We had the mobile tower - where we get our internet signal from here, beyond the black stump - go down yesterday after our wild disappation - killing and cleaning a small piggy, and then Scottish dancing. I am planning on doing a roast sucking pig (my neighbor had an excess of piglets.), which will be a challenge for me, and my oven. Today's adventures did not iclude more work on the shed roof as the wind was howling like a demented banshee. Instead I followed up on quilly's garlic bulbil advice and planted 4 rows of them as well as carrots, beets, broccoli and parsnips. I also put the firs 20 cloves of garlic in... I know it is late for brocolli etc. the trouble is I hate rooting out the tomatoes while they're stll bearing.
I finished going through THE FORLORN - the first book I had published back in 1999 - which was something I had submitted to Baen in 1997, and had finished a couple of years earlier and tried all manner of UK publishers. I'm not generally very polite aboutthe publishing industry, but the US industry is a lot nicer mannered and behaved than the UK. I only started with the UK because in South Africa that was where most of our books (even by US writers) came from, and I didn't know any better - no internet, no idea of the world I was trying to get into. The rights to the Forlrn have now reverted to me, and it is odd reading something by a much younger and very different person. I almost feel I knew the author.
Tomorrow Barbs is going to try her hand at pottery. I think I'll stick to chainsaw art of the cut wood kind.
The tradition in the American South is to start new garlic beds on the first day of winter. Though any time in the fall will do. Unfortunately I forgot how cold it gets up here and the ground was frozen. So I put them in a jar in the garage. When we had a clear warming trend this past weekend I decided to plant. The Bubils decided that this was the right time as well, just enough recent warmth to tell them "wakey wakey!". They had little sprouts growing out. Tripp and I planted over 75 and had over a hundred left to give to friends. That was the bubil harvest from about 16 stalks this past summer.
ReplyDeleteAfter a nice winter nap, they should start poking their heads up there.
I've got one volunteer up already. We only get a few days of mild frost so they grow right through winter here. I hope to get several hundred going - in the medium term I wouldn't say no to getting us to having some to sell, and they're a great trade item.
DeleteI hope Barbs will come post here again and let us know how the pottery works out. And how she like wallaby! ;-) Perhaps you will start taking your tea off of your own handmade plates...
ReplyDeleteI'll ask her. I wish she would too. I gather it was a lot of fun but quite a lot harder than you think.
DeleteIs Barb still thinking about knitting and/or crocheting? I have some dribs and drabs of handspun wool I'd be willing to send her. Not enough of any one kind to make a sweater, but enough for maybe a small rug or hats or whatever. All natural color, of varying weights. The wool from which it came was basically free to me; I already have more yarn than I can easily house, so I'd be delighted to see it go to a good home.
ReplyDeleteLisa S. in Seattle.
She knits on and off. Spinning I suspect if anyone does, it will be me. I'll ask her.
DeleteThis is finished yarn, Dave. It would be almost like sending coal to Newcastle to send you unspun wool.
DeleteLisa S. in Seattle
From Barbs - Hi,
DeleteI would love to have any scraps of wool you have going spare, and would happily pay postage. I had to leave all my wools behind in SA, and have been slowly building a stock here, but any extras would be most welcome.
Thanks so much,
Barbs