tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77396380512565635602024-03-14T01:37:54.017+09:30Barefoot EarthSustainable Living, Photography, Gardening, Travel Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.comBlogger200125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-65784143851551612352018-10-11T16:23:00.001+09:302018-10-11T16:24:03.939+09:30MOVING ONBlogger, it's been fun but I've moved on to pastures new. Content from this blog has been transferred to: <a href="http://applewoodandearth.com/">http://applewoodandearth.com/</a><br />
See you there!Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-70788298935590716192017-07-06T23:04:00.000+09:302017-07-06T23:05:13.236+09:30AS FAR SOUTH AS SOUTH GOES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Almost...<br />
In a recent fit of 'I really must get off my property and go explore some of this lovely island', I took a leisurely drive down to Cockle Creek, otherwise known as the southernmost point you can drive to in Australia (you can get a little more southy, but only on foot).<br />
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About 90 minutes south of Huonville, the drive to Cockle Creek takes you down to the small towns of Dover and Southport, and through the calm and mystical landscapes of Recherche Bay. Moisture lingers in the air more often down this way, and while I left behind a sunny and mild Huonville, by the time I passed Southport, the mist and drizzle was properly settled in.<br />
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Although I spent most of the afternoon with damp feet as each exit from the car soaked further into my unpolished boots, the low lying mists added an extra dimension of atmospheric intrigue, and certain spots called to mind visions of Japan or the Pacific North West region.<br />
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For anyone set on exploring Tasmania, this region comes highly recommended, and serves as the gateway to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, a 1.5 million hectare natural reserve.<br />
<br />Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-24683490177901940142017-07-02T17:41:00.000+09:302017-07-02T17:54:34.806+09:30MEDLARMAGHEDDON<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been a while since I've done a food-related post but this year for the first time, I had the dubious pleasure of dealing with what was a) a fruit I knew practically nothing about and b) the inevitable immense harvest.<br />
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If the title wasn't obvious, I'm talking about the ancient, obscure, unusual and astoundingly delicious medlar fruit.<br />
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To condense what is a long-winded tale that I recounted about seven dozen times to curious people at the local markets (while trying to sell a portion of what turned out to be about a 45kg harvest off one tree); originally from the Turkish-Mediterranean region, it became popular in Western Europe in the Middle Ages (particularly as it ripens in early winter), now relatively obscure - largely because it has a very unusual ripening habit and becomes practically untransportable when ripe. Also Shakespeare and Chaucer referenced it because any excuse for a bum joke amirite?<br />
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My own experience with medlars is relatively short. The tree was in fruit when I inspected the house in May last year and piqued my interest mainly because I didn't know what it was. By the time I moved in, the fruit had either almost all been picked by the outgoing owners, or rotted away. I ate a couple along the way but for the most part, I didn't pay it very much attention over the next few months as I wasn't really sure what to expect, and it seemed happy enough where it was (probably even happier after I spent the better part of every weekend for two months slowly removing the huge pile of dirt, rocks and bags of asbestos (?!) that had been left piled under the tree in one great mound).<br />
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As a plant, it's quite a lovely garden addition. With its broad deep-green leaves and large white spring flowers, it stands a little apart from all of the other fruit trees. Also, medlar trees put on an absolutely stunning autumn display - fit for a New England fall. Brilliant yellows, oranges and reds catch the morning sun and made me late for work on more than a couple of occasions as I stood around admiring it.<br />
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Harvesting and ripening is a lot more involved than for other fruit, and has likely contributed to their disappearance from European plates. In May, golfball sized fruit start plopping to the ground, from where they must be dutifully collected once every day or two and stored (preferably on a bed of straw or sawdust) somewhere cool and dry so they can happily wither and ripen into their squishy edible state. This is called 'bletting' but aside from the time and space consuming aspect to it, it's relatively simple and the fruit doesn't ripen too fast. Also, as they usually haven't started ripening (much) when they fall, you won't lose too many to birds if you make the effort to collect them every day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mid-blet...</td></tr>
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The final step turned out to be the most puzzling - what to do with them? (especially 40+ kilos of them). Aside from eating them as-is, there aren't too many suggestions on the net, again presumably due to their obscurity and the general lack of Jamie Oliver style cookbooks from the 16th century. Aside from jams, jelly or fruit cheese (none of which I felt inclined to make en masse) there didn't seem to be many suggestions. In the end I just told myself to stop overthinking it - it's fruit, not rocket science - and came up with a couple of my own ideas.<br />
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A note on preparing medlars before I get into recipes. There's no way around the fact that you're going to get sticky fingers. Medlars have a papery skin that needs to be removed and several large seeds inside. A lot of people recommend using a nut milk bag to squeeze the flesh out but I used the following method (mostly because I don't own a nut milk bag):<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's not easy to make this look pretty, but you get the idea...</td></tr>
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Peel off the skin and take out the seeds - put the seeds in a pot as you go and the de-seeded pulp in a bowl. Once you're done, add some water to the de-pulped seeds and boil them for about 10-15 minutes. This will remove most of the remaining pulp from the seeds and you can pour the entire mix through a colander into the bowl with your fruit pulp (I usually did this to the seeds twice). Then discard the seeds, and use the fruit pulp to make whatever you feel inspired to try!<br />
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MEDLAR COMPOTE<br />
Ripe medlars are practically like a stewed fruit anyway so this isn't much of a stretch.<br />
Boil your medlar puree with a small amount of sugar to taste (you won't need much as they're very sweet) - add a large cinnamon stick and some vanilla bean powder and boil for about 15 minutes on a low heat. Add water if needed (it should be about as thick as jam) and keep stirring. I like to leave it in the pot to macerate with the cinnamon stick overnight, then reheat again the next day and bottle as you would do with jam (into hot, sterilised jars and seal). You can also add a little brandy to this recipe for variation.<br />
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BLISS BALLS<br />
Medlars have the consistency of wet dates, and hints of a similar flavour too, so I had a brain-wave and decided to do a twist on my usual date-based bliss balls and used unsweetened medlar pulp instead. Follow your preferred recipe and just replace dates with medlars. I froze several batches of pulp so that I could make these throughout the year.<br />
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MEDLARS IN BRANDY<br />
Undoubtedly the easiest recipe. Take whole, washed, ripe medlars, poke a few holes in the surface and pack into a flip-top jar with a seal. Half fill with bottom-shelf brandy, and top up with sugar syrup. Seal and leave at least 6 months.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the finished products!</td></tr>
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A couple of post-scripts<br />
In the end I sold about 25kg of my harvest via market stalls, gave away about another 5kg and somehow managed to deal with the rest! Next year I'll be more prepared and might even have devised a few more recipes by then so stay tuned! <br />
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Oh yeah - and what do they taste like?<br />
Most common comparisons are caramely stewed apples, dates, apricots and/or figs.<br />
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<br />Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-5852334705506777322017-07-01T20:49:00.002+09:302017-07-01T20:52:19.452+09:30PLASTIC FREE JULY - AND BEYOND<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you're interested in reducing the amount of trash - and particularly plastic - that you and/or your household produces and you're not quite sure where to start, it can seem like a daunting task. Once you stop, look around, and tune into the problem, it suddenly seems like plastic is simply everywhere - from tea bags to tracksuit pants, to those tiny but annoying stickers on the fruit you buy or the straw that you asked them to leave out that still turns up in your drink anyway.<br />
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Beyond what you can buy in the fresh food section of your average supermarket, it's almost impossible to do a full grocery shop minus a heavy helping of plastic packaging. And this leaves many of us wondering what to do about it. <span class="">Being involved in discussions and forums about the
challenges of reducing plastic consumption,
there are a few common questions that I see repeated often, especially by
those who may be only just tuning in to the idea of kicking the plastic
habit;</span><i> </i><br />
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<b><i>But it's impossible to go plastic free, what about my fridge/computer/kettle?</i></b><br />
<span class="">It's
certainly true that we are swimming in a sea of plastic (and our actual
seas are full of it as well). Plastic is an incredibly useful and
versatile product and that's the reason why it's become one of the most
widely used substances of our time. Lightweight, malleable, strong,
durable and resistant to a range of temperatures, we use it for
everything from medical equipment to telephones, car parts to
spectacles. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="">However, we also use it for
everything from banana wrapping to Christmas cracker toys and ice-cream
spoons to lollipop sticks. The idea behind initiatives such as Plastic Free July (PFJ) is
not to demonize this product as a substance that should never be used
anywhere - <b data-redactor-tag="strong">but rather get to grips with how much of it we're consuming. </b>Considering
it is such a valuable resource, and so energy intensive to produce,
<span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/28/a-million-a-minute-worlds-plastic-bottle-binge-as-dangerous-as-climate-change" target="_blank">doesn't it seem crazy that we so casually use and discard it in such great volume every single day?</a></span> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="">The main culprits under attack are the <b data-redactor-tag="strong">single use monsters</b>,
mostly found in the convenience quarter of our modern consumer-driven
lives. Plastic bags, straws, takeaway cups and containers, disposable
cutlery, drink bottles - there are a dozen or more spur of the moment
uses of plastic that can see it go from our hands to the bin in under five
minutes. PFJ is all about challenging us to identify where single use
plastic is coming into our lives and to try and find alternatives - or
just say no for a month and see how things go. Difficult? Absolutely.
