A tithe

The two stray cats who arrived some years ago, never left.  We named them the Tractor Shed cats because that's where they stayed when they suddenly appeared.  Initially they were very shy and reclusive, but they have since become far bolder, and now, most days, can be found lounging on my patio table or even sitting on my patio chair - waiting very patiently for the one meal I provide them at the end of each day.  The other meal(s) they have to source or themselves, because that is the whole point of farm cats.

Tractor shed cats patiently waiting for their daily meal

By other meals, I generally mean rodents who enjoy feasting on my tomatoes, strawberries or baby butternut.  But occasionally, the farm cats need some variety to their diet, and this morning I found evidence of a mousebird who wasn't quite quick enough.

Evidence of a mousebird who wasn't quick
enough for the farm cats

There are plenty of mousebirds here in early spring - with the early season blackberries to devour.

There were so many a few weeks ago that I feared that I wouldn't get a berry crop this year.  Please, don't get me wrong.  I have no problem with paying a tithe, but sharing 90% and being provided with 10% isn't quite my idea of a tithe.

Partially eaten fruit

At least most of these berries were consumed

The mousebirds are also so wasteful.  If they would just eat a whole blackberry before moving onto the next tender morsel it wouldn't be so bad, but they seem to prefer sampling as many as possible.

Broken branch-lets = wasted fruit

They seem to be such an eager lot - in their rush to sample as many berries as possible they completely disregard the integrity of the bush - with many broken branch-lets being the evidence of this feeding frenzy.

A sample of the blackberries I have managed to
harvest for my freezer

I can't really complain though.  I have managed to pick sufficient blackberries for my freezer - for blackberry pie and jam in the future. 

 

Tradition

I don't celebrate Christmas like I used to when Ronnie was here.

Also, Natasha and the grandkids have moved to Scotland.

So, it is just Richard and I here.

There doesn't seem to be much point in putting up Christmas decorations, and decking a Christmas Tree for just the two of us.

But, in Ronnie's memory, and to honour his Christmas tradition, I always make an Advent Krantz and light a candle each Sunday before Christmas during December.

This year I chose to keep it very simple and 100% natural with fresh foliage and dried homegrown produce (chillies and dehydrated lemon slices) and fresh lavender from the garden, as well as some cinnamon and star anise from the pantry.  The candles I rolled from beeswax sheets.

As the candles aren't that tall, I've kept the conifer sprigs so that they just line the wooden board.

It's sitting on my coffee table ready to light the first candle tonight.

Ditch the chemical option

Tewshooz - it's all your fault. 😄

I posted the other day that I was not going to post on this blog anymore and got such a wonderful comment from Tewshooz that I changed my mind.

I do not have the energy - nor motivation - to create the long posts from before, but will try and keep in contact with you all via shorter, pertinent posts if I feel that I have something worthwhile to contribute.

With that said - here goes...

Every year before Christmas in preparation for festive family get togethers, my late husband, Ronnie, and I used to clean the brass and copper items that we had collected during our years together.  This "collection" included items which Ronnie had inherited from his mother.

Said cleaning involved using Brasso - a chemical rubbing compound.  And was always a mission.  It took literally hours and left us (me) with aching arms and fingers from all the rubbing.  And the process left our hands and nails filthy and imprinted with dirty Brasso residue.  As well as the surface on which we had cleaned the copper and brass items.

It was one of our "together" chores and I haven't had the will to do it since Ronnie passed away.

Until I saw a post on Facebook recently which reminded me that the brass and copper hadn't been touched in 5 years.

I was blown away.

Partially cleaned copper using toothpaste

All it took was a small squeeze of toothpaste and a plastic pot scourer.  And literally 5 minutes of my time.

I have previously successfully used cooled wood ash, but, being in short supply of wood ash at the moment, toothpaste more than adequately gets the job done.

Why has man cast aside harmless cleaning methods and adopted the use of chemicals.  All that does is benefit the corporations and their shareholders.  And harm the environment - and landfill - with waste and chemical residue.

And, unlike Brasso, this cleaning agent contains no health warnings - and no harmful chemicals are required to get the job done.  If toothpaste is good enough for my teeth (and mouth) then it is certainly OK for my hands and fingers.

Sparkling clean copper thanks to toothpaste

Can you see the difference between the clean and the "still to be cleaned copper?

You can see in the last photo that there are a number of copper items which are sorely in need of a good clean.  In honour of Ronnie I will try and sort that out before Christmas.

The copper "collection" still in need of attention