tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55595095140567933372024-03-13T11:27:00.979+11:00Bakers8The story of a woman slowly learning how to live more simply.JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.comBlogger174125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-7461751674794483472013-05-26T16:47:00.001+10:002013-05-26T16:47:02.306+10:00Trying to keep going….<p align="justify">So, where have I been?  I promise that I’ve not been sulking in the bedroom, or yahooing around the town, or even drinking far too much of anything – be it tea or wine or whiskey!  I’ve just been at home, growing, preserving, baking and currently trying to knit and crochet – dishcloths. I’ve also re-joined my Tai Chi for arthritis group (Monday mornings at 10am), still attending the local walking group (Tuesday mornings at 10am) and once a month, usually a Tuesday afternoon, a champagne catch-up with a chum (that one’s my favourite!). In fact the next champagne catch-up will be rather exciting as the said chum has just become a grandmother! I’m still waiting for the photo’s.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5MFjgntyvco/UaGvp8Q31BI/AAAAAAAABFg/ZlubQW4PaKo/s1600-h/bread-of-life2%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-I2zcCoC6wM8/UaGvqQsK48I/AAAAAAAABFo/trRwt-E0H1Q/bread-of-life_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-m83d54AZg0g/UaGvrJQZ8BI/AAAAAAAABFw/uLZE0ttClec/s1600-h/bread-of-life22.jpg"><img title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-l2ut2ZiJJ0g/UaGvrw1EA8I/AAAAAAAABF4/5Ss_nlqbexY/bread-of-life2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="justify">Baking bread has become a bit of an obsession recently too.  I usually only bake sourdough breads, from plain white to multigrain and rye, throwing assorted seeds and grains in the mix willy-nilly!  But the above pictures show a loaf that contains no yeast, sourdough or flour. It consists of oats, seeds and nuts and is truly divine. It is also incredibly easy to make which is a big plus with me.  I first saw it on a blog post of “My New Roots” who I think must be a nutritionist and she called it “The Life-Changing Loaf of Bread.”  Well, it hasn’t changed my life just yet, but I’m certainly enjoying waiting for the said change eating this bread. </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OLfudOXCQJA/UaGvsyvxJVI/AAAAAAAABGA/tJ8bINwZYZI/s1600-h/sourdough1112x22.jpg"><img title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DX5c17B9gTM/UaGvtVdjDZI/AAAAAAAABGI/Ijm3OFj_3uo/sourdough1112x2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>  White and rye sourdough.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9pY3uZ25FQo/UaGvuk6-k_I/AAAAAAAABGQ/gLkuezjwlTs/s1600-h/P10100012.jpg"><img title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-P3u-ap1-I8I/UaGvvfB0FiI/AAAAAAAABGU/SUK8kAi_lm4/P1010001_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>    <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pw5Vx_3ZfwE/UaGvwtT22OI/AAAAAAAABGg/mZBnpPGxfuQ/s1600-h/P10100062.jpg"><img title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_HYUCzEOBTg/UaGvxEE3CFI/AAAAAAAABGo/pH2V4a33dlo/P1010006_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>   <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-I3clhkSj0JQ/UaGv0bWyGDI/AAAAAAAABGw/61k7GXvuwBM/s1600-h/P10100072.jpg"><img title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mxnstyFhuxk/UaGv0x-begI/AAAAAAAABG4/Rwjo0XqJUys/P1010007_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> These  pictures show what the grow house was like in Summer. See the little yellow flower peeking through the greenery in the third picture. It was meant to be a rock melon. I planted rock melon. The vine looked like rock melon, the same as last year. But, it was a pumpkin. A plain, grey pumpkin. I didn’t have any pumpkin seeds and if I had I certainly wouldn’t have planted them in the grow house. Even if it was self seeded from my compost, I usually buy butternut pumpkin as it’s so much sweeter. I do remember buying a different type, once. And now I have seven of them sitting on the back table drying out ready for storage.</p> <p align="justify">I’m still collecting tomatoes from the grow house too. I still have some eggplant, capsicum (1 only), chilli and parsley in there. I’m slowly clearing beds ready for feeding and resting but I can already see baby tomato plants coming through…..  We have plenty of preserved tomatoes, frozen sauce and jars of dried tomatoes with lots of jars of spicy chutney, relish and pickle too.                  </p> <p align="justify">   <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-JUmWm0fp2C4/UaGv1r9GRSI/AAAAAAAABHA/sQcMqfNkG68/s1600-h/greentomatopickle23.jpg"><img title="greentomatopickle2" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="greentomatopickle2" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-YzXQkU71A6w/UaGv2B5XDGI/AAAAAAAABHI/PdghDq3VcG0/greentomatopickle2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="justify">So apart from the above my life is just cruising along. Summer here seemed to go on and on but now it just seems like a memory as it’s pretty cold and windy outside. But I have been out today and planted some bush peas and some snow and sugar snap peas too. I have yet to prune all the trees, I keep putting it off as there’s so many. A relative of the woman who lived here before us has moved back to Dover and has asked if she can come along when I’m pruning the trees as she would like to try propagating some of them as it was her father who planted them. Naturally I agreed as it’s a beautiful way to continue a memory. A friend came along and tried to name some of the many varieties of apple that we have and I was thrilled to have some names like “Crofton; Gravenstein; Geeveston Fanny; Coxes Orange Pippin; Red Pippin; Granny Smith and Red and Golden Delicious to name a few. But then there was a dispute on the Geeveston Fanny by another friend so I’m still unsure, <em>sigh.</em> </p> <p align="justify">I also have a freezer full of plums too. I thought that I had lost most of the plums to the really HOT day in January but I still have plenty to stew and freeze for our porridge. I didn’t bother making jam this year as we really don’t eat that much jam. It is handy to have on hand for gifts though so friends will have to go savoury this year.</p> <p align="justify">There are no Bali trips this year for me <em>(sob) </em>but I am looking forward to visiting my daughter in Queensland in September for two weeks. Hopefully it will be relatively quiet in the garden then and M will only have the chooks and Terry (the dog) to worry about whilst I’m away. Sara, my younger daughter, lives close to Airlie Beach and that’s where I’ll be staying. I’ve not been there before so I’m really looking forward to it. Sara and her family have only lived there since January 2012 as she was Adelaide born and bred. My oldest daughter Naomi is currently in Bali with her family on holiday. They all love it there too and I can’t wait to hear about it on their return to Adelaide. My son Shaun lives in Adelaide and spent two weeks here in Tassie in February when we went to Strahan for a few days and he caught up with friends and we all went to MONA.</p> <p align="justify">Earlier this month I realised that I had reached the 40th anniversary of my arrival in Australia from the UK. I sailed to Australia on a Greek ship called the “Australis” as a 10 pound pom and when I stepped onto Australian soil at Fremantle, WA on 9/5/1973 wearing a t-shirt and jeans I remember thinking that if this was nearly winter I’m never going back to live in the UK. And I never have. The original plan has been to come and grab some sunshine for two years and then return. Hah, not this little black duck.  I must admit that when we first arrived in Adelaide I thought we’d been in Dr Who’s tardis because it was 25 years behind the times. I had left the north of England after many music festivals like the Isle of Wight and Reading and Bath and having access to seeing concerts by Hendrix, Dylan, Pink Floyd etc. and being a typical hippie child dancing whenever and wherever I wanted. Now in Adelaide I was shocked to be told by a new friend that if I wanted to dance in a club I had to wait until a man asked me!!!! And then there was the time I went to a work Christmas function and I was the only woman in  trousers – bright yellow ones! There wasn’t even colour television.  But things changed quickly and when we went back to the UK for our first holiday in 1980, only seven years later, with 2 daughters in tow, we found that everything had stayed the same and now our home town was behind the times and old friends seemed “suburban and settled down” and they viewed us as the “wild and exciting lucky ones”. Which I suppose we were. I love Australia, it is my home.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Tp7kPPnyNUE/UaGv21r-fFI/AAAAAAAABHQ/viAWZGwT6Nk/s1600-h/smoke%252520on%252520the%252520bay%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="smoke on the bay" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="smoke on the bay" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-o3eur8iIDSI/UaGv3eFC0UI/AAAAAAAABHY/y1MdgNdrDBY/smoke%252520on%252520the%252520bay_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>  Smoke over the bay.</p> <p align="justify">So, that’s a little bit of where I’m at. I’ll try and be more consistent.</p> <p align="justify">Jan</p> <p align="justify">ps. the local hotel burned down in April this year………..</p> <p align="justify">                                                                                                <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-R8aHevWm0eA/UaGv4N3TozI/AAAAAAAABHg/nPX6oETYdGU/s1600-h/Dover%252520Hotel%25252017th%252520April%2525202013%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="Dover Hotel 17th April 2013" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Dover Hotel 17th April 2013" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AjzY4YWz5JE/UaGv4w9MdwI/AAAAAAAABHo/0vc3nMaOTzU/Dover%252520Hotel%25252017th%252520April%2525202013_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="139" /></a></p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-67563247688893883232013-02-20T16:51:00.001+11:002013-02-20T16:51:00.087+11:00Could it get any better?<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7A-r_dDnwiQ/USRkPvAsfkI/AAAAAAAABDc/K3vigEwLjUc/s1600-h/beach%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="beach" border="0" alt="beach" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-aBttCdbUbFc/USRkQjRVCnI/AAAAAAAABDk/QlMVrHlFeUk/beach_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="244" /></a></p> <p>I feel like a bit of a cheat here.  This is not my dog. In fact this is not my photograph.</p> <p>But it is my view from the local beach and the dog and photo belong to a friend of mine, Maree.</p> <p>I’m sure that she won’t mind me showing you this beautiful and peaceful scene.</p> <p>Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-42351699219765399752013-02-07T21:06:00.001+11:002013-02-07T21:06:13.086+11:00How could I eat it?<p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-llsHuUZvN80/URN8kC9ZyOI/AAAAAAAABCE/mTnbbZoAwsg/s1600-h/artichoke%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="artichoke" border="0" alt="artichoke" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UNzA5GKcBOw/URN8kw4OgEI/AAAAAAAABCM/lykZx8nO7jY/artichoke_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="192" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p align="center">When it’s so valuable in other ways …..</p> <p align="center">Let the bees enjoy it.</p> <p align="center"><em><font size="2">(with thanks to Steb Fisher for this wonderful shot of one of my artichokes)</font></em></p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-61265645632689519782013-01-25T18:19:00.001+11:002013-01-25T18:19:18.529+11:00Was that it?<p> </p> <p>So it rained – 4.4 mls.</p> <p>Then it got windy and the sun came out and dried it all up again…..