🚀 go-pugleaf

FarmI wrote:
> I figured out how many weeks till Spring and how many tasks I had to do in 
> the garden before the wqrmer weather comes.  I'm pretty much on track.  You? 

Either I'm well ahead or hahahahahahaha(madness from the impossiblity).
I'm just waiting for the boss to get into planning for spring mode.
Although I did get a request for a barrow load soil mixture to be made up.

On Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:53:49 +1000,  "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> wrote:
 
> I figured out how many weeks till Spring and how many tasks I had to do in 
> the garden before the wqrmer weather comes.  I'm pretty much on track.  You? 
> 

Spring starts on Thursday at my Sinney residence.  That's my estimate as to when my prunus
blieriana will start flowering.  ;-)

On Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:53:49 +1000, "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given>
wrote:

>I figured out how many weeks till Spring and how many tasks I had to do in 
>the garden before the wqrmer weather comes.  I'm pretty much on track.  You? 

Reasonably... much more prepared this year than the previous couple
years as I have the hothouse, shade house and open veggie garden areas
all established. Still need a dedicated propagation area though, tired
of trying to raise seedlings on an ad-hoc basis. 

Planted a few more fruit trees this week, all apples this time -
Bramley and three other cider apples (exact varieties escape me ATM).
That makes about 36 fruits trees in the orchard now.

I hope we (here in TAS) don't have another odd spring, summer and
autumn... it was quite mild last year and did strange things to some
crops. Already many trees here are budding, which is a little early
once again. Hmm.

"terryc" <newsninespam-spam@woa.com.au> wrote in message 
news:j0lnev$h2c$1@dont-email.me...
> FarmI wrote:
>> I figured out how many weeks till Spring and how many tasks I had to do 
>> in the garden before the wqrmer weather comes.  I'm pretty much on track. 
>> You?
>
> Either I'm well ahead or hahahahahahaha(madness from the impossiblity).
> I'm just waiting for the boss to get into planning for spring mode.
> Although I did get a request for a barrow load soil mixture to be made up.

So what do you think the boss will expect you to do first? 

<rainman@mailinator.com> wrote in message 
news:52rs27p7kh41cnc0d8nm1fjefr74ne2t2g@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:53:49 +1000,  "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> wrote:
>
>> I figured out how many weeks till Spring and how many tasks I had to do 
>> in
>> the garden before the wqrmer weather comes.  I'm pretty much on track. 
>> You?
>>
>
> Spring starts on Thursday at my Sinney residence.  That's my estimate as 
> to when my prunus
> blieriana will start flowering.  ;-)

For years I've checked up on a particular prunus on a road I travel 
sometimes each winter.  For about 30 years this particular tree has always 
flowered at least 2 months before the warm weather arrives.  I always look 
out for it when I'm driving down that road and it never fails to cheer me up 
when I see it in bloom.

Do you start planting when your prunus flowers or do you still ahve to wait 
a few weeks?

Despite 1/9 supposedly being 'Spring',I know that there is no way I can 
plant anything I please just because the date tells me it's spring - 1/10 is 
more like the real time I can plant with any degree of certainty. 

"Je�us" <none@all.invalid> wrote in message 
news:bk0t27hri94q5gj2052kt356bvrc13tapa@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:53:49 +1000, "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given>
> wrote:
>
>>I figured out how many weeks till Spring and how many tasks I had to do in
>>the garden before the wqrmer weather comes.  I'm pretty much on track. 
>>You?
>
> Reasonably... much more prepared this year than the previous couple
> years as I have the hothouse, shade house and open veggie garden areas
> all established. Still need a dedicated propagation area though, tired
> of trying to raise seedlings on an ad-hoc basis.

I know just what you mean.  I have a propogating area, but it's not quite as 
I'd like ti to be - still some more improvements/refinements needed.
>
> Planted a few more fruit trees this week, all apples this time -
> Bramley and three other cider apples (exact varieties escape me ATM).
> That makes about 36 fruits trees in the orchard now.

I've jsut been reading Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls cookbooks and am now 
quite interested in planting Bramleys given how highly he praises them as a 
cooking apple.  He's also into cider apples and has piqued my interest in 
them too.