Enlightening? Very likely!</span><br />
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<br />
<b><i>If I want to reduce my plastic footprint, does this mean I have to throw away all the plastic things I have and replace them with something else?</i></b><br />
Not
at all. In fact unless it's in a bad state, replacing a perfectly
serviceable item with a non-plastic alternative for the sake of
de-plastifying your life isn't very environmentally sound. <br />
If
something needs replacing then that's the perfect moment to opt in to
an earth-friendly alternative but until that's necessary then we're not
doing the Earth any favours by filling a skip with plastic just so we
can upgrade to a bamboo lifestyle. Even though I try and consume as
little as possible, there are still lots of plastic items in my house;
things I pick up second hand, salvaged items and other personal effects dating from long before there was any real awareness about the scale of the problem.<br />
<br />
So, while I
think a timber handled hairbrush would be lovely, I'm not about to throw
away my sturdy old plastic handled hairbrush just for the sake
of it.<br />
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<br />
<i><b>Going plastic free seems to be more expensive, how can I justify the cost?</b></i><br />
Yep, this is a tricky one. For people who really want to tackle their plastic use, it takes planning, can be time-consuming and inconvenient, and sometimes costs more. For the simple, initial steps - saying no to the big 4 (straws, BYO coffee cups, plastic bags and bottled water), it certainly won't cost you any more and may even save you money as a lot of cafes offer a 50c discount if you supply you own cup, and tap water is a lot cheaper than bottled!<br />
<br />
For anyone who wants to take it further then the price of some foods can cost a little more from your local bulk food supplier, but this isn't always the case. People who start down the plastic-free/ zero waste road will generally end up making quite significant changes to the way they live; pulling one thread tends to unravel a whole tangle of intersecting problems. Common changes include growing more food, composting scraps at home, eating less meat, eating minimal processed food, avoiding big chain supermarkets, joining community garden programs and making a lot more food from scratch.<br />
<br />
In short - although we lived without it for most of our history,
plastic is, for now, pretty firmly entrenched in our modern day culture
and it's almost impossible to escape it completely. It has a lot of
important and essential uses, as well as a lot of superfluous and
wasteful ones. However, consumer pressure can make a difference and we
can definitely find ways to get by without the excess of it much more
than we realise. There are more and more plastic free alternatives
appearing every month as well as abundant online resources from people
who have taken the plunge to live plastic free - for a month, a year,
for life.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pro-tip: You're gunna need more jars!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Feeling motivated? Here's a few tips if you're looking for ideas:</b><br />
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<br />
<i> 1. Leave it on the shelf</i><br />
Have you noticed the amount of fruit and veg that's pre-packaged in multiple layers of plastic these days? Opt for the loose produce instead, it will help to send a clear message to our retailers that we don't want extra helpings of plastic without our fresh food!<br />
<br />
<i>2. The Big 4: Disposable cups, plastic bags, bottled water and straws.</i><br />
This is one of the easiest changes you can make, but it does mean getting into new habits; using your own BYO coffee mug, prefilling your own bottles, stashing a few cloth bags in your bag or car and remembering to ask for 'no straw!'<br />
<br />
<i>3. Replacing plastic bags for fruit and veg with lightweight cotton or nylon reusable bags.</i><br />
A lot of people buy these although I prefer to make my own from thin scrap fabrics<br />
<br />
<i>4. Connect with your local bulk food stores! </i><br />
Most major centres have at least one - it may not be economical for you to replace all the producst that you may otherwise get pre-packaged from the supermarket, but even a few staples will make a difference. Do some price comparisons and find out what might work for you<br />
<br />
<i>5. Connect with your community</i><br />
There are a lot of online resources, including the <a href="http://www.plasticfreejuly.org/" target="_blank">Plastic Free July website</a>, the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/ourfocus/waronwaste/" target="_blank">ABC's #waronwaste webpage</a> and there may even be a local Zero Waste facebook discussion group in your area where you can connect with other like minded individuals and get ideas. <br />
<br />
<i>* This is an edited version of a post I wrote that was originally featured on the <a href="http://www.1millionwomen.com.au/blog/2-common-questions-about-kicking-the-single-use-plastic-habit/" target="_blank">1millionwomen website</a></i><br />
<br />Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-77263236255930717562017-06-16T22:52:00.000+09:302017-06-16T22:52:15.719+09:30A GARDEN IN THE VALLEY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's coming up to a year since I moved to my half-acre block in Tasmania's glorious Huon Valley and I haven't done much writing since...mostly because my average day off involves wandering out the back door a little after a leisurely breakfast and being distracted by a series of tasks that seems to take me until late afternoon.<br />
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I've enjoyed taking my time with developing the site, and where to put structures, and beds, and paths and plants. I've sat on a lot of decisions for a while before realising they were a bad idea and I've been putting into practice my old habit of just looking at a space until inspiration hits. Some spaces have needed more stare-hours than others...<br />
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My vision for the property is something of an old-fashioned rambling garden - but incorporating elements of permaculture philosophy, a smattering of whimsy, a mix of Old World European with Australian native and not so much damned lawn! The house isn't in need of very much work aside from a few minor jobs so most of the focus has been the garden.<br />
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One of the main projects I've tackled - with some help from family - has been removing a massive, dense hedge on the eastern boundary that was admittedly a nice privacy screen but blocked most of the morning light from the veg beds behind it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Before: Grass and crap soil<br />
Now: Kale, chard, garlic, fennel, cabbage, endives, spring onions,
beetroot, Chilean guavas, sweet peas, chamomile, parsley, blueberries,
raspberries and broad beans and much happier
soil</span></span></td></tr>
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The main kitchen garden is underway - and is located in the front north-facing corner of the property. Up until now that area was a mix of different grasses and fairly unhealthy soil. I spent a couple of months in late summer building bed frames, working in a lot of compost, worm castings, manure and a bit of pre-prepared soil, and adding heavy mulch to paths and now have seven beds with winter crops and transplanted dormant blueberry and raspberry plants. The soil is already looking a lot better and has a good population of fat worms. Eventually it'll be a mix of vegies, herbs, insect-attracting flowers, shrubs and berries, plus a couple of dwarf-stock fruit trees. Quite a radical change from a patch of boring lawn!<br />
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I've been gradually working on creating a fernery in the shady section behind the house - with most of my large and luscious ferns having grown from a pix and mix of small seedlings that I bought from a nursery over a year ago.<br />
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I've also been spending a lot of time learning about how to deal with the harvest! From unusual offerings such as the ancient medlar fruit, to damson plums, olives and strawberries - each new glut throws up a flurry of google searches as I try and find ideas that go a bit beyond 'freeze or make jam'<br />
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At the moment I'm enjoying the lull in harvesting to get back to a little tidying, planning and building a few more veg beds from materials scoured on the cheap.<br />
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There's a big batch of compost brewing in readiness for summer, the medlars are steeping in brandy, early bulbs are starting to poke through in preparation for early spring flowering and my to-do list isn't getting any shorter, but I think that I can say I've made a good start.<br />
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<br />Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-18993699799121379712016-09-07T22:23:00.000+09:302017-06-27T13:30:12.516+09:30THE BEACH FILES - CARLTON<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBOi3BCzirEHPm2RS0fPn-IGTqmNKsRFjnl9dUKGIYlxW3USXTWD5J4U680-a84yzokbmhF2Fz_hmI-X-f2fkddObzHOGpv5nNUC-KvyHy0NWiFtOAO9LpzK8AEMzWeK281Fe6cYefjs8/s1600/_DSC7043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBOi3BCzirEHPm2RS0fPn-IGTqmNKsRFjnl9dUKGIYlxW3USXTWD5J4U680-a84yzokbmhF2Fz_hmI-X-f2fkddObzHOGpv5nNUC-KvyHy0NWiFtOAO9LpzK8AEMzWeK281Fe6cYefjs8/s1600/_DSC7043.jpg" /></a>One thing Tasmania has in abundance is gorgeous beaches. It's true that the water temperature is less than ideal for most of the year if you're a cold water coward such as I, but for meandering, dog walking and salt air sniffing there's definitely a generous selection to choose from.<br />
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I've yet to explore much of the Eastern Shore region but as work took me to Steeles Island over the weekend, I thought I'd get in a sneaky dog walk at the same time. Carlton Beach is about 40km east of Hobart, featuring some picturesque dunes, gentle surf breaks and numerous walking trails. It's around 3km long and while sections of the beach are restricted to dogs at certain times of the year (due to shorebird nesting season) the majority is accessible to dogs year-round. Worth a visit if you're passing through the Dodges Ferry area with your furry friend!<br />
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Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-79167066142615852202016-08-19T18:04:00.000+09:302017-06-27T14:40:36.146+09:30DOUCEUR<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbtc9T8RRjJqcFBcB-Aju3jqRgPQKiOt-SchufXRSiEeJLkQxG0LREltmDx7i6OiWHqdshCJIY67VoReu3rc9i0lsOMvCGZ0rluXjNglLemOvOpnmMXVEqTwjXZjgjFFIXvTqxSfp9H9F/s1600/P1060127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbtc9T8RRjJqcFBcB-Aju3jqRgPQKiOt-SchufXRSiEeJLkQxG0LREltmDx7i6OiWHqdshCJIY67VoReu3rc9i0lsOMvCGZ0rluXjNglLemOvOpnmMXVEqTwjXZjgjFFIXvTqxSfp9H9F/s1600/P1060127.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canadian Goldrich apricot in nearly full flower</td></tr>
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Bracing myself for the usual sharp drop in temperature as I stepped out the back door this morning, it was a welcome change to be greeted by a calm and relatively warm morning. All signs are pointing to an early Spring and as several of my fruit trees are already donning their floral finery, I can only cross my fingers that the weather doesn't take a turn for the worse over the next few weeks. <br />
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New faces are popping up in different corners of the garden as the days warm and the daylight lengthens, but to be honest about half of my discoveries are still along the lines of 'they did what here?'<br />
