My lettuce is listing to the left

We are having a run of windy weather for a change, right when my seedlings are beginning to raise their little heads above the dirt. I spent the afternoon putting protection around them because gale winds are expected until Friday. I had to prop up the corn once again because the plants were leaning to leeward. Somehow the peas’ tendrils held on. I encountered my first whip snake since we have been here in the garden. No lives were lost in videotaping it but it wasn’t as timid as I had expected. Nonetheless, it left and I escaped unharmed.

The lighthouse obscured by clouds.

Here are links to my latest film adventures:

The Garden Gale and white lipped snake encounter

The gurgle of beer brewing; and

Birds taking a bath

Ok, so perhaps I need a new hobby.

I’m still spinning and knitting. I’m almost done with my second sock and am spinning tasmanian mohair with organic merino wool. Very nice.

On the rocks

We’re walking the walks. Yesterday, we hiked to Squally Cove on the east side of the island after lunch. Most of the hikes take a couple of hours and end in spectacular beaches. Yesterday was no different. We were there at mid tide and there were tide pool and the remains of ship, which sunk in the cove after it crashed on the rocks, Christmas Eve, 1920.

 

There must be something in the water because I am seeing things… in all the rocks and even shipwrecks. Dragons, dogs, people.

Now for some knitting news, I finished the socks knit from merino, possum and bamboo and they are lovely. First project on Deal.

Then I moved onto a headband because I am tired of my hair whipping around in the wind and it’s often too windy for a hat. I’ve ordered my magnetic boots though so should remain grounded. I knit calorimetry twice. Too big, then just right. Now I am on to Christmas gifts. It’s not too late is it??

I made it to the top

From the lighthouse hill, overlooking the compound to the right, and Erith Island.

Tim had opened up the lighthouse to air it out and since it takes about 40 minutes to walk there, I went back and closed it up later in the day. My first trip there was so windy, I didn’t go out on the cat walk for fear of being blown away. This time was nicer and although Tim warned me about a gigantic spider on the door, I went outside and enjoyed the view and was spider free. Then I visited a memorial to a plane crash, which occurred here in the 1940’s, when four Royal Australian Air Force men were killed. There’s a memorial and still some wreckage strewn about.

I saw a couple of the beautiful fire tails and of course a wallaby and two rabbits and a dragon.

We are learning the communication gear. Internet is unreliable. There’s no predicting when it will be available. No worries though. Amazingly, we have a radio phone, which works just like a home phone, except first an operator or something is automatically dialed before you dial the number you want to reach. Today we sent a fax to the office. I feel like Command Central. Even the VHF radio is spotty. We haven’t been able to hear weather reports but I think we have all the scheduled times and channels sorted out. We heard it today. We also just heard a ship report its position to the Coast Guard and told them they would be out of communication range later tonight, when strong winds and/or gale are predicted and will check in with Deal Island…that’s me!!

Fire breathing dragon along the southern coast.