- Part 14

what’s coming in

Before the harvesting roundup I must return to my favorite - the industrious bumblebee. The Rose of Sharon, hibiscus, thrives alongside the deck and each morning their pollen offerings bring in the bumblebees. They scramble deep into the flowers and their activity sprays the air with pollen which bespeckles them. And they load their saddlebags with food. Much as I like my honey bees and appreciate their excellent honey, the bumblebees cannot be supplanted in my affections. The Read more [...]

remote surveillance – DIY is hugely frustrating

I had a break in and theft a couple years ago and so installed a home security system with a very powerful siren, camera system and dawn to dusk lights. Being a DIYer I installed them myself. The programming of the Ademco Vista 20p was challenging. They work fine but I did not have remote access, which means if the alarm was triggered when I was away, then I depended on my neighbors to call me. Which they did when the alarm went off last week for the first time in 2 years. It was a false Read more [...]

wood stove – details completed

In March 2014 I dedicated two posts to the process of removing the old fireplace and installing a new, efficient wood stove. In the last post the stove was fully functional but looked "bleh". I had a lot of work to do - on the exterior the wood siding had deteriorated and had to be replaced and caulked. And then on the inside the question was to either replace the sheetrock, not a real skill of mine, or do something extra. I decided to tile the wall behind the stove, since the tiling Read more [...]

repairing a bathroom exhaust fan

In the past, when a bathroom fan failed, I simply removed the cover, unscrewed and unplugged the insert and installed a replacement - this was the NuTone brand and the replacement cost <$15. However, at the log cabin it was not so simple. The fan was manufactured in Canada and a replacement blower assembly was not available locally or at Amazon. It could be purchased from the manufacturer but the cost plus shipping was greater than the $70 cost for a complete unit from Amazon. Since the Read more [...]

roving chicken

We still have 11 chicken, the ever vigilant rooster and his 10 hens. I may have quipped in the past about putting a chicken in the pot but we do not eat our chicken. Since I began keeping chicken a few years ago I have lost only one to a predator. I would say, comparatively, that they lead a pretty high class life style. In the morning, when the sun has well risen, the automatic door opener hoists up the sliding door and they emerge to range the paddock and hang out under the tree and in Read more [...]

a surfeit of tomatoes

This has been a good tomato year for me. I made several big changes to the way I grow tomatoes and perhaps this helped. The big challenge right now is to use them all. I pick the tomatoes a little early when they show an orange or yellow tinge and allow them a couple days to ripen, therefore the green ones in the picture. I may sacrifice some taste but this puts me ahead of the line. Of whom you may ask? These are the secretive ones which, like a squirrel, quickly move to the Read more [...]

permaculture pdc

I first heard of permaculture in the early 90's when my father-in-law, who was a serious organic grower, showed me his copy of the Designer's Manual. I subsequently acquired a copy, began reading it and then gave up. It was too much information for me at the time and my priority was earning a living. Since I acquired my property I have become much more interested. My daily car trips provide me lots of time to listen to the many different podcast sources. I am attracted to permaculure Read more [...]

tale of 2 destroyed desktops

In addition to my nu trac life north of Atlanta, we also have a house in Atlanta. The gas company decided to install new gas lines in the subdivision where our house is located. They called in the "locators" who with different colored sprays identified the electricity, water, telephone, sewage and gas lines. Then with a sophisticated omni-directional drilling machine they bored small diameter tunnels underground from one excavated point to another. When the drill bit reached its destination Read more [...]

season update – what grew, is growing, and still to come

This morning the sun ducked behind clouds and instead of retreating before the heat I took some pics of growing activity. At the top of the hill stands a solitary thistle. Thistle, a symbol of Scotland, brings back memories of vacations in the Highlands. And the pipes of the Black Watch swirling through our living room when my Dad, who fought in a Scottish regiment in WW2, would play our favorite record. Not that it is universally admired - here is a quote from Botanical.com: In agriculture Read more [...]

2 gravity feed tanks with 9 valves

All my irrigation is from harvested rainwater collected from impermeable surfaces, stored in large tanks at the bottom of the hill and then pumped to 2 tanks at the top of the hill for gravity feeding to the orchard and crops. Today I added my 9th valve to the pipe system for the 2 gravity feed tanks. Are 9 valves used and are they necessary? I have concluded - yes. Here is a 'photo of the 2 tanks: And here is a schematic of the pipe system: You can see the 9 numbered valves. Read more [...]