Some people know how much of a “greenie” I am and others are surprised, which always surprises me.
This week I NEEDED one of those watering spouts for the top of a drink bottle – you know the ones that they recommend for gently watering your seedlings? Anyway, I thought about it for a few minutes and then went to the shed and found a small nail & hammer and made holes in the lid of a used milk bottle – problem solved and a milk container repurposed 
. I felt so pleased with myself that a) I saved all of $1.95 b) I can now water my freshly planted seeds without fear of washing them away and, c) I reused something that would otherwise just go into the recycling system after a single use.
Tomatoes needed tying and I all my bike tyre ties were in service so I used some scraps from Fregie Sacks(r) – an idea I got from Alex, my business partner. We have very few scraps, especially now we make Mini Fregie’s too, so the ones that are left are thin and long…prefect for tying tomatoes! A visit will be made to the local bike shop next week for another tube to make more ties.
And, my third repurposing was to make seedling labels out of an old milk container that has been in use for worm liquid. They were so quick and easy to make & the black texta/pen stays on them really well.
Overall I am very happy with my efforts this week…. I really am trying to reused things before tossing or recycling…trying!
Sowing seed or Planting -
Planting
* 12 lettuce seedlings have been planted out but I am worried about the continuing hot weather and I find them difficult to protect as the dog keeps steeling the covers and pulling them to bits
Sowing (since my last post – they are almost on to potting up stage)
* Mini Cauliflower, Tuscan Kale, Baby Cos lettuce, Great Lakes lettuce, Waltham Broccoli, Mini Cauliflower, Pyrethrum (insecticidal) & comfrey.
Potting up (from the above list of seeds sewn)
* I have potted on 20 Waltham Broccoli and about 16 Ruby Brussel’s Sprouts
Planning for The Future -
* I am potting on as much as possible in the hope that we will be living at the Beechworth Property by the time I want to plant them (? 4 weeks) or close to living there or have more regular rainfall.
Working for the Future -
Managing Stores
* Helped my MIL to make a batch of passata from the home grown tomatoes (hers not mine!) so learnt the process of how they do it, how to bottle, what to use and when to do it!
Building Community -
• Have become the President of the local Toy Library – am working towards some funding to update toys and buy more large toys.
• Joined the local Playgroup to allow the kids (and me!!!) to socialise more and make new friends
Learn a new Skill -
• Making the passata with my MIL was a valuable skill to learn!
• I am researching the rendering process so that I can render the pig fat this year when we do salami in June – there will be a large amount of fat so I want to collect it and use it for ?both soap and candles. I believe that as we eat meat we should try and use the whole animal to minimise waste (the dog can have the bones). See here for one method.
• Working towards chain plying my wool for socks… haven’t done it before but have read it is a good way of making yarn for socks.
These are my newest car knitting project – they are quick, simple and effective. When you give them to people they screw up their noses and say thanks – that’s when you have to tell them what they are – and then after an explaination they like them… I think!
Scrubbies
I found the pattern on Ravelry here and used cotton left over from Dish cloths – fun, easy and mildly entertaining in the car!
A bit of a boring finished object but great for me to knit as I don’t do much “colour work” even if it was simple stuff. I wrote out a list of all the cloths I wanted to knit from last year and matched the colours I had so I am going to do them as “filler” projects.
Dishcloth KAL 2008 Mid February
You can find all the details for this cloth at this site. I have been plugging away at Wicked again and am enjoying knitting it for the second time – the smaller size is much better so far and I hope to finish it in a couple of weeks if I can drag myself away from the spinning wheel!
On Thursday I played tennis while my MIL looked after the kids – it’s what we do on Thursdays. My game wasn’t all that good, it was hot here and I felt a little tired. I felt very tired when I arrived home but Sam had already had a sleep and Sophie wasn’t interested in one so I set them up with homemade playdough and put some music on while I sat on the couch knitting (I also pulled out of a lunch date as I couldn’t face the kids running around and whinging over lunch). A very pleasant way to spend an hour, especially when you dig out a favourite album you haven’t listened to for a very long time!
