Thursday,
29 Nov 2007
In the early morning, with no fuss or goodbye-waving whatsoever, Max
departed for his travel around Europe, temporarily kidnapping Anja (who
accompanied him to the airport). Have luck!
Sunday,
24 Nov 2007
It is the time for Laura and Filippo to pack the stuff, lock the lodge,
print all reports and go. They long to their sunny home countries and
as the birds of passage they leave us for the winter... We hope that
you regain your vigor and come back with new enthusiadm next year!
Meanwhile we will take care of the other birdies - chickens and Sparrow
(that's the name of black kitten!)
Friday,
23 Nov 2007
There is a specific texture, consistency, and degree of moisture which
has been found nearly universally repulsive. It is similar in quality
to the slimy color which is impossible to call green or brown, being a
sludgy compromise of both. Another equally distinguishing quality is
the smell of rotting vegetable matter, in which all manners of
creatures are living, defecating, lying eggs and dying.
Unfortunately, a perfect combination of all of these characteristics
makes a perfect organic fertilizer for the garden, restructuring the
soil and adding vital nutrients - it answers to the name of seaweed
compost.
Harvesting this in the wind, grabbing, wriggling masses with our hands,
dragging it from the sea with pitchforks, shaking sandhoppers off our
clothing, turning gradually into creatures dripping muck, more
resembling slugs than volunteers - this is all a day's work for the
Seaweed Patrol at An Charraig. Er, make that several week's work...
Upcoming: laying it on the beds by the forkload, removing the
sunglasses, underwear, and anything else humans saw fit to toss into
the ocean.
by Sarah Mellstrom
Wednesday,
21 Nov 2007
Attack by night!
Our faithful flock of chickens slept deeply through the darkest hours,
unaware that in the thickets by the roadside crouched a dangerous
intruder.
The crow of the rooster was alarmingly near that morning, causing
Marion to leap to her feet and open the front door to investigate. A
terrible sight greeted her eyes: our multi-colored rooster, streaming
blood! If there is anything worse than a chicken inÊ the
garden, it is a rooster in a fight.
Rushing to the back to see how badly hurt our other rooster was, Marion
was amazed to find both of our roosters there, with chickens. This
could only mean one thing: the rooster in the front was a stranger, a
terespasser, a renegade trying to conquer our roosters and claim their
territory!
After numerous attempts over several days to chase him away with
sticks, dogs, children and scary faces, we gave up and trapped him in
the conservatory - Dara bravely grabbed him and placed him inside a cat
box, and he was taken to distant Killeany and released, never to bother
us again (hopefully).
Meanwhile, we must sadly report the absence (and assured death) of our
multi-colored rooster, who was badly wounded in his battles with the
foreign intruder, who is suspected to have escaped from the Lucky Star
Bar.
by Sarah Mellstrom
Tuesday,
6 Nov 2007
Gathering rotten seweed on the beaches and fertilizing our gardens with
it is one of seasonal tasks for autumn. We are quite occupied with it
whole month. Two days a week we grab the shovels, pitchforks, get on a
trailor, dig some, then dump it with wheelbarrows in the garden.
Thursday,
1 Nov 2007
Tessa leaves tomorrow with Lancelot to France. We had a breakfast
celebration with the family - kids adored Tessa's pancakes and
Lancelot's hot chocolate. After goodbye speeches we took the last group
picture of us all: