Cowboy Boots & Broken Fingers

Easter Nesting

March 28, 2016chrissyb 4 Comments

I’ve spent Easter unpacking. We schlepped up the first load of our furniture and belongings from the old house last weekend, marking the end of our ‘glamping in the Northland house’ phase. It’s been fun for the last eight months, but was getting less so as time went on. There is a lot to be said for the convenience of a fridge that doesn’t leak (much as I’ve been grateful for the use of that incontinent fridge), and a comfortable settee to collapse into while watching the latest episode of The Good Wife.

Partway through unpacking

We are far from fully organised, but over the last few days the number of boxes lining the walls has reduced from fifty-plus, down to seven. I’ve been shoving stuff into cupboards and onto shelving any-old-how with a promise to myself that I’ll tidy it later. I find that hard. I like pretty storage, but right now just getting everything unpacked is the priority.

Hope you’ve had a lovely Easter. Here’s a bonus picture of Bonnie working hard at becoming Easter egg shaped.

Bonnie — getting fatter by the minute

Kitchen Sink Diaries

March 17, 2016chrissyb 8 Comments

Here we are then, back to review the story of that scary looking hole in the kitchen I showed you earlier in the week. You might want to settle in with a cup of tea, this turned out to be rather a long post.

So, let’s start at the beginning. Here for your viewing pleasure is the kitchen at the farmlet as it was when we first saw the property. It doesn’t look too bad does it?

BEFORE

Indeed layout-wise it’s very convenient, with significantly more storage than our previous kitchen. There is even a huge pantry with lots of shelving (cue for major excitement on move in day).

On a less positive note the insides of the cupboards and drawers are made of melteca-covered chipboard which is breaking down and separating, and many of the doors are wobbly and don’t close properly. There is also a bit much orange pine for my taste, and the small matter of it being paired with a pink benchtop — yup that’s right. Pink! And orange!

These aren’t earth-shatteringly urgent problems to solve, but since our kitchen is a space that’s constantly in use (we have a teenage boy to feed y’all), it would be nice to have:

Cupboard doors that function smoothly;
Cupboard interiors that are easy to wipe clean;
A space that looks just a little less like the 1980’s might roll up and claim it back.

So, I have PLANS. Not wildly expensive plans mind, not replacing the whole shebang plans, at least not this decade. I’m thinking along the lines of new hinges on wonky cupboard doors, and replacing the worst of the cabinet insides with painted plywood. Oh, and a decor reboot.

How about dark paint, white tiles and a wooden benchtop? Don’t hold me to that though, it could all change in the click of a mouse across a Pinterest board.

OK, now I’ve brought you up to date let’s talk about that poorly photographed hole in the kitchen?

Call me weird but I always find demolishing things quite satisfying.

That, my friends is where my first function-improving upgrade is now sitting. I ripped out a drawer and a cupboard with my bare hands (and a selection of sharp tools). After which came some adventures in plumbing, during which I discovered that when joining butylene pipe to a brass tee connector you don’t need to use thread tape.

Plumbing. All praise to my friend BH who provided invaluable phone advice when things were leaking.

Well. Really! I had thought that all plumbing joints needed thread tape. Thus when the connector leaked I applied more tape, and then more, until I gave up and resorted to the ‘ring a friend’ strategy. Bless him — the leak was immediately solved by removing all that tape, and this gleaming kitchen helper was plumbed in…

AFTER*

Welcome home dishwasher. Boy, have we missed you! I’m leaving your protective plastic in place for now as there is a little bit more jiggery pokery happening this weekend to sort out a power supply. Then we’ll load you up, press the buttons and walk away. And just in time for a new season of Game of Thrones.

* Yes, of course I tidied the kitchen before I took that photo. You think it normally looks like this?

Kitchen expenditure so far:

Secondhand Smeg stove (Trade Me): $350.00
F&P dishwasher (Harvey Norman): $1678.00 (ouch)
Plumbing parts for d/w installation: $31.00
- Subtotal spent so far = 2059.00
Income from selling the stove that came with the house on Trade Me: -$246.00
Total spent to date = $1813.00

SOLD!

March 14, 2016chrissyb 2 Comments

It’s done. The Auckland house is sold!

I know, after not hearing from me for a while you imagined I’d been strangled by rampant JC, or perhaps squished by the Whomping Plum. But no, I have in fact been pacing nervously prior to attending the auction of our old house (coz what if no-one turns up?), and subsequently celebrating (they did), packing more boxes, and organising moving trucks.

