The table

To PIN or not to PIN.....

Pinning is fast becoming a favourite pastime for many Internet users and especially for those of us constantly looking for new ideas to re-use or re-purpose articles....

a Few weeks ago whilst pinning on  PINTEREST, I stumbled upon this clever idea.....

and it immediately became one of my 'pins' and a very high 'must have' on my wish list!

Low and behold, if the eyes and mind are open....you will find!

I stumbled upon a very abused  - read VERY old - sewing machine and table. 

 There was no salvage for the machine....or the table top.....but the legs.....oh those legs!!!!

You know, I must really give Claude credit - he doesn't bat an eye when I come up with 'ideas' or schemes......

In fact, I think he sees the potential of something even before I do....

He said it is only fitting that he used a piece of timber that is at least 130 years old - that is timber from Halls Hall - to put on this vintage stand.  Halls Hall is the old colonial building , circa 1892 , that we bought a few years ago with the intention of rebuilding / re-purpose......

The wood  is oregon pine and the grain is sooo beautiful!!!!

 Look at the transformation !

The legs were sanded and primed and repainted - Claude kept the two colours - Black and Brown.

 and here it is !!!!

This beautiful, re-purposed table was given to me on my birthday - a w e s o m e !!!! 

 I   L O V E   this table !

 from this -

 to this......

 laden with food.....

 One of the best Birthdays.....

Thanx Babe !

a basket around the tree....

Today I decided to weave a basket......

a   B I G   basket........

around  the Flamboyant tree........

The mulberries are growing like they are on hormone therapy ....or something......
I had to prune them and decided to use the branches.

The Flamboyant tree is just to the right where Claude is sitting, in front of the cabins.

The mulberries have been growing fast and furious, but no fruit yet....

I stripped the big leaves off the branches  and it reminded me of my younger days when we had silk worms and had to feed them the leaves....

I planted bigger pegs in the ground  around the Flamboyant tree and just started to weave the branches in and out.....

Backbreaking......

 

I used a lot more branches than I anticipated.....

More and more.....

 As you can see in the foreground, I still need a lot more branches.....I guess I will just  have to continue when the mulberries grow some more......

until next time.....

August , the month when the Lions roar.

Been a month of building   

                                         work.....read about it here

                                          goat babies

                                                               planting

                                                            being....

 

                                                                   worx fiji 

 
Our three female goats became mothers this month and Claude and I have been present during the births. The first time that I saw an animal being born. Wonderful.

We have papayas in abundance!

 

The cottages are progressing fine.  This is a view of the walkway between the cottages.......

under construction.

 

The five kids are cute beyond words....

 

 and I wonder how long before cute 

                                                              will turn into naughty!

 

                                 Riaan, my son , 

 
 
                is on the last stretch of his       circumnavigation of Africa!   

 He left Johannesburg on March 9   and rode with his motorbike up the West coast of Africa , across Europe and coming down the East coast of Africa.  

What an accomplishment.  What and adventure.  Read about  his travels here - Vansafrica.com
Love the photos, the blog and especially the music in the videos!

It was also my Mom's birthday on the 8th.  Being continents apart, we had to do with a virtual cake ...and a phone call.



!Until next time !

July and August - our driest months.

                              It is our dry season. 
                
           July/ August have on average only 52mm rain each.  We feel it.

I am trying my best to keep up with the watering, but will remember next year not to plant during these months! 

Maybe because the shrubs are under stress, the flower display is wonderful. 

My brand new yellow hibiscus cutting is flowering for the first time.  Think you can see that the cutting has only 2 leaves, but it is already flowering!

This pink hibiscus is gorgeous! 

James and his team have been busy bees and our cottages are coming along just fine.

Some more beautiful flowers in our garden.....

Some more building pics....

I made a  BIG note in my diary for next year.... Do NOT plant during the dry season!

But - on the bright side , less rain means fewer mosquitoes.



Until next time!

whats up with us during june - july 2013

It has been a busy few months.  Lots to report......

The hens started to lay....they are now rewarding us with an egg each every day.

Remember the  Town Hall that we bought in 2009?  We have been storing the timber since then  and this year is the time to either put the Hall back up as it was when it was constructed in 1890....

Or use the Oregon Pine and old wood - and build something different.

                                                                                                                   BA Town Hall  circa 1890

The inside of this beautiful building.  Although old and flooded a few times , we thought the timber was still pristine.  We decided to tender on the building.... were successful and we had to dismantle and remove the building from its original site.  

  We suspect that some of the timber were subjected to .....shrinkage........during storage at our factory.  At least it was under cover there , but since we moved it to the farm, it was stored in the open.....

The Hall being carefully dismantled (2009)...

It is now 2013   and    in    step    Builder James Naicker.....and his team.

Ground breaking!  And the building work started.....

We adopted Anzac and Roxy , the two adult dogs of an expat family leaving Fiji.
They were city dogs before coming to the farm - but very eager to learn!

                                                        and the first pole is up!!

Meet Mr James Naicker - our builder!

It  wasn't just building these past few weeks.....

Sometimes

                      it is just right to sit down with everybody.....and have a "talanoa" (talk - Fidjian)

It is 6 months since cyclone Evan.

  The broken branches are now becoming more of a hazard. The bark holding some of these branches are now dried up and the slightest wind causes the branches to tumble down.....in this case right on top of my young  fruit trees in the nursery.

 \






Thank heavens for a

            handy man!!!

James and his team continued to make magic. 

 Claude could hardly keep up with taking photos!  Everyday a  task that James set up, was completed. 

 We are very happy with the progress. 

 Here James explained the technique of laying floor boards.....Look at the beautiful condition of the old floor boards.

and the roof is up!!!

Because we were not sure how much wood we lost due to "shrinkage" , we decided to build small cottages/rooms and see how far we got with the timber.

Yes.   We
                 had
                        more
                                    rain !

                                                   Lots of rain!

Busy as always, Claude used the wet, unproductive days to service his fishing reels.

 
\
 and the result......!




Work on the cottage stopped for a few days during the rain.

and the sun came out....and work continued.

Afternoon "talanoa" session.  All attending....hahahaha!

One of the most beautiful features of our cottage

                                                      is the beautiful  wrap around steps.
                                               
                                                                 James is busy building them here.

Remember our outside bathroom?  One morning Claude found these

                                  mushrooms in the bathroom....

James and his sons starting with cottage 2/3

Gardening is a non stop event....  an old derelict fishing boat became a garden feature.....

The cottages in progress....

and now the hard work starts for us. 
The old wood needs to be sanded down.

 The floor boards ,
                        the beams....
                                              the walls.......

Claude with another project.
                   A nearby resort replaces their Kayaks and we sure could put their old ones to good use  .......                                                               after fixing them up!

Claude's new projects in waiting!

Roof is up on cottage 2!

Our beautiful cottage.

we had  picnics with friends and neighbours....

But a farm has loads of work.  Claude has been busy with

grass slashing and tractor work. 

and removing trees from our vegetable fields.

Wesley is declaring WAR on weeds....and trees !

a beautiful pic isn't it?

The cleared field....it was hard work and took many days....

a thought I would like to share - 

Nothing worth having, comes easy.