We ahd a fantastic year for pears this year and the chooks have only just 
finished cleanign up the drop from under our last netted tree.  Watching the 
rooster 'telling' the girls about the where they could find the best bits of 
pear was wonderful to watch.  He's such a lovely rooster and worth every 
penny of his high price tag.
>
> I hope we (here in TAS) don't have another odd spring, summer and
> autumn... it was quite mild last year and did strange things to some
> crops. Already many trees here are budding, which is a little early
> once again. Hmm.

That does sound early.  I can't see any signs of budding yet, but I'll now 
pay closer attention. 

"FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> wrote in message 
news:4e2f7926$0$22470$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
> "Je�us" <none@all.invalid> wrote in message 
> news:bk0t27hri94q5gj2052kt356bvrc13tapa@4ax.com...
>> On Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:53:49 +1000, "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>I figured out how many weeks till Spring and how many tasks I had to do 
>>>in
>>>the garden before the wqrmer weather comes.  I'm pretty much on track. 
>>>You?
>>
>> Reasonably... much more prepared this year than the previous couple
>> years as I have the hothouse, shade house and open veggie garden areas
>> all established. Still need a dedicated propagation area though, tired
>> of trying to raise seedlings on an ad-hoc basis.
>
> I know just what you mean.  I have a propogating area, but it's not quite 
> as I'd like ti to be - still some more improvements/refinements needed.
>>
>> Planted a few more fruit trees this week, all apples this time -
>> Bramley and three other cider apples (exact varieties escape me ATM).
>> That makes about 36 fruits trees in the orchard now.
>
> I've jsut been reading Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls cookbooks and am now 
> quite interested in planting Bramleys given how highly he praises them as 
> a cooking apple.  He's also into cider apples and has piqued my interest 
> in them too.

I would dearly love to grow Bramleys here in Perth but apparently we do not 
get a cold enough winter for the trees to go dormant.
I had a Bramley in my last garden that I managed to half "prune" with a 
particularly large bonfire.  It wasn't as bad as I expected as the tree went 
from producing every 2 years to producing every year but on separate halves. 
If I left the apples on long enough they became about as round as a large 
saucer, floury and sweet enough to eat. picked smaller they were/are the 
best cooking apples around.

Mike

On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:25:21 +1000,  "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> wrote:
  
> >> I figured out how many weeks till Spring and how many tasks I had to do 
> >> in
> >> the garden before the wqrmer weather comes.  I'm pretty much on track. 
> >> You?
> >>
> >
> > Spring starts on Thursday at my Sinney residence.  That's my estimate as 
> > to when my prunus
> > blieriana will start flowering.  ;-)
> 
> For years I've checked up on a particular prunus on a road I travel 
> sometimes each winter.  For about 30 years this particular tree has always 
> flowered at least 2 months before the warm weather arrives.  I always look 
> out for it when I'm driving down that road and it never fails to cheer me up 
> when I see it in bloom.
> 
> Do you start planting when your prunus flowers or do you still ahve to wait 
> a few weeks?
> 
> Despite 1/9 supposedly being 'Spring',I know that there is no way I can 
> plant anything I please just because the date tells me it's spring - 1/10 is 
> more like the real time I can plant with any degree of certainty. 
> 
I've already started planting the veges.  Tomatoes and carrots are in, possums are being
hunted down before other things go in.

On 26/07/2011 7:09 PM, Je�us wrote:
> On Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:53:49 +1000, "FarmI"<ask@itshall be given>
> wrote:
>
>> I figured out how many weeks till Spring and how many tasks I had to do in
>> the garden before the wqrmer weather comes.  I'm pretty much on track.  You?
>
> Reasonably... much more prepared this year than the previous couple
> years as I have the hothouse, shade house and open veggie garden areas
> all established. Still need a dedicated propagation area though, tired
> of trying to raise seedlings on an ad-hoc basis.
>
> Planted a few more fruit trees this week, all apples this time -
> Bramley and three other cider apples (exact varieties escape me ATM).
> That makes about 36 fruits trees in the orchard now.
>
> I hope we (here in TAS) don't have another odd spring, summer and
> autumn... it was quite mild last year and did strange things to some
> crops. Already many trees here are budding, which is a little early
> once again. Hmm.


I'm in Queensland and we have trees in bloom, passion fruiflowers on the 
vines, baby snakes all over the place (hit three with the mower) and 
birds nesting. It is weird - spring is two months early.

