Check out Wikipedia for the full lowdown.
18 December 2010
Mystery Tree Part 3
Check out Wikipedia for the full lowdown.
07 December 2010
Agapanthus, Gum Trees and Ravens
We have been weeding around the base of our gum trees to remove one of the genuine 70s features of our block: the Agapanthus. Very 70s, very noxious weed. Very everywhere. Being very well established it is going to take a lot of time to get rid of all the agapanthus, which mass together in patches that have to be broken up with an axe and then lifted out of the ground in chunks! We decided to start with the two clumps that surround the base of the two gums closest to the driveway.
It has taken us a month to do this one patch. And when I say us, I really mean M. I did some of the chopping and heaving, but it was mostly M. This first clump has filled our two 240 litre green bins three times over: so it has taken six weeks to get rid of it. Given how much remains, we will be at this for about six to nine months!
M. sifted the last of the roots from this patch of agapanthus on Saturday. I tidied up the bottom of the drive a little on Sunday, removing the edge of a few agapanthus colonies, some ivy, fallen leaves etc. So, between us, this weekend, we filled two 240 litre green bins; a 120 litre garbage bin, a wheelbarrow, three old 80 litre recycling bins; 13 garden-waste bags; four buckets and one old Sea-Mail shipping sack! We're both knackered and got sunburnt too. It is going to be a long nine months.
So, to celebrate our first victory over the agapanthus, here is a cobbled-together tall shot of the monster gum and its companions.
As it happens, an Unkindness of Ravens recently took up residence in the top of our monster gum, the tallest tree in the area. We seem to have about a flock of about forty to sixty ravens. At first we thought it was a murder of crows (the tree is tall and it is hard to see them), but once they started craw-ing at each other, the penny dropped.
They start at about 4.30AM; fortunately/unfortunately, that is about the time we get up anyway, so we don't mind the discordant dawn chorus. The video below is posted for coz J. As opportunities arise I will try to get video of the Kookaburras, Crows, Magpies, Whipbirds etc., but for now the Ravens have frightened them all away.
[before (R) and after (L) removal of agapanthus]
It has taken us a month to do this one patch. And when I say us, I really mean M. I did some of the chopping and heaving, but it was mostly M. This first clump has filled our two 240 litre green bins three times over: so it has taken six weeks to get rid of it. Given how much remains, we will be at this for about six to nine months!
M. sifted the last of the roots from this patch of agapanthus on Saturday. I tidied up the bottom of the drive a little on Sunday, removing the edge of a few agapanthus colonies, some ivy, fallen leaves etc. So, between us, this weekend, we filled two 240 litre green bins; a 120 litre garbage bin, a wheelbarrow, three old 80 litre recycling bins; 13 garden-waste bags; four buckets and one old Sea-Mail shipping sack! We're both knackered and got sunburnt too. It is going to be a long nine months.
[The bottom of the drive, note the freshly-exposed boulders (middle right) that have been—and still are—playing host to ivy, agapanthus, blackerry etc
So, to celebrate our first victory over the agapanthus, here is a cobbled-together tall shot of the monster gum and its companions.
As it happens, an Unkindness of Ravens recently took up residence in the top of our monster gum, the tallest tree in the area. We seem to have about a flock of about forty to sixty ravens. At first we thought it was a murder of crows (the tree is tall and it is hard to see them), but once they started craw-ing at each other, the penny dropped.
They start at about 4.30AM; fortunately/unfortunately, that is about the time we get up anyway, so we don't mind the discordant dawn chorus. The video below is posted for coz J. As opportunities arise I will try to get video of the Kookaburras, Crows, Magpies, Whipbirds etc., but for now the Ravens have frightened them all away.
28 November 2010
A Few Light Changes
Remember what I said before about "add cool seventies stuff, remove ugly naughties stuff"? Well, back in August I bought a sensational, 70s copper light fitting off eBay. I really liked it, so I bid hard and paid over $160.
At the time we were so busy negotiating with the banks, loan brokers, agents, raising money, organising inspections, pest and building reports etc ad nauseam, that I didn't have time to collect it. And once we got bank approval we were so busy, packing, cleaning, moving, unpacking etc that I still didn't have time to collect it. So, reluctantly, I had it posted to me.
Luckily, it arrived in one piece. But once it arrived, we still had so many pressing things to do, that it stayed in its box for months. Boxes actually, because the lovely woman who sold this fitting threw in a second 70s, green-glass fitting for free.
Anyway, a few weeks ago I got started on the lights. I pulled out three of the fugly light fittings from the lounge area, and put in efficient, but bland ones, which we can endure until we can get something nicer. Then I pulled out the truly mostrous fitting from the hall, replaced it with the merely ugly one from the bedroom and installed the glorious 70s copper light fitting in the bedroom.
I then moved on to the toilet, took out a functional fitting from there, put it in the carport, and replaced it with this lovely 70s, green-glass tear-drop shaped fitting.
