A dinner party, and my trip to work...on foot.

Well, two weekends ago I went to canberra to pick up furniture from some relatives. Last weekend, I had my first dinner party. It was a lovely night of delicious food and great company. Robi and Adam on the right brought a lasagne, salad and garlic bread, Tracey and Jill on the left brought dessert (cheesecake and apple pie) and Lynda brought drinks. I provided an entree of a Tom yum soup, with fish and dried mushrooms and rice noodles.

All these guys are people I know quite well from my church, but none of them really knew each other before the night. I quite enjoy introducing people and building community. Invite them, chuck them in a room together and watch new friendships grow. Whether anyone decides to catch up again apart from at another dinner party I hold, I love the fact that when they meet again they will no longer be strangers.




Also, I thought I would share my walk to work with you. This is only possible because of the direct decision I made to buy a home close to town. I am now located in a place where I literally would never need to drive a car again. At the moment I am still driving, although only to places I can't walk to. My church is a 7 minute drive away which is not realistic to do late at night. Should petrol become un realistically expensive I will either have to carpool more with others (I am already trying to do this where possible) or consider moving churches, which is not an option I really want to consider as I love my church. The other option is riding my bike, which I have bought and used now. Anyhow, also withing walking distance are all the local shops, the town's main bus station, from which I can get to the train station, the beach, and most capital cities in Australia. I can also walk to my mother's home, and numerous friends, hospital and doctors etc.

These hibiscus bushes are my first stop. They were overgrown and completely covering the path until someone who will remain nameless and is not me took to them after an evening shift (about 1am) with a pair of branch loppers. This has made the path accessible and the bushes a profusion of flowers.

The bushes are next to a doctor's surgery which has the most beautiful cottage garden, including a pathway of lavender bushes. These are always full of flowers and smell divine when the sun is out. I am planning to take some cuttings soon.

This is our central town park. Within the park is the local guide hall where I did Brownies and Guides from age 7 to 15. This park was definately part of my childhood. It has some lovely rose gardens and more recently camellia gardens which add to to park. A regret for me is that council decided to remove the waterlillies which used to cover the surface of the water. Now the ponds are much dirtier and much less attractive, and I worry about the nutrients which flow into it I believe as storm water. I have often thought of secreting a couple of plants in at night. Any one have any that need dividing???

One thing I love in our town is that local artists were commissioned to paint all the electricity boxes. There are some brilliant ones and this one is by no means my favourite, it's just the one I pass on the way to work. One has a circus theme, another cows. If I remember, I'll try and photograph some more if anyone would like to see them. It definately improves the streetscape.

This photo is one of the last parts of my walk, and probably the most depressing at the moment, a constant reminder of the rising cost of living, but also as I walk past it an encouragement that everytime I walk I am not only saving the environment, but also my hip pocket. It definately motivates me to think of ways to not need to use the car, like shopping at the hardware store in town rather than Bunnings, like riding the bike to my friends house, which is harder and takes more time, but leaves me fitter and the planet healthier.

What does the rising price of petrol challenge you to do??? I'd love to hear some of your creative ideas, and focus on what we can do to change. There's lots of fears and concerns but lets help each other find the answers.

Hannah

ps. Rhonda at Down to Earth just pointed out an interview that screened last night in Australia with Richard Heinburg, oil expert. You can read the transcript here

Rock Climbing and Rock Shifting

Had a wonderful weekend. The Princess Warriers (adventurous part of the women's ministry at church) went rock climbing at Wollongong on the Saturday.

This is my good friend Mera climbing one of the walls...
And my other friend Debs belaying her (her job is to make sure Mera doesn't fall) I splurged on a pair of sherpa rock climbing shoes which were on sale from $140 to $60 in my size. (I had been borrowing another friends but hers were actually a size too small)

We had to stop at the Berry Donut Van. These are the best donuts in the known world. They only make them to order, and they really are good.

See the fatty goodness :)

So to make up for the cholesterol, I not only climbed rocks, but shifted them. I need to put in a retaining wall to build my next vege garden, and there were some bricks at our old house I was going to use, but then I saw the rocks which were meant to be garden edges years ago sitting in a huge pile in the garden and decided to use them. After loading about a third into my little barina hatchback, I had to unload a few as the exhaust was nearly dragging on the ground.

It took three loads to move them all, and they are bordering my driveway at the moment, I'm unsure as to whether to build the wall with or without concrete. While I was at the old house I also found some self seeded parsley and coriander and transplanted a few to my new house, and the parsley has already been trimmed to go in last nights dinner.

