Don River Railway with Ivor

Every once in a while Ivor calls me up to see if I want to come for a walk with Sam and Matthew. Like when offered water, I never refuse. It is always fun to see the train behind our house. Today it was a special train, one we had not seen before, from the Mount Lyell Railway Company that mined out of Strahan and Queenstown on the West Coast of Tasmania - 3 hours drive from here.

Devonport Brass Band

The Devonport Brass Band went through the streets spreading Christmas Cheer. I followed them for a bit to take a photo for the fujimugs.com photo challenge ('faces in the street'). Surprising few people come out to listen! They were really good.

Just about there...

Borrowed Pete's wheelbarrow, and Bob's your uncle.


Bit of sweat, put down the top soil, a weedmat, gravel on top and dig in some native grasses.


Afullah still fits under the gate - thanks to my weight loss regimental diet...


The raised vegie patch has a bit much manure/soil in it, but it will settle over time...

Katherine will be home next week!

Picnic Table!

Topping off the Backyard Blitz is a new picnic table!! A one piece wooden picnic table as found in the park. I was sooo close to unbolting one myself from The Bluff BBQ area, but in the end found someone who made me one thanks to a tip-off from our good neighbours! I believe this is exactly what K. wanted - except she would've wanted it a shade darker (we'll fix that later).

All in a days work...

Amazing how it all happened really. I had tried a bunch of different workmen, but eventually got Ian from friend Cindy. Ian worked out, told me he would come, I just had to get the stuff he needed. Not exactly sure of what we needed/wanted I went shopping and got stuff delivered immediately. Ian showed up with a gate and a mate, got a welder in for the gate hinges, the garden people showed up with soil and manure and stuff... I ran out and got some weedkiller and weed mats... and it all got done ion a day!

Tomorrow I will need to borrow a wheelbarrow and shuffle some dirt around, plant some native grasses and spread some gravel. In the mean time Katherine is blissfully unaware of what is happening, she is in the USA with her family for the week!

Progress Report

Digging the trenches for the vegie patch...



Hanging the gate..

Tipping in some good smelly manure mix...

Time is ticking away...

Starting the hard yakka

This is the beginning...

Oh shit, now he's got the camera out! That vegy patch might have to wait a minute!




Gate has arrived, a welder has done some preparation for hinges...


Grass removed, hardwood sleeper in place, some weed matting... Soil will be delivered soon. Notice the foundation showing.

Before pictures of backyard

Gate going in here – metal farm gate! Might need to do something with that later… The wall is where the retainer wall will go. I am putting in some native grasses and some gravel to hold it in place. You think that will stop the house from moving?
Raised vegie patch here will sort out this lower garden mess

Note gap in fence, where gate will be. And the bit of wall of the house that you can see is where the retainer wall is going to be (just 30cm high) as the soil is slowly running off and exposing the foundations there.

Changes on the home front!

Katherine went to the USA to help her brother drink beer and keep her mum comfortable while her dad went for a major service to the hospital. While she is away I can do stuff around the house... Well, I hate housework.... so it is into the garden!

Watch this space!