</p> <p>Sigh</p> <p>Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-28333203370323671472013-01-24T16:13:00.001+11:002013-01-24T16:13:14.032+11:00Here it is 2013 already..<p align="justify">So, what’s been happening? Hmmmm, well there have been weeks when this house has seemed like a busy railway station and then others when I haven’t seen one single person. Neither scenario bothers me too much. I am happy in my own company and naturally, there’s always something to do in the garden (or kitchen).</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uCQzHt3sr2k/UQDC12gzs7I/AAAAAAAABAg/fG_pTCDx_ME/s1600-h/P10100022.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-b49j0LUCPFo/UQDC2_aVoJI/AAAAAAAABAk/Canf2D6ACYY/P1010002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>                                         <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ITWjm3G32Ho/UQDC4r4Gg2I/AAAAAAAABAw/R0Wg2dHEcF8/s1600-h/P10100032.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IJaVNgRuCVQ/UQDC5tnqKaI/AAAAAAAABA0/R8OR0-FD2vA/P1010003_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="justify">The weather has been absolutely crazy with heatwaves followed by wind, rain storms and even snow!  I’m still not smoking, it’s been three months now (the cashew jar<em> has</em> taken a beating though) and I still have pangs every now and again. I just give myself a good talking to and remind myself how poor I can be again if I start smoking!</p> <p align="justify">M and I went to a fabulous free concert at MONA (Museum of Old & New Art) and my nose got very sun burned (just one side of it – great look!). We did the right thing and left our car in Hobart and caught the special coach to take us out to MONA. So glad that we did. Not only was it sensible for the planet but with over four thousand people there, there was no parking left and some families had to walk for quite a long way in the sun. I would probably have whinged and whined and spoiled everything if I had to walk a few kilometres in the sun. But I didn’t have to so everything was great. We even bumped into some good friends and was able to muscle in on the grass with them. (for all non-Tasmanians who might read this, when a “blow-in” such as myself actually bumps into a friend at a function or shopping centre etc., it means that you are ALMOST local. You can never be truly local unless you are born here). So I was quite excited to bump into friends in a very large crowd as you can imagine. The voices that we heard singing that afternoon were brilliant. There were a few songs that I didn’t like but it was a choir after all, singing “soul music”. Three hours of music, one glass of beer (just shows how hot it was – I only drink beer when it is HOT), sunshine and all free with no trouble or fighting. Just fabulous. Well done MONA. M has already bought his ticket for MONA FOMA in January and I will stay home and mind the “farm”. Well, I might just pop up for one concert. M will stay with friends in town to save on petrol and driving every day, it’s a one hour drive to Hobart from our little town.   </p> <p align="justify"><em>NOTE:  All of the above was first written on the 8th of December 2012.  It is now the 24th of January 2013……..</em></p> <p align="justify">It has been a busy time, one way or another.  Christmas and New Year came and went for another year and phew we survived. I didn’t have to cook a meal on Christmas day which was brilliant and we had eaten at the local pub on Christmas eve with the family and then back to the house later for the opening of the gifts (European style). All family had left by the following day so we went to the usual “orphan’s party” which is always terrific fun and involves all those of us who don’t have family close by.  Prior to Christmas, and just after, we had our usual visit of our friends from Queensland and really mellowed and enjoyed their visits. New Year’s Eve was at home with two other couples and I actually managed to stay awake.</p> <p align="justify">It would seem that my problem with Ron the rooster is no more. The addition of three extra girls just might be the reason.  A friend asked me if I would care for her “girls” who she absolutely adores, as she is no longer able to keep them at home. It is a sort of loan I suppose and a win-win situation for us both.  But, and it’s a fairly big BUT, they don’t recognise Ron as the rooster “in charge”.  In fact, they’re very rebellious and I’ve had to go traipsing next door on a number of occasions to bring them home. Putting it in perspective our back yard is almost an acre but obviously the <em>grass is always greener. </em>Meanwhile, Ron is beside himself, clucking and dancing and getting little nibbles for them but they just don’t care. In fact last time the girls went walkabout next door they took Ron with them! My original two, Eddie and Thelma are MOST put out by it all. They’re behaving like Misses Goodie Two Shoes and don’t wander too far away from the chook house at all. Which is another perplexing problem for Ron, as how can he oversee two lots of ladies in two completely different locations? Squawk….</p> <p align="justify"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" alt="Photo" src="http://sphotos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/c67.0.403.403/p403x403/9692_564450333569796_1457887339_n.jpg" width="403" height="403" /></p> <p align="justify">In the garden, garlic harvested and hanging up; scarlet runner beans taking over the tank but leaving a bit of room for a couple of cucumber plants; the rock melon in the grow house turned into a pumpkin!  How that happened I’ve no idea as I don’t even have any pumpkin seeds……  Tomatoes coming in thick and fast now; the Tigerella seem to be the most prolific this year but the Black Russian, Mortgage Lifter and Brandywine could match them. Eggplants developing along with chillies, but once again no capsicums!  We’ve eaten lettuces, rocket, sugar snap and snow peas, pick strawberries every time we walk past them and are enjoying the blueberries from the one little bush. But our stone fruit, sob, was badly sun burned on the hottest day ever recorded in Tasmania. I think about 80% of our plums are ruined; 95% of the nectarines (we only had about 20 on the young tree), 50% of the peaches (again a very young tree) but the apricots seem okay.  We have a Moorpark apricot tree and it’s still about two weeks away from ripening.  <strong><em>I had a tip from one of the locals here too, about curly leaf on the peaches etc. He plants mallow around his stone fruit and even drapes it through his trees and somehow it keeps the curly leaf away as he never sprays, ever. </em></strong>The apple and pear trees are sunburned but hopefully we’ll still get fruit. The grass is brown and crunchy underfoot and we’re slowly dribbling small amounts of water to all the fruit trees every day until we have some decent rain. I could never be a farmer, it’s so heart-breaking when you lose a crop to unpredictable weather. But, after the fires here in Tasmania which didn’t come near us, I’m thankful to have a garden at all! </p> <p align="justify">M went up to Mona Foma (music festival) last week and had a ball. He stayed at a friend’s unit in Hobart so he didn’t have to drive up and down every day.  I had quiet time at home and wow, did I get a lot done! I also had blood tests taken as the x-rays that I had done prior to Christmas have shown osteo-arthritis in both ankles and knees (I already kinda knew that anyway) and the doctor just wants to check that there’s no other nasty lurking there. She’s also checking my cholesterol, as I have put on so much weight since I stopped smoking I’m ashamed.</p> <p align="justify">There have been quite a few birthdays since the new year and my son is coming for a two week visit next week. We usually have a jaunt somewhere in Tassie whilst he’s here so we’ll wait and see what the weather is going to be like then. I wonder if his eating habits have improved?</p> <p align="justify">My sour dough bread baking is very popular amongst my friends which is incredibly gratifying. M still prefers the rye with caraway or fennel seeds but I usually send a couple of french sticks along to parties etc. My larger white loaves can still come out looking like mutants, one side rising and the other not, but they still taste good. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong there so any suggestions are welcome. The rye is baked in a clay pot with a lid and always rises and looks great, as do the french loaves. But the white bread, which I prove in Bannerton's, slash and then bake on a pizza stone, are always a lucky dip! I just never know. </p> <p align="justify">Australia Day is coming up and we’ve been invited to a barbecue at Roaring Beach. I must remember the aeroguard! My legs are already covered in midge bites from a previous party and I was only outside for a short time!</p> <p align="justify">Well, I will try and get back to this blog in a more regular fashion this year. I feel a bit more positive about 2013, everyone I ask hated last year for one reason or another, as did I.</p> <p align="justify">So, have a great weekend.</p> <p align="justify">Cheers</p> <p align="justify">Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-72061711531103688292012-11-09T16:36:00.000+11:002012-11-09T16:36:47.473+11:00This and that–a bit boring really!<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5559509514056793337"></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It must be spring as I had a bit of a tidy-up of the seed
packets! There seems to be quite a few so I tried to sort them seasonally. But
then I kept forgetting which pile was which and would have to stop and recheck
every couple of minutes. Obviously tidiness and logicality are not my dominant
features. But, I have been able to plant some seeds and some are even poking up
and waving at me! How cool is that? It was only today that I noticed that the
tank that holds my garlic (which finally has some scapes) has scarlet runner
leaves poking through.Leftovers from last year making their way upward. It’s
brilliant as they should still give the garlic enough time to thicken up some
more before I have to pull them to make way for the beans. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was going to get out in the garden today but the pouring rain
deflated my enthusiasm. So I made some sourdough bread instead. I prepared it
last night, as an afterthought, and put it in the fridge overnight. This morning
I brought it back into the kitchen, plopped it into my proofing baskets and then
later onto my pizza stone to bake. All done before 10.30am this morning. The
round(ish) one is multigrain and the longer one is white with sunflower seeds. I
have to watch M, as he loves warm, fresh bread, and quite often if I’m outside
and I’ve left the bread cooling I’ll come into crusts missing from BOTH ends of
the bread!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GipBJjEFUzol4OYGrdopcg0YdyjnN-UCBIzA_MjEteLCXhhEkxLsBZzbqqqhWBxAe35qK9OM15ZxWu9912s8Wxy-roKhjh1p55KR7SCZcLLUnKWZqXFHxkODFZxbqqtg-dOGyHGsWldU/s1600/sourdough1112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GipBJjEFUzol4OYGrdopcg0YdyjnN-UCBIzA_MjEteLCXhhEkxLsBZzbqqqhWBxAe35qK9OM15ZxWu9912s8Wxy-roKhjh1p55KR7SCZcLLUnKWZqXFHxkODFZxbqqtg-dOGyHGsWldU/s320/sourdough1112.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> And then I had to vacuum the floor! I seem to make
such a mess when I bake. Once the bread was finished I made a batch of oats and
apricot slice. But this time I had mixed dried fruit from Angus Park which
includes apples, pears, apricots, peaches and sultanas. I had to have a taste
test and mmmmmm. But I forgot to take a photo before I cut it all up and put
them in the tin, sorry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Otherwise I’ve not much else to report. I visited the Cygnet
market last Sunday and caught up with Kate (Vegetable Vagabond) and her handsome
son who is on a visit. Then we popped in to see another friend who lives there
too and checked out her garden. She puts me to shame. She’s a single mum with
two kids and the fruit trees and vegetables she has growing are amazing. It’s a