I am still going to bring the bricks, planning on paving a small courtyard area at the front of the house, building a firepit at the back and also using them to pave some paths. Picked up a load this morning before work, but a few more trips to go. It is using petrol, but as I am not paying for them and am recycling old bricks I think it's worth it, and it's only a three minute drive.

On the hot water front, I am getting a solar hot water system. I had some plumbers come around to do quotes and one has given me a set price for solar which is less than instant gas to buy and install with the local rebates (Renewable Energy Certificates, Federal and State.) Bonus also being my hot water is heated primarily from the sun's energy. They will install an electric booster for when there is not the solar power to heat the water which will work by only heating half the tank. They also came yesterday and took out the old tank and installed a temporary tank that will stay until the solar system is in. They are my new best friends!!! I had a long soak in the bath last night in celebration of there being hot water.

Lastly, my roses are still blooming a week away from winter. I pruned all the dead branches out and they are growing more flower buds. I'll have to wait longer to give them a hard prune. They are lovely greeting me each day as I walk home.

Water feature? inside my house

The joys of owning a new old house. Now for me but old. Structurally it's very sound but somethings are past their useby date. The paint in the kitchen for one. The hot water system for another. While I was planning to replace this in the next year, I wasn't planning on doing it in the first two weeks. However, I woke up to a water feature in the hous, As there is a drain next to the system the damage is very limited, but I couldn't turn the tap off to the system and had to turn the mains tap off. So no toilet at the moment. Going home to try a shifter on it, and the plumber is coming around for a quote first thing in the morning, and if I haven't turned it off by then he will do it for me.

I am going to replace it with an instantaneous gas system. It's environmentally cleaner, and will use much less energy as I only heat the water I need, not storing large amounts ad infinitum.

On the gardening front, I planted my onion sets this morning, behind the broad beans (hoping they companion okay. After I planted them out I realised the mains was turned off so I used my saved washing up water. Then thought they would die without more, so I went and met my neighbour Dan, who seems like a nice neighbour to have (and he has a mandarin tree that's overflowing.) Street community here we come!!! He said he tried to visit another day and say hi when he saw the car there, but I wasn't home. That's the wonderful thing about living in town. I don't have to drive the car most of the time.

Kitchen Colours

So, I really don't like the colour of my kitchen. Not that they are terrible colours, they just don't really fit with the rest of the house. In the middle picture of the previous post you can see the walls are discoloured and the cupboards are a bright blue. The dining room which is just off the kitchen is a gentle dark pine green colour with a very matte finish, and the blue just clashes.

So I want to paint it. I was originally thinking Paprika type red, like the feature wall in this computer generated image, with a sort of yellow background. I then remembered I had some vintage Laura Ashley Wallpaper from a garage sale that was used in kitchen renovation and they bought one roll too many. I grabbed it and found that it matches the paprika colour perfectly, however rather than yellow, it has a light olive green as the contrast. Much like the wall on the left of the picture below.

I'm thinking about keeping the walls beige/white and then painting the timber trim and cupboards olive green and the cupboard doors paprika, and the space between the cupboard and the benchtop on the right of the photo putting the wallpaper.

Please let me know what you think, other ideas etc???

Ps, i have to go, my fridge is being delivered.

Unpacking and Planting

See the sold sticker. I had to leave it up to take the photo. Now I can't take it down because I hurt my hand, more on that later.

Spent most of this weekend moving house. It was great weather (Thanks God) and had help from wonderful family and friends who I couldn't do without, especially mum, brother and his girlfriend and deb :)

Above is my kitchen, however it won't look that way for too much longer. I have ordered a fridge to fit that space. Should arrive early next week. Also I am going to repaint as that colour scheme doesn't really fit the rest of the house. I am thinking Paprika kind of colour for the doors and white for walls, Unsure about possibly adding some light orangy yellow for the wooden features, corner shelf just visible on the left and the window frames. Suggestions????

The paint is so thick I think it will be a bit of work to get it off. Perhaps scraping rather than sanding? The other thing I am thinking about is replacing the kitchen sink and it's unit as it is really quite old and decrepit, and the drawers are too small and not on runners. Brother's girlfriend works at a kitchens place so might talk to him about it. Cost will be a factor, the bank balance needs to stay healthy at the same time, and there's a mortgage to pay now :) Maybe I'll just repaint and wait and see.

