Manna from Heaven required...

A widening chasm was developing where the
water enters the dam

After a 35mm downpour in November our dam entrance gully took a hammering.  When RMan plowed the fodder fields in order to remove the weeds a whole bunch of stones were exposed, so those have been used to fill in / support the ever widening / deepening gully. 

Stones / rocks will hopefully prevent the chasm
getting any worse...

All we need now is some rain to fill the dam again.

Some serious praying and rain dancing needs to take place.  The water situation here is quite dire.

Our 7 X 5 000lt rain water tanks are completely empty...

Emptier

 our dam...

That looks like the bentonite layer peeping
through on the lower left hand edge of the
water

... is at it's lowest level since we added the bentonite to it.  We calculate that perhaps only 2 - 3 feet of water remains.  Not more than that.

The leaves of the trees are all curling
 up in an effort to try and conserve water

... the leaves of the trees, in self-preservation mode, are closing...

...and the local rivers and streams are drying up...

This weed inside
the duck enclosure
(under a shadecloth
"roof") is not a happy
chappy...

 ... and even the weeds are wilting.

We are desperate for some manna from heaven.

Our weather report for the next 9 days

Today (Saturday 24th January) the temperature outside is a stinking, claustrophobic and stifflingly hot 37oC (+/- 99oF) and there is no rain predicted for the next 9 days.

Taking into account that our rainfall for the past winter and summer months was, and is, well below average, I am very grateful that we are not having to financially support ourselves on what we grow as other (commercial) farmers have to.

Thankfully, our municipal supplied water is keeping our summer veggies alive.

Just.  (I shudder to think what our water bill is going to be this month...)  I have to store up whatever I can harvest to get us through the upcoming winter.

My strawberries have taken some serious
punishment

Figuring that the oats for the alpacas was more important, we allocated the mulch to the fields and fruit trees, and we're letting everything else battle on on their own...

The rain is critical to planting, and successfully growing the oats for the alpaca fodder.

So - anyone care for a dance...?

Following and commenting on blogs...

If anyone is missing my visiting / commenting on their blog, it's not that I'm not interested - it's not my fault.

why?

Well, I discovered the weirdest thing the other night.

Mum's blog is clearly
visible on my smartphone
dashboard

My PC and laptop Blogger dashboard is not the same as the one that appears on my smartphone.  I was reading the prelude of blogs on my smartphone the other night whilst RMan was involved with his sport on TV and I noticed that Mum had done a blog posting.

I tend to use my smartphone to check / comment on blogs only occasionally - preferring the normal keyboard of the laptop to navigate my way round the blogosphere, and to post my comments.  (Why do they make smartphone keyboards so dang miniscule?  They're more suited to a three-year-olds fingers than mine lol)

Mum's blog doesn't show up on the dashboard
on my laptop

But that blog posting is not appearing on the dashboard of my pc or laptop...!?!

How many blogs / blog posts have I missed because of this??  I thought that the blogs I am trying to follow were very quiet.  I thought they had all stopped / grown tired of blogging.  That thought saddened me.

Now I think I know the reason...

Mum - just so you know.  I have deleted my following of your blog and have then added your blog to my reading list again.

For those who don't know how to do that, it is as follows.  Go to the blog you are following / want to follow and find their followers gadget:

If anyone knows that I follow your blog, and you would like to go through my blog list on my profile and check if your blog is there I'd appreciate it.  Please let me know if your blog doesn't appear...

Is this happening with anyone else's dashboard??

It's a drag

So - RMan managed to remove most of the weeds by plowing - the plan regarding sheep eating the weeds (and their seeds) never materialized.  No, not through a change of plan.  After asking the shepherd for the sixth time we gave up...!

We didn't want to wait any longer - as the oat seed has to be scattered by latest March, field preparation time was a-wasting.

It turns out it didn't happen because the neighbours shepherd, who moves the sheep here and there to graze, felt it was too far to bring the sheep down to our plot!?!

The new fence behind the fruit trees

And RMan and John went to all the effort of fencing off the fodder fields.  It is a stunning fence in the same style as the paddocks we made for the alpacas.  Continuity is key :)

View of the new fence from the fields / driveway

So - the weeds have been given some attention and we've certainly fed the soil with the 2 tons of lime which has been generously sprinkled everywhere.

How else could we feed the soil?

The neighbour at the end of our road had straw bales delivered last year and they have just been sitting there rotting.  We asked him if he had a plan for those bales and his reply was in the negative.  When we asked if we could relieve him of them, he was more than happy to get rid of a very large rotting pile which had become an enormous mouse (and therefore snake) straw bale nest.

Straw bales being deposited onto the fields

In the past when we have purchased the round bales for fodder, and they have been loaded onto RMan's trailer by the seller.  We didn't have that luxury this time.

And the big round straw bales are heavy.

And falling apart after standing out in the open for so long.

It would have be impossible to get the complete ones onto our trailer, and the rotting ones were just falling apart when they were moved.

