Bluemilk has a post on ‘December looks like this (2011)‘ and has invited everyone to play. Since it has been a while since I have posted anything here, I decided to kick off again with a photo essay on ‘December looks like this (2011)’.

First up:

It doesn’t look like it will ever be my turn to have the remote.

We need to get onto the weed control.

Hoping for a good crop of apples.

Looking forward to warm afternoons picking and eating raspberries straight from the canes.

Some lovely things emerging from the garden after the danger of frost is gone.

The Xmas tree is up early, groaning under the weight of its decorations and the occassional kitten.

We haven’t escaped the Goddam Craft, this came home from school, I suspect it is a great way to use up time and old Womans Weeklys.

It is only day two of the holidays and already two glasses of milk have been spilt on the floor. February seems such a very long time away.

We got two new chookies today at the Markets. Well the last one from the markets and another one that the people selling the chooks went to pick up because they had sold out today and were bringing in spares. Can you guess that I didn’t get to call them Henrietta and Beatrice as planned.

So introducing:

Artoo (the smaller of the two)

(image of dark rust red coloured chook, an Isa Brown)

and Sweepyswio

(image of a brownish rusty red colour chook)

and from the back.

(image of two chicken bottoms).

They seem to be friends already. We will probably get another two tomorrow. Names suggested have been Vada and Palpetyne.

Despite the lack of blogging, work has continued on the pizza oven.

Chimney is in, insulation is on, chicken wire is on. Render has been applied. Packing sand and pots have been removed from the oven.

Work on the dome has continued and the internal part of the dome was finished today. Over the top of this will be an insulating coat.

Work has been continuing on the pizza oven, despite the cold weather. Now that the base is finished, the actual oven is being built. The first level of bricks has been put in and the floor of the oven put in. Then the sides were reinforced and the door arch built. A sand mould has been made today – this will support the bricks above as the mortar dries and will then be scooped out. I think there are also some garden pots in there taking up space so it didn’t use up as much sand. As I type the next course of bricks is being laid around the mould but it is cold and getting dark and I’m too lazy to take pictures again today.

ETA: I didn’t know it at the time, but this day was Juneteenth. Juneteenth is the celebration of the abolition of slavery in the United States. It has been celebrated for 145 years and is a holiday in 36 US States. Now you know.

Went again today. Not as many people today, but it was cold and miserable which may have kept some people at home. Still quite busy though. Layout was better this time, the fruit and veg man had a whole shed to himself and needed it too. Some new stall holders, lots more stuff from the ones who came to the first one and a sausage sizzle made it really good.

My haul: 2 lamingtons, a kg of Pink Lady apples, sourdough loaf, 6 bagels, 1/2 kg diced lamb, dutch donuts (they didn’t last long), hummus, beetroot dip, sausage sanger and a drink of fresh juice. Also bought some cauliflower seedlings for the garden, but they will have to wait until I get to the hardware shop to buy slug and snail killer to stop them being eaten the moment I plant them.

There was a lady there selling chooks, I almost bought some but decided not to test fate so soon. She said she was local though, so if our plan to adopt a friend’s chooks doesn’t work I know where to find some lovely looking chooks.

Things caught in the fox trap:

One white cat (lives around here somewhere)

One black and white cat (ours)

One black and white collie dog (friend of neighbours)

One (now deceased) fox.

It doesn’t bring the chookies back, but it won’t be taking anyone else’s chookies either.

Lots done this long weekend, but of course I could have used a few more days to get even more stuff done. The base of the chook enclosure is now wired up and most of the wire covered with dirt. Hopefully this will keep nasty foxes out in the future. The new peach tree and almond tree have been planted and survived two nasty frosts, the pizza oven is moving along apace and a general tidy up of the yard has been done. There may even be pictures soon. Winter is generally supposed to be a quiet time in the garden but I think it’s going to be busy because I’m still catching up on work I should have done in autumn. Then spring will come, everything will start growing again and I’ll be back to square one. Quite happily I suspect.

Last night I went to the Yass Rep. Society series of Three One Act Plays. I was invited by a friend from work, for a mini girls night out. I’ve been meaning to go to one of their productions for ages but never got around to it before so I jumped at the chance.

I’d been warned that the theatre was cold, so I rugged up (okay I wore my ugg boot slippers) and sat down in a seat made for less amply padded people; the theatre seats are the original seats from the art deco cinema; managed to tip most of the contents of my handbag onto the floor which took a lot of rustling and key jingling to put back and then the show began.

The first play was four people sitting in a waiting room, waiting for something that they weren’t even sure of, and generally behaving badly. It was quite good and featured one of my neighbours who was excellent. It also made me feel uncomfortably like I could easily be one of the characters.

The second play was just two people and two chairs, a cafe table,  a Patrick White book and a bell, one of those round ones with the striker in the middle. Whenever the conversation took a turn that either of the people didn’t like, they hit the bell and the conversation could start again from a particular point. It was amazing, learning the lines must have been a right pain, but they delivered it beautifully. I didn’t want it to end. I also wanted to know where the lady on stage got her gorgeous knee high boots and where I could get one of those bells.

The third and final play was a pantomime complete with fairy and stagehand to hold up signs to say boo and cheer, which the audience did enthusiastically. The acting was beautifully hammy and just perfect. Another of my very talented neighbours featured in this one. He has a beautiful singing voice.

It was so good I’m planning to go again before the run finishes. I’m going to get one of the crocheted rugs that they hand out at the entry to the theatre seating this time. It really was cold in the theatre.