"Bloke Down The Pub" <cabling@xxxx.iinet.net.au> wrote in message
>> I've jsut been reading Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls cookbooks and am now 
>> quite interested in planting Bramleys given how highly he praises them as 
>> a cooking apple.  He's also into cider apples and has piqued my interest 
>> in them too.
>
> I would dearly love to grow Bramleys here in Perth but apparently we do 
> not get a cold enough winter for the trees to go dormant.
> I had a Bramley in my last garden that I managed to half "prune" with a 
> particularly large bonfire.  It wasn't as bad as I expected as the tree 
> went from producing every 2 years to producing every year but on separate 
> halves. If I left the apples on long enough they became about as round as 
> a large saucer, floury and sweet enough to eat. picked smaller they 
> were/are the best cooking apples around.

That's interesting about the change in bienneal bearing.  We do get enough 
chilling to grow good apples here, but I havent' yet got a Bramley. 
Possibly too late to do so this year, but I might put in a request for one 
or more with He Who Likes To Be Obeyed. 

<rainman@mailinator.com> wrote in message

> I've already started planting the veges.  Tomatoes and carrots are in, 
> possums are being
> hunted down before other things go in.

Wow.  Here I can't plant toms until I know who won the Melbourne Cup. 

On 28/07/2011 7:51 AM, rainman@mailinator.com wrote:
> On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:25:21 +1000,  "FarmI"<ask@itshall be given>  wrote:
>
>>>> I figured out how many weeks till Spring and how many tasks I had to do
>>>> in
>>>> the garden before the wqrmer weather comes.  I'm pretty much on track.
>>>> You?
>>>>
>>>
>>> Spring starts on Thursday at my Sinney residence.  That's my estimate as
>>> to when my prunus
>>> blieriana will start flowering.  ;-)
>>
>> For years I've checked up on a particular prunus on a road I travel
>> sometimes each winter.  For about 30 years this particular tree has always
>> flowered at least 2 months before the warm weather arrives.  I always look
>> out for it when I'm driving down that road and it never fails to cheer me up
>> when I see it in bloom.
>>
>> Do you start planting when your prunus flowers or do you still ahve to wait
>> a few weeks?
>>
>> Despite 1/9 supposedly being 'Spring',I know that there is no way I can
>> plant anything I please just because the date tells me it's spring - 1/10 is
>> more like the real time I can plant with any degree of certainty.
>>
> I've already started planting the veges.  Tomatoes and carrots are in, possums are being
> hunted down before other things go in.
>
My Garlic is 35cm high and thriving

-- 
X-No-Archive: Yes

On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:34:07 +1000, "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given>
wrote:

>"Je�us" <none@all.invalid> wrote in message 
>news:bk0t27hri94q5gj2052kt356bvrc13tapa@4ax.com...
>> On Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:53:49 +1000, "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>I figured out how many weeks till Spring and how many tasks I had to do in
>>>the garden before the wqrmer weather comes.  I'm pretty much on track. 
>>>You?
>>
>> Reasonably... much more prepared this year than the previous couple
>> years as I have the hothouse, shade house and open veggie garden areas
>> all established. Still need a dedicated propagation area though, tired
>> of trying to raise seedlings on an ad-hoc basis.
>
>I know just what you mean.  I have a propogating area, but it's not quite as 
>I'd like ti to be - still some more improvements/refinements needed.

Snails, slugs and frost have taken a toll on many of my seed raising
attempts, best place I currently have is a mini-hothouse up on the
rear verandah. Does okay but not much good for large quantities.
So a dedicated propagation house is in order, I'll probably clad it in
laserlite and put it between the shade and hot houses.

>> Planted a few more fruit trees this week, all apples this time -
>> Bramley and three other cider apples (exact varieties escape me ATM).
>> That makes about 36 fruits trees in the orchard now.
>
>I've jsut been reading Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls cookbooks and am now 
>quite interested in planting Bramleys given how highly he praises them as a 
>cooking apple.  He's also into cider apples and has piqued my interest in 
>them too.

LOL, one of my nearby neighbours refers to me a 'Hugh'. I pretty much
grow and cook the same things as he does. So now I have a Bramley and
two Granny Smiths - should take care of my cooking apples needs.