It wasn't easy, since the dolts who removed the original 70s features of the place destroyed the plasterboard underneath it in the process. All we have to do now is find a nice green and yellow wallpaper, hang a fern in the corner, and replace the tiles …
As for the wiring … who needs junction boxes when you can just connect all the wires inside light fittings. And who really needs to colour code wires? Colour coding is obviously for pansies. It is much more fun to guess which wires are which. After all, what could go wrong? (1st guess, the light wouldn't turn on; 2nd guess, it wouldn't turn off; 3rd time lucky!)
At the time we were so busy negotiating with the banks, loan brokers, agents, raising money, organising inspections, pest and building reports etc ad nauseam, that I didn't have time to collect it. And once we got bank approval we were so busy, packing, cleaning, moving, unpacking etc that I still didn't have time to collect it. So, reluctantly, I had it posted to me.
Luckily, it arrived in one piece. But once it arrived, we still had so many pressing things to do, that it stayed in its box for months. Boxes actually, because the lovely woman who sold this fitting threw in a second 70s, green-glass fitting for free.
Anyway, a few weeks ago I got started on the lights. I pulled out three of the fugly light fittings from the lounge area, and put in efficient, but bland ones, which we can endure until we can get something nicer. Then I pulled out the truly mostrous fitting from the hall, replaced it with the merely ugly one from the bedroom and installed the glorious 70s copper light fitting in the bedroom.
[truly hideous hallway light fitting, removed. What is this, night-club chic?]
[only slightly less ugly bedroom fitting, now in the hall]
[The copper fitting, throwing a golden glow]
[The proper context for the copper fitting; feature wall, teak and black leather bed-head, timber window frames; warm-coloured bedspread and two cats. We're looking forward to getting rid of the curtains, the carpet and repainting the walls]
I then moved on to the toilet, took out a functional fitting from there, put it in the carport, and replaced it with this lovely 70s, green-glass tear-drop shaped fitting.
[The new toilet light]
It wasn't easy, since the dolts who removed the original 70s features of the place destroyed the plasterboard underneath it in the process. All we have to do now is find a nice green and yellow wallpaper, hang a fern in the corner, and replace the tiles …
As for the wiring … who needs junction boxes when you can just connect all the wires inside light fittings. And who really needs to colour code wires? Colour coding is obviously for pansies. It is much more fun to guess which wires are which. After all, what could go wrong? (1st guess, the light wouldn't turn on; 2nd guess, it wouldn't turn off; 3rd time lucky!)
[The bedroom: like to guess what white is? And no, it isn't Earth; meaning one of these groups of wires should have been in a junction box. But which one?]
[The wiring for the toilet light. Note multiple holes and shredded plasterwork]
Carport ideas
This is from today's paper. Somewhere we have another image of a design which is a bit like it, with massive timbers used on an external garden structure.
We need a barbecue like a hole in the head, but we both love the idea of adapting this to an open carport or garage design. And I love the decking-cum-walkway-cum-duckboards. You see them in every bush path.** Anyway, we are considering making a path across the steeply-sloping front of the house on raised duckboards, rather than excavating and landscaping to make a path. It would be less work, no planning approval would be required, there would be more room for native plants … all good.
** I remember many years ago walking the South Cape Bay walk on the Southern tip of Tassie, which alternates between duckboards over button grass plains and shaded forest paths. I decided then that I wanted a place with duckboards! Of course, I also decided then that I wanted a place large enough to need them… Anyway, see the pictures here.
We need a barbecue like a hole in the head, but we both love the idea of adapting this to an open carport or garage design. And I love the decking-cum-walkway-cum-duckboards. You see them in every bush path.** Anyway, we are considering making a path across the steeply-sloping front of the house on raised duckboards, rather than excavating and landscaping to make a path. It would be less work, no planning approval would be required, there would be more room for native plants … all good.
** I remember many years ago walking the South Cape Bay walk on the Southern tip of Tassie, which alternates between duckboards over button grass plains and shaded forest paths. I decided then that I wanted a place with duckboards! Of course, I also decided then that I wanted a place large enough to need them… Anyway, see the pictures here.
Bathroom ideas
Like millions of others, we keep a clippings file. These bathroom pictures caught my eye, because of the little square, shiny tiles (very 70s, I grew up with a side-table topped in these).
What we like about this first one is only the wall of tiles, with a glass screen that is open at both ends. In this case there is a narrow, free-standing floor-to-ceiling wall obscuring the shower head from the facing wall of mirrors and the skinks. I have seen a version of this where the sink is on the free-standing wall. We couldn't do that in our weenie room, but I am sure we can think of something …
And we just love the tiles in this one. It is the right colour scheme for us, the fab green/blue/gold tiles and the massive black (slate?) tiles behind. The bath itself is butt-ugly, like the sinks above, and the OMFG light-fitting. And pointless, the bath that is. And we don't have room for one anyway. But the wall is yummy.
31 October 2010
Mystery Tree Part 2
Not a maple... maybe an oak...
This fantastic botanical insight from http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/Shumard_oak/shumaoak.htm and yes I am looking forward to herds of white tailed deer :) but its gonna freak out the girls big time!!!!
23 October 2010
Foggy Mornin' Coming Down
[Foggy Morning Ttriptych]
This is what it looks like from outside our bedroom window on a misty morning. (Click on the images to get larger versions.)
[Far Right]
[Right]
[Left]
[Far Left]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)