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Despite the onrushing spring, however, there's only so much one person can do at a time, especially when an office job calls for several days in a week. It's a mixed blessing as on the one hand I'm impatient to see some serious progress, but on the other being forced to take it slow has allowed me to plan layouts more carefully, although I'm still a long way off a cohesive vision for the whole site. Some highlights from August so far...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13kxcRs_Upi7Ne_bBlP-BQitPaDOhl8P4bicFISzSUlB52OUzh62KDAfblpDSwMeXgjESSfJ9pCUZAAjB_ukpPnRdgbLFbvSjq7eiZlu3S5slihf9eX4exCocuW6Gdnke-PwU2gXOEnnd/s1600/P1060120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13kxcRs_Upi7Ne_bBlP-BQitPaDOhl8P4bicFISzSUlB52OUzh62KDAfblpDSwMeXgjESSfJ9pCUZAAjB_ukpPnRdgbLFbvSjq7eiZlu3S5slihf9eX4exCocuW6Gdnke-PwU2gXOEnnd/s1600/P1060120.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These delicate lilac coloured flowers have been cropping up everywhere, I think it's a type of iris called blue-eyed grass</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dO4S1D-HYCdF9NB_fd6zxv6kPdEws7EKsgkSzrZX0E4kjFZvQvualhFl42ivgaj2LcLKIH1Gmg0jlVIV1G5zwqo8PPqZxrBx1nfxCnxNV7FSteBGlLeBpEE_KgSEOdfT-NCRqm73hdAt/s1600/P1060122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dO4S1D-HYCdF9NB_fd6zxv6kPdEws7EKsgkSzrZX0E4kjFZvQvualhFl42ivgaj2LcLKIH1Gmg0jlVIV1G5zwqo8PPqZxrBx1nfxCnxNV7FSteBGlLeBpEE_KgSEOdfT-NCRqm73hdAt/s1600/P1060122.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my own additions and an Australian native, I love everlasting flowers and these paper daisies also have a beautiful perfume.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9nT3tM2HyxHwv4UlYeIvlOLYenJWNNV3GBEmvIxQoX5Gkl8eZnYVJtT8pfHEhBuxGFNw7oNHnNsGkPZlYRkpGr8Va0O7hOo6i9OAN5yhh7jql5KQaFqoBI3EcK2bSfGHFD4WBYpWV8Rrf/s1600/P1060125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9nT3tM2HyxHwv4UlYeIvlOLYenJWNNV3GBEmvIxQoX5Gkl8eZnYVJtT8pfHEhBuxGFNw7oNHnNsGkPZlYRkpGr8Va0O7hOo6i9OAN5yhh7jql5KQaFqoBI3EcK2bSfGHFD4WBYpWV8Rrf/s1600/P1060125.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rough outline of what will be a herbal tea garden. Have started with some sage, pineapple sage, lemon verbena and chamomile. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZe_RDynIQN9RpKWaQT0yEkNj6-LDzQbxvZXOJM7-QHGzbXcd1Y6AwpWoFba54vpnLam6AH-Jw_PTjAPyFQgiYVXs80CAoucmUZori8PWvb6vURrxcHVxrIn7ZETaGGReqt72wqstkOcvZ/s1600/P1060131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZe_RDynIQN9RpKWaQT0yEkNj6-LDzQbxvZXOJM7-QHGzbXcd1Y6AwpWoFba54vpnLam6AH-Jw_PTjAPyFQgiYVXs80CAoucmUZori8PWvb6vURrxcHVxrIn7ZETaGGReqt72wqstkOcvZ/s1600/P1060131.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dwarf almond also getting into the Spring of things</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPn8hJPuxlQts_MdnBdd2QAhYc1zXIRFqLf_bUa1jGlohhpBBGlCcMInKZWplLmrorcOJVJTyRRrp2_a13n0omNIqKUMsWTNcBWKmKFvfOIcCopGhT-EetErCUZC3vKohNUrMaA8Q8kitd/s1600/P1060134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPn8hJPuxlQts_MdnBdd2QAhYc1zXIRFqLf_bUa1jGlohhpBBGlCcMInKZWplLmrorcOJVJTyRRrp2_a13n0omNIqKUMsWTNcBWKmKFvfOIcCopGhT-EetErCUZC3vKohNUrMaA8Q8kitd/s1600/P1060134.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mystery fruit tree and a new bed dug in and planted last weekend for an early pea crop</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGw_CwBnFfgD8iAZlWEMOQEYxg2j6DOA5-p28YNWGcU9937ns6IlfU9xRkqt7uYZx8C-IFFrVPkg2VAqnYrU2wg_JNru8ghETbwQfeLvf2XEMrieSFfJKs9I5EyaupPg1UxXxRmlYoszm/s1600/P1060136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPGw_CwBnFfgD8iAZlWEMOQEYxg2j6DOA5-p28YNWGcU9937ns6IlfU9xRkqt7uYZx8C-IFFrVPkg2VAqnYrU2wg_JNru8ghETbwQfeLvf2XEMrieSFfJKs9I5EyaupPg1UxXxRmlYoszm/s1600/P1060136.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green-stalk rhubarb taken from a 10 year old plant from another gardener in the valley</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJ10tMX4hcEwIde4M7aWQ5kKVI9Ajk0JoiH0WPk61E19obr6_eJrvQ_bvj3z3kul_eeddVXYBVW-KhdF0goTmjBWFLAKYi69GnZXAURW5ZgKpGSXCM1E8OXpg7w6VP4FfIa7SQSkxIQbR/s1600/P1060139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJ10tMX4hcEwIde4M7aWQ5kKVI9Ajk0JoiH0WPk61E19obr6_eJrvQ_bvj3z3kul_eeddVXYBVW-KhdF0goTmjBWFLAKYi69GnZXAURW5ZgKpGSXCM1E8OXpg7w6VP4FfIa7SQSkxIQbR/s1600/P1060139.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favourite cottage garden flowers, I'm happy to have found a few of them around</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foxgloves have run rampant throughout this garden. They are another one of my favourites so will be transplanting a lot of the runaway seedlings but I will need to keep a close watch on seed heads in the future to stop them spreading.</td></tr>
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Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-77993674035046297682016-07-27T16:13:00.002+09:302017-06-15T09:44:38.787+09:30A GARDEN AND A LIBRARY<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJt7Yf4KINJAf-R24GtVAsUfD7cWq-1bYaYMNdOQSi45PeQW5QoS0TQzny1VxD2GYRnWadxkUvyYAq6YBvCTl5RNHaKUHJ796j2uwG99TSjTka7iiyn2ROQmumWL0M6C9MeNN_5ltKRj9d/s1600/P1050995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJt7Yf4KINJAf-R24GtVAsUfD7cWq-1bYaYMNdOQSi45PeQW5QoS0TQzny1VxD2GYRnWadxkUvyYAq6YBvCTl5RNHaKUHJ796j2uwG99TSjTka7iiyn2ROQmumWL0M6C9MeNN_5ltKRj9d/s1600/P1050995.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sun maps and seeds</td></tr>
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Cicero, one of those thinky people in the seemingly endless legion of thinky people that were floating around Rome in ancient times, once said something akin to 'if you have a garden and a library you have all you need' (though I might hasten to add dogs, wine and chocolate to that short list). <br />
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Having myself suddenly been plonked onto half an acre of semi cultivated garden then I might update that to 'if you have a garden and a library (and a house and a dog) then you probably won't have time for anything else'. Or, even more succinctly, 'if you want to get rid of drama from your life, get garden' (is that a quote yet? Because if it's not, it should be).<br />
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All this is a very roundabout way of saying that my new green patch has quite rapidly taken over my life and thoughts. I've suddenly found an urgent need for all those slightly ratty clothes that I kept aside for 'outside work' (but that were quite honestly just collecting in small piles in the back of my wardrobe) and my work boots have become my go-to shoes. It's all still pretty dormant out there in garden-land but I'm looking forward to reaping the rewards of the crops already in place (berries, I'm looking at you) and discovering some surprise pop-up additions to my already impressive range of cottage plants.<br />
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There's a standard piece of advice in permaculture circles along the lines of waiting for a year before getting stuck into anything too serious but there are certainly a lot of smaller jobs and planning to do that will keep me busy enough for the next 12 months. But with spring only a few weeks away, there's a lot of planning to be getting on with.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJi8pd9SA9NAFw6mn9agcw9kGMPtzLoFBA7OyLvv9mKP6SC8QHTAOsFGiwpjaFLU-rkdyG2BIBUCRCqoRt-cb5o-5xB3l5qcAMtTNzIO4W-i88ppWsLlnQQD1Brp_Aqf4ADHOxqVn3avZG/s1600/P1050999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJi8pd9SA9NAFw6mn9agcw9kGMPtzLoFBA7OyLvv9mKP6SC8QHTAOsFGiwpjaFLU-rkdyG2BIBUCRCqoRt-cb5o-5xB3l5qcAMtTNzIO4W-i88ppWsLlnQQD1Brp_Aqf4ADHOxqVn3avZG/s1600/P1050999.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some transplanted cabbages which may not come to anything</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9gX3bT0klBvuscXAxXQU9f3-M3ODGaP0fcxZdez7XJLC9sNKnEj80uAKzJukn0BD8dhA9dws_VzImGbuAobgiSA-ykhhbrmDz0vLhPF_krO8gUqM1BruKhRb3_96KExGSiW90pUZFpX_/s1600/P1060003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9gX3bT0klBvuscXAxXQU9f3-M3ODGaP0fcxZdez7XJLC9sNKnEj80uAKzJukn0BD8dhA9dws_VzImGbuAobgiSA-ykhhbrmDz0vLhPF_krO8gUqM1BruKhRb3_96KExGSiW90pUZFpX_/s1600/P1060003.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've never grown hellebores before but I've become an immediate convert - which is lucky as there's a lot of them!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fat camelias</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jnwT5vmg_WdneWDfww9C2w6BTRYJmF6IJ8cR8I-fE-RPjB0-050YA-TBsxhyphenhyphenyjLo_f7lSxkGvz8GMo42KueQ8NWGZMFbFeLk9M6-E35uvgSXC7_vF-rEGKjPXW_C2Xb8a00VlmMfufQ-/s1600/P1060008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jnwT5vmg_WdneWDfww9C2w6BTRYJmF6IJ8cR8I-fE-RPjB0-050YA-TBsxhyphenhyphenyjLo_f7lSxkGvz8GMo42KueQ8NWGZMFbFeLk9M6-E35uvgSXC7_vF-rEGKjPXW_C2Xb8a00VlmMfufQ-/s1600/P1060008.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The record rainfalls of the past few weeks haven't helped what was already a questionable planting site choice</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIZVz8iIrtFCUjKBP_3He_0Q65uqcgxKaQCuStPnDhlDJOZqspqmxhwRj9zO-Q2pGUgYnzYknwi1yAjgO3JiTnbJqn56odl2RztqWnL5iIZlus3Uk1B7a8mo1mgnfrrbGdJgADJWXigg2/s1600/P1060009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIZVz8iIrtFCUjKBP_3He_0Q65uqcgxKaQCuStPnDhlDJOZqspqmxhwRj9zO-Q2pGUgYnzYknwi1yAjgO3JiTnbJqn56odl2RztqWnL5iIZlus3Uk1B7a8mo1mgnfrrbGdJgADJWXigg2/s1600/P1060009.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moving soil around, it's what I do now. As well as finding temporary solutions to deal with bad plant parenting decisions from the former owners.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5S-3RDVKAyoWSv9bcqHHOLzaZWAEUKYdl97PYClFZbAytjvrntnGLHt6-ZlpEy5NOKVnzP5IXpkRenTpzJKo6IiHW6EASRCiB5Bsd_fd6jQp9M7Ka61DwSvpXm0l92N1nsmjeTRIf0q-/s1600/P1060010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5S-3RDVKAyoWSv9bcqHHOLzaZWAEUKYdl97PYClFZbAytjvrntnGLHt6-ZlpEy5NOKVnzP5IXpkRenTpzJKo6IiHW6EASRCiB5Bsd_fd6jQp9M7Ka61DwSvpXm0l92N1nsmjeTRIf0q-/s1600/P1060010.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An apricot tree in preparation for some understorey companion planting in Spring. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhex88G6jVs0G5qL_9b2V9gtT0ni3oUdDqOc6GTrIZL4Oyathqohd4Hk_8igmloixvCSerT76PXGpr0P1qlyM6nkfbgkj7gZ1POZqGzeqR5OfvJ9hyphenhyphenWhmcQzdtFWHJqGtsruHGfmn1gSxu0/s1600/P1060012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhex88G6jVs0G5qL_9b2V9gtT0ni3oUdDqOc6GTrIZL4Oyathqohd4Hk_8igmloixvCSerT76PXGpr0P1qlyM6nkfbgkj7gZ1POZqGzeqR5OfvJ9hyphenhyphenWhmcQzdtFWHJqGtsruHGfmn1gSxu0/s1600/P1060012.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sheltered north-east corner, and future Mediterranean garden!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAD8wE7eX551GBoiLsTdgF2n-SPDhCZpuNB_79-_iME8n8my7KbH96yf-8nF3VVt7fLeePRbYNMBMfxqH9mZdlP2QsPXfN4KUP8OkSm3rPesdE7NPL34xU7ox2NcUgz6GF62b8rtNYn1OI/s1600/P1060014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAD8wE7eX551GBoiLsTdgF2n-SPDhCZpuNB_79-_iME8n8my7KbH96yf-8nF3VVt7fLeePRbYNMBMfxqH9mZdlP2QsPXfN4KUP8OkSm3rPesdE7NPL34xU7ox2NcUgz6GF62b8rtNYn1OI/s1600/P1060014.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And as for books...</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu24kqnHFm82V041KKZWh9aRBAUm1xMOsDh_ekWQ_54frF5kU3IuefUAqTn1r75FgimVi_ExF81BDBxYSPUJkoVEi0Ua1ntQTmtop67yVZ9D51AjAXhxiXlfAzThXgLPlyS3-cCEssB5ZN/s1600/20160709_094816-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu24kqnHFm82V041KKZWh9aRBAUm1xMOsDh_ekWQ_54frF5kU3IuefUAqTn1r75FgimVi_ExF81BDBxYSPUJkoVEi0Ua1ntQTmtop67yVZ9D51AjAXhxiXlfAzThXgLPlyS3-cCEssB5ZN/s1600/20160709_094816-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for summer...</td></tr>
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Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-25257747704920247312016-06-07T17:04:00.001+09:302017-06-27T14:40:42.672+09:30DRIPPY DAZE<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsWKN-jYK6LDBE6XYt6HFdFGwDJVpOU4ArndJRig2m1XFqMYXr_EjhL3t_ZSdVoxiBKHimP2KuoNxYzYBZeezJxNiQwdoO9P4jjYtfmrChNjjcSbWmDrOwXOMhPxfC4ZpeNDEgxmUPVK-Z/s1600/_DSC6863.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsWKN-jYK6LDBE6XYt6HFdFGwDJVpOU4ArndJRig2m1XFqMYXr_EjhL3t_ZSdVoxiBKHimP2KuoNxYzYBZeezJxNiQwdoO9P4jjYtfmrChNjjcSbWmDrOwXOMhPxfC4ZpeNDEgxmUPVK-Z/s1600/_DSC6863.jpg" /></a>It's been a wet few days, and most of today's live coverage weather coverage came from the vantage point of my home office (aka the dining table) where I watched the rain fall steadily through the last of the autumn leaves - in between my own steady tappings on the keyboard. <br />
<a name='more'></a>My new soon to be home doesn't have trees right next to the windows (yet) so I guess I won't be watching little feathered visitors from the comfort of my loungeroom after I move on, at least not for a while.<br />
<br />
A couple of snaps from throughout the day<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjLx8p9SwCCB4Z7OM59ua6Un-jeJ7nTwSRJTP98_AGZIOcLVSW8KJCJNFiL6eT-8CiQ3bkZ6OvmRCt-rOZTcqTVNCtCSx7d2FWIv3i0GvO7-CU2DxsUFs5tFOG24O6fLx-2IfKjBmKDew/s1600/_DSC6871.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjLx8p9SwCCB4Z7OM59ua6Un-jeJ7nTwSRJTP98_AGZIOcLVSW8KJCJNFiL6eT-8CiQ3bkZ6OvmRCt-rOZTcqTVNCtCSx7d2FWIv3i0GvO7-CU2DxsUFs5tFOG24O6fLx-2IfKjBmKDew/s1600/_DSC6871.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-59940662598408158392016-05-29T17:37:00.000+09:302017-06-14T23:33:12.537+09:30MAY HIGHLIGHTS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGDDEb9CYJGIZc8gUXyNuHBFQZ7Gu98W0GQQVwj5ViLjMqvzDpDkH7L-4iaBxVpIKHPmVtKiE5yZD4fdzo-DyE4QPDl45ElO5cUTxUpiEmEwUR2x6yqcHraiE-dVEnyTN6xDCzmfBv0Xj/s1600/P1050750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGDDEb9CYJGIZc8gUXyNuHBFQZ7Gu98W0GQQVwj5ViLjMqvzDpDkH7L-4iaBxVpIKHPmVtKiE5yZD4fdzo-DyE4QPDl45ElO5cUTxUpiEmEwUR2x6yqcHraiE-dVEnyTN6xDCzmfBv0Xj/s1600/P1050750.jpg" /></a>The entire month of May has been pretty much dedicated to one specific highlight, which is jumping though the necessary hoops of buying a house. A house! A house in the <a href="http://www.discovertasmania.com.au/about/articles/huon-valley" target="_blank">Huon Valley</a>! This is a brave new world for this little chicken and I think I've been doing a great job pretending like I understand a single thing that I'm signing my life away to and poker-facedly assuring my bank manager that yes, I will absolutely not be spending more than $100 a month on wine for like, ever *cough*.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