huge garden too, so much to try and keep under control. But at this time of the
year that’s going to be impossible. The grass and weeds are growing overnight
down here with the mix of rain and sunshine! I might have to toddle over with my
trusty brush cutter as she can’t use one due to her carpal tunnel problem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My rooster, Ron, is on his final warning. He has started to
“have a go” at me. I’ve warned him that he’s not my favourite feathered friend,
the way he “rapes” the girls and then struts about. And the noise he makes! So
far he’s charged my legs and attacked my feet and hasn’t hurt. But the length of
his spurs does cause some concern. So if he has another go he’s gone!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1Xz_Ec6S_f-evfdLvD1R28Mj8so40X7kwVrBN9JwGKufz3iZUTMJ6VNGmgc_2TgduDZ5MZbOPW-0GKCt97B0cvnlV32rZdnOo3DIlGCy4FkyZqWeRMKDDhQHZHDmRfFGkBmHsJMXz4Vc/s1600/P1010029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg1Xz_Ec6S_f-evfdLvD1R28Mj8so40X7kwVrBN9JwGKufz3iZUTMJ6VNGmgc_2TgduDZ5MZbOPW-0GKCt97B0cvnlV32rZdnOo3DIlGCy4FkyZqWeRMKDDhQHZHDmRfFGkBmHsJMXz4Vc/s320/P1010029.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5559509514056793337"></a> This picture is about 12 months old so his spurs are
thicker and longer now, ouch! I’ll ask my farmer friend who gave me Ron if he
wants him first. (he probably won’t – he has a few already). Then I’ll put a
notice up on the noticeboard in the shopping centre. But if nobody wants him, it
could be the pot!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Anyway, the sun is meant to come out for the weekend so I’ll be
able to get out there. Whatever you have planned for the next couple of days I
hope you enjoy it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Avagoodweegend….</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Jan</span></div>
JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-79101093516526089312012-11-02T18:28:00.001+11:002012-11-02T18:28:28.183+11:00So that’s it..<p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dG6mla75prY/UJN2E0T2akI/AAAAAAAAA9A/FM7ZyqHCAx0/s1600-h/wine%252520flu%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="wine flu" border="0" alt="wine flu" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HCilelhJw_8/UJN2GF_UlMI/AAAAAAAAA9I/UlZAx6w-tF0/wine%252520flu_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="381" height="287" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>But it’s not even that. Tuesday was sniffing, sneezing and feeling like s**t.</p> <p>Wednesday and Thursday – not a sniffle nor a nose blow.</p> <p>Today, Friday – dripping nose, blowing constantly. I’m even on to the toilet roll now!</p> <p>Could it be hay fever? I’ve never had that, in all my life.</p> <p>It’s not an allergy is it – to red wine?  Noooooooooooooooooo</p> <p>Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-80680643508023469242012-11-01T09:35:00.001+11:002012-11-01T09:35:54.565+11:00The Latest<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hbjNRIE9fec/UJGnwDh8avI/AAAAAAAAA7s/lqVKAXTWtTc/s1600-h/outside%252520view%2525203.8%252520S%252520x%25252010.5%252520hoophouses.com.au%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="outside view 3.8 S x 10.5 hoophouses.com.au" border="0" alt="outside view 3.8 S x 10.5 hoophouses.com.au" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SRmyngAzB3o/UJGnxtVLVsI/AAAAAAAAA7w/cGEzkeALWXY/outside%252520view%2525203.8%252520S%252520x%25252010.5%252520hoophouses.com.au_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="152" /></a></p> <p align="justify">This is why M was up in Burnie. This greenhouse was pre-cut in Southern Tasmania, transported by trailer to Northern Tasmania and erected in the farmer’s field in one and a half days.</p> <p align="justify">The farmer’s pretty happy.</p> <p align="justify">Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-16387609406267952452012-10-30T17:46:00.001+11:002012-10-30T17:54:57.757+11:00I know it’s not halloween yet but<div align="justify">
It’s been a strange few days. It has been gloriously sunny and warm – that’s just for starters – and I have been outside catching up on the <strike>gardening</strike> weeding and nurturing baby seedlings both inside and outside of the grow house. I think I’m going to have to call it the “Tomato House” this year as besides all the tomatoes that I’ve grown from seed this year, i.e. Brandywine, Ox Heart, Roma, Black Krim and Black Russian and a stripy green one which I can’t remember the name of, quite a few volunteers from last year have popped up! That includes Tigerella, Wild Currant, Gardeners Delight and Moneymaker. I am determined to be strong and strict this year and trim all side shoots and pull out wimpy seedlings but already I am slightly overwhelmed. I mean, I have the most flourishing kale plant, but it’s inside the grow house. I didn’t plant it there, I have never had kale inside the grow house, that would be just stupid. I haven’t even had the kale seed around the grow house. So the scary question is “Where did it come from?” Has the wind picked up the seed from the kale outside and miraculously blown it in through the door and then dropped it in the planter 10 metres away from the door? Perhaps one of the birds that has flown in from time to time has secreted (or excreted it) it in the planter? Or does Mr Kale have a master plan to TAKE OVER THE WORLD one grow house at a time, eek! Meanwhile I’ll keep using it in salads and soups etc. I have left the one outside in flower deliberately as it is over 18 months old and I plan to collect the seeds but the one inside was growing long before the one outside was flowering. </div>
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2FO42dMOda0/UI93mTnix3I/AAAAAAAAA54/84zmAYObX8s/s1600-h/growinghouse4%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="growinghouse4" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KBntoWYRIB0/UI93n9v1MwI/AAAAAAAAA6A/nFolnhAGut8/growinghouse4_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="growinghouse4" width="244" /></a></div>
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And then there’s the rock melons…. I planted three seeds in a little pot. Only one grew but that was okay and I kept watering it and giving it encouragement daily. Then I noticed something that looked like rock melon sprouting up in the bed of the grow house – two of them. I hurriedly planted the little one from the pot but alas, I don’t think it is ever going to catch up with its brothers, sigh. Of course, the rock melons are going to have to magically weave their ways around all the tomato plants too.</div>
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I have a theory about capsicum. I think that it’s vindictive! I don’t eat capsicum because it repeats on me – over and over and over again. But M likes it so for three years now I have been trying to grow capsicum. I don’t care what colour, red, green or yellow, it’s fine. I have a mini chocolate capsicum, bought as a seedling from a shop two years ago, but it’s sooooo mini once the seeds are discarded there’s barely anything left! So once, again I’ve planted green and banana yellow capsicum seeds and so far a big fat nothing! Just ‘cos I said I didn’t eat capsicum it’s sulking, hrumph…</div>
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But back to the strange few days. M is up north putting up a grow house in Burnie. He left on Sunday with the trailer loaded up and will be home sometime tonight, Tuesday. My question is, why is it that when he is away I stop eating sensibly? I always cook from scratch but what is my problem with doing it for just me? So instead of two regular evening meals with veggies what did I do? I ate a chicken leg on Sunday night and last night I went crazy and cooked a mushroom omelette. I have salad in the fridge, did I eat that? No. I have an assortment of veggies in the fridge and the garden, did I bother? No. Consequently I have made a vegetable soup for tonight and crammed as many veggies in as I could to have with my freshly baked sourdough bread. Soup is good when you have no idea what time he will be home. But I do this every time that he’s away. My theory is that because I can get so much more done when he’s not around to <strike>interrupt</strike> divert me that I end up doing too much for too long and then just can’t be bothered doing anything else in the kitchen. What else could it be?</div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5avQp7Lcopc/UI93pnSn3lI/AAAAAAAAA6I/OGB7dTJFWtY/s1600-h/salad%252520veg2%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" height="184" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-d-f1HmZ49tE/UI93q2wtuRI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/cBPzDqaJSrE/salad%252520veg2_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " width="244" /></a></div>
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But, to put the whole darn thing into complete strangeness – I woke up this morning with a cold. In one nostril only. Streaming all day, dew drops a major hazard and rib crunching sneezes. This afternoon I even had to have a little lie down. I have not been near anyone with germs, I only went up to the corner shop to collect the weekend papers once. If you leave it until the Sunday you can get both and have a real news fest! M has been away and I have not been outside of this house/garden for a week (that sounds a bit sad but I like it like that). So am I back to the wind dropping germs into my left nostril, I know it wasn’t a bird, I would have noticed. I think.</div>
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I haven’t even started on the story about the dog……… </div>
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<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Q9AKRP-rcPo/UI93sSzY3hI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/lqrz_xitBRM/s1600-h/p1010166%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="p1010166" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1HlNnDbUeDQ/UI93thxqu4I/AAAAAAAAA6g/c1eXHa5szDg/p1010166_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="p1010166" width="244" /></a></div>
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Jan</div>
JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-9587180469261414362012-10-25T18:44:00.001+11:002012-10-25T18:44:39.027+11:00I’ve just worked it out!<p>I was born in the wrong century</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4pXjjpBsMlg/UIjt37eVTgI/AAAAAAAAA4k/qwyRZ3D8f9k/s1600-h/nellie-page-exotic-dancer-nineteenth-century%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="nellie-page-exotic-dancer-nineteenth-century" border="0" alt="nellie-page-exotic-dancer-nineteenth-century" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8NJEA7FSXFg/UIjt5PRJB9I/AAAAAAAAA4o/bG_ehJ51eHc/nellie-page-exotic-dancer-nineteenth-century_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="211" height="317" /></a></p> <p>Meet Nellie Page, an exotic dancer from the 19th century.  </p> <p>I wonder what would happen if she tried to join a dance company today?????</p> <p> </p> <p>Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-68934382773805294342012-10-24T12:38:00.001+11:002012-10-24T12:38:55.046+11:00An email I received this morning -<p><b>I</b><b>f you never learn the language of gratitude, you will never be on speaking terms with happiness.