What I have been doing this morning thanks to HP, while it was still in shade. I’ve still got heaps of the cloth left too :D

The western wall gets full afternoon sun, and is where the bathroom and bedrooms are. The gravel driveway doesn’t help either.

Six ceiling hooks screwed into the facia and some bricks at the bottom to hold it stable in the wind leaves an air gap of 30-40cm. Another day I will use some cuts offs to patch the holes but this will do for today.

Before

After

Oh wow. That will cool the house down well :)
How in blazes did you manage to open it and spread it out, let alone get it attached??

Happy Potter said:

Oh wow. That will cool the house down well :)
How in blazes did you manage to open it and spread it out, let alone get it attached??

just took my time. rolled it out on the ground and dragged it in place then it was just a matter of getting each section up on the hooks. Some of my plants are a bit broken and trodden on, but they will grow back.

Not pretty I know, but should make a difference until I can afford something better.

bluegreen said:

Happy Potter said:

Oh wow. That will cool the house down well :)
How in blazes did you manage to open it and spread it out, let alone get it attached??

just took my time. rolled it out on the ground and dragged it in place then it was just a matter of getting each section up on the hooks. Some of my plants are a bit broken and trodden on, but they will grow back.

Not pretty I know, but should make a difference until I can afford something better.

I’m in awe, well done!
I think it’s fantastic.

There is still heaps left so next project is shade for the chook pens, but I’m not sure how I will do that yet. There is not much to attach it to.

bluegreen said:

There is still heaps left so next project is shade for the chook pens, but I’m not sure how I will do that yet. There is not much to attach it to.

My prob too, the structure isn’t strong enough to take the weight of the cloth. Especially given the high winds here. But when I do get it attached I will also put a dripper hose along the top edge and have it running on very hot days. It’ll water the garden below as well.

Happy Potter said:

bluegreen said:

There is still heaps left so next project is shade for the chook pens, but I’m not sure how I will do that yet. There is not much to attach it to.

My prob too, the structure isn’t strong enough to take the weight of the cloth. Especially given the high winds here. But when I do get it attached I will also put a dripper hose along the top edge and have it running on very hot days. It’ll water the garden below as well.

the word over on the Backyard Poultry Forum is “misters”. They can reduce the ambient temperature by 10 ^o

That should cut the sun’s temps BlueGreen…are you planning on growing some shade trees there, ones that don’t grow so high as to clutter the gutter but will dapple the afternoon sun?

Dinetta said:

That should cut the sun’s temps BlueGreen…are you planning on growing some shade trees there, ones that don’t grow so high as to clutter the gutter but will dapple the afternoon sun?

I can’t grow anything at the left end as that is where the septic tank is and I already have a garden bed at the other end. What I would like to do is paint that wall with heat reflecting paint (but that will have to wait until I am wealthier than I am now) and grow some trees on the other side of the driveway. The trees would shade the driveway as well then, and cut down on the heat coming up from that. It would also provide some privacy from the CFA next door.

bluegreen said:

I can’t grow anything at the left end as that is where the septic tank is

I had a fiddlewood growing next to my septic tank…at the old place…I think they went in together…

Dinetta said:

bluegreen said:

I can’t grow anything at the left end as that is where the septic tank is

I had a fiddlewood growing next to my septic tank…at the old place…I think they went in together…

I need to make sure there is access for maintenance.

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

bluegreen said:

I can’t grow anything at the left end as that is where the septic tank is

I had a fiddlewood growing next to my septic tank…at the old place…I think they went in together…

I need to make sure there is access for maintenance.

Fairy nuff…that was a consideration over there ——>

I’ve noticed a real difference in temperature in those west facing rooms. I can go to the toilet now without breaking into a sweat! lol!

bluegreen said:

I’ve noticed a real difference in temperature in those west facing rooms. I can go to the toilet now without breaking into a sweat! lol!

lol! that’s great.

I was pulling kikuyu out of one of my vege beds and disturbed these cute little eggs. They have a tough leathery skin and I am thinking they might be a small lizard. I see lots of small skinks so they are the most likely candidate. I have put them back under some compost but wasn’t sure how deep they were buried originally.

bluegreen said:

I was pulling kikuyu out of one of my vege beds and disturbed these cute little eggs. They have a tough leathery skin and I am thinking they might be a small lizard. I see lots of small skinks so they are the most likely candidate. I have put them back under some compost but wasn’t sure how deep they were buried originally.

