Global village

Our little village of Franklin is filled with accents from around the world, as the fruit pickers come to stay and work in nearby orchards. Over the past month, we've met young people from Canada, the USA, France, Italy, China and Taiwan. There's a nice summery vibe in town with all the visitors. A tent city has sprung up in the camping ground on the river. Friends are hosting pickers in their homes and Kon's pub (a.k.a. the Franklin Tavern) is full. Unfortunately it seems the fruit season hasn't been so good this year - for cherries anyway - and the work may dry up early. Not good news, for the growers or the pickers.

Summer, apparently

The first week of summer, well, wasn't. But then the warmer, drier weather of summer doesn't really seem to start in Tasmania until January. Then it runs through to the end of March. We've had a lot of rain and wind this week and temperatures down to about 4 degrees. On one of our morning dog walks this week, all three of us got completely drenched in the pouring rain. So when David spotted dog coats for sale at the local pet store later that day he snapped one up in XL for Gretchen. It's even in the Tassie state hi-viz uniform, you can't miss her. We thought she may object to it, but to our surprise, she really seems to love wearing it, even seems a little proud! She's given passing drivers a laugh too... but she doesn't seem to know she looks a bit silly. At least it saves a lot of towel drying.

Last days of summer

Tasmania has turned on some stunning weather to close out summer - the official dates anyway. In reality December isn't really summer yet and it does extend into March. We've had bright, warm sunny days and glorious evening skies. Perfect for being outdoors and having all the windows open.

Hazy days of summer

The evening before last we sat at the kitchen bench eating dinner, as a large black cloud moved across the sky, wiping out the afternoon sunshine. Then the thunder rolled in, in great heavy waves, with brilliant flashes of lightning to the south of us. The storm wasn't close, but still impressive. Shortly afterwards, the Tasmanian Fire Service web site lit up with alerts of bushfires all around, across the river and in the great wilderness to the west. One was quite close to us in Glen Huon, but by the next morning it had dropped off the alerts list. Since then the smell of smoke has hung thickly in the air and the mountain range we normally look out at has disappeared behind the smoke. There's more hot weather forecast. I hope everyone stays safe.

NYE in the country

Happy new year! Last night we spent the evening with a lovely bunch of locals at some friends' place just down the road. The weather smiled on us and the freshly mowed paddock was the place to be on a long summer evening. We ate delicious pizzas from an outdoor oven, lamb slow cooked over an open fire and fabulous desserts (I so love banoffee pie), enjoyed with celebratory beer or sparkling in hand. Dogs and kids running round and round and playing near the dam. Standing around the fire pit at midnight with the stayers waving sparklers. The sky was clear and we watched the International Space Station go overhead. I'm not keen on fighting crowds, travelling far or paying crazy money to be near big fireworks on New Year's Eve. Low key, low stress and nearby is definitely the way to go. All the best to you and yours for 2019.

Cherries and berries

The Green Shed in Grove opened last Saturday, a much-anticipated event in the Huon Valley. It's your one stop shop for cherries, pink eye potatoes, raspberries and other Christmas-time delights. David visited a customer in the same road today, so on the way back he picked up a big bag of new season cherries. Delish!

Meanwhile in my own garden, the strawberries are ripening and the blueberry bushes are laden with clumps of green berries waiting to ripen. And aside from the berries, there are green cherries and plums, tiny apples and pears. And before you ask - all are under nets this year so hopefully the birds won't get them. The possums still might though.

 

Can we borrow your ark, please?

It's not quite forty days and forty nights but it's starting to feel like it. On Thursday evening a storm hit, with hail, thunder and lightning (all rare where we live). Since then, it has rained solidly without pause. Throw in some gusts of wind and it's pretty unpleasant out there. No gardening for me this weekend. I've been awake since 3am, listening to rain pelt against the house, worrying how my chickens are faring out in their house where I've left them locked in for the past two days. And the tiny chicks with mother hen out in the chook tractor in the orchard. I've put in some protective shields so they seem OK, although it is very soggy out there.

Our water tank is overflowing, dirt and gravel are washing down the driveway and a large pond has appeared at the corner of our property where there isn't one normally.

We live at 450m above sea level and our neighbours have a boat sitting in the middle of their front yard which always seemed a little optimistic, but it now looks like its in a flowing river. If the water keeps rising, maybe we'll need to borrow it. Do you think they'll mind if we take the dogs?

Summer salad garden

My garden is suffering serious neglect, due to work travel and other commitments. I didn't go crazy this year - just planted some stuff and if it dies, it dies - but despite my lack of input, there are a few things worth eating from our garden. I only planted four tomato seedlings this year, all in the greenhouse, and over the past few weeks I've been getting a nice handful of tomatoes ripening every day. And I picked my first cucumber today! And we've got silverbeet, lettuce, herbs, some beetroot... thrown together with maybe some feta cheese from the fridge and a nice dressing, they make a very tasty summer salad.

Summer dogs

On this last day of summer, I thought I'd share a few photos of our beautiful girls and what they got up to over summer. Just because... well, they are beautiful. And so was summer.

A long awaited return to Kingston Dog Beach

Swim, roll in sand, repeat

Making friends on Australia Day in Franklin

Cooling off in the Huon River

Hanging out in the evening sun

Waiting to be handed a snow pea through the fence

Coffee break with lap dog

This is known as dog sandwich. Best cuddle ever.

Christmas cruising

It's the second time we've done it, so it's a tradition now. A Christmas Eve cruise on the Huon, aboard the beautiful Nancy, with good friends, food and a drop or two of sparkling. Thank you to skipper Brian and crew Nell for ferrying us rowdy lot through the Egg Island Canal, up river towards Huonville and back again. Glorious sunny weather too. How lucky we are.

Baby fruit

I didn't spray the trees with bordeaux mix in time, haven't done much at all to them really, but still, they are bearing tiny pears, apples, cherries, strawberries, blueberries and plums. I hope these babies survive to become a small feast of fruit for us to eat over summer!

Baby snake

Awwww, cute. All baby animals are cute. Yes, even this tiny whip snake (white-lipped snake) spotted heading away from our garage over the weekend. Pretty little thing.

Summer solstice

9pm. Summer solstice. My birthday is the longest day of the year and it's even longer in Tasmania. Lucky me.