When I was a teenager I LOVED Crowed House – I think I have all their albums somewhere – and I was desperately sad when they “broke up” and had their final concert in Sydney. I have seen them perform since then but it’s not the same. I pulled out their live album from the Sydney concert and listened to that. “Too loud Mummy” was all Sophie had to say about it! I used to know every word to every song… you know how it is with your favourites. One of my best ever friends
Can you see the fire weariness on my face
gave me Neil Finn’s “Love this Life” book which has the lyrics from 1978 (when I was not even 1) to 2001 and it has been treasured item but today when I heard “Hole in the River” I was shocked to hear the words. I really listened to it and it is so sad. Had I know this 18 years ago? Had I understood the song? Thursday it made me feel terribly sad. How horrible it is but how beautiful does Neil Finn make it sound!?! Anyway, I didn’t get a chance to listen to my favourites on the album or any more uplifting songs so it stayed with me.
But, to cheer myself up I thought I’d show a finished project:
"Helping" me block it out
Pattern: Wave and Shell Shawl by Laurie Osborne
Yarn: 8ply Varigated pink and white from The Yarn Barn in Bunswick – about 6 50g balls
Needles: 6mm straights
Project started: ? sometime in 2006
Project completed: 29 January 2009
Notes: A very easy knit but lost my focus several times. The result is lovely. I gave it to my sister – she needs things to keep her warm in Winter and I figure she can stuff it in a bag for work or leave it on the couch for snuggling. Next time I would knit two halves and graft it to get better definition on the far end scollops.
Work was pretty good – I had forgotten how wonderful nurse are and how much they do for unwell (and well) people.
I have so much to post about but so little time! Like Ruth wrote today, it takes about 3 days to get a post done! I’m off to work at the local hospital – my first shift in a VERY LONG time so I’m a bit nervous – new work place and all that… maybe some finished project posts next week…. have a great weekend!
I have taken the plunge despite my anxiety over whether or not people will like what I make and opened an Etsy store here. I received my wool back from Long Tops on Friday morning and set about dyeing it on Friday afternoon. It was lots of fun but a little tiring!
I just did 7 100g lots to start off…if any of those sell I’ll do some more and, if they don’t, I’ll spin them up for myself! Either way I will be happy but it would be GREAT to sell some!
I am not sure how I will go with Etsy – I have found it extremely slow loading photos which is a little frustrating with little ones running all over the place – mental note to do it at night next time!
Also, I just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to you all for your thoughts and best wishes – we are fine here in Myrtleford but it did come close to the Beechworth block!
It’s been an extremely harrowing 24-48 hours and Pete and I both feel that we had put ourselves in a position of extreme danger by attending that Wedding in Yarra Glen – thank God we left the kids with Pete’s sister in Melbourne. It was a surprise to see Chateau Yering surrounded by charred earth & smouldering logs & hay bales even though the 2 of us were aware of what was going on (I don’t think many others celebrating had much thought for it at the time).
As with everywhere there are stories coming out here with the Beechworth fires that make you sick and make you joyous – how can such a disaster bring such things. One of our close friends in bunkered down with his elderly parent in Carroll’s Road Mudgegonga watching for embers after the fire raced through last night/this morning. We have heard of one couple that have perished with their house. The land we had wanted to buy for so many years has been razed according to the stories. We are lucky to have so few casualties so far… One of Pete’s work mates called to say “we owed him one” (very tongue in cheek) as he helped build the containment lines that saved our Beechworth property. We’ve only lost 14 houses (? details are sketchy) here so we really are lucky.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget last night, the horror of watching water bomber as Bridal Speeches were made or the devastation we saw as we drove home along the Hume Highway this afternoon. Being told we were to stay were we where last night and that we couldn’t go back into Yarra Glen to get the other car or our stuff was confronting but nothing compared to what so many others are/have going/gone through. I could show you my photos but, as usual, they are not great.
The smoke is thick and the fires are burning but it seems our direct community is safe for now, I just wish our extended community was too! Our thoughts are with you all, wherever you are. Stay Safe!