However, I'm slightly reassured by the quietly stated 'it's a really nice house' from everyone who's had anything to do with this process so far and have been diligently assigning all of my latent associated anxieties to my 2am dream state. Plus the building inspector didn't condemn it on sight so all going well I expect to be joining the mortgage club within the next few days and will hopefully be moved in just in time for the <a href="http://www.huonvalleymidwinterfest.com.au/" target="_blank">Huon Valley mid-winter fest</a>.<br />
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Without further ado, here's a short photo tour of my soon to be very own half acre of rural Tassie;<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZfEKry1ua-_m7IKNyEnwRdA5IMsjXXw6wU8AqZimHn9Il22Z43NDEcLHI43QU8-nSrsBAVmSSgSli1UnaFGHBaMnAz5f3O7SxSzrWSrMylx3kM3H-s1JbsBL8HbDLfskS09EGrrdWCGa/s1600/P1050765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZfEKry1ua-_m7IKNyEnwRdA5IMsjXXw6wU8AqZimHn9Il22Z43NDEcLHI43QU8-nSrsBAVmSSgSli1UnaFGHBaMnAz5f3O7SxSzrWSrMylx3kM3H-s1JbsBL8HbDLfskS09EGrrdWCGa/s1600/P1050765.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strawberry patch included</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAofL5aVqakM3l2H4nxr7yLsbMxAJ0lseFFXGuL3LT7LN0-pn_2XRQ6Nv7VF7Y-97vk9XXpJxPLK288iODQCU8YLSBpK3me-ZfgCKncB2wn9td3ua4jfe4JL8246eX91TF8E8aZQXhm1CU/s1600/P1050768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAofL5aVqakM3l2H4nxr7yLsbMxAJ0lseFFXGuL3LT7LN0-pn_2XRQ6Nv7VF7Y-97vk9XXpJxPLK288iODQCU8YLSBpK3me-ZfgCKncB2wn9td3ua4jfe4JL8246eX91TF8E8aZQXhm1CU/s1600/P1050768.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medlars! Alongside apricot, almond, hazlenut, olive, peach, apple, cherry and pear trees </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwY6BdIU8mz7FG6Rzmuub0k0jM0cR_BEdKxbSiGbwCgciFdepGDENZq7EVfhmqjbpjmNmvsmaBzZLv07bJSaZ7aPOR6sLv-IFBYN_Ib4rBIGMGfKvftJLsc2oEcdENf-uSizzxkhHcg9Gl/s1600/P1050769.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwY6BdIU8mz7FG6Rzmuub0k0jM0cR_BEdKxbSiGbwCgciFdepGDENZq7EVfhmqjbpjmNmvsmaBzZLv07bJSaZ7aPOR6sLv-IFBYN_Ib4rBIGMGfKvftJLsc2oEcdENf-uSizzxkhHcg9Gl/s1600/P1050769.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some rustic finds in the chook shed</td></tr>
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Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-31927434849280975782016-05-04T21:31:00.000+09:302017-06-15T09:57:33.115+09:309 STITCHES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There's that old saying about a stitch in time saving nine - which of course means if you tackle a problem early you'll save yourself a much larger problem later on. This is also a saying from an era when mending and darning were not only commonplace but essential. These days a split stitch, broken heel or missing button is less often attended to early, if at all. Cheap, convenient and fast-changing fashions often mean we end up with more clothes than we really need and that we also generally neglect them (not helped much by the inferior quality products on the market that give up after a couple of runs in a washing machine). <br />
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From both an environmental and social perspective, this brings a heavy cost. From the cotton or oil needed to produce a garment, plus the water, energy and chemicals used in its manufacture, to the substandard conditions so often found in the garment industry - the era of cheap fashion is costing the earth.<br />
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I generally try and fix my clothes when they show signs of wear, although I'm not very good at getting onto it early. So, over time, I've ended up with a slightly overwhelming pile of clothes that need a little attention. So when I saw the 'Mend it May' social media campaign on a blog I follow, I decided to sign on for the challenge and get stitching! It's not exclusively aimed at clothing - and of course I have another pile of fix it projects sitting in another room, but it's a start. There's also a facebook group where people are sharing tips, questions, ideas and competed projects.<br />
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<a href="http://mymakedoandmendlife.com/mend-it-may/" target="_blank">Check out the campaign</a> and get inspired to tackle a to-do project this month!<br />
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<br />Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-27835845569901587302016-05-01T22:04:00.000+09:302017-06-27T14:40:51.568+09:30HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH - APRIL 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="color: black;">April has been a beguiling mix of warm, clear (and frustratingly rain-free) days with the occasional sudden dip in temperatures to remind us that winter is just around the corner, and the occasional spike to remind us that summer still wants to play.</span><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #e69138;"><b>IN THE GARDEN:</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last 3 strawberries of the season...</td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a>The kale and brocolli are growing like mad (adding composted cow manure seems to have made all the difference here) but cabbages and leeks seem to be flagging. The sun has shifted and the raised brick planter bed I made isn't getting nearly as much sun as it was 4 weeks ago.<br />
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According to Gardening Australia, April is Allium month. For a die-hard garlic-lover it's definitely the opportunity to try out a small crop - this is my first try at growing garlic so I'm starting small! <br />
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I've switched back over to stocking up on different fruit plants. I sniffed out (literally) some Chilean guavas acting as a sneaky decorative hedging at the local garden centre. I took a few cuttings and crossed my naive fingers, about 2/3 seem to have taken root. Also got myself some feijoa plants and some now-dormant red currants.<br />
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<span style="color: #e69138;"><b>IN THE KITCHEN:</b></span><br />
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It's been a vegetable explosion in my kitchen this month (see below) so I've had to work on a few new recipes to get through the boxload of veg I'm now getting every fortnight. This month's favourite is corn fritters, made from freshly boiled corn and bulked up with some carrot pulp that's left over from my occasional juice fest.<br />
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<span style="color: #e69138;"><b>LIVING LOCAL:</b></span><br />
I've joined a food co-op! Something I've been wanting to get into for ages and am so happy that I've finally got involved. One of the great things about living in Tassie is how easy it is to get a huge variety of locally grown produce - everything from olives to apples, wine to whiskey and cheese to cherries. The Channel Living co-op sells local produce from around the south-east of Tasmania, and for $100 a month I'm getting fortnightly veg boxes of delicious and super-fresh seasonal produce all grown within a 50km radius of where I live.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #e69138;">TREASURE HUNTING:</span></b><br />
Nothing more than the cost of lugging it up a hill off a beach on Bruny Island ( I was out there for a marine debris clean up), this handsome bit of driftwood now sits perfectly in a space where I've been wanting a decorative garden feature for weeks - topped off with an old marble ball that I've had for years.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #e69138;">MVPs:</span></b><br />
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I rescued a bunch of bedraggled cosmos from the reject table at my local garden centre last month. As they were only a dollar I decided to plant them straight into the ground around the rockery, within a couple of weeks they'd perked up with some showy flowers. A definite pick-me-up for my flower-lacking garden.<br />
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<span style="color: #e69138;"><b>WATCHING:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.reusedocumentary.com/" target="_blank">Reuse, because you can't recycle the planet</a>. This was bookmarked in my 'to watch' list last year, but between the move and the delayed internet setup, I'd forgotten about it. A really sweet optimistic and inspiring fun documentary about creative reuse across communities in the USA - would definitely recommend the 10 dollar download.Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-29086880752641629302016-04-12T21:57:00.001+09:302017-06-16T19:55:44.250+09:30WORKING LESS FOR THE PLANET<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ey7041owBTaHiCf2WTXE8b8zlhPEUd1iDDKoY0rG5j4YH6axpeF6kaNsLI_qUrG7uhwBrXAGFqI5KYySqikdyI3swvId6d4tD3I1bYri01pC3CY3dVKIcHNNz6vDf06z067RBlzQM3U-/s1600/10400430435_bff3f676f3_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ey7041owBTaHiCf2WTXE8b8zlhPEUd1iDDKoY0rG5j4YH6axpeF6kaNsLI_qUrG7uhwBrXAGFqI5KYySqikdyI3swvId6d4tD3I1bYri01pC3CY3dVKIcHNNz6vDf06z067RBlzQM3U-/s1600/10400430435_bff3f676f3_k.jpg" /></a>As part of my most recent life overhaul, one thing I wanted to try out was a reduced work week, so that I could investigate that mythical beast called a work-life balance. Luckily, as well as getting a job offer very quickly, it was also a 4 day a week position. I guess I imagined the eternal 3 day weekend giving me more time to relax and read, garden, get to the end of my to-do list (who was I kidding? It's huge) and go camping and exploring more often. But, as it turns out, there's been more to it...<br />
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script> To me, the life of a 40+ hour week seems to lead to a slow but steady feeling of being consistently flat. Not always exhausted exactly, but a constant feeling of wishing there were just a few more hours in each day. The kind of feeling that has been pretty much normalised by modern society as just 'getting older' - but is it actually normal?<br />
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The routine is common. Time spent commuting. The Tuesday night run to the shops for milk. Preparing lunches. The 'not on a school night' lethargy that creeps in when weighing up whether to go out to that mid-week gig. Getting through 4 pages of a book before zoning out. Spending precious weekends doing the more intensive chores that you can't get to during the week, and that two day break just never seems quite long enough to shake off the fatigue of the week before. Dreaming about the next holiday...<br />
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<i>When I'm feeling like a
large part of me life is committed to a desk, I have a tendency to buy things I don't really need as a reward for....whatever's missing, having something tangible to show for the time I've given to something I'm not very personally invested in. </i><br />
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So, what does this have to do with the environment?<br />
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Coupled with the psychological effects that the 9-5 routine has on consumer patterns, being time-poor <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/reducing-working-hours-economy-environment" target="_blank">has been shown</a> to be a major factor behind making economically and environmentally negative choices. With less time available to explore options, scope alternatives, plan ahead or prepare supplies - the convenient (and usually more expensive and resource intensive) option generally wins out. In short, working more seems to be costlier and more environmentally damaging than working less.<br />
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<b>Living a low-consumer lifestyle is infinitely more challenging when there's less time to scout out earth-friendly options; such as buying
secondhand, making or mending, growing your own food and cooking meals from scratch.</b><br />
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While choosing to work less can at first be a financially daunting prospect, depending on your financial circumstances (levels of debt, salary, financial obligations and how many hours you cut back) you may still be able to break even. In my case, working one less day a week has left me in a similar financial situation as working full time. However, voluntarily choosing to reduce working hours generally means
also having to make certain lifestyle changes. While some areas
balance out, unavoidable expenses such as utility bills, rent or mortgage, insurance, car
repairs, medication, vet bills or trips to the dentist won't change, so sacrifices need to be made elsewhere.
