Summer, spring, autumn, winter?

What's going on?

Funnel cloud - Suurbraak end January 2017

Back at the end of January, one of our neighbours, Rogan, took this pic of a funnel cloud near Suurbraak.  We don't usually get tornado's here. 

But, I have never seen this before.  Ever.  I harvested the last of our pears and whilst I was toddling round the fruit orchard, I noticed something strange.  Something completely out of the ordinary.

Mid-February and the apple trees are producing blossoms - again?

As you can see from the pic above, I have apples (albeit, due to the extreme heat we've had, they are small ones) growing on my apple trees.

Then, last week, I noticed that the apple trees were producing blossoms.  Again???

Not just one blossom, but blossoms all over the tree...

 Whaaaaat????

Another type of apple - and it's also producing apple
 blossoms - in February???

If the trees are confused, where should that leave us humans?

From what I understand, apple trees need cold winters to produce blossoms.  We have had anything but cold weather here this summer.  Plus, March is the beginning of autumn, how can the apple trees be producing spring blossoms in the middle of February?

 ~ Sigh~ and there will still be naysayers who deny that climate change / global warming is a reality.

The major dams supplying water to Cape Town have enough water left for roughly 80 days.  The Cape Town municipality has started reducing the flow rate of potable water in order to keep a supply of water available to the residents of that town and Level 3b water restrictions are in place.

On a bigger scale Nasa is monitoring the imminent breakaway of Larsen C ice shelf in Antarctica - due, they say, to warmer oceans.  Plus they are measuring increased temperatures in Antarctica itself which have measured 2.8oC (5oF) warmer than normal.

Supposed First World leaders are in denial.  Normal people are in denial.

Don't let the naysayers influence you.

Prepare yourselves for a very different future.

The signs are everywhere.

Just saying...

For info on how you can obtain your own Foothills DryAway solar / wind food dehydrator please click the link.

New life...

...brings so much joy.

Allowing for a time to grieve allows for a time for hurt hearts to heal.  Memories linger, photo's remind - they always will.  But, the emptiness is there.

We sadly had to let Scallywag go on to the permanent fields of play last year.  At 17 he had lived a long, full and happy life.  RMan was deeply scarred by the action we had to take, and has taken time to heal.

I have been on the lookout for another dog for a couple of months.  We wanted a Rhodesian Ridgeback as they originated in Suurbraak.  And "local is lekker"  😃  But, the cost of pedigreed Ridgebacks is horrendous.

Then, last week I saw an ad for puppies in a local publication...

I tentatively showed RMan the ad.

He didn't really react.

But, I couldn't forget about the puppies.

I showed him again.

Again - not much of a reaction.

What the hell.  I called the lady in the ad and asked if any were still available.

Yup.  There was one puppy left.  So off we toddled on Sunday morning - "just to have a look, RMan..."

Stellar - a little sad, probably a little car-sick, and
 quiet - but loving the pats, and strokes, and
 tummy tickles

They named her Stormy...

But we have renamed her Stellar - she is sooo black - like the night sky, with a milky way across her feet / legs and chest.

The car sickness wore off, and she wolfed down her dinner...

What have I (re)discovered about puppies?

Puppies are not for the fastidious housewife - a title I lay absolutely no claim to 😂

They will not be that mad about their first ½ hour car trip.  Even if they're in the footwell at your feet on a brand new soft and cuddly blanket, and you are constantly stroking them and petting them.

They will be sad to leave their Mum and siblings.

They will be quiet and reserved.

They will be still and slow to react.

Until they realize that "Hey, these guys aren't so bad!!".

And then it's a case of...

...sweeping the floor is an impossibility.  The broom looks like far too much fun.  And - once captured - dragging it off at speed is one of her favourite games.

Ditto shoes...  And it doesn't matter how big and clumpy they are either.  She'll make a plan...

Crocs taste good!!

All books, business paperwork and Farmers Weekly or go! Platteland magazines have to be relocated.  Actually - being totally honest - most things within 3 feet of floor level have to be moved.

