Super moon and Sunday

Today has been an underpants day; a day where I didn't even bother getting fully dressed. What a great thing it is to have the peace, quiet and solitude where you can just wander around in underwear and no worry about being disturbed. I have loved it. Anyway, I'm sure that is more information than you expected to receive and you are now completely disturbed so I will move swiftly on.

Through the clouds

Spooky coloured moon

Last night it was officially a "Super Moon" where the moon is closer than it normally gets to the earth and therefore is much larger than normal. I was alerted to this by my friend and was looking forward to taking pictures all day however, typically, the slow moving storm blew over and then hung around and all I got was the couple of hazy shots above. She posted a couple of crackers as the front didn't reach her really. Typical. My fingers are crossed that this evening it may be less cloudy and I'll get some more moon shots. I didn't do a great job really and I do need to use my remote control as the shake from pressing the shutter spoiled most of my pictures last night.

Really heavy mist

I slept like a log, not even hearing the washing machine going at all so much so that I was worried that I hadn't switched it on correctly. The boys were barking a little bit every now and then but I was happily able to ignore them and it was about 8.30 before I woke up. It was super misty outside and it didn't clear for quite a while, the sun only really starting to show through when I was finishing off my watering round.

I don't need to intervene any more

While I was on the round I remembered to snap a picture of the first Clematis that I bought which has really taken off and is growing so well. It has shot up and is nearly as tall as me now and I have been fascinated by the way whereas before I had to really encourage it to climb, now it is clinging of its own accord to the frame. The other one is not looking so clever and I am leaving it this year, and I will buy another next if it doesn't recover.

Lavender not looking very healthy

The other photo I snapped was of the Lavender which was planted a week or so ago and really isn't doing very well. I am wondering if I should feed it, or whether maybe it just isn't getting enough sunlight as in that garden, under those trees, is actually very shaded, far more so than I thought it would be. I'm considering taking them out and putting them in pots on the balcony where they'll get plenty of sunlight, and I will be able to smell them from bed.

He is much more subdued, but obedient with it

After the watering round I took the cleaning washing and pegged it out. Ralf has been on his lead all day today and has been pretty obedient most of the time. I let Rambo out for the pegging up and managed to just about get him to sit and wait all that time; everytime he got bored and stood up he got another "sit" command and did so. At the end he walked along, behind me, all the way to the porch. I hooked Ralf's lead unto a handle of one of the windows in Room 13 so he could range, but not too far, but then moved this when it fell off and knocked Shiva over. It is now clipped to the hoop at the door which I use to padlock the room shut and this is working very well. Rambo didn't do quite so well as he kept trying to follow me inside so I put him in his enclosure for an hour or so. Boot camp is on and I am not taking any disobedience from either of them.

What could this be.....?

After breakfast (toast with marmalade if you were interested) I took the large pile of burning stuff out to the drum and got it lit; eventually. I need some more fuel for my stick lighter as well so I'll have to look for that tomorrow or when I am in town next. After this I did another surprise thing in the garden and I'm only going to show this picture and no more. Which reminds me, that needs another water tonight...

He is happy on his lead though

While I was out I had Ralf with me and I took a tent peg, and my new rubber mallet, and hammered the peg through the handle so he couldn't pull it out. I then left him to it and he was pretty good to be fair, playing with the kong which was within reach, dozing in the shade and climbing up into the long grass as he is here and chilling out. He doesn't seem bothered by the lead at all, which is good as it isn't a punishment, just a way of control.

The rest of my morning was spent watching some Aussie Rules and then the cricket and relaxing inside. I had a quick butty for lunch then took myself outside onto the swinging chair (which I carried back down to near the raised beds again) with my kindle and lay there for coming on for two hours, reading and then dozing. It was a lovely thing and the peace and tranquility of the village was amazing. Ralf was with me again, once more held in place by the peg through his lead, and chilled out in the shade all the time apart from when the english speaking cousin of the farmer walked past and Ralf was up and barking.

What I swept from the top section of stairs

When I came back in I had a lovely phone call and then decided to get on with the one thing I had planned to achieve today - tidying the landing and then sweeping it and down the stairs to get rid of all the sawdust, brick dust and residue from the birds trying to build their nest above the stairs. It took me nearly an hour with the little dustpan and brush (I couldn't find the big brush I normally use, and I got a much more complete finish with the little one anyway) and now it is lovely going up and down the stairs again with no dust or grit or rubbish anywhere.