If the match wasn’t in the pic I’d think they were chook eggs. We get skink eggs here too. One of the reasons I saw a green tree snake today. they love eating lizards.

There are lots of skinks.

roughbarked said:

There are lots of skinks.

I know :) I will probably never find out what they are but it was nice finding them anyway. The moist, warm environment of the raised bed was probably perfect for them and I’ve gone and disturbed them. I hope they survive to hatch.

bluegreen said:

I was pulling kikuyu out of one of my vege beds and disturbed these cute little eggs. They have a tough leathery skin and I am thinking they might be a small lizard. I see lots of small skinks so they are the most likely candidate. I have put them back under some compost but wasn’t sure how deep they were buried originally.

Yes, a little lizard…I’d say they were buried to keep them warm and they may not hatch until next spring? Just surmising…

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

There are lots of skinks.

I know :) I will probably never find out what they are but it was nice finding them anyway. The moist, warm environment of the raised bed was probably perfect for them and I’ve gone and disturbed them. I hope they survive to hatch.

If you reburied them at the same level they should still hatch.

10kg tomatoes processed into tomato puree (left) and spaghetti sauce.

bluegreen said:

10kg tomatoes processed into tomato puree (left) and spaghetti sauce.

good work. :)

bluegreen said:

10kg tomatoes processed into tomato puree (left) and spaghetti sauce.

Looks good BG. Well done.

thanks :) this will keep me in spaghetti bolognaise for the year. I like to cook up a big batch and freeze in portions for an easy meal when I don’t feel like cooking and these make great bases for it.

bluegreen said:

10kg tomatoes processed into tomato puree (left) and spaghetti sauce.

Well done!

What I faced this morning. I was going to hose the frost off the car but the water was still frozen in the hose, so I had to use a bucket and got the bottom of my jeans and my boots wet.

It has inspired me to clean out and reorganise the garage though, so I can get the car in.

bluegreen said:

What I faced this morning. I was going to hose the frost off the car but the water was still frozen in the hose, so I had to use a bucket and got the bottom of my jeans and my boots wet.

It has inspired me to clean out and reorganise the garage though, so I can get the car in.

Brr!!

Happy Potter said:

bluegreen said:

What I faced this morning. I was going to hose the frost off the car but the water was still frozen in the hose, so I had to use a bucket and got the bottom of my jeans and my boots wet.

It has inspired me to clean out and reorganise the garage though, so I can get the car in.

Brr!!

car is now snug in the garage. I won’t have to worry about scraping off the frost in the morning now :)

bluegreen said:

What I faced this morning. I was going to hose the frost off the car but the water was still frozen in the hose, so I had to use a bucket and got the bottom of my jeans and my boots wet.

It has inspired me to clean out and reorganise the garage though, so I can get the car in.

Well done BlueGreen (on getting the garage cleaned up so the car can move in)…

been playing with the new camera :)

Love the chooky shots, what a fine figure of a rooster he is!

talking about wet…

- in Wangaratta

Isn’t that tree in the middle of the water, marvellous? All those orchids making the most of it…

Dinetta said:

Isn’t that tree in the middle of the water, marvellous? All those orchids making the most of it…

I thinks that’s just wattle branches hanging down.

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

Isn’t that tree in the middle of the water, marvellous? All those orchids making the most of it…

I thinks that’s just wattle branches hanging down.

Getting new glasses next week…

Dinetta said:

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

Isn’t that tree in the middle of the water, marvellous? All those orchids making the most of it…

I thinks that’s just wattle branches hanging down.

Getting new glasses next week…

:D :D

this morning’s sky

bluegreen said:

this morning’s sky

Looks cold!

Dinetta said:

bluegreen said:

this morning’s sky

Looks cold!

quite mild actually.

bluegreen said:

Well taken, BlueGreen! Like a velvety jewel, isn’t it?

Dinetta said:

bluegreen said:

Well taken, BlueGreen! Like a velvety jewel, isn’t it?

It was sheltering in the folds of a tarp. Must have been newly emerged as there is no damage to its wings that I can see.

I often see this little fellow surveying his domain through my bathroom window.

bluegreen said:

I often see this little fellow surveying his domain through my bathroom window.

And doesn’t he have an outsized chirp for such a tiny frame!?!?