Eco building, Garden

CHANCE OF RAIN

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Unloading sand into the drive in preparation for the Flemington Permablitz

Leveling foundation of earth bag garden bed in preparation for the Flemington Permablitz

Dylan mixing clay and sand for the earth bags in preparation for the Flemington Permablitz

Clay sand mix for earth bags in preparation for Flemington Permablitz

Tamping down the first earth bag for our super adobe garden bed in preparation for the Flemington Permablitz

Aerial view of garden, our first row of our earth bag garden bed in preparation for the Flemington Permablitz

We have finally started construction on the two earth-bag garden beds we want to have tamped and ready for the Permablitz! It is exciting to see the plans starting to take shape in front of us, but oh there is so much to do before the day!

The first sight that meets your smarting eyes at most Permablitzes is a mound of compost so tall that if you were unfortunate enough to have it dumped over your head you would be lucky to have your nose in daylight. The main task for the day is moving this pile shovel after shovel and barrow after barrow from its current location to another one some metres away. Even those with the sunniest outlooks can find this a little uninspiring.

We were determined that our Permablitz would involve a lot more variety, some interesting skills to learn and some fun, less back breaking jobs like rendering earth bag walls and planting out garden beds. Unfortunately for people to render and plant they need some of the garden beds made before the day. That is how we, and our poor dear housemates, have found ourselves shovels in hands and wheelbarrows full for the last few weeks. Hopefully their sunny outlooks are not as overcast as the weather forecast for Sunday. Hold off on the rain dances please.

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Family, Garden, Travel

JUMP START THE SPRITE

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Dylan taking off the driveway gate in preparation for the Permablitz, Flemington

Pushing the Sprite car down the driveway in preparation for the Permablitz, Flemington

A large man in a small car is always entertaining

Push starting the Sprite car


Popping the Sprite hood

Water bottle in engine of the Sprite

Connecting jump leads to the Hilux

Connecting the jump leads to the cars

Austin Healey Sprite Logo

Jump leads

Austin Healey Sprite Dashboard

View out window of Austin Healey Sprite

An Austin-Healey Sprite has been holidaying at our house, but with deliveries of sand and stone on their way it had to roll on out. Purely for our own amusement we convinced our tallest housemate to take the wheel of this stylish sardine can.

Much to the glee of the RACV man visiting our neighbour initial attempts to roll start this “death trap” ended in a cough and splutter at the bottom of the hill. On closer inspection we discovered its owner had disconnected the engine, the boys made sure to thank him for remembering after we had run out of slope.

After an hour of jumper leads and noncommittal rumbles the engine jumped to life purring like a 500kg tiger with a bee in its bonnet. Taking a turn around the block, I had the unnerving feeling my bottom was just about to skim the asphalt, but anything as cute as this can be forgiven for being a tiny bit impractical.

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Garden

TO SEE A CARROT FLOWER

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Carrot flower in the garden

Carrot flower up close

Chook tractor where beetroot garden bed used to be in preparation for the Flemington Permablitz

Transplanting the lily pilly in preparation for the Flemington Permablitz

Beetroot harvested in preparation for the Flemington Permablitz

Sylan putting up a tarp in preparation for the Flemington Permablitz

Tying the tarp to the old clothesline in preparation for the Flemington Permablitz

 

I’m stealing a few hours this morning while the rain dampens our efforts to start putting up some photos of the preparation for our Permablitz. We have been working solidly for several weeks and I have neglected my blog terribly, as we have slowly been swallowed up by a growing mound of clay and so many earth walls to build before Sunday!

Although we are excited by the new design,  nostalgia made us solemn as we ripped up some of our old chook rotation garden beds. A carrot gone wild had started to bloom and I felt sad to deprive our bees of its pillowy blossom.

Since we started our little veggie path in July of last year I have never stopped delighting in the wonders of flowers, roots and leaves that I had never before associated with the produce from the green grocer.

 

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Travel

SUN THROUGH STAINED GLASS

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Wild native pea flower near Taradale, Victoria

Walking amongst the wildflowers in the bush near Taradale, Victoria

Heart shaped gum leaf

Curling tinder for bush buddy stove

Bush buddy stove burning tinder

Light shining through gum leaf like stained glass

Indigenous orchid near Taradale, Victoria

Wild flower carpet near Taradale, Victoria

Dad taking photos of orchids near Taradale, Victoria

Yellow native flower near Taradale, Victoria

Shadow on a gum leaf near Taradale, Victoria

Green and grey flower near Taradale, Victoria

Sheep running along the hillside at dusk near Taradale, Victoria

Cockatoo in a gum tree near Taradale, Victoria

The introduction between our housemates and their first Australian snake was an anti-climax, an eagle had removed its head, leaving it as aggressive as a piece of hose pipe. The cockatoos put on a better show, their harsh voices flying through the air and piercing our ear drums, but the kangaroos, suddenly alert as one, bolt upright and staring us down as our car idled past made each passenger question their worth and right to be there. Strong emotions at first encounters are always much more amusing.

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