</b></p> <p><b><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5VBasQnlCCA/UIdGVPCUIfI/AAAAAAAAA1A/gBqcQmWVrDQ/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3VegokjO4e4/UIdGWeL5SvI/AAAAAAAAA1I/3NGJGtBJCb8/clip_image002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="233" height="244" /></a></b></p> <p><b><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HqYl9FJUBjM/UIdGXi3BUyI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/y5EItBhIp5o/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image004" border="0" alt="clip_image004" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lQe_m_H_TEc/UIdGYhYPDZI/AAAAAAAAA1U/6BxLmKkkmz4/clip_image004_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="166" /></a></b></p> <p><b><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pqP7kdiHyjw/UIdGZnepNYI/AAAAAAAAA1g/kLfYGQq4bDg/s1600-h/clip_image005%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image005" border="0" alt="clip_image005" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mvdH2cKUvW8/UIdGbEzDdYI/AAAAAAAAA1o/67yxvfYAsaA/clip_image005_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="139" height="244" /></a></b></p> <p><b><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jq5IjDym9xk/UIdGcRls-aI/AAAAAAAAA1w/2pQNHAK6SWk/s1600-h/clip_image006%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image006" border="0" alt="clip_image006" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GUjBq29Ivoc/UIdGdTZCtYI/AAAAAAAAA10/aY4bYE1uUBQ/clip_image006_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="137" height="244" /></a></b></p> <p><b><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DC8nJ4wDCvQ/UIdGeobKlyI/AAAAAAAAA2A/iu_u0JxIFzc/s1600-h/clip_image007%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image007" border="0" alt="clip_image007" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FjF0RRcP8Gw/UIdGfxX2Q3I/AAAAAAAAA2I/TfpOJb7JuPQ/clip_image007_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="183" /></a></b></p> <p><b><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aGR8Blqzk6c/UIdGg2R2mdI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/FFsHJlYV3do/s1600-h/clip_image009%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image009" border="0" alt="clip_image009" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lGY_sed3uLM/UIdGiKQO4SI/AAAAAAAAA2U/I1LkxOoJu7E/clip_image009_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></b></p> <p><b><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TKHMO7ZSVwE/UIdGjMLvBcI/AAAAAAAAA2c/jppty3BkWsM/s1600-h/clip_image011%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image011" border="0" alt="clip_image011" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vlH6_GggKs4/UIdGkKBfYrI/AAAAAAAAA2k/vdptPMb1dOE/clip_image011_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></b></p> <p><b><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OVd-jB3It3I/UIdGlAJxSQI/AAAAAAAAA2w/JxgMf6Z53w8/s1600-h/clip_image012%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image012" border="0" alt="clip_image012" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-iBZ5i0B2dj8/UIdGmTdynNI/AAAAAAAAA24/ymbsQwC0Ecw/clip_image012_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></b></p> <p><b><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FdCkSqWfd0Q/UIdGnv3p-qI/AAAAAAAAA3A/8UPko6BD9hI/s1600-h/clip_image013%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image013" border="0" alt="clip_image013" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VHKW8WRIfT4/UIdGop1dqLI/AAAAAAAAA3E/oQcfdlUQ0uI/clip_image013_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="122" height="244" /></a></b></p> <p><b>A father and mother kissing their dying little girl goodbye. If you are wondering why all the medic people are bowing: in less than an hour, two small children in the next room are able to live thanks to the little girl's kidney and liver.</b></p> <p><b><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9FPzyeUjUjY/UIdGp1GQHbI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/lMbiZ9hoDQQ/s1600-h/clip_image014%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image014" border="0" alt="clip_image014" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bQsIPjbAFkQ/UIdGq5VtlpI/AAAAAAAAA3Y/c1c352pE2q0/clip_image014_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="214" /></a></b></p> <p>Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-40116771544965329342012-10-23T19:40:00.001+11:002012-10-23T19:40:08.056+11:00I love this picture<p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-y8VNRPFkquQ/UIZX3pbaoWI/AAAAAAAAAzs/lRGcVBbcwkg/s1600-h/there%252520are%252520no%252520ordinary%252520moments%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="there are no ordinary moments" border="0" alt="there are no ordinary moments" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bCIxTgy3HKw/UIZX5J5l6xI/AAAAAAAAAz0/z383tWOvmhE/there%252520are%252520no%252520ordinary%252520moments_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="287" height="338" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>That’s all.</p> <p>Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-1618973986275281252012-10-22T09:34:00.001+11:002012-10-22T09:34:25.175+11:00Losing Confidence<p align="justify">So here I am – again.</p> <p align="justify">It’s been a strange year, not altogether pleasant either. The times that I have been the happiest have been when I’ve been away from home. That’s not right, surely. In my working life, I mean when I got paid for working for others, my home was my refuge, my haven, and I loved it. I used to work in an area that had me assisting the homeless, dysfunctional, sick and unemployed so at times it was somewhat testing if not scary even. So to come home at night was an absolute dream.</p> <p align="justify">I’ve been outside of the paid workforce now for three years and I feel like I’ve lost touch with the world. I was confident in the work that I used to do and quite happily voiced my opinions when required. I usually had a funny story relating to the workplace that I could tell (never breaking confidentiality) and friends would ask for advise or just be happy to use me as a sounding board. But I also believed that I had such a lot to learn about living sustainably with gardening, cooking from scratch, baking bread and everything else that once retired I would be fulfilled. Hmmm.</p> <p align="justify">Now all I can tell people is how high the broad beans are growing or that my sourdough bread is coming along nicely or that spinning wool is not for me. Not exactly exciting for most. Somehow I have become a recluse, silent and nervous with people I don’t know. Staring at the computer screen, wondering why I bother. Nobody reads boring blogs and I don’t seem to have anything interesting to say. But here I am. I keep trying and I plan to go back and read some of my early posts to see how far I have come in my plan to live more sustainably. I know I have improved in some areas but lost out in others such as my personal belief in WHO I AM. I don’t know anymore and some days I just don’t want to be here – anywhere – it’s all too hard. But let’s stop there before I begin to wallow!</p> <p align="justify">One really, really good thing is that I haven’t had a cigarette now for six weeks and I have no plans to have any more. I knew it would be hard so I took advantage of the prescription available from the doctor which blocks the receptors in the brain with regards to nicotine. The drug itself has a bit of a dodgy reputation so I have continued to visit the psychologist and warned friends and family to tell me of any drastic personality changes. So far, so good. But then as I am a bit of a recluse that could be cheating. If only they could make a drug that blocks the receptors in the brain that encourage eating too much!</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-A48lQnQbCpo/UIR4MTXcarI/AAAAAAAAAxY/A7PylJtsLfs/s1600-h/P1010163%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LarObSOAWT0/UIR4ONXvVPI/AAAAAAAAAxg/5UWd6o8yZvg/P1010163_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>         <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Yr9kSQmcoZk/UIR4QbOXWSI/AAAAAAAAAxo/WDix6huaLEc/s1600-h/P1010162%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7wpJG6KNq7E/UIR4RrCn6GI/AAAAAAAAAxs/rRNqB1PfZdo/P1010162_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>          <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7Fx-4RvtvSc/UIR4T14LgYI/AAAAAAAAAx4/B77idS9QH_4/s1600-h/P1010170%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kUFryPYv-FA/UIR4VK7Wo-I/AAAAAAAAAx8/iwvm65W0Jw4/P1010170_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="justify">Yes, the Tulip Festival in Wynyard, Tasmania was last weekend, 13th October and my friend Sue and I drove up for a couple of days as neither of us had been before.  The flowers were stunning and we were both impressed with the town and its use of tulips in the verges and town centre. There seems to be a great pride in the town and after the Saturday morning foreshore market had been dismantled and removed there was not one item of litter to be seen! Very impressive I must say, as it had been very busy when we stopped for a mooch around. It was a lovely market, with a huge selection of items for sale at “real” market prices. It wasn’t full of cheap and nasty either. I even saw kitchen tools that my mother used in her kitchen that I remember, they looked as old as my mothers too but were still going strong. (<em>My mother would have turned 100 years old this year). </em>I was able to pick up a couple of cake baking pans and a small radio for M’s workshop, none of which was over $2. My friend Sue surprised me with an early Christmas present. She had spotted the perfect baking bowl for my sourdough bread. Once again it was similar to the bowl that my mother used so many years ago and is the perfect size and not too heavy. </p> <p align="justify">After the market and a visit to the tulip fields we went to the nearby Table Cape Lighthouse and climbed the 70 steps to the top for these magnificent views:-</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-E1fCok4rN1U/UIR4W4N35VI/AAAAAAAAAyI/zVgFlTQIV1c/s1600-h/P1010174%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jiVUp3bmIYo/UIR4YMwBlWI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/eM9CAs0q4FU/P1010174_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>                        <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CEZXF9TiN-4/UIR4Z6vGJ1I/AAAAAAAAAyY/RP_Cr112H6k/s1600-h/P1010177%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7V3Vn8KRRAA/UIR4bBa-R9I/AAAAAAAAAyg/eYBIqJMd-aw/P1010177_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="justify">The weather wasn’t the kindest on the Saturday, being a bit cool and the occasional shower of rain but it didn’t manage to diminish our enjoyment. The day ended with a spectacular fireworks show and we had the best view from the pub (the meals there are pretty good too).</p> <p align="justify">So, that was last weekend.  Let’s see if I can think of things to write closer to home……  Next time.</p> <p align="justify">Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-43644339036955858562012-08-07T15:26:00.001+10:002012-08-07T15:26:12.429+10:00War on home gardens - Canada town outlaws food self-sufficiency<h3> </h3> <p>Monday, August 06, 2012 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer</p> <p>Learn more: <a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/036709_home_gardens_attacks_self-sufficiency.html#ixzz22l17QcIy">http://www.naturalnews.com/036709_home_gardens_attacks_self-sufficiency.html#ixzz22l17QcIy</a></p> <p> </p> <p align="center"><img title="illegal-garden" alt="" src="http://grist.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/illegal-garden.jpeg?w=470&h=293" width="470" height="293" /></p> <p align="justify">(NaturalNews) A Canadian couple that has been growing a beautiful, meticulously-maintained front yard vegetable and herb garden has been ordered by city officials to uproot most of it by September 1 or else face lofty fines. <i>CBC News</i> and others are reporting that the town of Drummondville in Quebec is actually planning to ban all front yard gardens in the municipality beginning this fall; a move the spells the end of food self-sufficiency for many Canadians living in the area. <br />Michel Beauchamp and Josee Landry love to grow their own food. But the back yard of their well kept, Saint-Charles area home does not get enough natural sunlight throughout the day to grow the many varieties of fresh fare they have long enjoyed. So they asked their town's Environmental Services Inspector if it was permissible to grow food in their front yard, and they were given a verbal affirmative that this was not a problem. <br />"They used to have flowers growing, but Beauchamp has high blood pressure and wanted to eat healthier. So they planted cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchinis, beets, onions, and Brussels sprouts, among other vegetables," said <i>CBC News</i> about the garden. According to the same report, Beauchamp has lost an astounding 75 pounds since first planting the garden, and much of this is due to his having been able to grow and eat his own healthy food at home.