Goodbye house, we’ll miss you.

The old homestead had never looked as good as it did during the time it was on the market. It’s amazing what moving out all your less aesthetically pleasing stuff (bulging files of business and tax records, armchairs that one’s been meaning to re-cover for the last ten years, and the resident teenager’s collection of PS3 games) can achieve.

Look how pretty she turned out:

Kitchen – minus the dishes and cooking splatters of real life.

Living room – minus the clutter of real life.

After twelve years of being Westies it really is the end of an era. Although there is a bit of sadness about leaving the place, I know it’s in good hands. The couple who bought it had clearly fallen in love with it as much as we once did, and were very excited to sign the purchase documents. They take possession in mid-April and it’s nice to know the old place will have a new lease of life as home to a young family.

On the up side, now I can fully concentrate on the new property, and behold! I have started my first Northland interior renovation project. Oh my goodness, just like a REAL blogger. Here is a teaser.

Not my best effort on the photo quality.

Tune in on Friday for more about I’ve been doing with all those sharp tools.

Orchard — Before and After

February 26, 2016chrissyb 7 Comments

You may remember that when we took over the farmlet this mystery tree in the orchard / chicken run was being crowded out by waist high Jerusalem Cherry and some other, even taller, unidentified shrubbery.

Before -- the poor pear tree smothered by JC and root-stock quince.

Before — we are talking about that mess of shrubbery on the right.

The first big weeding hit was mounted by the Forbearing Husband soon after we moved in. Vast quantities of JC were grubbed up and moved out to the bonfire site by the barn. The unidentified shrubbery remained unidentified, and we decided to wait until spring to figure out whether it was friend or foe.

It turned out to be quince rootstock popping up from under a pear tree, apparently pears are grafted onto quince roots to keep them at a manageable size for picking. So… friend I guess. But a friend with a little too much presence. Like the person you once rented a room from who got overly chummy, and wanted to hang out with you every Saturday night.

After. Look, a tree!

I spent a full day wrestling with the over-friendly undergrowth, and this is the result. Goodbye quince! We like you, but don’t go trying to sleep in the same bed as your tenant. JC, you are just a common or garden stalker. Begone!

The poor tree looks a little stunted after its years of suffocation. I found this proof of life though, so I’m hopeful a full recovery can eventually be made.

Pear, complete with minor insect damage to prove just how organic it is.

I’m pretty sure a few barrow-loads of horse manure would help on the full recovery front. Now, where did I put that miniature pony who’s going to learn to pull a cart?

Vegetable garden

February 22, 2016chrissyb 6 Comments

I said I would start one, but then life (and unavoidable maintenance tasks) got in the way. Thankfully though Auntie Jean saved the day and planted lovely green things back in September. This was in addition to braving the swimming pool, and feeding everyone while Uncle Eddie, Deborah and I wrestled with the ailing stream pump.

First the veggie garden looked like this:

The garden that Jean planted; alpine strawberries, oregano, basil, sage, spring onion.

Yay for greens! By November it had grown into this:

Jean’s original garden is in the foreground. Silverbeet, tomato, thyme in the planters beyond.

And since then it’s sprung beautifully into abundance.

Silverbeet.

There really is nothing like being able to harvest food within 20 steps of your kitchen. This is permaculture’s Zone One in action.

Lettuces and a few chives

Due to the ubiquitous weed mat, everything here was planted in boxes and pots which had been left around the property by the previous owners. Before Jean planted, I filled them up with a mixture of soil, sweepings out of the chicken coops, and loads of pony poo. There really is nothing better for growing vegetables in than the stuff that comes out of horses and chickens.

Eventually I will relocate the silverbeet and tomatoes to a new veggie patch which is under construction outside the back door. My permaculture course friend Helen, and her friend Cathi-the-Pet-Sitter-from-Florida helped me with it when they came to stay. I’m gradually expanding the plot, pumpkin plant by pumpkin plant*, looking forward to a time when it will supply most of what goes on our plates at the end of the day. Big plans people. Big plans…!

* Grown from Uncle Eddie’s best Omokoroa pumpkin seeds.

Farm Projects 2015/2016: Part 2

February 11, 2016chrissyb 4 Comments

Here we go! As promised, my aspirational to-do list for 2016.