Both sitting watching me work

I then had another call and we discussed dog proofing the tortoise house and also the flowerbeds by the entrance. After a while I went out to carry out our plan. I was going to put a little fence to stop the boys from running from the higher area straight across the tortoise run, and then later I would make a frame with bird netting on to protect them from our avian friends. Talking of friends, Rambo was out again and behaving himself for the time being and I was able to encourage him a lot in his training by making him sit and wait on my command. He still gets up and wanders off and he did this once too many times for me, then legged it when I called him, so I did the "pin" manouvre and today it was easier than the other day so I think, despite the fact he is still kicking at the traces, there is an acceptance developing that he is not number one and should forget about trying to be.

One of the posts dug in

I made use of the fence post hole digger that I had got for the men when they were doing the enclosure for the boys and I was impressed with just how easy it was to use. It bit through the earth and what wasn't pulled out when you lifted it was easy to scoop out with your bare hands. I know how tough this soil is, having dug the trench, and the two raised bed pits, and this was super easy now. I did both holes easily but then decided to put a bit of cement in to make them more rigid before mounting the cross pieces and so they are drying now and waiting for tomorrow when I'll finish the job. I then measure for the garden fence and it is 7m from the big bush to the steps so that is 28m of fence that I will need to build. I will do this during the week, as well as putting the next two raised beds in. My hands are almost entirely healed now so I will be back working again.

It was warm despite the clouds

I packed everything away, leaving the cut lengths and nails ready for the cross pieces to be fitting down by where they were needed and then headed back inside. As I was going to collect Ralf to bring him in I found that I hadn't nailed the peg in far enough this time and he had actually come loose. As a demonstration of how well this is working he had not moved from where he was supposed to be, almost as if he was still tethered. Brilliant. I was quite sweaty at this point, despite the clouds having come over, and so had a lovely long shower (where I also seem to have managed to unblock the slight drainage issue we've been having) and felt amazing afterwards. Ralph was again being so obedient and dozing in the sun pool at the top of the stairs.

Kangaroo steaks

I had put some tatties in to roast before going out to do the fencing and they were smelling divine when I came back in. I chopped my veg and sat and waited and waited and got hungry and finally thought it was time for the veg and then I waited some more and then it was time to put my kangaroo steaks on to fry. I have had a kangaroo burger once and it wasn't very nice - too dry, so I was going to try and cook these as carefully as possible to leave them juicy and tender.

Super amazing Sunday dinner

I didn't time how long I left them but I did them to perfection. The greens were a bit watery, but that's because I didn't really rest them after emptying them pan, however my roasties were perfect. I nommed the lot down with a beer to chase and I am now feeling very satisfied and full.

Since eating I have done this blog, walked Ralf and Rambo, let Rambo out, put him back again for being naughty, watered the Olive trees and the surprise again, and finished my beer. I am now going to pour another one and smile to myself as there is nary a cloud in the sky and so I hopefully can get some cracking corking moon shots tonight. I am going to set my equipment up right now.

EDIT

He found a comfy spot

Yep. I did it again. I hit publish thinking "ahh I can't be bothered with MORE sunset shots" and then it was beautiful and I couldn't resist. As I went to take the picture I was stopped in my tracks by the place Ralf had chosen to sleep; about the only unswept location in his reach while on the lead. Bless him. After taking these shots I decided to let him off the lead and we went outside for a quick test. He did trot off into the undergrowth to have a sniff but he came all the way back to me when I called. Now I think he is off sleeping on the hanging chairs as he likes to do.

So much detail to this picture

So, those pictures. here is the sunset. I love it. The rays, the way the clouds are. I could stare at this picture for ages seeing different things. It's going to be amazing up there when it is done and maybe I'll even get a webcam to show sunsets every day, and record them. That'd be a suitably geeky thing to do, huh.

Big clouds the other direction

I also really loved the piled up clouds that were the other direction, and are now sweeping across in time to block my sight of the moon tonight. Typical. Hah. Any more photographs tonight will be for me only, or the blog tomorrow.