I'm also into cider making (hence the cider trees) , I quickly
realised any/all cider kits left much to be desired and that you can't
beat cider made from fresh, local apples. I've learnt that higher
alcohol by volume isn't necessarily such a good idea, my batches from
last year average 12% and any more than a couple of stubbies is
usually too much for me... I actually _don't_ enjoy getting pissed
even though I do like to drink  :)

I make beer and spirits also, and other stuff like cherry wine, ginger
beer and perry. Although this year I've been concentrating on making
mead, which is a much longer term proposition - and considerably more
expensive. My last 30L batch using local Leatherwood honey cost me
about $80... now I just have to wait a couple of years...

I'm going to need a pot still soon, as I especially want to make apple
cider brandy and cherry brandy. Also want to put through some
alcoholic ginger beer and see what happens. And of course, some spiced
mead liqueur once she's aged enough... yum.

Although I have a still, its a conventional type which means that
it'll strip any colour, smell and flavor from anything put through it,
a pot still doesn't do that, hence the need for a pot still.


>We ahd a fantastic year for pears this year and the chooks have only just 
>finished cleanign up the drop from under our last netted tree.  Watching the 
>rooster 'telling' the girls about the where they could find the best bits of 
>pear was wonderful to watch.  He's such a lovely rooster and worth every 
>penny of his high price tag.

Lucky you - my oldest fruit trees are only about 3 years old, though
the cherries, prunes and quinces have fruited surprisingly well
already.

>> I hope we (here in TAS) don't have another odd spring, summer and
>> autumn... it was quite mild last year and did strange things to some
>> crops. Already many trees here are budding, which is a little early
>> once again. Hmm.
>
>That does sound early.  I can't see any signs of budding yet, but I'll now 
>pay closer attention. 


We've had a mild winter really (by local standards), had a few -6's
with hard frost but nothing like 2008 and '09. I hope we don't have
another mild spring/summer/autumn again, nice weather for humans but
not so great for flowering and fruiting plants.

On Thu, 28 Jul 2011 10:30:21 +1000, Who_me? <invalid@invalid.com>
wrote:

>On 26/07/2011 7:09 PM, Je�us wrote:
>> On Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:53:49 +1000, "FarmI"<ask@itshall be given>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I figured out how many weeks till Spring and how many tasks I had to do in
>>> the garden before the wqrmer weather comes.  I'm pretty much on track.  You?
>>
>> Reasonably... much more prepared this year than the previous couple
>> years as I have the hothouse, shade house and open veggie garden areas
>> all established. Still need a dedicated propagation area though, tired
>> of trying to raise seedlings on an ad-hoc basis.
>>
>> Planted a few more fruit trees this week, all apples this time -
>> Bramley and three other cider apples (exact varieties escape me ATM).
>> That makes about 36 fruits trees in the orchard now.
>>
>> I hope we (here in TAS) don't have another odd spring, summer and
>> autumn... it was quite mild last year and did strange things to some
>> crops. Already many trees here are budding, which is a little early
>> once again. Hmm.
>
>
>I'm in Queensland and we have trees in bloom, passion fruiflowers on the 
>vines, baby snakes all over the place (hit three with the mower) and 
>birds nesting. It is weird - spring is two months early.

My quinces are quickly pushing out leaves now - way too soon for here.

The rhubarb is starting to flower as well, though I can't recall when
exactly they're supposed to flower... seems early to me though.

"Je�us" <none@all.invalid> wrote in message 
news:5ks837t7a2518mcihvi4at7577i4ijqukr@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:34:07 +1000, "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given>

>>I've jsut been reading Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls cookbooks and am now
>>quite interested in planting Bramleys given how highly he praises them as 
>>a
>>cooking apple.  He's also into cider apples and has piqued my interest in
>>them too.
>
> LOL, one of my nearby neighbours refers to me a 'Hugh'.

:-))

I pretty much
> grow and cook the same things as he does. So now I have a Bramley and
> two Granny Smiths - should take care of my cooking apples needs.
>
> I'm also into cider making (hence the cider trees) , I quickly
> realised any/all cider kits left much to be desired and that you can't
> beat cider made from fresh, local apples. I've learnt that higher
> alcohol by volume isn't necessarily such a good idea, my batches from
> last year average 12% and any more than a couple of stubbies is
> usually too much for me... I actually _don't_ enjoy getting pissed
> even though I do like to drink  :)

I can't see that attraction in getting pissed either, but a good drink 
(either alchoholic or non) is well worth doing.