Choosing to live more simply can mean trading in your TV for books, skipping the latest trends and buying op-shop treasures, learning some DIY skills and having the patience to find a pre-loved version what you're looking for rather than opting for instant
gratification from a department store.<br />
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From what I've experienced so far, gaining a day has given me so much more than just 24 extra hours. At the end of every week I feel well rested and more relaxed, and much less interested in window (or actual) shopping as a quick pick-me-up. With more time to poke around tip shops looking for cheap castoffs (especially useful when setting up a garden), visit op-shops to bulk up my winter wardrobe, check out used furniture stores and work on DIY projects at home, I've spent a lot less settling in than I otherwise would have. I have more time to make more food from scratch, with some of it now coming from my own garden. I've also got more time to connect with local networks - particularly resource sharing, swap and gardening communities. Finally, with almost no effort I have cut back my disposable trash output by around another 50% (though my recyclables have remained steady).<br />
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While it may not be for everyone, it's worth doing some sums. A little less work can go a long way.Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-72317280109574505972016-03-31T07:33:00.000+09:302017-06-15T10:04:08.852+09:30HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MONTH - MARCH 16<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalQ4KO4NOlX_4-JuNH_cnF-xZUenkYnb47g4K6Yu-LmTQ5zwFELSzm13BDvv3lIYBALB9jHuexSWmJaNaMLBPP2r9xHIvCC93mqstjk0VJDnE_TPupxZr7Jt2Pggs0LIC3-XeyQ4fl49H/s1600/gardenCollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjalQ4KO4NOlX_4-JuNH_cnF-xZUenkYnb47g4K6Yu-LmTQ5zwFELSzm13BDvv3lIYBALB9jHuexSWmJaNaMLBPP2r9xHIvCC93mqstjk0VJDnE_TPupxZr7Jt2Pggs0LIC3-XeyQ4fl49H/s1600/gardenCollage.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="color: black;">Time to get back on track with the earth-loving, slow living posts, it seems like I've been talking about nothing but travel and vague plans to move on for ages! I'll try out regular monthly summaries to keep on track with where I'm at, and as an encouragement to keep progressing.</span><b><br /></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #e69138;"><b>IN THE GARDEN:</b></span><br />
With summer wrapped up, I've started getting the autumn and winter crops in. Early in the learning curve so I'm still figuring out the basics of temperate climate gardening.<br />
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The only slightly productive tomatoes had to be pulled up, I couldn't wait around any longer for the last of them to ripen as I needed the space* (see below). Still, I learned a few useful lessons about how to improve next summer.<br />
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I don't have a proper composting system in place yet - currently restricted to a newly started worm compost setup for food scraps and an interim 'shove it all in a wire cage and forget about it' approach to garden waste, so I'm still having to buy bags of prepared soil.<br />
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Leek, kale, radish, brocolli and cabbage have been planted in preparation for the cooler months ahead. I've put out my strawberry runners and mounted my small but growing collection onto a sheltered sunny wall.<br />
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The persimmons are almost ready but the gangly resident fig that I had high hopes for looks like it isn't thriving well enough to produce anything more than a mass of small stunted green fruit. Disappointing. Unsure if it's something I can fix or if it's just in a bad spot. I'll try out some extra TLC.<br />
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<i>*I later learned from my grandfather that hanging the whole uprooted upside down in a warm dry place will ripen any lingering green tomatoes - I'll know for next year...</i><br />
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<span style="color: #e69138;"><b>IN THE KITCHEN:</b></span><br />
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Green tomato chutney! (of course)<br />
I had 600g of unripe tomatoes, enough for 2 jars. So delicious. It will not last long. At all.<br />
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<span style="color: #e69138;"><b>LIVING LOCAL:</b></span><br />
Field days and produce markets; Autumn in the Huon Valley is the place to be...<br />
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<b><span style="color: #e69138;">TREASURE HUNTING:</span></b><br />
Some of my best finds from the tip shop and charity shops from the month, all of this came to about $35. Mostly clothes as I'm lacking winter wear, but with some newly available bookshelf space, lots of hunting grounds, and winter around the corner it's time to reboot the book scout! Also picked up some Fowlers preserving jars.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #e69138;">MVPs:</span></b><br />
Look at these succulents. Just look at them. This is 6 weeks growth after repotting in early February.<br />
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<span style="color: #e69138;"><b>READING:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1935045.An_Utterly_Impartial_History_of_Britain_or_2000_Years_of_Upper_Class_Idiots_In_Charge" target="_blank"><b>An Utterly Impartial History of Britain </b></a><b></b>bought this to read while I was in the UK - better late than never.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3109.The_Omnivore_s_Dilemma" target="_blank"><b>The Omnivore's Dilemma</b></a> Re-reading. Started this ages ago but put it down
for too long. I was enjoying it but was a bit burned out with
leisure-time reading last year, mostly because of work. Giving it
another go. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #e69138;"><b>LISTENING:</b></span><br />
I finally got my
internet reconnected after a 3 month hiatus - found 'Searching for Sugar
Man' on demand and gave it a watch (late to this party I know). Just
wow. Listening to <a href="https://youtu.be/vKYEYNX-Eug%20v" target="_blank">Cold Fact </a>and Coming from Reality. Amazing. Feels like
it's music I have always known but never met.Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-43022801771863841192016-03-29T12:46:00.001+09:302017-07-06T21:30:59.889+09:30THE ROAR OF THE 40s<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7MiTnl7efP-MOIXXWbgzC3J9lVr9Y-jxDG1ooRPLyJXskFBUx0nBsF_OMj2ygEx1c5gSFiLhGnoey6fJUAR_7_OYrsyligvhic4PdV_pX9GWiSeX1nVUZSe4zPaV8T2Bbix-UiDF0tUx/s1600/P1050291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM7MiTnl7efP-MOIXXWbgzC3J9lVr9Y-jxDG1ooRPLyJXskFBUx0nBsF_OMj2ygEx1c5gSFiLhGnoey6fJUAR_7_OYrsyligvhic4PdV_pX9GWiSeX1nVUZSe4zPaV8T2Bbix-UiDF0tUx/s1600/P1050291.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See? I told you. He's fine.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Moving to the latitude known as the 'Roaring 40's', after turning 40, seemed like a satisfyingly poetic thing to do, and god knows these are the kinds of nonsensical whims that dictate my life choices, though I'm happy to report that the wind has thus far been behaving itself.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Unsurprisingly, it's been a busy few months with all the standard life chaos and unintended consequences that moving from one side of a country to another entails - in my case that translated to a confused and anxious hound and a lot of very startled baby cockroaches (look, if you're ignorant about where those creepers hide themselves when they're young and wee, count yourself lucky....suffice to say I probably dislodged about 30 from out of the nooks and crannies in the base of my electric kettle alone).<br />
<br />
Translocated tropical bugs aside, however, the last few weeks have seen me being subjected to exactly none of the stresses this kind of thing generally entails, and that I was mentally gearing up for. None. Nada. Zip. I got a great job straight away, I found a cheap and convenient house in a really nice part of greater Hobart during the busy lead up to Christmas. My stuff arrived intact. My long suffering travel-hound is fine. To be fair, catastrophe humour does make for more entertaining reading but I'll do my best under the circumstances. Just imagine those cockroaches some more, if it helps. <br />
<br />
But, now that the hectic flurry of remembering where I live, buying covered shoes, gardening, cooking, furniture hunting and de-roaching are done with, it's time to start thinking autumn thoughts...above and beyond catching up on all the Netflix shows I missed while I was waiting to get the internet connected. With a little bit of planning and direction here's hoping I can mostly avoid a winter that's mired in excessive cider consumption and on-demand TV binges. Or not...I mean, the cider is really good here after all!<br />
<br />Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-23849456894968901222015-11-26T21:36:00.003+09:302017-06-15T10:09:13.648+09:3042 DEGREES SOUTH<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiHmHYz3VG33GaGmJWszBh5CqAh6ZfQIaLFSPjNQkroUDdYrNGaqpH3znsQt5PLgBqCcZkwG4VrC_9BV1eOZpOF6bNEMJLH8ndL48mShcNXCzLMsB8MIHU6BHM8rO4dVtZ7dSld2Sm2a0/s1600/_DSC6467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuiHmHYz3VG33GaGmJWszBh5CqAh6ZfQIaLFSPjNQkroUDdYrNGaqpH3znsQt5PLgBqCcZkwG4VrC_9BV1eOZpOF6bNEMJLH8ndL48mShcNXCzLMsB8MIHU6BHM8rO4dVtZ7dSld2Sm2a0/s1600/_DSC6467.jpg" /></a>Earlier in October, I took a short trip to the bracing south, on my first ever trip to Tasmania. Despite the inclement weather that always takes some getting used to after too long in Darwin, it was a wonderful relief to get away from the soupy hot buildup of the north. With five days up my sleeve I tackled the usual tourist haunts of
Salamanca, MONA, the botanic gardens, Mt. Wellington, Richmond and
Runnymede, as well as a few lesser known locales such as the Sandy Bay
Twilight Markets. However the main purpose of my holiday was seeing if
Hobart was a good fit as a new home town.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Despite the chill factor that will take a little time getting used to again, I'm happy to say I felt quite at home there and have finally decided to take the plunge and move on. I've also been fortunate enough to score a new job before I've even finished packing so it's goodbye tropics and hello roaring 40s! Here's a few highlights from the whistle-stop tour...<br />
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Oh, and I also got a tattoo because I'm a bit random like that<br />
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Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-90853912704782889522015-09-24T22:23:00.000+09:302017-06-15T10:11:19.344+09:30ROAD TRIPPING THE BARKLY<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiweA39nbWDIt7mV0tQ0MIIs3c11yLZ8fEV4iJ81EiRWUSd8LU0MW_T9o_3nc-wIOXPso8s-QnpsgdTO2OnBTqJUhkLikg-4_N7gQz5UaFT7dGHOYljJUhx2X02PGp3vTWMG2exq5mTIvQD/s1600/P1040981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiweA39nbWDIt7mV0tQ0MIIs3c11yLZ8fEV4iJ81EiRWUSd8LU0MW_T9o_3nc-wIOXPso8s-QnpsgdTO2OnBTqJUhkLikg-4_N7gQz5UaFT7dGHOYljJUhx2X02PGp3vTWMG2exq5mTIvQD/s1600/P1040981.jpg" /></a>In a rare turn of events I was let out of the office last week for a work related trip down to the wide open spaces of the Territory's Barkly Tablelands region. It's been an embarrassing number of years since I've been down this way. <br />
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Thanks to the company of a former local of the town of Tennant Creek, I got the local guide experience to some of the lesser known areas around the township, as well as a behind the scenes tour of some of the pastoral stations in the region - which aren't generally otherwise accessible.<br />
