Bungala Ridge Permaculture Gardens REDUCE ... REUSE ... RECYCLE ... REPAIR ... RETURN ... REVEGETATE ... REPLENISH |
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A Hot Start to 2003 So much happens in two months, especially at this time of year. The weather has alternated between hot and cool spells, with prolonged scorching temperatures causing much grief and tragedy in the eastern states with over a million hectares of land destroyed by wildfires. The risk of fire is never far from my thoughts in summer and this year the sad situation interstate propelled us into action. We cut down and mulched some wonderful grevilleas and wattles, all fantastic flowering and dense cover bushes that attract a huge variety of small birds. With little regard for proper catastrophe planning we had planted lots of bushes around the house to act as windbreaks and to attract the birds. Robin set about and installed sprinklers on the roof and sprayers under the floor and around the verandah, but we knew that if a fire came racing up the hill our beautiful garden would burst into flames taking our house with it. Roger, our eldest son, took the plunge and purchased a house, less than a kilometre from home, with the intention of renting it out for a few years. It is a sharp reminder that we are all growing older! Craig and Jo bought Don and Bessy's property just below us - 13 acres of lovely hillside overlooking the museum, youth park and aged care facility. They plan to develop the property along permaculture lines, adding another permie property to the many already along this hill. We are very pleased to have permaculture neighbours to chat to and share ideas with. My new year resolutions to change my diet slipped by the wayside, but I'm determined to pick up the challenge again. The vegetable garden looks good, with deep pea straw mulch and plenty of fertiliser to jog it along. I wasn't quick enough and didn't plant a continuous crop of lettuce, much to my dismay - I love my salads, but the various green leaves in the garden are proving to be an okay substitutes. In the hot weather we eat a lot of salad. I find that if I water the garden daily, by hose directed at each plant, the garden remains green. It's difficult to use overhead sprinklers on this site in any case - the wind simply blows the water away. Once again we are having an extremely windy summer. My Professional Writing studies at TAFE begin again this month, so I'm busy preparing myself for a busy writing year. My young adult manuscript is finished and in the revision stage, and I'm working on a screenplay, something I've never attempted before, so that will be fun. Meanwhile I continue to work on my websites. I've just uploaded a new page - The Ceduna 2002 Total Eclipse of the Sun with some beaut photos taken by Robin with his SLR camera.
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