</p> <h3>Drummondville changes its mind, betrays Beauchamp and his wife</h3> <p align="justify">But after the couple invested roughly $2,500 to install the garden, which is among the most tasteful and orderly front yard gardens that you will likely ever see, by the way (<a href="http://grist.org/list/city-officials-are-waging-a-war-on-gardens/">http://grist.org/list/city-officials-are-waging-a-war-on-gardens/</a>), Drummondville officials turned on the couple and told them that they would have to remove most of their garden or else face a daily fine of up to $300 -- and the couple was given just seven days to comply with this demand. <br />According to city officials, every front yard garden in Drummondville has to contain at least 30 percent grass, a requirement that Beauchamp and his wife did not comply with when they installed the garden. It does not appear that the couple was ever even told about the requirement; as they had previously received approval to plant the garden as it currently is. <br />When Beauchamp and his wife challenged the city on the order, officials did not relent, but instead gave the couple a compliance extension, telling them that they had until September 1 to rip up part of their garden. The two are still fighting the city over the issue, though, and continue to try to convince officials to do away with the silly ordinance. <br />"It must be a right to be able to grow our own vegetables on our land," said Beauchamp to <i>CBC News</i>. "It is nonsense to ban it." <br />Meanwhile, Drummondville officials are moving forward with a new ordinance that will completely restrict front yard gardens altogether, no matter their size, which puts Beauchamp and his wife and many others out of the food self-sufficiency business. Since many back yards in the area are too small or do not receive the proper amounts of natural sunlight, many areas' residents will essentially be restricted from ever growing their own food unless they move.</p> <h3>Food oppression also escalating in the U.S.</h3> Similar jack-booted oppression by local officials is taking place in the U.S. as well, including in Tulsa, Okla., where a woman recently had her entire front yard garden illegally bulldozed by city officials (<a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/036234_edible_landscaping_medicinal_plants_Tulsa.html">http://www.naturalnews.com</a>). Similar cases of home-grown food destruction have taken place in Georgia, Michigan, and New Jersey. <br /><b>Sources for this article include:</b> <br /><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2012/07/18/drummondville-vegetable-garden-fight.html">http://www.cbc.ca</a> <br /><a href="http://www.sherbrookerecord.com/content/front-yard-drummondville-garden-deemed-illegal">http://www.sherbrookerecord.com</a> <br /><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2012/07/24/mtl-drummonville-couple-gets-reprieve.html">http://www.cbc.ca</a> <br /><a href="http://grist.org/list/city-officials-are-waging-a-war-on-gardens/">http://grist.org/list/city-officials-are-waging-a-war-on-gardens/</a> <br />Learn more: <a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/036709_home_gardens_attacks_self-sufficiency.html#ixzz22l1M5OOe">http://www.naturalnews.com/036709_home_gardens_attacks_self-sufficiency.html#ixzz22l1M5OOe</a> <p>I have shamelessly lifted this from a friend’s facebook page. This is too important to ignore and I hope that Australia does not follow in these footsteps!</p> <p>Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-64435544158941701062012-08-06T16:11:00.001+10:002012-08-06T16:11:06.130+10:00Sick, Sick, Sick<p align="justify">Since M and I have returned from our holiday in Bali we have both been sick. Chest infections, coughs, snotty noses. aching muscles and no, I repeat, no energy or inclination to do much! I have known M for twelve years now and I have never seen him take to his bed before, ever. </p> <p align="justify">We have had a few days here and there where we worked at maybe 80% of a functioning level but still the coughs continue. </p> <p align="justify">It has been a hard winter down here in the far south of Tasmania and the nights have been very cold. A lot of the days have been too, and wet. I think a lot of our small country town has been hit with this dreaded flu as has the surrounding district. We have also had three deaths in a matter of weeks. We have another funeral to attend tomorrow. One of the deaths was possibly flu related but the others were bowel cancer in one and old age in the other. Friends have taken to their beds and I have become almost a hermit. I don’t want to infect anyone although I don’t think I am contagious any longer, but I also don’t want to mix with anyone who could be sick. I’m just so over feeling like crap I don’t want any more germs!</p> <p align="justify">Now, having had my major whine I can report that I did have a wonderful three days with my friend Sue who turned 60 recently. She also wanted to avoid the ra-ra-ra that comes with a significant birthday here in our town, so we beat a hasty retreat to Cradle Mountain. </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3ZO-sIlaITI/UB9ftQhBvMI/AAAAAAAAAu4/HOkuYl2N8mU/s1600-h/cradle%252520mountain%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dhP08Fc6W9A/UB9fuekTs_I/AAAAAAAAAvA/T6f46KYhGho/cradle%252520mountain_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> We stayed at the Lodge and what a fabulous place to stay. Within an hour of booking in there was a knock on our cabin door and one of the staff members stood with a bucket of ice containing a bottle of Tasmanian Sparkling Wine “for the birthday girl”. What a fabulous surprise. They knew it was Sue’s 60th birthday as I had ordered a surprise birthday cake for after our dinner that night.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-wFpNpBiypQk/UB9fvJ4GetI/AAAAAAAAAvI/360tkBFbIMc/s1600-h/sues%252520cake%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-4WtT_gYbnxs/UB9fvhoYJoI/AAAAAAAAAvQ/jRRU0bc9IzY/sues%252520cake_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="justify">We ate in the bistro and I made Sue wear the tiara that she had brought to Bali for me to wear on my 60th birthday. Payback is a wonderful thing! We had a wonderful meal and I had managed to have a quiet word with our waitress about when to bring out the cake. Well, not only did these two beautiful young, women bring out the cake, with candles lit, but they also sang Happy Birthday to Sue too.    <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ggkUl9i6FRA/UB9fw65koTI/AAAAAAAAAvY/eH1U2VoigkI/s1600-h/sues%252520birthday%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-muqO-3puAV4/UB9fxdW9n7I/AAAAAAAAAvg/IWo5JfkwN1s/sues%252520birthday_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="justify">We finished in the bistro and asked that the remainder of the cake be put in the fridge as it was incredibly rich and neither of us could even finish the slice on our plates. Then into the guests’ lounge with big leather chairs and a roaring log fire. </p> <p align="justify">We chatted on with a young couple and met another couple who had also received a bottle of sparkling on arrival – and an upgrade. Why the upgrade we asked. “Because we just got married” was the reply. Once again I was impressed with the service and thought that the Cradle Mountain Lodge had towards their guests.</p> <p align="justify">We went back to the cabin before it got too late and off to bed. We were hoping for snow but knew that it was highly unlikely as the sun had been shining all day and was supposed to be repeated tomorrow. And it was. But first the car looked like this</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-JPLmOuiq44E/UB9fzLUuDmI/AAAAAAAAAvo/DlVNsqo-HVc/s1600-h/CD%252520ice%252520on%252520back%252520window%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mafYTsy9cJI/UB9fzwbNRII/AAAAAAAAAvw/2sPgN-fjiaM/CD%252520ice%252520on%252520back%252520window_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>                       and this                         <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ybUL_1Ma4Zk/UB9f04QDoyI/AAAAAAAAAv4/WaR5VGSS5q0/s1600-h/CD%252520Ice%252520on%252520car%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2a3p9NKtL8M/UB9f1SkbtYI/AAAAAAAAAwA/A278uCpL1R8/CD%252520Ice%252520on%252520car_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">Boy it was cold first thing. We took great care walking to the lodge as we had been warned about possible black ice. The breakfast, which was included in the price, was A M A Z I N G! Just think of any food that you might possibly like to have for breakfast (or even eat anytime) and I think that it was in the buffet. We thought that we would try and be restrained so we started with some fresh fruit – and then greed and the thought that we wouldn’t be here for lunch took over. I had scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, mushrooms and a baby croissant and four cups of coffee (small cups). But there was everything from sushi – porridge – baked beans – salamis and cheeses - pancakes and even bread and butter pudding! I noticed quite a few men taking full advantage of what was on offer, two or three times! </p> <p align="justify">After breakfast we caught the bus to Dove Lake and walked as far as we could, first one way and then the other. We actually got too warm in the sun. It was a beautiful day.            </p> <p align="justify">    <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QYwI4J3l0uo/UB9f2_ZjzgI/AAAAAAAAAwI/Xn3ay_H1cYA/s1600-h/CD%252520Boat%252520shed%252520at%252520Dove%252520Lak%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XslN97gxFcA/UB9f3iLRSOI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/e3HfBjaYMH0/CD%252520Boat%252520shed%252520at%252520Dove%252520Lak_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> When we returned to the Lodge we had a glass of mulled wine each and decided to explore the surrounds. There were a few “easy” walks and one of those was called “The Enchanted Walk” which took us past the Pencil Pine falls. The mosses, lichens and rocks certainly had the feel of a fairy forest. There was proof that wombats were in the area but we had to wait until much later in the day for our sighting of the wombat. We saw lots of pademelons, wallabies and a very tame and demanding possum.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-u5od4ttQbfY/UB9f4nz3WtI/AAAAAAAAAwY/52wwqv014m8/s1600-h/CD%252520Pencil%252520Pine%252520Falls%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-16jvzKtwmrU/UB9f5TrFUWI/AAAAAAAAAwg/e_c29kDwJHw/CD%252520Pencil%252520Pine%252520Falls_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>                                <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qiQIXl0qIpc/UB9f62nmvqI/AAAAAAAAAwo/RYLsKu4JzaI/s1600-h/CD%252520Along%252520the%252520Enchanted%252520Walk%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-f9lS6QtP0Nc/UB9f7rcINLI/AAAAAAAAAww/QdmuzW5LuLs/CD%252520Along%252520the%252520Enchanted%252520Walk_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3t5syvU1rgg/UB9f9VIe3WI/AAAAAAAAAw4/vAhuRiwNj_I/s1600-h/CD%2525202%252520pademelons%252520curled%252520up%252520together%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-dtY7nrQ82fQ/UB9f9xAzshI/AAAAAAAAAxA/Jxo4_pFtBFM/CD%2525202%252520pademelons%252520curled%252520up%252520together_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p>Another splendid meal and more mulled wine that evening followed by chatting by the log fire. We had to leave the next day as this was just a flying visit but I will definitely be going back. The drive home was as uneventful as the drive to the Mountain had been, although the weather was definitely changing. We tried to estimate the time from A to B and we think it was around six hours, allowing for a lunch break and stops along the way.  