Pioneer Mad Woman

Here's hoping I look suitably refreshed after traveling for 24hrs to Sydney and then driving north to North Curl Curl. Its a beautiful spot, transport connections are great; if we dont want to use the car we can walk or hop on the bus to Manly and get the ferry . Or we can just stare at the view, remind ourselves there was...

Finally found a use for those excess courgettes in the front garden.. Its the barns first chutney, should be ready to eat by Christmas. ...

We have  been slowly moving things in over  the last couple of weeks room by room. No delivery men in a van for us (it wont fit down the track). It's just a case of pile it onto the back of a trailer on the back of a 4x4 and pray it doesn't rain.   The sitting room/snug areas worked out really well....

Time to start moving in, week by week, plate by plate.And most importantly for Dan; horrible electronic equipment (though it does make the most beautiful noises). Have to dash I can smell new carpet arriving! ...

  Last night we took a well deserved night off, headed into Manchester to our fave venue and took in the fun of the B52s. And fun fun fun it was, the band was on fire and Fred, Kate and Cindy had an absolute ball as did the audience. Great set list - great band and great venue (though I think I lost...

We just harvested our first courgettes of the year. In truth it was one courgette and it was about 3 inches long but we are very proud - if self sufficiency is ever a plan I think we're all going to loose weight. Still it tasted nice and the plants look like they are going to keep producing more rather bendy courgettes. Its...

The field at the rear of the barn has so far been put to very little use. I kind of have a general idea that we'll put in  some raised beds  for vegetables but its not priority at the moment. One problem we do get each year though  is that when  Summer arrives it turns into a meadow of deep grass that is...

Remember I said we would fit the kitchen unpainted as a temporary measure so we would could focus on other issues. Turns out when you have a freezer full of meat and are cooking quite regularly at the barn its not a good idea. As chief builder Neil pointed out if the wood was left untreated any fat or grease that got on...

Alan (Emmas husband who farms the sheep) appeared this week with half a lamb for us to stock the freezer with. Whilst I have to admit my first thought looking at the collection of various cuts  is "Is it anyone I know" or "I'm sure this piece was in Hannibal last week";   its also reassuring to know exactly where this lamb has...

Meet Jim, possibly the most nonchalant couldn't give a rat's ass cat known to man. Its too hot for him today so he's popped in to try the flag flooring for coolness and seems suitably impressed. Its just a pity looking at the state of him he seems to have spent the rest of the day visiting the pigs at the other end...

Popped down to Emma (the shepherdess from the video) and Alans last night to try the new beer one of the local micro brewerys ( Pictish ) has produced. To quote the website it's "a crisp, straw coloured ale, brewed to celebrate the birth of Joan, the world’s largest lamb. Weighing in at a hefty 24lbs. Just like Joan this beer is no...