Just so you know Forbearing Husband likes to remind me I am an eternal optimist on all things. This ranges from ‘How long will it take to get from A to B?’ (my estimate is always around 3/4 of his — he is usually right), to whether he will win accolades and awards for his latest work (I am usually right).

Miniature climbing rose near front porch. Anyone know what this one is called? It has the flower size and growth habit of Cécile Brünner, but a red flower with a white eye.

So, it’s completely possible that not all of this will happen, but this is the plan:

Complete seven wire fencing in the strip paddock. It has full fencing on two sides and nothing on the other two. This project requires either: lots of dollars; or, a moderate amount of dollars, use of the resource, and me learning to fence. How hard can it be?
Trace the mains electric fencing and repair the various breaks and snipped wires so that we can get it operating and use it to keep ponies where they are meant to be.
Clear away the many saplings and shrubs growing through (and shorting out) the fencing wires in the top paddock. This is a job for The Chainsaw. [As I’ve been writing the Forbearing Husband has already started on this project].
Rehang the front gate and top paddock gate so that they open and close without dragging across the ground.
Have the shelter belts trimmed. Requires dollars.
Roof painting at both houses. More dollars.
Repair roof leaks in the tack shed and barn. Oh, and last night our bedroom ceiling leaked right above the bed. Lets add that one to the list shall we?! Mark it urgent.
Replace the laundry loo with a low flush toilet to ease demand on the water tank.
Track the stream water irrigation system and repair the breaks in the line. Also figure out how to operate the mysterious ‘Lever B’ referred to on the site water map, which apparently diverts steam water to operate the flush on the bathroom toilet.
Continue development of the larger vegetable gardens (see reference to slum housing in Part 1 post).
Have the macrocarpa tree, the one that that shades the chicken run and orchard, felled and milled for timber. There is an exciting possibility we might eventually use that timber to replace our present, rather uninspiring, 80’s-carpet-over-particleboard flooring.
Which reminds me that given the general 1980’s vibe through the house interior I’m keen to get started on some renovating. I have loads of ideas (1,100+ Pinterest pins!), and I am the woman who owns two shoe boxes full of Resene paint charts (including every iteration of the Karen Walker collection chart — I know, it’s just sad).
Weeding, weeding, always more weeding.

And there it is. My list. I imagine other residents of the farmlet will have their own ideas. The Forbearing Husband may or may not be looking forward to an archery practice range in the Seven Acre Wood, and I understand Darling Daughter has plans to construct a rope bridge to The Island. I also believe there is one ex-workmate who is terrifically keen to milk a goat (yes, you know who you are!).

‘Allons-y, Allonso!’.

Farm projects 2015/2016: Part 1

February 8, 2016chrissyb 6 Comments

Crikey, it’s February already, six months now since we started this adventure. Seems like high time we took stock of what’s been accomplished, and figured out a job list for this year.

Heartsease near the vegetable planters.

Let’s start with what’s been achieved:

All animals have been successfully relocated with the exception of the bees who still reside in West Auckland. They are packing.
The woodburner has been rebuilt. This was after the chimney sweep took one look and said it was in dangerously corroded condition. Apparently the chimney hadn’t been swept in several years. He took it to his workshop for repairs, and for three cold weeks in August the farmlet residents huddled around an oil heater and reflected on the meaning of the phrase three dog night. Unfortunately only two dogs and a cat were available.
Our mighty Davies B1 house pump was reconditioned after it broke three belts over the course of two days. Verdict from the local pump repair people: No maintenance for several years.
A new stream pump had to be installed. The old one died a lingering death, despite Uncle Eddie valiantly spending many hours trying to resuscitate it*. Verdict from the local pump repair people (who by now we know by first names and exchange baking with): No maintenance for several years.
The pool started losing water, and after lengthy diagnostic Googling I deduced that the filter gasket had blown. The man at the pool shop said I should get them out to do the job as it was unlikely I would be able to install it myself and I would likely wreck my new $50 gasket in the attempt. Well. Red rag to bull. I went right on home children, and I replaced that gasket. Pool fixed.
A banana palm inherited from my late Uncle Frank’s garden in Riddell Road was planted. It has been popping out new leaves and looks very happy. Chances are high that when The Samoan Mother-in-Law makes a visit we will be told we planted it in Quite the Wrong Place. Until then we admire it every day on our way to feed the chickens.
Auntie Jean planted a vegetable container garden which is now overflowing with lettuce, silverbeet, strawberries, tomatoes and herbs. A bigger veggie garden has been started to relieve this slum-like overcrowding of our edible friends.
Quantities of wire, roofing iron, scraps of wood, fence posts, old tarpaulins, rotted canvas horse covers, hundreds of rusty nails, half burned household rubbish and other abandoned objects have been removed from the paddocks and woodland. A truck battery was pulled out of the stream near the pump inlet. Mostly I’m focusing on my cognitive reframe — resource rather than rubbish. The truck battery I’m just angry about.
Many, many JC plants have been pulled up, dug up, grubbed up with our bare hands, sworn at, spat on and burned.

