine too today. There were enough missing chunks of plastic that there was zero chance of fixing the thing.
It was really pleasant here today, 75’F sunny and warm, with no breeze to speak of. Mixed up a small trailer load of compost and fixed up all of the dozen round raised garden beds. We’re getting the winter greens in of mustard leaves + rocket + silverbeet + radish. Some of the hail damaged greens are slowly recovering, but we removed plenty of plants which have little chance of regrowing before winter hits. By the way, the fish / seaweed fertiliser smells intriguing, just as you suggested. 🙂
Oh my, that ventilation system sounds expensive to fix. But my observation of failed motors is that it is often the controllers and start / run capacitors which have failed, but not always. Yes, why buy a local system? Far out. I’ll be intrigued to hear how the plan B turns out. Talk of major elevator fixes sound financially ruinous. Ook!
Agreed, economic pain at the pumps and / or grocery store, is rarely rewarded. Hey, at least you guys have larger fuel reserves than our feckless lot got around to constructing. Still, we have lots of stuff down here which the world needs, so perhaps the world will see to our needs? I’d imagine that is what our leaders down here are thinking. Where will it all end? Dunno.
I’m envious of this loose talk of sleep ins. For the past month, I’ve been getting up early and getting stuck into work. Oh well, mustn’t grumble! 🙂 Lucky you and H.
I was around to live through the oil crisis of the early 1970’s, but can only recall the aftermath stagflation horror show. No wonder people baulked from taking further steps along the path of decline, or so they perhaps thought. Man, I still remember that in those days the promise was of loyalty this and that, and a job for life. Turned out to all be lies.
Yeah, it’s a long way to anywhere down under, and most of the population live in a few coastal large cities. It genuinely is quiet once you get away from all that, like up where we reside. And if there is fuel rationing, it’ll get even quieter here. Spotted diesel fuel at over AU$2.70 a litre this afternoon. Never seen it that high before.
Spare us all from the moral crusades of the puritans! They’re so noisy because I’ve no doubts that they’re distracting attention away from their own acts of dubious morality. Casting stones and stuff, yeah. Mr Cromwell came to a bad end, courtesy of mosquitoes. Kind of like HG Wells, War of the Worlds! He deserved it for the war on pies and ginger bread men.
Ha! Pool halls were a thing of my misbegotten youth. I quite enjoyed them as it was somewhere to hang out with friends. To be honest, I never saw anything dodgy going on in such places, other than being relieved of my hard earned mad cash. M… Mu…. Musi… Sorry, what did you just say? Must be getting hard of hearing these days, or at least that is what the Editor claims. 😉
The lead has the face of a talented character actor. The trailer looked all very dramatic and stuff, and I was trying to ascertain whether the count wanted his bride back alive or dead? Hard to know such matters when dealing with the undead.
There has been a lot of loose talk about you and H dodging the rain. So this is what becomes of such verbiage. Was it spit over the left shoulder, or right to lift the weight of the curse?
🙂 Well done you with the stash of quality, and chocolate is not on my roster of usual food stuffs, and $100/kg (2.2 pounds) is a bit rich for my tastes. Did I mention previously that the carob tree has produced a lot more pods this season? I’ll process them more carefully this time around.
I’m not excited about the prospect of such plug in systems, mostly because there is a lot to go wrong and it’s an arrangement which starts with the idea: Let’s assume that everything works perfectly. Down here, they are discussing providing electricity for free for a few hours around the middle of the day: What Australia’s energy regulator wants you to know about offering free hours of power Turns out grid stability with too much solar, is a problem.
Isn’t the new refrigerator bigger? 😉 Milk tends to go off quicker, but no judgement here! Strike hard whilst the iron is hot.
Cheers
Chris
Chris,
Weird how that link got scrambled. However, you got to the 1977 live concert you tub of my favorite song form the “Heart Like a Wheel” album. I actually prefer the version you saw. Her wardrobe malfunction was great, as was her, “Help!” when she got stuck.
Anyhoo, maybe this gets you to the other song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDk6j0aXQnQ
Woke up to a repeat of Friday morning, only it froze overnight with it snowing. The resulting layer of ice under maybe 1cm of snow on the roads was treacherous. An additional 2cm on the lawns and roofs. Quickly melting, however. The sun is out in a clear sky and it’s already +3C.
DJSpo
@ Pam – Get well soon! It seems like so many people are coming down with one thing and another, this year. I’m sorry you’re one of them. Lew
Chris:
Thank you for those encouraging words. I do begin to feel a bit better. However, Mr. Baby passed away peacefully last night. He was one tough cat who would not give up the fight, with his heart trouble for the last three years, but it finally got the better of him.
Pam
Yo, Chris – Both Oregon and Washington have pretty diverse environments, west to east. Last time I drove the Columbia River Gorge, it was really apparent. Green and lush, and then you go around a corner on the highway, and it’s all brown, rocky and dry.