Below is the sunroom, which needs new curtains or ideally blinds but is lovely and warm, but lots of ventilation for summer. Shade will eventually be provided by my almond tree which is on order for winter (Growing challenge). Thanks to my sisters boyfriend for use of his ute pictured in the background, and my work colleague for hers (not in picture)

Well, I couldn't handle moving in and not planting anything, so I went down to the nursery and bought a small punnet of lettuce seedlings which I planted in a pot out the back, so I can pick some food soon. There are a few cherry tomatoes left as well from previous tenants planting, and some oranges ripening on the trees.

Thats all for today....

Happy Gardening

Hannah

Moving house and a new challenge

First of all, I am moving house this weekend. My house settles tomorrow and I am going to pick up the keys in the afternoon and start moving. Organising services to be connected today and a colleague is lending me her ute to help move. I am on the phone connecting electricity and gas and organising friends and relatives to provide their brawn and muscles to help with the move.

I did a final inspection this afternoon to check on the property and all seems in order. The only thing I need to do when I move in is get some electrical work done and paint the kitchen.

Got to head off now, but the other thing is that I have joined the harvest keeper challenge on Path to Freedom. The aim is to preserve the food we are growing. More soon.

I've bought a house!!!!!!

It's official, I am buying this house. I signed the contract yesterday, and I paid the deposit at lunch today and as I write this I expect my solicitor should be exchanging the contracts. It's all very exciting, but I feel more relieved than excited right now, I just was not looking forward to having to look for another house and going through all the stress of inspections and negotiating a price.
It is a solid brick house, with a sunroom added on the back and a new steel fab garage out the back. It is three bedrooms, and has two living areas, plus a seperate dining room. The bathroom is redone, but not the kitchen, although I'll be looking at repainting initially rather than putting a new kitchen in.

It's a great block, the house is set with the living areas to the north and the garden areas are all north facing too, and on a north facing slope so should be great for growing. At the front the brick wall is about 5-6 foot high, (I can't see over the top of it) and I see great potential for a courtyard mandala type garden here with some espaliered fruit trees and a garden seat.
The back is also on a slight slope and there is already a chook run which needs a few repairs behind the garage. The car won't be allowed in the garage of course, it will be some storage and then a workshop/creative area. Oh the possibilities, I'm even thinking of planting some of my growing challenge winter seeds now before I can even move in. Then they will have time to grow before I move in so there is food straight away. actually there are already a couple of citrus trees (not in great health though) a paw paw, a grape vine some herbs and millions of cherry tomato plants. (I have been going around there and picking food already :)

Saving seeds and so much more (Growing Challenge)

So....Why was I in Gulgong???

Because the national seedsavers conference was there of course! About 50 people from Australia and overseas met at the Gulgong showground to be fed the delicacies only the show society wives could dream up (think homemade scones with homemade jam and cream, homemade lamingtons - far cry from the packaged variety, lunch plates with over 15 types of food on the plate, and all of it delicious, oh and trifle for dessert)

Oh and there was the whole seed thing. Seedsavers was set up my Michael and Jude Fanton and supports and teaches seedsaving in australia and around the world. I am part of my local seed network in the Shoalhaven where we distribute seeds and other plant stock at the Tomerong Markets each month.

We had some great speakers, David Murray on Genetic Modification - widely known Australian Author (I had actually borrowed one of his books from the library the week before and was surprised to realise he was the author, and that he only lives an hour away from me.) Peter Andrews was another speaker who was brought to Australia's attention through an ABC program Australian Story (I remember when presenting for Permaculture at the Royal Easter show last year everyone talking about him (you can see an excerpt from the show if you click on his name) I watched the show and later purchased his book, in which he talks about Natural Sequence Farming, his way of studying the hydrology and nutrients in the land to amazing results.

We also had workshops on developing local seed networks, saving different kinds of seeds, both edible and native. Sue Pridmore, a local from near the Gulgong area came and did some basket weaving, which was intrigueing. I have decided that after I work out weaving on the loom, it will be my next project.



My friends and I camped in the showground under the cattle yard roof without tents and this was the view from my sleeping bag when I woke up....


Utter Bliss! New friends made, and lots of exciting seeds swapped to give me lots to plant as soon as my house is mine....Please pray for the sale to go through this week, I am signing the contract today but the solicitor needs one more piece of information before I can exchange and the owners are starting to grumble about the time it's taking.

Eco House

On the way home from the hike we dropped in on a friend. He and his wife have a property in Nerriga which is inland from Nowra on an unsealed road to Canberra. There is a little cottage where we shared a cup of tea and saw his rough set up with car batteries powering a 12 volt lighting system and his portable dvd player, and gas used for cooking and refrigerating, but only when they are staying there.