I dropped Sue home, along with the cake we had remembered to collect from the kitchen fridge, and made my weary way home. To be greeted by M – in bed – “Didn’t you get my message – I told you I had the flu and maybe you should think about staying away”.</p> <p>That’ll teach me not to turn my phone on……….</p> <p>Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-34008775481225336242012-07-19T16:03:00.001+10:002012-07-19T16:03:23.677+10:00The new hoophouse workshop<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Eyfo2N0q2-c/UAejAvZWMHI/AAAAAAAAAt0/wJLYlonmLXY/s1600-h/PICT0176%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PICT0176" border="0" alt="PICT0176" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6IJRvQjyibs/UAejBVIrqeI/AAAAAAAAAt8/dqVHVPA_D2Q/PICT0176_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="right"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-T1O6zG1Nrdo/UAejChEQ4FI/AAAAAAAAAuE/wbxVByUWn9g/s1600-h/PICT0171%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PICT0171" border="0" alt="PICT0171" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Zh9hTTaKYl0/UAejDaz5noI/AAAAAAAAAuM/MivwiSbwWEk/PICT0171_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p>This is what M has been working on since we’ve been home from Bali. It’s the new improved model of hoophouse. It has the wooden floor to enable him to lay plastic out to cut to size. The plastic is then welded together and a hem sealed on the ends to have rope slid through to tighten the plastic around the skeleton hoops. This will make for a much tighter (and neater)fit and when the summer months come along and the plastic has more “give”, it can be easily tightened again. Plus, if the plastic needs to be removed for repairs or replacements, it is just a matter of releasing the ropes and slipping it off. No more staples, brilliant.</p> <p>Now I’m sure that it is a lot more technical than how I have written it above but I don’t have a head for that sort of fact. My head is full of trivia and I know that one day I will need one of those little bits of trivia in a hurry! So there’s no room for other stuff. But M knows what it is all about and is very excited to have finished this workshop. Now he can get onto producing the new proto-type of his relocatable, rural and commercial hoophouses (although he has said he would like new names – sigh). </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4AwOBu2RTzU/UAejG2OmeVI/AAAAAAAAAuU/11ykcm7qYSQ/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YWGp87SkJ3I/UAejIJ1AKFI/AAAAAAAAAuc/82ndSeU0e-I/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" width="244" height="159" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-G5MxbPfJqvI/UAejJuTBCLI/AAAAAAAAAuk/B6nR3jBXyIE/s1600-h/image%25255B5%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Yyb8KRxUrnE/UAejKj1gWmI/AAAAAAAAAus/LFEGLBfKO50/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="244" height="115" /></a></p> <p><em>         Relocatable                                                                         Rural</em></p> <p>He wasn’t happy with my suggestion of “Condom” (well it is plastic and slips on and off…..) so I’m still working on that one. He has had a number of enquiries from his website but had to complete the workshop to be able to build them through winter. </p> <p>The new system will make transporting them a lot easier too, so trips all over Tasmania will be coming up soon. It will be soooooo good (not to say reassuring) to have some business happening again. I’m sure our anxiety will soon be lifted.</p> <p>So fingers and toes crossed and I’ll let you know.</p> <p>Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-73094991618488360262012-07-05T19:28:00.001+10:002012-07-05T19:28:59.157+10:00But the day before<p align="justify">we had travelled south to check out some of the spots that are so popular with the Australians. When M and I had visited Bali in 2010 we had no interest in checking out Kuta or Seminyak because it seemed that they were the popular spots for a. the surfie crowd and b. the general Australian public. We wanted to be with and experience the Balinese people. But this time we thought well, we’ll go with the flow and some of our group did want to visit Seminyak in particular for the shopping. I have said it before and no doubt I will say it again, but I do not like shopping. Particularly if I don’t need anything and it’s just a “spend money cos I can” sort of affair. Anyway, we loaded into the car and headed south. Putu dropped us at the main shopping drag and we split into two groups, serious shoppers and lookers. Well, was I impressed? NO! I could have been in any Australian tropical town, with shops aplenty and bars advertising the weekend’s coming AFL matches to watch with a huge plasma screen in the bar. I don’t watch football at home, never mind when I’m on holiday on a beautiful island. So I dragged myself around, and I’m sorry to say I wasn’t being that gracious about it, and finally stopped at a cafe for a drink where we met up with the serious shoppers. </p> <p align="justify">We called Putu and he picked us up and took us to another beach at Sanur. This is known as “the old people’s beach”. Yes, we did see quite a few more mature people there but it was a pleasant place to stop for lunch, almost on the beach and enjoy the sea breezes. I would say that there are a number of Australians living there as we saw quite a few with dogs walking, jogging (yes they must have been crazy) and generally being ignored by the usual Balinese hawkers. We wandered the beach, enjoyed watching the local families having a good time and chatted and just enjoyed being there.</p> <p align="justify">The next stop was to be Jimbaran for our evening meal. All along the beach there are seafood restaurants, on the beach itself. What a magical spot. The waves were coming in, the sun was setting and the menu was amazing. Putu had told us to order the “family bucket” (shades of KFC I thought) but it was just a translation malfunction. I can’t remember the term now but it definitely wasn’t bucket.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QJZzrvv3aiM/T_VeQoKFEPI/AAAAAAAAAtA/YeibCKZtos8/s1600-h/jimbaran%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" border="0" alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9ZDjrbcOSM8/T_VeRjpoXSI/AAAAAAAAAtI/uh32jKIud-I/jimbaran_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a></p> <p>We ordered drinks and decided to try the local Arak, which mixed with orange juice was called an Arak Attack. This is not a drink that I could honestly say yum to. There seemed to be an underlying taste of diesel somewhere in there. However, four Arak Attacks later I was probably enjoying them no end!</p> <p>When the food came it was unbelievable. There was lobster, snapper, mussels, calamari and prawns, accompanied by rice and spicy vegetables. We ate and ate and ate. And all the time we were eating we were aware of the musical group that was visiting each table to sing a song.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4aIiDe2uyrU/T_VeS2HaPzI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/pWw9LW134XI/s1600-h/jimbaran3%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" border="0" alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8Ln0aPPCV8U/T_VeTk4tkxI/AAAAAAAAAtU/XOF_0I-hbBQ/jimbaran3_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a></p> <p>The musical groups at bars and restaurants all seem to know the same songs and perform them very well. We were serenaded with an assortment, from Cold Chisel to Johnny Cash. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-d1Q83rMX3Uk/T_VeUzJPQyI/AAAAAAAAAtg/-dhZ_yLJ2_8/s1600-h/jimbaran2%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" border="0" alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vnEJGOmZAhA/T_VeVz-YdyI/AAAAAAAAAto/xvlJbuX2t-8/jimbaran2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a></p> <p>The photographs cannot do justice to the evening. If I had the choice, I would love to dine there every night. Not for the food so much but the sensation of being connected to the beach, sea and sky. When the stars came out and we were able to watch the twinkling lights of the planes coming into land at the airport, and at the same time dig our feet into the sand and listen to the children frolicking in the sea, ah bliss.</p> <p>But we had to leave as it’s an hour’s trip back up to Ubud so we called for the bill. I have never had a bill that cost over 2 million before. The rupiah is crazy, there are a huge amount of noughts to worry about. About one million of the bill was for the drinks, that’s about $4 per drink for 5 people and the meal was $21 per head. For so much seafood that was wonderfully cooked and presented, there were no complaints.</p> <p>We all slept well that night.</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-86598081130833136912012-07-04T15:56:00.001+10:002012-07-04T15:56:22.067+10:00A special day<p align="justify">Whilst we were away we had a regular driver called Putu. He is the cousin of Suri who looked after us at the villa. She cleaned up after us all without a single complaint – even the dirty ashtrays! Anyway, Putu is a new Dad and his little baby girl Emita (apologies for any wrong spelling as I’m sure that’s not right) was one month plus one week old. This means in Hindu that it’s time for a ceremony. We were given the privilege of attending on a sunny afternoon at their compound.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-oIkN3qpRsnc/T_Pauq8wqwI/AAAAAAAAAq8/KRnl4YStYp8/s1600-h/baby2%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" border="0" alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ZFs5KmEdIHs/T_PavspnpDI/AAAAAAAAArA/12vW_Lmug34/baby2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="164" height="244" /></a></p> <p align="center"><em>The proud grandfather</em></p> <p align="justify">When we arrived the main man who was to conduct the ceremony was about to start. There was incense, lots of it; offerings and oil. At one point Putu’s father came to the table with two young chickens in hand. Oh, oh, what was going to happen here? Well, nothing as far as I could tell. Maybe something happened to them behind the scenes but we never heard or saw anything.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tR5-28KjC9Y/T_Paw1DnihI/AAAAAAAAArM/SjRFi-4Io-U/s1600-h/baby3%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" border="0" alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7dlLZa0H5QA/T_PayCdbIrI/AAAAAAAAArQ/jEd_Nd9UsFU/baby3_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="164" height="244" /></a></p> <p align="center"><em>The main table and offerings</em></p> <p align="center">           <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IfBuZ0cYXIE/T_PazfdoF9I/AAAAAAAAArc/91q1sxI9tm4/s1600-h/baby4%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" border="0" alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_nG3go0TiTE/T_Pa0Uw5fRI/AAAAAAAAArk/Jgc2Im1Fj_4/baby4_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a></p> <p align="center"><em>Guests looking on</em></p> <p align="justify">   This was a very casual ceremony. We couldn’t help comparing it to an Australian christening, where everyone is smartly dressed and children are kept quiet in the church etc. Here it seems that every day life continues around the prayers, even the dogs wandered in and out. Towards the end of the ceremony we were warned that Putu would be lighting three pieces of bamboo which would explode with a “Very Loud Bang” and is meant to warn the evil spirits to stay away.