Not a bad start, if I say so myself.

In the next update we’ll review the to-do list. Sorry to leave you hanging. This was originally a super-long post, and when The Forbearing Husband cast his writerly eye over it he said, ‘I humbly suggest you split it into two parts.’. Wise words, because boring your audience is never cool.

Part 2 coming soon…

* Thank you UnklEd — the one-day-to-be-constructed stream pumphouse will be named the Uncle ShEd.

The Pool Stays!

January 30, 2016chrissyb 8 Comments

Three swims yesterday and it’s confirmed. The pool has graduated to become a long term fixture. After the temperature in these parts hovering at around 27° over the last week, I’m officially waiving that 90 day trial period.

All praise to the resident Pool Boy (that would be Favorite Stepson) for his diligent brushing and vacuuming.

I would write more, but laptops and pools are a bad combination. A glass of wine and a pool on the other hand… Back later.

The King is Dead —

January 22, 2016chrissyb 16 Comments

— caught last Wednesday in the DOC approved rat trap.

Skip scrolling down if you’d rather not see slightly mangled rat. I’ll add some spacers to help out.

Do you want to look down there, or not?

Are you sure?

Really, really sure? It’s very close now.

Ok, but don’t say I didn’t warn you…

Here he is. The Deceased.

Don’t feel too sorry for him. Seems he’d been sending his children out most nights to bring home takeaways.

He was a big one, and possibly the daddy of the eleven smaller rats we and Ella have scuppered over the last couple of months. After baiting with egg, corn cob, beetroot and pumpkin seed this dude was caught with an apple core. I can almost see him peering into the trap saying ‘Hey look, apple! Wow, and so early in the season too!’. Mind you he’d run out of little rats to send down the chippy by then so he might have been getting hungry.

Two days before this kill there had been another large rat in the trap, which we think may have been mama rodent. Since Ella has all but abandoned the project it makes us think that we’ve possibly cleaned up the rat population — for now.

It’s the end of a dynasty. But you know what they say, ‘Le roi est mort, vive le roi!‘.

Update on Doug and Friends

January 16, 2016chrissyb 4 Comments

I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that Doug the Dung Beetle and his sombrero wearing amigos are alive and well and doing the Mexican Hat Dance in the Strip Paddock (map below for orientation purposes).

The writing is a bit small I know. If you are like me and resisting bifocals you can click to enlarge.

It has been a week since there was any poo pick up, what with my right-hand pick up helper (that’s Favourite Stepson — bless him) away in the Edinburgh of the South, and me a bit preoccupied with visitors. It’s so lovely having people come to stay, and since for the most part it’s their first time at the farmlet I don’t want them thinking too much about dung (just yet). In deference to this I spent more time in the pool and less time tidying up after horses. It turned out to be not so much of a hardship.

So, anyway, today was the day assigned for a paddock tidy up. Favorite Stepson and I headed off with our gloves and buckets and got started in with vim and vigour. And behold: there under the pony offerings, were these holes, and this little lovely doing some digging.

It's ok, that dung beetle burrow is in soil not s**t.

It’s ok, that dung beetle burrow is in soil not poo.

Happy as a pig in mud. Dung beetle (possibly Juanita) doing the dung thing.

I apologise for the poor quality of these pics. I had Bonnie quite literally breathing down my neck while shooting. It’s not easy composing your close up and keeping the camera still while a pony nuzzles your shoulder. But I digress… Back to the beetles.

‘Is that a carrot you’ve got down there then?’

I had been a little worried that the population was diminished. I hadn’t seen any obvious activity for a while. But no they are still there, our dear little dung beetles, hard at work moving lovely organic fertilizer down into the soil. I could kiss them. Only I won’t. Obviously!

I left the vicinity an hour or so later feeling well pleased with our insect livestock, and as I unlatched the gate, I think I caught the faint strains of a cheerful Mexican dung beetle song. Happy Christmas dung beetles!