All curtains ( including shower curtains and the mosquito net around the bed) that waft about in a breeze cause barking, excitement and the hunt (and future capture) is on.  Trying to dislodge them from their hooks is imperative to a 9-week old puppy.  Dirty clothing tossed on the floor (before they are put in the laundry basket) is a prize which has to be shared with everyone.  Even if it trips one up as one escapes with ones "treasure".

As soon as a puppy wakes from it's nap, head for outside...  At speed!!  And 2-year-old newspapers are useful for "accidents".

Not good enough for Squeak, but definitely
 right up Stellar's alley 😆

Bell filled balls I purchased for Squeak - which she turned her nose up at - are fascinating to Stellar and will cause her to do multiple somersaults and cart wheels as she chases after and tries to catch them.

A tray of seedlings is meant to be munched.  Isn't it???

The joy with which a human is greeted in the morning brings indescribable warmth to the heart.

Clumsy, loping puppy walk is really something to watch - as often as possible.

Water out of a hosepipe isn't really meant for the plants - is it??

Being the one to give her a first ever taste of boiled chicken breast - you're best friends for life.

Tummy scratches are heaven!

Although we take a chance getting a puppy at this stage - because who knows who will outlive the other - it was a brilliant move.  So much joy, so much unconditional love and so much happiness.

A home without a dog just doesn't feel right...

AWOL and thanks for the nekkid dancing...

My apologies for being AWOL - did anyone miss me??  😂

Things have been pretty hectic here - not only with the business, and some community issues, but also with harvesting.

My main crop every year is tomatoes.  Not necessarily to eat only fresh, but I grow as many as possible to preserve.

 Yellow heirloom tomatoes - in all their magnificent glory :D

There is nothing nicer than adding home made tomato puree and tomato concentrate to all those winter dishes - the privilege of last years harvest dances over my tongue with every mouthful.

The golden yellow heirloom tomatoes are generally
 great big brutes - just the way I like 'em ;)

My favourite tomato is a golden yellow heirloom...

I simmer the tomato mixture until it is good and thick

...as it makes the most gorgeous, golden-red tomato concentrate.

Tomato concentrate in recycled plastic tubs all ready to go into
 the freezer.  Those tubes are re-used, and re-used until they fall
 apart - and only then are they sent for recycling

Apart from water-bathing jars of concentrate, I also shove 125gm tubs of it into the freezer.  I find making bottled whole tomatoes a waste of time because when they are decanted, as we don't eat that many pizza's, they are mainly only suitable for "blitzing" into a sauce anyway.

Spiralized butternut dehydrating in the Foothills DryAway

I've also had fun spiralizing home-grown organic butternut and dehydrating it in the Foothills DryAway.

This is precisely why I made the middle shelf in the Foothills
 DryAway.  So that any food that dropped through the drying
  net could easily be retrieved.

When the butternut spirals are dry they resemble butternut tagliatelli 😃  Storing that in a preserving jar in the larder frees up freezer space for my tomato concentrate lol

To get to my "thanks for dancing nekkid" bit in the title of this blog post - kymber and Jam kindly performed a nekkid rain dance all the way across the planet in Framboise, Canada.

kymber - thank you my friend - it worked 😂

Four days later we had 40mm of rain... 

Oh - we waited so long for this sight...

Even the alpacas enjoyed the shower

...glorious rain.

It was enough of a sudden downpour to fill our dam by a third.

40mm of rain filled the dam by a third...

Although the water didn't last too long as the dried out shell quickly absorbed most of it resulting in the dam being almost empty again, it's also not surprising given the heat we've recently been experiencing.

...and caused the grass / grazing to turn a welcome
 greener colour

At least the rain caused the "grass" turned a little greener than dried out brown and is showing some sign of growth - especially in the alpaca paddocks. 😊

kymber and Jam - please, feel free to continue dancing nekkid - we need much, much more to come even halfway close to last's years rainfall...





For more info on how you can obtain your own Foothills DryAway solar / wind food dehydrator please click the link.

45 minutes...

...  

Only 45 minutes of your life.

Please - don't tell me you can't spare 45 minutes to watch this documentary...

http://news.sky.com/video/special-report-plastic-pollution-in-our-oceans-10742377