We also identified four new flowering plants this week - I must get a book on identifying fynbos as I am clueless!
We spent the week emptying the pool- first into two small dams so that we can pump the water back when we've fixed the pool and the last lot of water is going into the big dam. This week we'll fix up the pool, clean it then pray for rain! It's illegal to fill pools during the drought so it's just going to have to fill naturally - we have all the tanks' overflow pipes going in that direction now instead of into the big dam.
With the warm weather and rain last week the vegetables are doing well -cabbage, tomatoes, beans and spinach are flourishing and we planted coriander, rocket, beetroot, radishes and lettuce this week. We're continuing to bring in soil(from the local garden refuse dump) and manure to build up the garden. This week I bought 10 bags of horse manure from the young lady up the hill who owns two horses. She threw in a bag for free which was just as well because Jack will probably eat half of it as he did with the chicken manure, he is a disgusting creature sometimes.I also tried something which I'd read about years ago. Apparently whenever native american Indians planted corn they would bury a fish with every piece of corn.So - I went to our local fisheries and bought two bags of fish heads and chopped them into the ground where I planted my corn - will keep you updated with the results. I had a head over which I chucked into the hole I'd dug for my peach tree but the next day it was gone - I found the chewed remains in the driveway, must have been the mongoose.
We've closed off and secured a small area for our new rooster who arrives on Thursday; the new hens are arriving the week after. I can't believe how difficult it's been to get hens - no-one wants to get rid of them if they have them. My neighbour has been teaching me how to identify fertile eggs and incubate them so I plan on doing that with our new bunch of hens. I'm looking forward to meeting the new rooster - he's apparently a very handsome black one who was going to become someone's dinner because he kept fighting!
I saw Fernando this morning when I went for a run and he's looking good - obviously enjoying his new environment.
I also ran into the guys from the Brass band in the village and they told me that the big "Celebration Day" where all the bands in the district come together is on Sunday October 31st. Apparently they all meet at Spar Great Brak at 8am and then march and play from there, right through town and up to the church on the hill. It must be about 2kms. Definitely don't want to miss that - they play such happy music! I always feel like one of the rats in the Pied Piper of Hamelin when I hear a brass band play - just want to kick off my shoes and dance along behind them.
On Saturday I attended Outeniqua Quilters' Guild Meeting and gave a talk on the Silk Industry in Laos. The ladies loved the samples of beautiful Laotian handcraft which were passed around. Every time I look at them I fall in love all over again ( the silk weavings that is, not necessarily the quilters!)
This week coming I'll be attending my first craft class at the Great Brak Museum - etching on glass, something I've never done. On Friday I'm back there for Heritage Day - this time I'll be waitressing in the Tea Garden, they are having a day of celebrating our heritage and will be launching a book on the history of the Coloured people in this area, I look forward to seeing that. Saturday is Great Brak Market and as soon as that's finished Andre and I will be off to the Springbok Rally up near Oudtshoorn. Our daughter and her family have offered to come and babysit Grandad and the farm so that we can go and let our hair down with a bunch of bikers in the veld. YAY!