> I make beer and spirits also, and other stuff like cherry wine, ginger
> beer and perry. Although this year I've been concentrating on making
> mead, which is a much longer term proposition - and considerably more
> expensive. My last 30L batch using local Leatherwood honey cost me
> about $80... now I just have to wait a couple of years...

Well that's cheaper than the 10kg batch of salami I've just hung :-))

>
> I'm going to need a pot still soon, as I especially want to make apple
> cider brandy and cherry brandy. Also want to put through some
> alcoholic ginger beer and see what happens. And of course, some spiced
> mead liqueur once she's aged enough... yum.
>
> Although I have a still, its a conventional type which means that
> it'll strip any colour, smell and flavor from anything put through it,
> a pot still doesn't do that, hence the need for a pot still.

Interesting.  What is the difference between a conventional vs a pot and 
where does one buy such a thing in Oz anyway?  I have seen a very neat 
little still in a brew shop in Mildura, but I wouldn't know it was a pot or 
a conventional one.

>>We ahd a fantastic year for pears this year and the chooks have only just
>>finished cleanign up the drop from under our last netted tree.  Watching 
>>the
>>rooster 'telling' the girls about the where they could find the best bits 
>>of
>>pear was wonderful to watch.  He's such a lovely rooster and worth every
>>penny of his high price tag.
>
> Lucky you - my oldest fruit trees are only about 3 years old, though
> the cherries, prunes and quinces have fruited surprisingly well
> already.
>
>>> I hope we (here in TAS) don't have another odd spring, summer and
>>> autumn... it was quite mild last year and did strange things to some
>>> crops. Already many trees here are budding, which is a little early
>>> once again. Hmm.
>>
>>That does sound early.  I can't see any signs of budding yet, but I'll now
>>pay closer attention.
>
>
> We've had a mild winter really (by local standards), had a few -6's
> with hard frost but nothing like 2008 and '09. I hope we don't have
> another mild spring/summer/autumn again, nice weather for humans but
> not so great for flowering and fruiting plants.

We've had quite  few low temps and the mornings seen to be worse this year 
than we've had for a while, but perhaps that is just me getting older and 
feeling it more.  I think I'm becoming more like a lizard as I get older - I 
now like to bask in winter sun. 

On Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:08:23 +1000, "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given>
wrote:

>"Je�us" <none@all.invalid> wrote in message 
>news:5ks837t7a2518mcihvi4at7577i4ijqukr@4ax.com...
>> On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:34:07 +1000, "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given>
>
>>>I've jsut been reading Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls cookbooks and am now
>>>quite interested in planting Bramleys given how highly he praises them as 
>>>a
>>>cooking apple.  He's also into cider apples and has piqued my interest in
>>>them too.
>>
>> LOL, one of my nearby neighbours refers to me a 'Hugh'.
>
>:-))
>
>I pretty much
>> grow and cook the same things as he does. So now I have a Bramley and
>> two Granny Smiths - should take care of my cooking apples needs.
>>
>> I'm also into cider making (hence the cider trees) , I quickly
>> realised any/all cider kits left much to be desired and that you can't
>> beat cider made from fresh, local apples. I've learnt that higher
>> alcohol by volume isn't necessarily such a good idea, my batches from
>> last year average 12% and any more than a couple of stubbies is
>> usually too much for me... I actually _don't_ enjoy getting pissed
>> even though I do like to drink  :)
>
>I can't see that attraction in getting pissed either, but a good drink 
>(either alchoholic or non) is well worth doing.
>
>> I make beer and spirits also, and other stuff like cherry wine, ginger
>> beer and perry. Although this year I've been concentrating on making
>> mead, which is a much longer term proposition - and considerably more
>> expensive. My last 30L batch using local Leatherwood honey cost me
>> about $80... now I just have to wait a couple of years...
>
>Well that's cheaper than the 10kg batch of salami I've just hung :-))

I'll bet! I've been wanting to get some proper proscuitto happening
but the initial outlay has put me off somewhat - I've experimented
with using lamb and duck breast (at least its cheap if things go
wrong), which works quite well. I'll get around to it, probably next
winter.