Our windows are all pretty much a standard size. He had some on hand, so both of mine got replaced, with dispatch. I suppose Jeremy had done so many of them, that he’s “got it down.” Plus, he has all the right tools.
I don’t think the “new” fridge is bigger. But some things are better, design wise. The shelves in the door are a lot better. The old one, they were just kind of bands to hold things in place. And stuff was always falling out of the gap in the bottom. This one has enclosed at the bottom, shelves. I only use almond milk, and that stuff has a looong shelf life.
And since I use it daily, on my oatmeal and fruit, I run through it pretty fast.
Yes, unexpected issues. What was going to be a simple hose sprayer replacement, turned into replacing the whole faucet unit. And, the unexpected leak led to the replacement of the drain ring (?).
Ah, that’s sad about the tug boat weather station. It was functional, but kind of cute. May its replacement be as interesting.
Our high yesterday was 39F (3.88C). Our overnight low was 34F (1.11C). Our forecast high for today is 47F. It stopped raining, last evening, so H and I had a dry midnight walk. And, today it’s dry and sunny. No worries. The rain will be back around 11am, tomorrow.
I saw an interesting article about wild plants and genetics. Such a pretty flower.
https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/12/science/california-wildflower-megadrought-evolution
I also saw an article that some news agency has tracked down the identity of Banksy. Can’t they leave well enough alone? I rather like the mystery.
I’ve got to take advantage of this nice day, and do a bit of compost fiddling around. I moved two bags of kitchen scraps, out of my fridge, before the inspection. Stashed them in my truck. One of the things on the list of no-no’s, is “No rotten food in the refrigerator.” Unless the inspector happens to be a gardener, I’d rather not have to explain the bags of kitchen scraps. I’m going to dig a couple of holes in my recovered half of the long raised garden bed, and put them there. The old night manager had pretty good luck, but really didn’t add much compost to the soil.
Maybe Australia can swap parrots for petrol? 🙂 I looked into that “Tyranny of distance,” idea. Interesting. And sent a link along to my Idaho friends.
https://w.wiki/JgaC
Watching that scene from “The Music Man”, again, made me realize how “moral panic” can be used to nefarious ends. He’s basically a grifter, who uses moral panic to set up his marks. Lew
Dear Pam,
Sorry to hear that Mr Baby passed away, and please accept my condolences for your loss. Some cats are real little characters, and you were lucky to have had such in your life, and frankly speaking Mr Baby was lucky to have ended up in your household. In the weeks to come, you’ll expect to see the naughty minx inappropriately hiding under the veranda during atrocious weather, but he won’t be there, and the loss is then felt all over again.
Stay strong, shed a tear, and recall the good moments from the many years of companionship.
With sympathy from myself and the Fluffy collective,
Chris
Hi Lewis and DJ,
Please accept my apologies. For the first time in almost twelve years, there’ll be no blog tomorrow. The plan at this stage is to write the blog tomorrow instead. Yesterday I’d felt that I was getting on top of the many different plans here, and possibly that may have been true. But I woke at 4am feeling not well at all. By 6am, things were worse with a rotten stomach bug of unknown origins. Hubris… Took me down and out.
Thanks for the lovely comments and I’ll reply tomorrow when I can at least think straight. Right now, it’s not good.
Cheers and can’t write in this condition.
Chris
To Pam: my condolences on Mr. Baby’s death. May fond memories of him help you through your grieving process. And I hope you feel well soon!
To Chris: and I hope you feel well soon too! If you need more time to recover before putting up the new blog post, please be sure to take that time.
I’ll chime in on goings-on here when the new post goes up.
Claire
Yo, Chris – No apologies necessary. Having been through the mill, recently, I feel (felt) your pain.
For your edification and amusement … I know you are aware of the “Rotten Tomatoes” rating system, but you may not be aware of … “The Razzies.” They’re awarded ever year, just before the Academy Awards.
https://www.npr.org/2026/03/14/nx-s1-5747985/razzie-awards-war-of-the-worlds-ice-cube-oscars-academy-awards
For some reason, I have a perverse urge to see this film. Lew
@ Pam – Oh, Pam. I am so sorry for your loss. Mr. Baby put up a good fight. And wouldn’t have had the support and love he had, in his final years. Had he not come to you. R.I.P., Mr. Baby. Lew
Chris:
Thank you, and all furry friends at Fernglade. Yes, I see that rascally Baby here, there, and everywhere.
Pam
@ Lew:
One thing and another, indeed. I was sad when you were recently sick, too.
Pam
Chris:
I just saw that you joined the Club of Sickees, too. To think I was that contagious . . .
Pam
Chris:
And I forgot to tell you that I am sending positive energy your way, too.
Pam