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As well as getting out of what's been a very smokey few weeks here in Darwin and breathing some fresh air again, it was also a great opportunity to try out my latest splurge; the much recommended Tamron 150-600mm lens. I'm going to add my voice to the chorus and agree that this is a great piece of equipment - albeit much heavier than I'm used to! After many years of photography, and many of those years weeping in frustration for not being able to do justice to so many of my preferred bird subjects, it was such a treat to be able to finally get some sharp and balanced images! I've still got a bit of practice to do to get the most out of it (including building up some arm and ab muscles to help hold that beast steady!) but preliminary shots are very promising...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black fronted dotterel 600mm @ f6.3</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pelican 600mm @ f6.3</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Military sand dragon 600mm @f6.3</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corellas</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mulga snake (aka king brown)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unidentified flower that had the distinctive aroma of a grandmother's closet</td></tr>
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Unexpectedly the golden fields, bright blue skies and big horizons in the heart of the Territory turned out to be a great remedy for my cluttered and cobweb-filled mind that's been floundering on what to do next and generally overthinking pretty much everything. Anyway, maybe all those endless horizons helped loosen a jammed up cog but I was finally able to relax into the idea that as much as I've had a lovely, quiet and comfortable time of things these last three years (which admittedly was only meant to be 1-2 years!), I feel like it's finally the right time to move on to another chapter in a new location. Watch this space!<br />
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Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-62722451350063519202015-07-21T13:37:00.001+09:302017-06-15T11:26:34.897+09:30ONE STEP BEYONDIt's likely you're all familiar with the eco-conscious jingle 'reduce, reuse, recycle' - aka 'the three R's', but how about my personal favourite - upcycling?<br />
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More creative planter ideas <a href="http://www.cityofshamballa.net/profiles/blogs/diy-thursday-10-creative-upcycled-planters-for-earth-day" target="_blank">here</a> </div>
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<a name='more'></a>More than just another word for reusing, upcycling is the art of taking an unwanted object and making it into something better than the original. Plug it into your search engine and you'll be rewarded with a creative cornucopia of old forks transformed into coathooks, chic sofa beds made from pallets, and wine bottles transformed into goblets.<br />
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Although it's a relatively recent term, the concept of upcycling isn't new.Before our modern era of consumer excess, thrift and economy were the order of the day; think rugs made from rags, new outfits made from old, or chandeliers crafted from wagon wheels. Upcycling is the perfect marriage between creativity, necessity and conserving resources.<br />
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Here's a handpicked gallery of some of what the internet has to offer - there are some great ideas here on how we can avoid the consumer treadmill and start turning trash into treasure. It’s such a fun way to get creative, original, and make some serious cuts to your carbon footprint – and it won’t
cost the earth...enjoy!<br />
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<span lang="en-AU">Cats and computers...inseparable, via <a href="https://www.etsy.com/people/AtomicAttic" target="_blank">Atomic Attic</a> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8RxWU8k8pS65riBzRy8qTg0n4wjli6WD4ovj3iecRvuOo9LseZ53Tph0SDOJxyyv0Fh3DcpMEl_D_hg74mjB1oTSgVJunelGayncQmh4iHK53XYqzPGnnJHth-4rjz-mWG_5Da39yH4_L/s1600/faucet+hooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8RxWU8k8pS65riBzRy8qTg0n4wjli6WD4ovj3iecRvuOo9LseZ53Tph0SDOJxyyv0Fh3DcpMEl_D_hg74mjB1oTSgVJunelGayncQmh4iHK53XYqzPGnnJHth-4rjz-mWG_5Da39yH4_L/s1600/faucet+hooks.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span lang="en-AU">Old taps make unique and quirky wall hooks</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tKlh3LpGvliFteuww_c8KFJpeUFhgAjLldIfXP0DmM3okEcmLwNoMEdDWW42e5AsTGsLDu3GxMw99hmUgnOF1n9Yo8OfB_jyvzcIP77mM44CGS5K17w-LzLrHxNbhQhptNfc_Bl7vX_-/s1600/gaudi+mosaic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tKlh3LpGvliFteuww_c8KFJpeUFhgAjLldIfXP0DmM3okEcmLwNoMEdDWW42e5AsTGsLDu3GxMw99hmUgnOF1n9Yo8OfB_jyvzcIP77mM44CGS5K17w-LzLrHxNbhQhptNfc_Bl7vX_-/s1600/gaudi+mosaic.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span lang="en-AU">Broken crockery, tiles and glass can be used to make beautiful mosaics</span></div>
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<span lang="en-AU" style="font-family: "calibri";">via <a href="http://www.recyclart.org/2015/06/green-chair/">http://www.recyclart.org/2015/06/green-chair/</a></span><span lang="en-AU"> </span><span lang="en-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZ6E59HmrEaALX9OpfteMEg_0lIkONzgRJLQgheYMXe5AXHvQ_C_27MzMqOu2PmhyyKDbum7iu8UrSfUjmBzca1yF_CJwY21RF5dP3VzXWkYq2ueRGgl9mWRLRMj7m15oJloDCbjDOKjU/s1600/Pinguim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZ6E59HmrEaALX9OpfteMEg_0lIkONzgRJLQgheYMXe5AXHvQ_C_27MzMqOu2PmhyyKDbum7iu8UrSfUjmBzca1yF_CJwY21RF5dP3VzXWkYq2ueRGgl9mWRLRMj7m15oJloDCbjDOKjU/s1600/Pinguim.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span lang="en-AU">Australian artist Sean Avery makes art from old cds http://seaneavery.com/section/130105-Sculpture.html</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOBgb5q1gRMLwjGpIjHNk_rDcR1LhMahbY_tNHchbnrA6z5HNol1-UHtS-l_XfXD8KqC79425CJdT9iOus_mGkpYuLTNS7Nu56JQ3_hYx4li1gK3K-K2P49JJVyEl0NCcvpun4JM2hDFE/s1600/sweater+poufs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOBgb5q1gRMLwjGpIjHNk_rDcR1LhMahbY_tNHchbnrA6z5HNol1-UHtS-l_XfXD8KqC79425CJdT9iOus_mGkpYuLTNS7Nu56JQ3_hYx4li1gK3K-K2P49JJVyEl0NCcvpun4JM2hDFE/s1600/sweater+poufs.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span lang="en-AU" style="font-family: "calibri"; language: en-AU; mso-ansi-language: en-AU; mso-bidi-language: ar-SA; mso-ligatures: none;">If you could never, wear that sweater – how about transforming it into a snuggly pouf? </span><span lang="en-AU">More upcycled sweater ideas <a href="http://dishfunctionaldesigns.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/thrift-store-hot-upcycled-sweaters.html" target="_blank">here </a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8E2Szs7z2Gk_S9fdJ1AfsRMY5IF8B8uCS8rHyaNTPMcRTmAWYO3KO7G_Nqs-ddk-5MdKsaD_L_T1M9eH8hVFwwniJMwKRRmlfdkWogyY_JtYxY1c83Jatmg8LykBHT0wp83UK9YQlpBqx/s1600/terrarium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8E2Szs7z2Gk_S9fdJ1AfsRMY5IF8B8uCS8rHyaNTPMcRTmAWYO3KO7G_Nqs-ddk-5MdKsaD_L_T1M9eH8hVFwwniJMwKRRmlfdkWogyY_JtYxY1c83Jatmg8LykBHT0wp83UK9YQlpBqx/s1600/terrarium.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span lang="en-AU">Old bowls, light fittings or jars can be transformed into a sweet terrarium via <a href="http://www.cottonandcurls.com/2013/09/diy-geometric-terrarium/" target="_blank">cotton and curls </a></span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGERgbh0fSbCUqFJ8JOknssUTUHqbaD_MT2VZEBobBQWBmXEnLA6yWKd_g7vhh-uWCs3rWMKvNYz0lj7UpkAi9z4mzbqPzG4Mh5qcvrdrJGIf8q5TFlR8Qwcx7L9dKlxmvY-VQYcSWz_U/s1600/toddler+dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGERgbh0fSbCUqFJ8JOknssUTUHqbaD_MT2VZEBobBQWBmXEnLA6yWKd_g7vhh-uWCs3rWMKvNYz0lj7UpkAi9z4mzbqPzG4Mh5qcvrdrJGIf8q5TFlR8Qwcx7L9dKlxmvY-VQYcSWz_U/s1600/toddler+dress.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span lang="en-AU" style="font-family: "calibri"; language: en-AU; mso-ansi-language: en-AU; mso-bidi-language: ar-SA; mso-ligatures: none;">Here’s a useful idea for those who have kids! </span><span lang="en-AU" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 119%;"> </span><span lang="en-AU">http://alldaychic.com/baby-girl-dress-upcycled-from-mens-shirt-diy/</span><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgX5ZkG9WQXWFIYVO0EGplg4XNzcYZ1tGwR1XjzUoobCjvlYkar47OFn76DmqoDZZbbQR1SMKJaSePg8phNfUwk89liFcsxTY98AwxrkIUe3k6kMOCB0O2VVpHY1oron_rcPr0KNuAajo/s1600/tote+bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgX5ZkG9WQXWFIYVO0EGplg4XNzcYZ1tGwR1XjzUoobCjvlYkar47OFn76DmqoDZZbbQR1SMKJaSePg8phNfUwk89liFcsxTY98AwxrkIUe3k6kMOCB0O2VVpHY1oron_rcPr0KNuAajo/s1600/tote+bag.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span lang="en-AU">And here’s one from me! It’s a simple DIY project to turn an old pair of jeans remade into a tote bag</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmvHY3S4iywTJzi_I9rdewATPKPZTaitYMDbOHPJKYHKAzJPK9E3-1Ti4osfbVVNoyhbxteuxE-_wyNEnUOkjw8jaaOQwUaN_3xiOBVOjjsMSLZOe3Cbud-SIjSRUYXqtEI0zJqtJMH0w/s1600/upcycle-pallets-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmvHY3S4iywTJzi_I9rdewATPKPZTaitYMDbOHPJKYHKAzJPK9E3-1Ti4osfbVVNoyhbxteuxE-_wyNEnUOkjw8jaaOQwUaN_3xiOBVOjjsMSLZOe3Cbud-SIjSRUYXqtEI0zJqtJMH0w/s1600/upcycle-pallets-3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span lang="en-AU">Check http://www.1001pallets.com/ for more ideas on how to give new life to discarded pallets</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblCr4WLDzBJPNmn77M2Tosfyl_LW1aQdPDZakmph9i8Nh4w9VfiGXXIS4r5VLTKiRlciQcbh9IcsinAwOaJjBsAInwASAs-EgG0TnIr0uje_UnsxU5miYvfMbD2-b0DOTnmfF0SDYwh-g/s1600/bicycle+wheel+clock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblCr4WLDzBJPNmn77M2Tosfyl_LW1aQdPDZakmph9i8Nh4w9VfiGXXIS4r5VLTKiRlciQcbh9IcsinAwOaJjBsAInwASAs-EgG0TnIr0uje_UnsxU5miYvfMbD2-b0DOTnmfF0SDYwh-g/s1600/bicycle+wheel+clock.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<span lang="en-AU">How about a clock made from an old bicycle wheel? via <a href="https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/pixelthis" target="_blank">pixelthis</a> </span></div>
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<br />Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-52597927462287069822015-07-20T12:14:00.000+09:302017-07-04T18:07:01.355+09:30LOCAL TOURISM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's a pretty common experience for many of us - but playing tourist closer to home is something a lot of people don't always get around to doing. For people who like travelling, the allure of the unfamiliar is often far more tempting than poking around the corners of our own back yard.<br />
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So, I've been trying a few strategies to break out of the work/home/internet/chores rut that I seem to have settled into lately, and figured a bit of backyard tourism might be just the ticket! Luckily I logged in just in time to get the last ticket for a sea turtle tour out to one of the islands in a nearby harbour. It's prime nesting season for sea turtles at the moment and conditions were looking hopeful for a successful trip.<br />
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Located 50km west of Darwin, it's a 90 minute boat ride out to Bare Sand Island, a tiny exposed speck of land located just off the Darwin coast in Bynoe Harbour. I've travelled out to this spot before while out fishing but as the island has pretty much no shelter to speak of, it's not really a spot that invites visitors to stick around for too long.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sand dunes on Bare Sand Island</td></tr>
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Bare Sand Island is a prime breeding spot for flatback turtles - the only species of all the sea turtles that nest on Australian beaches that breeds exclusively in Australia (all other species include other countries in their breeding territories). Darwin's university - Charles Darwin Uni - has been conducting research on the island since the late 80's and a research team was out on the island during our visit (including one of my old lecturers from my student days!)<br />