>> I'm going to need a pot still soon, as I especially want to make apple
>> cider brandy and cherry brandy. Also want to put through some
>> alcoholic ginger beer and see what happens. And of course, some spiced
>> mead liqueur once she's aged enough... yum.
>>
>> Although I have a still, its a conventional type which means that
>> it'll strip any colour, smell and flavor from anything put through it,
>> a pot still doesn't do that, hence the need for a pot still.
>
>Interesting.  What is the difference between a conventional vs a pot and 
>where does one buy such a thing in Oz anyway?  I have seen a very neat 
>little still in a brew shop in Mildura, but I wouldn't know it was a pot or 
>a conventional one.

This page explains the basic differences:
http://homedistiller.org/types.htm


>> We've had a mild winter really (by local standards), had a few -6's
>> with hard frost but nothing like 2008 and '09. I hope we don't have
>> another mild spring/summer/autumn again, nice weather for humans but
>> not so great for flowering and fruiting plants.
>
>We've had quite  few low temps and the mornings seen to be worse this year 
>than we've had for a while, but perhaps that is just me getting older and 
>feeling it more.  I think I'm becoming more like a lizard as I get older - I 
>now like to bask in winter sun. 

No sun here lately, we're flooded in for the fourth time this year.
All the locals say they've never seen weather like this before, what
with record snow falls as well. At the same time ironically this
winter has been relatively warm. I need to go to Hobart this Friday,
so hopefully we won't get much more rain this week...

"Je�us" <none@all.invalid> wrote in message
> On Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:08:23 +1000, "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given>
> wrote:
  I have seen a very neat
>>little still in a brew shop in Mildura, but I wouldn't know it was a pot 
>>or
>>a conventional one.
>
> This page explains the basic differences:
> http://homedistiller.org/types.htm

Aaaah!  Thank you - a very interesting site.

> No sun here lately, we're flooded in for the fourth time this year.

Bugger!

> All the locals say they've never seen weather like this before, what
> with record snow falls as well. At the same time ironically this
> winter has been relatively warm. I need to go to Hobart this Friday,
> so hopefully we won't get much more rain this week...

IIRC, you're somewhere up the nth east coast??????? 

On Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:17:41 +1000, "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given>
wrote:

>"Je�us" <none@all.invalid> wrote in message
>> On Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:08:23 +1000, "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given>
>> wrote:
>  I have seen a very neat
>>>little still in a brew shop in Mildura, but I wouldn't know it was a pot 
>>>or
>>>a conventional one.
>>
>> This page explains the basic differences:
>> http://homedistiller.org/types.htm
>
>Aaaah!  Thank you - a very interesting site.
>
>> No sun here lately, we're flooded in for the fourth time this year.
>
>Bugger!
>
>> All the locals say they've never seen weather like this before, what
>> with record snow falls as well. At the same time ironically this
>> winter has been relatively warm. I need to go to Hobart this Friday,
>> so hopefully we won't get much more rain this week...
>
>IIRC, you're somewhere up the nth east coast??????? 


Yup, in the NE but inland somewhat, hence the heavy frosts. 

One good thing being in a mountainous area is that whilst we do get
what seems to be fairly regular flooding here (at least these days it
seems), it also drains away quickly. Flash flooding, snow/ice and
fallen trees on the roads can make things rather interesting though,
especially if you're trying to get home after dark... all part of the
adventure of living here I suppose :)

In article <4e44b785$0$22469$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au>,
 "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given> wrote:

> "Je�us" <none@all.invalid> wrote in message
> > On Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:08:23 +1000, "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given>
> > wrote:
>   I have seen a very neat
> >>little still in a brew shop in Mildura, but I wouldn't know it was a pot 
> >>or
> >>a conventional one.
> >
> > This page explains the basic differences:
> > http://homedistiller.org/types.htm
> 
> Aaaah!  Thank you - a very interesting site.