We had to make another plan.

After giving it some thought I came up with the suggestion of "sliding" them (with the aid of a rope and the tractor) onto an old piece of steel balustrade. Sometimes odd scraps of fencing / metal / wood come in handy and it is worth keeping them - even if you cannot imagine what use you can put them to at the time.  These scraps material of don't have to be an eyesore if they are kept in a neat pile.

The old piece of steel balustrade at work
moving part of a straw bale

RMan, his tractor, some steel chain, John and a piece of old balustrading got to work.

A strong chain is the key to a successful sled

Even the old broken bales were eased onto the makeshift sled with relative ease and schlepped up to road to our smallholding.

Where possible we unrolled the straw bale onto
the field prior to spreading the straw

The end result?

The top alpaca fodder field is now covered with a straw mulch  :)

That should help in preventing the surface residue lime from blowing away, the weeds from reappearing too quickly, and should help in retaining any much needed water which may fall from the heavens.

All we need now is some rain...

Homemade gift idea's

I was looking for something and came across this site.  http://www.naturallivingideas.com/50-things-to-stop-buying.  And - on page 4 (I think it was) - there was an item entitled : 112-incredible-diy-gift-ideas  I had to click on it, didn't I :)

Last year I bottled up my glut of strawberries in vodka and, slipping the bottles into an inexpensive hessian bag I found at our co-op, we gave those out as Christmas gifts to our neighbours.  Given that there is more than three quarters of the year left before next Christmas, I reckon there is more than enough time to make all 112 listed items ;)

The page is summarized (with links) below:

DIY Beauty Gift Ideas

Make someone feel special by giving them a homemade beauty gift. From a ‘Spa in a Jar’ to Natural Lipstick, we have covered all areas…

1. How To Make Coconut Milk Shampoo

2. How To Make A Spa In A Jar

3. Make Your Own Peppermint Massage Truffles

4. How To Make Your Own Pocket Mirrors

5. Make Your Own Luxurious Bubble Bath

6. Make A Natural Lipstick

7. Make A Whipped Body Butter

8. Make Your Own Bath Pebbles

9. Make Your Own Luxurious Perfume

10. Make A Miracle Anti Aging Eye Serum

11. Make A Moisturizing Lavender Hand Cream

12. Make A Luxurious Rosemary Mint Shaving Cream

13. Make Your Own Fizzy Aromatherapy Bath Bombs

14. Make Luxurious Lavender Lotion Bars

15. Make Lavender & Chamomile Bath Melts

16. Make A Lavender Body Scrub

17. Make Your Own Peppermint Foot Scrub

18. How To Make A Vanilla Extract Making Kit

19. Make Your Own Lavender Soap

20. Make Bath Time Tea Bags

21. Make Refreshing Citrus Bath Salts

DIY Edible Gift Ideas

Treat your loved ones to some delicious homemade edible gifts, may that be a cookie mix for them to complete, some delectable chocolate truffles or flavored vodkas for adults only…

22. How To Make Triple Chocolate Fudge Cookie Mix In A Jar

23. How To Make Healthy Granola Gifts

24. How To Make Spicy Almonds

25. How To Make Yummy Chocolate Truffles

26. How To Make Herb Infused Oils

27. How To Make Hot Chocolate Gift Cones

28. How To Make Bread In A Bottle

29. How To Make Home-made Rosemary Tomato Pesto

30. How To Make A Spice Rub In A Jar

31. Make A Spiced Hot Drink Mix

32. Make Your Own Homemade Extracts

33. Make A Chai Tea Concentrate

34. Make Homemade Limoncello

35. Make Your Own Flavored Coffee Syrups

36. Make Lavender Honey

37. Make Microwave Popcorn Packs

38. Make Your Own Coffee Brewing Bags

39. Make Your Own Flavored Vodkas

40. Make Your Own Tea Bags

DIY Gifts For The Home

Why not craft some beautiful DIY gifts that will look great in any home? We have DIY’s that will truly impress your friends and family…

41. Make Your Own Redneck Wine Glasses

42. Make Your Own Anthropology Rug From A Table Cloth

43. How To Make An Owl Pin Cusion

44. Make Soda Can Coasters

45. Make Your Own Memory Candles

46. Make Scrabble Coasters

47. Make Your Own Personalized Candles

48. How To Make Personalised Painted Mugs 

49. Make A DIY Lava Lamp

50. How To Make A Vintage Button Clock

51. Make A Cozy Bath Rug Out Of Old Towels

52. Make Your Own Mason Jar Spice Holders

53. Make Your Own Natural Branch Coasters

54. Make A Mason Jar To Go Cup

55. Make Your Own Epsom Salt Luminaries

56. Make Birch Wood Candle Holders

57. Make Your Own No Sew Woven Rug

58. Make A Lavender Rice Heating Pad

59. Make A  House Warming Gift Bucket

60. How To Make A Simple Felt IPad Cover

61. Make A Match Box Mason Jar

62. How To Make a Wine Cork Trivet 

63. Make Your Own Natural Car Air Fresheners

64. How To Make Beautiful Tile Coasters

65. Make A Cinnamon Sticks Candle Holder

66. Make Your Own Tea-Cup Candles

67. Make Your Own Colourful Painted Wooden Spoons

68. How To Make A Simple Mosaic Picture Frame

69. How To Make A Fabric Magnetic Memo Board

70. Make Your Own Fabric Coffee Sleeve

71. Make Your Own Lap Desk

DIY Scented Gifts

Scents can be personalised to your special someone tastes and personality, here are 9 DIY scented gift ideas…