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Our early evening arrival was perfectly timed to go and check out a turtle that was part-way through laying her eggs, before heading back - picture perfect - into the sunset.<br />
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If you're planning a trip to Darwin from May to September and are interested in taking a tour out to the island - the locally operated <a href="http://seadarwin.com/" target="_blank">Sea Darwin</a> tourism company runs a series of trips throughout the breeding season. It's worth a bit of forward planning however as tours regularly get booked out.Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-3220575601422017332015-07-18T10:10:00.000+09:302017-06-27T14:45:33.056+09:30INDEPENDENCE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbpuHBc-MJsRMFNmegZ-qZokh1qq6C2Z8NV-ECaRAmsAVKMuXrLyOyDxHZHRkA6cUl0nGPvihyq3GvhkomPwULye0UunlW0YhSBsiRdDpaPYcq0BUDo4394Mt0XpXRkoShnxfhBcjXHIp/s1600/fireworks+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdbpuHBc-MJsRMFNmegZ-qZokh1qq6C2Z8NV-ECaRAmsAVKMuXrLyOyDxHZHRkA6cUl0nGPvihyq3GvhkomPwULye0UunlW0YhSBsiRdDpaPYcq0BUDo4394Mt0XpXRkoShnxfhBcjXHIp/s1600/fireworks+1.jpg" /></a></div>
A couple of weeks ago, the Northern Territory has its annual Territory Day celebrations. Much like the similarly timed Independence Day in the USA, the Northern Territory has
developed its own tradition of celebrating self governance through the
detonation of fireworks (somehow the standard total fire ban
that's in place around this time always gets waived). Personally, I've always found it kinda strange how DIY explosive devices have become synonymous with declarations of geo-political autonomy. <br />
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Starting in June, the local rag becomes a flaming hotbed of strong debates by the pro and anti camps. Many supporters of the right for Joe Public to <strike>spend thousands of dollars on small thermo-nuclear devices </strike>set off fireworks, playing the 'outback frontier spirit' card and taking unreserved delight in 'getting revenge' on year long barking neighbourhood dogs (granted, this is an extremely irritating problem in Darwin, however the irony of getting 'revenge' by creating a situation that causes 90% of dogs to go into an epic barking meltdown seems lost on many people), while opponents voice concerns about the disturbance to pets and wildlife and the potential for injury and property damage (case in point, one of our neighbours set part of my parents' garden on fire last year).<br />
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Personally I used to sit somewhere in the middle. Hell, I was a kid once (I was!) and fireworks can be a lot of fun. But now I'm a cranky old killjoy with a finely honed sense of being annoyed by village morons. Besides, cracker night doesn't last one night any more, it's more like 4-6 weeks, plus a few random 3am drivebys throughout the year, they're far too dangerous to be letting off in suburban areas during our driest period of the year, and it's heartbreaking to see pet dogs fleeing in absolute terror through the suburbs during the late afternoon. And here is one of the worst consequences of fireworks;<br />
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In the days following Territory Day I can easily collect several kilos of plastic fireworks casings much like this (not my image as I forgot to grab a camera) - or worse if they are of the type that explodes into tiny shards.. <br />
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Many people go to the beach specifically to let off fireworks, dumping
hundreds of kilograms of plastic debris straight onto the beach - and straight into the sea. Despite clean up efforts some are always missed and these shells and casings will wash up over the course of the next year, until the dwindled supply is topped up again next July. One of the more surprising things about this, considering the Territory prides itself on its fishing resources, is the absolute lack of public awareness around this problem, the provision of adequate bins at prime beach spots, or any form of education encouraging people to take their trash home with them.<br />
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Apparently independence doesn't extend as far as cleaning up your own mess.Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-85597301585600619962015-06-12T18:00:00.000+09:302017-07-04T13:36:59.107+09:30OF WINE AND SUNSETS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm the first to admit that while Darwin beaches are quite lovely from an aesthetic point of view, they're a bit of a let down in the recreational sense. It's not that it's completely impossible - I've certainly indulged in the odd dry season paddle - it's just restricted in seasons (from October to May we have some rather nasty poisonous box jellyfish lurking in our seas) and generally considered to be a calculated risk with all those crocodiles swimming about looking for some human hors d'oeuvres. <br />
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Here's to another weekend!Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-2168910767330336172015-05-02T20:47:00.000+09:302017-07-04T13:49:05.340+09:30DECKED OUT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you had to ask me to list the top 5 best things about Darwin they would have to be (in no particular order); the sunsets, the bird life, the weekend markets, the foreshore bike path and the Deckchair cinema (oh, and the evening smell of flowering milkwood - which makes 6...but hey, who's counting?..anyway I can't blog about a smell so, whatever). As the dry season is back again (and I'm still here. How am I still here? I was meant to be not here by now but the interstate job offers are doing a remarkable impression of chirping crickets).<br />
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Oh, the Deckchair. If only every city were this fortunate. Six solid months of balmy outdoor world cinema goodness, with a strong focus on foreign and arthouse films. Bliss! Once upon a time the Deckchair used to be down Fisherman's Wharf way (and as a proper Darwin veteran I can even claim to have gone there many times), but for a long time now it has been at its current location near to the Esplanade along Jervois Road.<br />
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Ok, so there's one downside to the place that everybody knows about; the seats are spectacularly uncomfortable and although they do supply a generous collection of cushions for cinema patrons, on a busy night you're not always guaranteed to get one so best be on the safe side and bring your own. There's also the option to BYO chair if you don't mind sitting in the outer circle, but as the site isn't that large you'll get a pretty decent view of the screen from any vantage point. Aside from that it's a well serviced venue - from wine to snacks and hot meals (on certain nights), they even supply insect repellent in case the biteys start getting ferocious.<br />
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Wine <u>and</u> movies! Yet more bliss!<br />
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There's even a few resident possums who, having picked such a culture vulture venue to hang out in are clearly enjoying the finer things in life. Such as the contents of your picnic basket. Every now and then, a movie is interrupted by the occasional squeal from someone who is being molested in some way by an inquisitive marsupial, but you have to admit it does add a little charm and character.<br />
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<i>*image credit: <a href="http://www.deckchaircinema.com/" target="_blank">Deckchair Cinema website </a></i>Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-38472278790923870902015-04-18T14:27:00.000+09:302017-07-04T22:07:51.788+09:30THE PINOT GRIS FILES - NORTH ISLAND<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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And now onto the bit of Aotearoa that I know a lot better. I decided to visit one of the spots I've neglected in my last couple of visits - the geologically hyperactive region around Rotorua (known mostly to my childhood self as 'that town that smells like rotten eggs').<br />
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After a quick stop in Palmerston North to catch up with a friend (which, somehow, still managed to involve wine tastings after we discovered <a href="http://www.pohanginavalleyestate.co.nz/" target="_blank">Pohangina Estate</a>) I set aside a little time to re-acquaint myself with the Thermal Highway sights, smells and sounds as I've not been round this way for a good 20 years (plus I had set myself the life goal of swimming in a thermal waterfall and I'd heard there was one around there somewhere).<br />
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<i>Pro-tip: </i>If you visit Wai-O-Tapu Thermal wonderland and you don't mind missing the 10am geyser display, I recommend getting there at around the time the site opens and just going straight into the park. 95% of visitors will be milling about in the gift shop waiting to head to the geyser and you'll have all the time in the world to do an extensive 90 minute exploration of the park before you start seeing any serious crowds - which means people free photos and quiet serenity (if these things are high on your personal list of tourist experiences, that is)<br />
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Ok the waterfalls...without giving too much away as they don't appear to be overrun with visitors yet, it's a slow bumpy drive up a subtly signposted road for a few kilometres. Needless to say it's one of the most amazing spots I've ever been to. Moss and ferns and perfect bath temperature water.</div>
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My last few days were, as usual, spent in Auckland hanging out in the lovely north shore with one of my oldest and dearest friends (who has the good fortune to live in one of the nicest parts of Auckland - in my opinion!) I squeezed in a day trip to Waiheke Island to visit another friend working up at Batch winery (oh, more wine tasting, what a surprise) and also spent some time up at Muriwai Beach, yet another seaside town with an awesome surf break!<br />
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Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-70572988842112967922015-04-04T13:45:00.000+09:302017-07-04T22:23:37.279+09:30THE PINOT GRIS FILES - SOUTH ISLAND<div style="text-align: left;">
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For the third time in a year I found myself stepping onto New Zealand soil, though via a different port of entry for once. The flight into Queenstown airport is said to be one of the prettiest landings you'll experience and although my early autumn arrival meant the Southern Alps were lacking most of their snowy caps, I'd have to agree that it beats most urban sprawl introductions to a new land.<br />
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My plan was to meet up with an old friend, drive up the the Marlborough region, cycle tour some wineries and then head up to Auckland solo. <br />
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Our brief stay in painfully pricey Queenstown was spent mostly cosied up in a warm bar by Lake Wakatipu, sampling the local wines and amazing menu offerings. Sadly, I missed out on a bite to eat at the crazy-popular <a href="http://www.fergburger.com/fullscreen.html" target="_blank">FergBurger</a>, whose reputation for having a line of customers extending a long way out the door appears to have not diminished.<br />
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Next stop on the tour was the other well known mountainy tourist town by a lake; Wanaka. I've heard rave reviews about Wanaka being a flypaper kind of town that many people plan on passing through but never quite leave (some strange magicks in the mountain-clad lake, perhaps?)<br />
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Driving through New Zealand's South Island is basically ridiculous.