They are building their dream home, and once finished plan to live there almost full time, but a lot of the preparation and work is being done by him and I think he really enjoys being a hermit in the bush, but was still glad to show off the house.

They have excavated large areas visible in the bottom photo, the house will be on two levels and once completed the earth from the excavation, currently in piles at the top of the hill will be pushed back over the roof and native grasses grown.

This first photo is of their water tank, the structural parts internally are made of reinforced steel with concrete brick surrounds and once complete will be filled with concrete and the timber frames removed. this is done because the house will be built on top of it. They are planning to use solar power for lighting and heat pumps to heat water and provide air conditioning in summer at the same time. They have a worm farm and reed bed system for sewage and then using the water to irrigate the fields down by the creek where they may look at growing some of their food, although it looks like it will be a battle against the critters, white ants demolished their orchard that was her 50th wedding anniversary.
It was great to actually see the place after hearing about it for a long time.

My house process is continuing, just waiting for all the red tape of title searches and bank approvals and valuations, all of which are not concerning, just time consuming. . . more updates soon.

Termites and Mortgage Approval

These are termites, actually the flying variety. Unfortunately the damage they can do is .....

This!!!!

The pest inspection found termites, fortunately very localised, in one spot that I had noticed some decay, and in the extension part of the house, not the original part which would worry me more. I am now in negotiations with the owners through the real estate to drop the price by the amount treatment will cost, or for them to carry out treatment. If not treated, the whole house could fall down in a matter of years - that doesn't really appeal to me. If treated, there should be no further damage, but it is costly.

The good news I just received is that the bank has conditionally approved my mortgage, conditional on a valuation of the property, to make sure it's worth what I'm paying for it, so if the I can't pay and they foreclose they'll get their money back. I understand that. But they're not going to get a chance to foreclose.

It's really hard to not jump into planning and buying too much, but I am getting very excited. I have bought one item, which was a single futon from Ikea that I have wanted for over 6 years, and stopped myself by rationalising that I didn't have the space and didn't want to lug it around. Now I am going to have a study/spare room hopefully in just a few weeks, which is quite small, so it will be great to have in there, and is really comfortable to sleep on. I have also made arrangements with a friend for some Barnevelder chickens, an heirloom breed. I know, I know, nothing else, nothing else. I am going to post this and then sit on my hands and tell myself to wait until I have a contract.

Dreaming of a Quarter-Acre Lot

Well, actually I'm no longer dreaming, and the quarter acre is more and eighth of an acre, but all things aside, I am buying a house - Well, that's the plan. I put this picture in as I feel like I've just taken on almost more than I can handle, and that's just all the paperwork to get the house.

I moved back to the sizable town I grew up in from the big smoke of Sydney last year for a number of reasons. My mum had found out she needed further cancer treatment, I needed to move house (and rentals in Sydney are a nightmare) and I missed the coast, and the outdoors.

I was looking at purchasing a property within a year, however decided to wait until mum had finished her chemotherapy to start looking in case she was not doing well and needed assistance with her own mortgage.

Then in January I think it was my housemates (a married couple) decided to start househunting. I was intending to move with them and continue paying rent and helping them out, however the house they found while lovely has no garage. (currently my house full of stuff is in storage in half the garage where we live.) I realised that I would need to get a storage unit if I was to move with them so decided to start looking at properties. First few were dismal and in poor repair.

Then my brother mentioned that one of my sisters had been around at his place looking at houses for her and her husband to do up. He had seen one that he thought I should look at, and had called the real estate to find out that the house was vacant and I could go round that evening and look from the outside and if I liked it arrange to look through it.

That happened just a couple of weeks ago. I didn't realise just how stressful making an offer on a house would be. Wow! At last we reached a figure we could both agree on and then I arranged for building inspection. That happened today and I got the go ahead from the builder!!!

Next step pest inspection and Mortgage approval and then I'll have a house. This is just a little bit daunting and very exciting. On the weekend after I calmed down from the offer being accepted I realised that by the time I move into the house, it will be almost a year (2 months off) from the time I moved. Funny how time flies.

I haven't posted a lot about gardening and living because it's hard when you share a house with people who have a giant dog and digs up all the garden and rips apart your plot. The house I am hopefully buying has a northerly aspect, some established fruit trees and vegetables from the last tenant and potential for so much more.

I will continue to post as the process goes on. Please keep me and the house in your thoughts and prayers if you have time that all will proceed without issue and I'll be able to move in soon.

Hannah