72. Make Your Own Solid Perfume Pocket Watch Locket

73. Make Your Own Reed Diffusers

74. Make Cinnamon Pumpkin Candles

75. Make Natural Gel Air Fresheners

76. Make Fragrant Natural Room Scents

77. Make Your Own Lavender Mason Jar Candles

78. Make Your Own Herbal Incense

79. Make Beautifully Scented Aromatherapy Candles

80. Make Your Own DIY Potpourri

81. How To Make Pumpkin Ginger Spice and Energizing Foot Scrubs

82. How To Make Healthy Christmas Cookies

83. How To Make Christmas Macaroon Mix

84. Make A DIY Sock Snowmen

85. Make DIY Snow Globe Necklaces

86. Make A Snow Globe Lamp

DIY Gifts For The Kids

With seemingly endless birthday parties, giving gifts to kids can get really expensive! Why not make the effort and craft something that any child will love? These fun ideas will not only keep them happy but are a real treat to make…

87. How To Make A Pretty Baby Diaper Basket 

88. Make Your Own Sock Puppets 

89. Make Your Own Lawn Twister Game

90. Make A Personalised Bath Time Bucket

91. How To Make A Super Easy Super Hero Mask 

92. How To Make An Indoor Felt Hopscotch

93. Make Bath Crayons For Kids

94. Make Your Own Playdough With Natural Dyes

95. Make Some Jell-O Playdough

96. How To Make A ‘Build Your Own Fort’ Kit

DIY Garden Gift Ideas

Gifts for your green fingered friends are really difficult to find, here we have collected 10 ideas that are inspired by the garden that any gardener will be pleased to receive. 

97. How To Make Your Own Garden Gift Bucket

98. How To Make An Edible Birdhouse 

99. How To Make Pretty Garden Accessories 

100. How To Make River Rock Herb Markers

101. Make Your Own Glowing Outdoor Orbs

102. Make Personalized Terracotta Pots

103. Make A DIY Wind Chime

104. Make A Log Style Bird Feeder

105. Make DIY Mason Jar Lanterns

106. Make Your Own Seed Bombs

107. Make Your Own Decorated Plant Pots

1000kgs

As you all know from this post the ph balance of our soil is incorrect and lime is required to correct it if we want to grow oats with which to feed our alpacas.

We had previously purchased lime in 40kg bags, but that is the expensive way of doing it.

The storeman at our co-op suggested we purchase 500kgs bags.

That's more like it.

But, he couldn't source 500kg bags, so the next best was 1000 kgs.

Now, that is all well and good - they can load it onto the delivery truck with the proper equipment - but offloading it is another matter.

My boer (farmer) husband made a plan.

Even with the assistance of the driver and
his companion, 1000kgs is too heavy for
RMan.  Tine to haul out the tractor...

Driving his tractor to where the truck was parked, one end of a strong rope was connected to the bag and the other to the tractor.  Slowly, slowing inching the tractor forwards resulted in the bag being carefully dragged off the truck bed...

With the help of the right equipment, the
1000kg of lime had no other option than
to slide off the truck bed and onto the field.

... and onto the ground.

Now, it's just a case of sprinkling the lime everywhere and working it into the soil... :)

Free indoor games for winter

Do you like doing jigsaws?

Or are you looking for something to amuse the young'uns that is not going to cost you anything, and will / should keep them occupied for hours?

Or even a mother- or father-in-law... :)

Or a child sick in bed?

Did you know that you can fulfil your jigsaw urge without the necessity of the game having required the chopping down a single tree to make paper / cardboard, or by using 1ml of glue or printing ink?

And, an added bonus is that there are definitely no missing pieces lol

Almost 6 minutes into the jigsaw I have most of
the edges ;)

\

I chose to complete a winter scene - to try and cool down the temperatures we are currently wilting through...

There is something addictive (and very satisfying) when the sound of the correct pieces click together.

And, it didn't help cool anything down.

49 minutes later...

 Ah - the completed jigsaw.  If only it looked like that outside... :)

http://www.jigsawplanet.com/
or
http://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=explore&tp=2

If you feel like whiling away some time, please click on the link below the above screen print photo.  There are plenty of free jigsaws on that site for all ages - from 4 pieces to 300+ pieces.

Something for everyone... :)

Update: the link from Jayne in her comment below:
http://www.jigsawsgalore.com