There are scenes that entice you to pull over every 2 minutes and put
you at great risk of distraction from hairpin turns through mountain
passes or avoiding homicidal tourists who don't know what side of the
road they're meant to be driving on. <br />
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Two long drives landed us in Christchurch the next evening and then to Renwick for our wine and cycle sojourn (small plug for <a href="http://www.watsonswaylodge.com/" target="_blank">Watson's Way</a>, that not only hires out bikes at a reasonable cost but also had a great collection of well-laden fruit trees). I'd only ever known the Canterbury region from photos and the landscape certainly didn't disappoint. There's something magical about the rolling sun-browned grasses and yellowing leaves. From freezing our fingers off in Queenstown not two days before, by the time we hit Cheviot, about 100km north of Christchurch, we were baking in the near 30 degree day (point of note, the <a href="http://www.tworiverscafe.co.nz/" target="_blank">Two Rivers cafe</a> in Cheviot has the best pies I've ever tasted in my life, along with some fantastic local art for sale).<br />
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The final leg of the drive along the Kaikoura coast is something else again, with stunning views over the Pacific and highlighted by a quick detour to a baby seal waterfall playground. Definitely one of those pinch-me moments.</div>
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Our final (wine-al?) destination found us in Renwick, a sleepy little town in the Malborough district but, thanks to the burgeoning wine and cycle tourism trade, it sees a decent amount of tourist traffic. Some insider gossip; Renwick is renowned for the Best Pies in NZ (I'm not able to confirm or deny this but all I will say is that they've got some stiff competition down in Cheviot) and if you decide to dine at the local pub (the Cork and Keg), be prepared for the undivided attention of a brown labrador..especially if you get the stew.<br />
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Our wine tour was short and sweet, but also a useful lesson in how to properly approach the task as an amateur; less is definitely more. Once a couple of wine flights have passed your lips, it's fair to say that everything starts to taste the same and the hints of rockmelon, grass, lemon zest, pear and in one case turpentine - begin to have less and less of an impact.<br />
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The next couple of days were spent recovering in a quaint youth hostel in Nelson, before heading across the Cook Strait...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another pro-tip - if you're running low on fuel before the run over to Picton - get it here, it's your last chance!</td></tr>
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Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7739638051256563560.post-7162225891821577032015-03-24T21:07:00.002+09:302017-06-16T20:10:02.300+09:30GREEN TRAVEL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've got another trip over the Tasman coming up in a couple of weeks. Every time I click 'confirm and pay' during online checkout, my eco-conscience has a little wobble. No matter how hard I try to manage my carbon footprint, I often make certain lifestyle choices that make me wonder if a handful of large footprint actions aren't blowing my credentials out of the water. For me, this mostly boils down to driving a car to work, air travel and mostly unavoidable food miles.<br />
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My own personal challenge comes from living remotely, in a big country. This makes me pretty much dependent on big footprint resources to be able to get around, and eat. This is a larger back story and a subject in its own right - but presuming you're also the kind of person who loves the planet and enjoys getting out and seeing some of it, what green travel choices can we make to reduce the impact that living out of a suitcase can bring about?<br />
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<b>What's your carbon cost?</b><br />
Using an online carbon calculator, I've worked out this trip will set me back around 1.93 metric tons - a big chunk of the <a href="http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.ATM.CO2E.PC" target="_blank">average 17 metric tons</a> per person for Australia (which, on a global ranking, is already massive). There are a lot of websites that can help you calculate and offset the carbon emissions from your travel (including the option to offset your carbon when you buy your plane ticket) - and depending on where you're traveling to, you may have the option of less carbon hungry transportation. The main resource for people out there who want to offset carbon is via tree planting - which is always a good idea, but for this to be a truly effective solution they need to be long-lived trees that form part of a healthy ecosystem. However, there are other options that you can do in your own time that are also worth considering. For example, taking some time out to collect trash out of the environment and sending any recyclables off to your depot can earn you a bunch of carbon brownie points - recycling cans uses 1/12 of the energy to make them from raw materials and you can save 315kg of CO<span class="co2" style="font-size: 0.7em;">2</span> per tonne for recycled glass. You could also pay it forward by supporting microfinance loans such as <a href="http://www.kiva.org/" target="_blank">Kiva</a> and help people in developing countries with small loans that can help them offset their own carbon emissions.<br />
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<b>What you bring:</b><br />
A refillable water bottle and a few lightweight shopping bags will go a long way towards helping to avoid some unnecessary plastics during your travels, and while you'll need to have an empty water bottle to pass through airport security, many airports have water filling stations you can use before you board the plane. Avoid the temptation to pack everything but the kitchen sink and reduce the weight on airlines to do your little bit for lowering fuel consumption. It's tempting to pack right up to the weight limit but if you've gone on even a handful of trips, you'll quickly figure out that you rarely use a good portion of what you packed. Other useful accessories to take along include a lightweight cutlery set, a travel cup, a couple of bowls and containers as well as rechargeable batteries for torches, cameras and the like. I still have a memory burned into my brain of a fellow traveller I met during one trip who was buying and using cheap and inefficient batteries for his energy hungry digital camera. He was only getting a few hours per set and I watched in horror as he dumped out dozens of dead batteries into the trash at the end of every day. With a little forward planning and a rechargeable battery kit he could have significantly reduced his toxic trash footprint.<br />
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<b>What you buy:</b><br />
I've travelled far enough and often enough to completely get over the idea of buying big on souvenirs when I go overseas - particularly when most of it is mass produced and not even made in the country of origin. Rather than filling up on I Love NY t-shirts or Eiffel tower snowglobes, I prefer to spend more on fewer things and only buy one or two small items made locally - supporting independent artists. The added advantage is that I have a collection of keepsakes that are quite original and quirky. It pays to be very careful when buying anything made of natural products - particularly wood, shell or coral - as the trade in these products may come from unsustainable sources.<br />
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<b>What you do:</b><br />
If you're planning on going on any nature based tours, do your homework first. Many animal sanctuaries that you might choose to visit to see local wildlife could have very poor ethical practices going on behind the scenes. Elephant tours, tiger sanctuaries, backwater zoos - there's a long list of places to be avoided but luckily these days it's pretty easy to use online resources to check if you're supporting something beneficial or not.<br />
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Another thing to be wary of is anyone asking you to pay for pictures taken with wildlife. I came across this a lot in North Africa, with the worst moment being when someone shoved a trembling, barely conscious fennec fox into my arms. It's worth considering reporting any practices like this to local authorities - a good place to start is an email to both the department of tourism and the department of the environment for that country, this information is usually easy enough to find online. Nothing may ever come of it, but negative feedback from tourists in large enough numbers can help bring about changes in common practices (plus I have been known to not be above loudly lecturing people who throw mistreated animals in my direction).<br />
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Still on the subject of wildlife, no matter how exciting, novel or majestic your exotic international critter may be, always keep a respectful distance from wild animals, even if they do appear to be relatively tame. Avoid feeding any wildlife where possible as well (I say where possible because they're not exactly above stealing your food) as it can lead to a lot of negative effects for their health, behaviour and also for tourist safety. Shout out to our monkey cousins in particular. Monkeys are awesome but will not hesitate to knife you in your sleep to steal your bananas. A monkey's mood changes faster than the speed of viral memes and I've witnessed tourists going from friendly interaction to getting their hair ripped out in a split second. <br />
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Lend your support to any local initiatives that are beneficial to the local community and environment. Make a bee-line for low impact eco-tourism that supports local economies, such as green travel ventures, bicycle tours, supporting protected reserves and in-situ breeding programs and buying locally grown food. You could also consider taking some time out to show some love to the country you're visiting; take some bags down to a local beach or camping spot and do a mini clean-up, or take some time out to do some voluntary work on a community project. <br />
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<b>Where you stay:</b><br />
If you're staying in a hotel try and keep your use of resources to a minimum (water, fresh towels, electricity). It's tempting to take advantage of that free selection of shampoos and soaps, but you'll be doing the planet a small favour by skipping the low quality freebies and extra plastic by just using your own. We can all be forgetful and occasionally I will use (and then take) a soap if it's needed, but for the most part I avoid using anything disposable on offer. As travel and the online community evolves, alternatives options also start to blossom. Consider trying some of the increasingly popular services such as Air BnB or check out the couchsurfing scene as a way of getting out of the traditional disconnected tourist bubble. It can also be a great way to meet new people and make contacts.<br />
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If you’re drawn by the allure of free camping, either to stretch your dollar further or get off the beaten track (or both), you need to be just as mindful of your impact and your waste – including bodily waste! Having lived as a local in several areas highly favoured by tourists during certain seasons, I’ve seen many common-use or out of the way areas taken over and/or trashed by inconsiderate campers and in some places this has led to a crackdown by local authorities. Living free on the road sounds romantic and adventurous but the collective poop from a steady stream of wandering souls is not.
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<b>What you consume:</b><br />
Where you can, shop at farmers markets, stop by orchards and farms that have a shop and support independent businesses rather than chain restaurants. This isn't always easy and in some countries you have to be more careful about what you eat and drink (as earth conscious as I am, I wouldn't recommend anyone put their health at risk to save buying a bottle of water). Be very careful of consuming any unusual local delicacies, unless you're absolutely certain about what you're eating. One of my friends once quite naively boasted about trying a new kind of animal that went by a local (and not immediately recognisable) name when in Asia. He wasn't too thrilled when I informed him he'd been dining on a seriously threatened species.<br />
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<b>What you bring back:</b><br />
As well as avoiding the usual suspects such as prohibited foods or natural materials that have the potential to cause havoc in your home country or contribute to environmental issues in their country of origin, there are also some things you could consider bringing back that <u>will</u> reduce your impact for that country - namely, your trash. This really only applies to travel in countries that aren't equipped with recycling services, which are also generally the same countries where it can be difficult to avoid trash in the form of packaging waste. This option simply may not be practical if you are travelling for a long time or have been unable to avoid generating a lot of waste, but if it's just a case of a small collection of disposables, pack it up with your dirty laundry, ethical souvenirs and travel memories and pop it into your recycling bin back home.<br />
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Hopefully these tips have been useful for encouraging eco-conscious travellers to think inside the green box - it's turned into a much longer piece than I'd originally planned! I'd love to hear any more suggestions from other earth-loving nomads.Nathaliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10865117603968802401noreply@blogger.com1