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vb2CwpcohB0/T_Pa13o2_oI/AAAAAAAAArs/HGR7krEZx1E/s1600-h/baby5%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" border="0" alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-x8xtkGqO8is/T_Pa3Nm_evI/AAAAAAAAAr0/4AXrKc-nzoY/baby5_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="164" height="244" /></a></p> <p>So we were all ready for it but it wasn’t that loud, didn’t even bother the baby! Notice in the photograph the hand holding the cigarette. That’s the grandfather who is a chain smoker. He is also a school teacher and we did wonder what the school rules were about smoking!</p> <p>And then it was all over. We all had a cup of tea and some snacks and a cuddle of the baby (of course), who had been very good throughout and we were then invited to have a wander through the compound. It became apparent that this family compound was pretty substantial and that they were not a “poor” family. In the next photograph you will see rice, which had been sent to the compound from around Bali, to be dried and bagged.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-M3-4uRtMO3A/T_Pa4RGt0vI/AAAAAAAAAr8/evpsLkl20dM/s1600-h/rice%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" border="0" alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XJK6E2vIoAU/T_Pa5dLD1eI/AAAAAAAAAsE/kVt6xDUIxao/rice_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="164" height="244" /></a></p> <p align="center"><em>Laid on the ground to dry in the sun (with the odd chicken having a bit of a nibble)</em></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PopACvKtJwY/T_Pa6ypMBZI/AAAAAAAAAsM/Al4rOL5ZVyE/s1600-h/rice2%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" border="0" alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MRbqyqLwMHk/T_Pa7zqaqeI/AAAAAAAAAsU/EvAixh7jyyo/rice2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a></p> <p align="center"><em>Gathering it together to be covered under tarps.</em></p> <p align="justify">Further along in the buildings to the left of the picture were the piggies. All 68 of them and all different shapes and sizes. I did ask some questions about how old before they go to market or local restaurants (I think I may have eaten a bit of one the day before in Ubud) but in typical fashion I can’t remember the answers!</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rGo5VbRYEXo/T_Pa98yHm0I/AAAAAAAAAsc/-Wh08fvYC2k/s1600-h/piggies%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" border="0" alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WTxuD4wk5Es/T_Pa-wueq3I/AAAAAAAAAsk/BIeZnSU9hIM/piggies_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a>      Finally it appeared that Putu and his friends were going to have “a bit of a session” in the local garage next door. There would be beer and food and the local arak. I decided that maybe this should be a bit of a boys thing and declined the invitation and the other two girl friends said the same so we left M and W with the boys to finish off the day in true Balinese fashion. </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YaTZxRtXTjA/T_PbAIhyR3I/AAAAAAAAAss/MPY0Dx1duPs/s1600-h/wayne%252520%252526%252520the%252520boys%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" border="0" alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-N6hLIIKpBQ0/T_PbA8zVrRI/AAAAAAAAAsw/J0wztaTFFCk/wayne%252520%252526%252520the%252520boys_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a></p> <p align="justify">They had a ball.</p> <p align="justify">More to come……..</p> <p align="justify">Jan  </p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-71058251587403648722012-07-01T20:17:00.001+10:002012-07-01T20:17:52.588+10:00What happened to June?<p align="justify">Well, June has been and gone and with it my wonderful holiday in Bali and my 60th birthday. That was the point of the holiday, I had decided two years ago that Bali was the place I wanted to be when my body clock ticked over to the big 60 (which I’ve heard is the new 40 in the USA – hmmmm). </p> <p align="justify">I wasn’t up to a big hee-haw of parties, presents and probably hangovers. Two years ago when we were first in Bali, staying in a villa in Ubud with a lovely family to look after us, it just felt right to be in the sunshine and surrounded by rice paddies. So, despite the lack of finances, we managed to get there again this year. And it was bliss. It was warm, serene, friendly and did I say warm? If you know Tasmania in June you will understand where I’m coming from.                      </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UKXruDRn9A0/T_AjmyYw9wI/AAAAAAAAApY/YFxMqDEMplw/s1600-h/PICT0004%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PICT0004" border="0" alt="PICT0004" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r1xVq1gu3aA/T_Ajn4UARXI/AAAAAAAAApg/_HU4L1pvMwU/PICT0004_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="justify">You see, I have been battling depression for a number of months now, not very successfully I might add, and I’m still trying to work out what it’s all about with the help of a psychologist. It’s early days yet but I am hopeful that I will be able to unlock this stupid head of mine and return to the land of “almost sanity”. Even in Bali, which is a place that I love because of it’s gentleness, I had moments of despair and intolerance. My friends who were with me and have known me for almost twenty years were concerned with the difference in my demeanour. These are friends from South Australia so they hadn’t seen me since Christmas. So I was open about it and we talked but no quick-fix was found – unless I choose to go down the road of medication. I’m not ready for that yet but I’m keeping an open mind.</p> <p align="justify">But, back to Bali.       <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kVrdyiF8W34/T_AjpGL6CGI/AAAAAAAAApo/l0tSL8UCThg/s1600-h/birthday%252520feast%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" border="0" alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_PFLsCEddug/T_AjqFleIUI/AAAAAAAAApw/At0rWQOvmVM/birthday%252520feast_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="164" height="244" /></a>   This is a photograph of my birthday lunch that Wayan and Suri prepared for me and my friends. It was absolutely delicious. Wayan and Suri and Putu (the driver) joined us for lunch and I was given the “birthday girl tiara” to wear for the afternoon. This tiara will be passed on to the next friend with a significant birthday so I will not be the only one to look ridiculous!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xzgu_srTyqE/T_AjrVd0k9I/AAAAAAAAAp4/KiKCVDtPniI/s1600-h/PICT0169%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" border="0" alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EFRat1hFd3Y/T_AjsW7msDI/AAAAAAAAAp8/SU69HpkfRyM/PICT0169_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a>  </p> <p align="justify">We had only been there for a couple of days which is why I still look Tassie milk bottle white!  Check out the next picture which was taken on our last day.</p> <p align="right"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-H-WUAIGMw_o/T_AjteTu--I/AAAAAAAAAqI/6hFqzE3GefY/s1600-h/last%252520day%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" border="0" alt="KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vuvNZZ9NHcs/T_AjufdsM8I/AAAAAAAAAqQ/2CQMpIvsj7U/last%252520day_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="152" height="244" /></a></p> <p>Looking a bit healthier I think!</p> <p align="justify">In between those two photographs were days filled with sunshine, swimming, some shopping (not a lot, I hate shopping), sight-seeing, sauntering and salivating over so much fantastic food! The Balinese people are such a delight, even when you can see that they have to work sooooo hard they do it with a smile. </p> <p align="justify">So a typical day in Ubud; well, up out of bed pretty early as the sun rises around 6am and the curtains are pretty thin, and make a quick cup of coffee in the kitchen whilst Wayan is at the market buying the fresh tropical fruit for our breakfasts. I take the aforementioned cup of coffee to go and sit with the others under cover in the “bale” by the pool where we might discuss what we will do that day or alternatively sit quietly reading whilst watching for the white herons and the squirrels in the trees.  Breakfast is at 8.30am and we wander around to the dining area which is in the courtyard between the villa and the staff house, by the peace pond which is filled with koi. Some of us wear sarongs, some in shorts and t-shirts, but none of us are wearing a lot of clothing! I will hasten to add at this point that M has a new thicker sarong and has finally learned how to wear it the “boys” way and not the “girls”, hence making it more discreet, although I did have to remind him that when you are not wearing trousers it’s imperative to take care whilst sitting!</p> <p align="justify">Breakfast always began with fresh fruit; water melon, honeydew and rock melon, mango, pawpaw and bananas, the sweetest butteriest bananas I have ever tasted. There was then a choice of eggs and toast or Indonesian. Accompanied by either coffee or tea. Wayan even went and bought some vegemite for those in the party who were desperate! Whilst we were eating, Suri would be whipping around all the bedrooms, making beds, picking up towels and sweeping and washing the floors, all ready for us to mess up again after breakfast. Then we would swim, read or get ready to go out. The masseuse came to the villa about four times to give hourly massages to those who wanted them, all for $10 each.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vEAZgqc2ElI/T_Ajv-6J7BI/AAAAAAAAAqY/CseLthJTyX8/s1600-h/PICT0032%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PICT0032" border="0" alt="PICT0032" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HbicDX7oa_E/T_Ajw_gKLqI/AAAAAAAAAqg/Ki3WX6QnYLg/PICT0032_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="184" height="244" /></a></p> <p align="justify">If we had decided to go out we would walk down the path alongside the rice paddies (no road to the villa so no traffic noise) and meet Putu at the road to be taken wherever we wished. I’ll talk about different trips another time. We might have lunch in town and then return to the villa later in the day for another swim and then send one of the guys into Ubud later (on the motor-bike) to collect take-away for dinner. We did drink an awful lot of Bintang beer but it was the most thirst quenching drink we could find and at $2.50 for a large bottle, the most economical.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vhhA0-h0MhI/T_Ajyg0gt3I/AAAAAAAAAqo/ZHi2WHY3F-Y/s1600-h/PICT0202%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="PICT0202" border="0" alt="PICT0202" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OavvqBdwyaE/T_AjztOjJzI/AAAAAAAAAqs/em6oKfRv3g4/PICT0202_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a></p> <p align="justify">The evenings were complete, sitting back by the pool, watching the geckoes and frogs and listening to the local ducks and something that we weren’t quite sure about. It sounded like an enormous frog crossed with a sheep. M can do a terrific impression of it but that’s not much use to you reading this! We never found out but all I know is that it was very, very loud.</p> <p align="justify">And then off to bed. </p> <p align="justify">It was the most relaxing, lazy, enjoyable, fun and friendly holiday that I hope will become a regular habit. Maybe in five years time we could go for three months. We wouldn’t be able to stay at the villa but I do know of a lower cost, long-term place with a pool that could be available……….</p> <p align="justify">Talk again soon,</p> <p align="justify">Jan</p> <p align="justify">ps. I’m still having problems with Blogger, sigh</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-32249062045439980262012-05-08T20:11:00.000+10:002012-05-08T20:11:14.947+10:00The Stella Awards - Words Fail Me<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those unfamiliar with these awards, they are named<br />after 81-year-old
Stella Liebeck who spilled hot coffee on herself and<br />successfully sued the
McDonald's in New Mexico , where she purchased<br />coffee. You remember, she took
the lid off the coffee and put it<br />between her knees while she was driving.
