Wool 'n' Wood: Two Months On

Sorry to leave you all hanging, yes I know none of you are still following the blog bit hard when we don't post ain't it??

In short projects had been shelved or due to the nature of projects being long term ones and very slow progress there is none to report on.

Hold on don't race off through out the last two months we have had a few things going on around the place may be of interest.

We needed some work done of the type I and Sue in years gone by would have taken care of ourselves but due to health etc and time constraints and wanting it all done ASAP or quicker we had to hire in a handyman. Den's handyman Service in fact and we both agree his time and work ethic are of benefit to the hip pocket big thanks to Den Strange.

Then the rains came, drizzle to down pours which slowed but don't faze Den at all except for the 3 days he couldn't do a thing.

Job No1 Install a new shelf in the garage. Sue and I cleared one side completely so Dan could drive his ute through to the back yard however it wasn't going to fit. So up went the shelf while drizzling rain fell.

After emptying a 3/4 full rain water tank moving Camphor logs Den was able to drive through the side gate with millimeters to spare. Thats a job for the future.

Job No2 The cloths line was to close to the fence more so if sheets and blankets or quilts were hung on it, then when Sue put the Passion Fruit vines in we ended up with green stains on the sheets. We got Dan to relocate and cement a new path area making a massive difference. The move was just over a meter hole to hole but the size of the concrete slab Sue is loving it.
Plenty room for the trolley/basket, to move about instead of on wet grass and well clear of the plants and fence.

Job No3 New back fence. The palings were all splitting and falling off Sue had nailed and screwed many back on in the 2 1/2 years we've been here. When Dan started removing them they were falling off as they were just pine and nails were not holding them. That or they would shatter and break when the hammer impacted not with a full blow just a quick hard tap. The Posts and rails all hardwood either twisted or littered with old nails obviously we were not the only ones who had tried saving it.

Colour Bond fence is what we chose, two reasons the verge out the back is over grown and one spark could be disaster for a wooden fence and also fuel flames. It looks cleaner and no painting required, green posts and rails to match around the house such as the awning and gutters.

Den knocked the whole fence down and removed 3 of the concrete stumps which was enough to be able to space the new posts out. Using half panel width at either end.

With the whole fence down it gave me my first view through the other side, a greater area between the fence and the scrub was evident with a concrete culvert about 2ft wide running in the centre of the area from the gum tree all the way down to the storm water canal down the hill.

Not one plant was injured during the felling of the fence.

Day two and Den had a mate Dan who just happens to have been a Coach Builder also like myself in his past come give him a hand to install/erect the fence.

Day 3 Den came back to complete fitting of the gate and clean up etc he stacked everything. All the timbers had to have the nails removed before recycling or further use, Sue tackled that over 4 days. We got Corey our lawn man to remove them although the rails were placed around the fence line by Sue.

A gate also added locked of course, total height 1.8m giving a little more security and privacy.

Job No 4 Den cut up the Camphor logs for me to manageable sizes. I keep telling Den some poor mechanic is missing those shorts from his oily rag pile, note the different coloured socks apparently he wares em for good luck. I reckon the shorts even it out ha ha ha.

Sue took advantage of the new gate and the hole Den made to allow planting of a Poinciana (thats it in the bucket) the hole is up the slope where Sue is. I was scout look out for snakes.

Two weeks on and spring is well under way around the garden. A few snaps including the Vegy patch new cover we put up. Steel stakes into the ground 1/4" rod and then water plastic tube slid down and formed an arch.

The netting is essential to keep the large insects out and the possum and from fruit trees the fruit bats and native birds who can devour in one sitting any fruit.

The two potted Wisteria now being trained to form an arch, the one in the brown pot less than 9 months old. The other is over 10 years and still has ot produced any blooms.

The Variegated Fig's x3 which I platted some years ago has improved out of sight in its new home.

Below the view down the side where these are located along with the climbing rose and Bonsai.