Clothing Recycling

I am spending too much time with Facebook lately, though it does have some benefits. One of which is a local group, that I am involved with, that posted this link on their page. It is a 15 minute video that was made in November 2016 that describes what happens to the excess of clothing that goes to op-shops (charity/thrift stores) in the UK/USA/Japan. I wonder if a similar occurrence happens to the Australian excess. I think some of the comments of those interviewed could be more true than we would like them to be.

There is still much fabric to be sewn in my craftroom and I will be giving more thought to what I make from it and how much use it will have. I really dislike waste and I'm trying to reduce as much as I can in my life.

Cheers,
Robyn XO

My EU problem

After a 6 month hiatus from blogging I decided to start posting again on the first day of February, only to discover Google had decided I had to add something to my blog to comply with EU cookie compliances but as I couldn't understand what they meant, and I couldn't access my blog to fix it, I was very concerned.
In my searches for how to remedy this I stumbled on a way to contact Google about it so I sent them a message explaining the above and adding that I was not techy (my exact phrase), I was still trying to figure out Windows 10, my blog had been around for nearly 9 years and it was beyond my ability to keep up with all the new upgrades, all the time.

I didn't receive any acknowledgement of my message but, in true masochistic style, I just had to check my blog today to see if I could sign in.

Someone, possibly a technician, had corrected my access and cookie message problem and by using a checking method provided by geopeeker I was able to see what an EU country reads on my blog header.
The grey band with the white print is the latest addition.

I didn't think to write down the process when I was trying to figure this out as I was quite distressed about it.  I'm hoping that others who suddenly discover they need to add this to their blogs aren't locked out and can figure out how to make the alterations or how to ask Google for help.

Cheers,
Robyn xo

Winter Work_outside

It has been busy here the last month. The BIL visited for 3 weeks and helped PC move, clear and repair.

The before photos of the garden were taken on a visit I made mid June 2016 but the start of the clearing and reorganising didn't begin till about December 2016. Moving the rocks is an ongoing project and is time and energy consuming.

The Peach Tree Garden just needs some stepping stones, of which we have plenty, and then it can be planted with more herbs and veges.

Before

At present

The South-East Garden is finally rock, carpet and weed free and I'm planning beans along the south fence, where the cherry tomatoes were last Summer, and the tomatoes will go along the East fence. I'm about to decide which seeds I will germinate now to plant in front of the beans and tomatoes. With just the two of us, and some things that PC doesn't eat, it will be an interesting procedure.

A bit wild and wandering!

Rocking the rock to roll it out of the garden.

Ripping out old nylon carpet that previous owners placed in ALL the gardens for weed prevention.

Ready for composting, mulching and then planting in Spring

The Central garden area is still a work in progress because the rocks, and old carpet, need to be moved across the path and we don't wish to damage the path. At the moment all we have to move them is the diesel forklift and, at a weight of 3 tons, it will make the path rubble. We'll keep chipping at the rocks till we have another solution.

 

In the meantime Maddy is the main supervisor (as usual!) and Kevin and Co have full run of the front yard.....as that is on the future list.

Cheers,

Robyn Louise XO

Dribs and drabs

Hi all, I don't like posting only text in my blog posts but at the moment there are so many varied things and jobs happening that none are actually at completion stage. They are all being done in dribs and drabs. I feel like I'd be offering an unfinished book that has half a dozen side stories going, that intertwine and are necessary to the main one, and no completion date if I published the photos of the projects so far.

However, there's always time to enjoy a sunrise and an afternoon smoko break 😊.

Cheers,

RobynLouise XO

First Day (Night?) of Winter

It was officially Winter here on the 1st of June, however I think it was Winter, thanks to Mother Nature, last night as it was absolutely freezing at -5C! The dog's and the chicken's water containers had an inch of ice on the top that needed to be broken and the containers placed in the sun. What really surprised me though was this:

See the ice in the top right corner of the container?

I have been sprouting wheat in large flat trays to give to the hens and I keep it on the bench in the laundry. The laundry is outside and is usually fairly warm, due to the insulation in the roof/walls, in Winter. I was stunned to discover this, especially as it was 10am, when I found it!

Strangely enough it was a lovely warm day and I could garden in just a t-shirt and jeans.

Cheers,
Robyn Louise XO