Who would ever think one<br />could get burned doing that, right? That's right;
these are awards for<br />the most outlandish lawsuits and verdicts in the U.S.
You know the<br />kind of cases that make you scratch your head. So keep your
head<br />scratcher handy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Here are the Stella's for this past year – 2011</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />* SEVENTH PLACE *<br />Kathleen Robertson of Austin , Texas was awarded
$80,000<br />by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over
a<br />toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The store owners<br />were
understandably surprised by the verdict, considering the running<br />toddler was
her own son.<br /><br />* SIXTH PLACE *<br />Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles ,
California won $74,000<br />plus medical expenses when his neighbour ran over his
hand with a Honda<br />Accord.<br />Truman apparently didn't notice there was
someone at the<br />wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbour's
hubcaps.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />* FIFTH PLACE *<br />Terrence Dickson, of Bristol , Pennsylvania , who
was<br />leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the
garage.<br />Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door
opener<br />malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse,
he<br />couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage
to<br />the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut.<br />Forced to sit for eight,
count 'em, EIGHT days and<br />survive on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry
dog food, he sued the<br />homeowner's insurance company claiming undue mental
Anguish.<br />Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay
Dickson<br />$500,000 for his anguish. We should all have this kind of
anguish.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* FOURTH PLACE *<br />Jerry Williams, of Little Rock , Arkansas , garnered
4th<br />Place in the Stella's when he was awarded $14,500 plus
medical<br />expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next door
neighbour's<br />beagle - even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner's
fenced<br />yard. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the
jury<br />believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the
butt<br />bite because Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard
and<br />repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun.<br /><br />* THIRD PLACE *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amber Carson of Lancaster , Pennsylvania because a jury ordered<br />a
Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she slipped<br />on a spilled
soft drink and broke her tailbone. The reason<br />the soft drink was on the
floor: Ms Carson had thrown it at her<br />boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an
argument. What ever happened to<br />people being responsible for their own
actions?<br /><br />*SECOND PLACE*<br />Kara Walton, of Claymont , Delaware sued the
owner of a<br />night club in a nearby city because she fell from the bathroom
window<br />to the floor, knocking out her two front teeth. Even though Ms
Walton<br />was trying to sneak through the ladies room window to avoid paying
the<br />$3.50 cover charge, the jury said the night club had to pay
her<br />$12,000....oh, yeah, plus dental expenses. Go figure.<br />Ok. Here we go!!
Drum roll ...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />* FIRST PLACE *<br />This year's runaway First Place Stella Award winner
was: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mrs Merv Grazinski of Oklahoma City , Oklahoma , who purchased
a new<br />32-foot Winnebago motor home.<br />On her first trip home, from an OU
football game, having<br />driven on to the freeway, she set the cruise control at
70 mph and<br />calmly left the driver's seat to go to the back of the Winnebago
to<br />make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the motor home left
the<br />freeway, crashed and overturned. Also not surprisingly, Mrs
Grazinski<br />sued Winnebago for not putting in the owners manual that she
couldn't<br />actually leave the driver's seat while the cruise control was set.
The<br />Oklahoma jury awarded her -- are you sitting down? $1,750,000 PLUS a
new<br />motor home. Winnebago actually changed its manuals as a result of<br />this
suit, just in case Mrs Grazinski has any relatives who might<br />also buy a motor
home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you think the court system is out of control and<br />America has lost ALL
common sense, be sure to pass this one on!!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even if that's not where you're coming from, pass it on because it's
simply</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mind-boggling. And who doesn't enjoy a mind boggle every now and then!
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I said at the beginning – Words Fail Me!
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jan</span><br />JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-18207173149545972612012-04-23T19:15:00.001+10:002012-04-23T19:15:24.485+10:00Goodbye Folks<p>At least for a while.  I keep getting a message that Blogger no longer supports my server and I can’t find anything, including my reading list. It’s driving me crazy.</p> <p>So until I can get my head around all these changes please excuse my absence.</p> <p>Oh, and any weird and nonsensical posts that look strange…….</p> <p> </p> <p>Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-86824258037343442262012-04-01T16:22:00.001+10:002012-04-01T16:22:40.153+10:00All Dignity is lost<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>Along with her feathers…..</p> </blockquote> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zliodzNcyXQ/T3f0IKiabzI/AAAAAAAAAo4/MiRYMPQoQn0/s1600-h/bald%252520chook%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-UerrGOAmWJg/T3f0JImuDQI/AAAAAAAAAo8/nDquasjZ_KY/bald%252520chook_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> (click to enlarge)</p> <p align="justify"> </p> <blockquote> <p align="justify">And it’s no better from the back         <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pzDStrqg6bA/T3f0KHc3Y4I/AAAAAAAAApI/5HVJPL4IxZM/s1600-h/backview%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bSCOX3QEjQA/T3f0LOc6qkI/AAAAAAAAApQ/5oLyPDQ1O54/backview_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> </blockquote> <p></p> <p>Poor Eddie, the matriarch is looking very bedraggled (and sorry for herself). </p> <p>Only a couple of months to go I suppose, hmmmm.  No eggies either. Not keen on that idea myself.</p> <p>Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-51049082348645181402012-03-13T18:09:00.001+11:002012-03-13T18:09:21.616+11:00Here we go again<p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rIqzw9n6Es0/T17ylQmJqBI/AAAAAAAAAoY/lUvrh6rGtSs/s1600-h/burnoffs%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4lifI2HL8d4/T17ymMflPgI/AAAAAAAAAog/a6EZLdt2X8o/burnoffs_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">It’s that time of the year that the powers that be, Forestry Tasmania, Gunns and private companies burn the coupes that they have already decimated by clear felling. A beautiful day turns into a cold and smoky evening. And not one carpenter, sculptor or craftsperson has been invited to check the wood piles for specialty timbers. It will all be destroyed.</p> <p align="center">Shame on you.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-65MhsI4nYaY/T17ynSsQDEI/AAAAAAAAAoo/4LpgJsHt3yY/s1600-h/burnoffs3%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3oooiziRawc/T17yoCF2i-I/AAAAAAAAAow/HBG29sx7qBc/burnoffs3_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p align="center">I hate them!</p> <p align="justify">Tomorrow I will wake to a smoky, dull atmosphere with possible char marks from embers. Some mothers will have to keep their asthmatic children home from school.</p> <p align="center">Shame on you.</p> <p align="justify">Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-46491808735236373672012-03-06T17:37:00.001+11:002012-03-06T17:37:55.369+11:00The one that got away<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Qo2Sz_tAYXw/T1WwvFZVCFI/AAAAAAAAAoI/vhzOTsZArOI/s1600-h/zuchthat%252520got%252520away%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Iuxc6XAMC1o/T1WwwR0DYGI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/S4XWZa5lAJs/zuchthat%252520got%252520away_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p>is the zucchini at the rear. In front is your normal sized vegetable with a tigerella tomato.</p> <p>The big beauty at the back comes in at just under 3 kilos!</p> <p>How could I possibly miss it? All those huge leaves must have been in cahoots but it didn’t work. So, do I stuff it and roast it; have enormous slices on the barbecue; or pass it on to M’s son who loves BIG zucchinis? I think that it may be the last one – at least we’ll know he’s eating something green!</p> <p>Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5559509514056793337.post-54792589881066352922012-03-01T17:47:00.001+11:002012-03-01T17:47:33.682+11:00The end of Summer<p> </p> <p>but I hope it’s not the end of this   <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FzsjcOZKjOs/T08bft4CJEI/AAAAAAAAAn4/60Qe4Q6kkz8/s1600-h/summerharvest1%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA " src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7YZ9d6eZRB4/T08bg4ppLyI/AAAAAAAAAoA/Qv2javpS6a8/summerharvest1_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> </p> <p>Nope, there’s still plenty to come, particularly from the grow house. But we have finished all the fresh plums. So I’ll just have to have strawberries on my muesli. I’m not complaining about that!</p> <p>Jan</p> JOChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00924386091393680487noreply@blogger.com1