Basically, with a pot still (used in Cognac), the first and last over 
(heads & tails) is discarded. This distillation is done 2 or 3 times.
With a continuous still (coffee still?) a thermometer is set into a 
column above the liquid being distilled, just adjacent to the discharge 
to the cooling coil. IIRC about 201 F (94 C) is where you should start 
taking your cut. Very volitile substance will exit the top of the 
column, and less volitile substances will re-condense and and fall back 
into the boiling chamber. 
> 
> > No sun here lately, we're flooded in for the fourth time this year.
> 
> Bugger!
> 
> > All the locals say they've never seen weather like this before, what
> > with record snow falls as well. At the same time ironically this
> > winter has been relatively warm. I need to go to Hobart this Friday,
> > so hopefully we won't get much more rain this week...
> 
> IIRC, you're somewhere up the nth east coast??????? 

Wanted to thank you for the suggestion of Donna Leon. Lovey-poo is 
enjoying them immensely. We were very pleased that Guido Brunetti et al 
are out in video format as well, from Germany mit Unter Titles. So far 
we've seen Episode 1, Vendetta; and Episode 2, Anonymous Venetian.
<http://www.mhznetworks.org/shop/>
The DVDs are a little pricey for us, so we'll continue to extract them 
off the TV.

The Irene Huss mysteries, based on the best-selling crime fiction of 
Helene Tursten looks good too.
-- 
- Billy
Both the House and Senate budget plan would cut Social Security and Medicare, while cutting taxes on the wealthy. 

Kucinich noted that none of the government programs targeted for 
elimination or severe cutback in House Republican spending plans 
"appeared on the GAO's list of government programs at high risk of 
waste, fraud and abuse."
<http://www.politifact.com/ohio/statements/2011/mar/28/dennis-kucinich/re
p-dennis-kucinich-says-gop-budget-cuts-dont-targ/>

[W]e have the situation with the deficit and the debt and spending and jobs. And it�s not that difficult to get out of it. The first thing you do is you get rid of corporate welfare. That�s hundreds of billions of dollars a year. The second is you tax corporations so that they don�t get away with no taxation. 
 - Ralph Nader
<http://www.democracynow.org/2011/7/19/ralph_naders_solution_to_debt_crisis>

"Je�us" <none@all.invalid> wrote in message 
news:ie0b47ho2t8a06jkof0ftm8dadjssgulq3@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:17:41 +1000, "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given>
> wrote:
>
>>"Je�us" <none@all.invalid> wrote in message
>>> On Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:08:23 +1000, "FarmI" <ask@itshall be given>
>>> wrote:
>>  I have seen a very neat
>>>>little still in a brew shop in Mildura, but I wouldn't know it was a pot
>>>>or
>>>>a conventional one.
>>>
>>> This page explains the basic differences:
>>> http://homedistiller.org/types.htm
>>
>>Aaaah!  Thank you - a very interesting site.
>>
>>> No sun here lately, we're flooded in for the fourth time this year.
>>
>>Bugger!
>>
>>> All the locals say they've never seen weather like this before, what
>>> with record snow falls as well. At the same time ironically this
>>> winter has been relatively warm. I need to go to Hobart this Friday,
>>> so hopefully we won't get much more rain this week...
>>
>>IIRC, you're somewhere up the nth east coast???????
>
>
> Yup, in the NE but inland somewhat, hence the heavy frosts.
>
> One good thing being in a mountainous area is that whilst we do get
> what seems to be fairly regular flooding here (at least these days it
> seems), it also drains away quickly. Flash flooding, snow/ice and
> fallen trees on the roads can make things rather interesting though,
> especially if you're trying to get home after dark... all part of the
> adventure of living here I suppose :)

LOL. 

"Billy" <Wildbilly@withouta.net> wrote in message

> Wanted to thank you for the suggestion of Donna Leon. Lovey-poo is
> enjoying them immensely. We were very pleased that Guido Brunetti et al
> are out in video format as well, from Germany mit Unter Titles. So far
> we've seen Episode 1, Vendetta; and Episode 2, Anonymous Venetian.
> <http://www.mhznetworks.org/shop/>
> The DVDs are a little pricey for us, so we'll continue to extract them
> off the TV.

Excellent!  I'm glad that Lovey-poo is enjoying them.  Wait till she 
discovers Patrick O'Brian who is an even better author :-))

> The Irene Huss mysteries, based on the best-selling crime fiction of
> Helene Tursten looks good too.

Not heard of her - will do a request at the library. 

On Wed, 10 Aug 2011 07:28:06 +1000, Je�us <none@all.invalid> wrote:
<snip>
>No sun here lately, we're flooded in for the fourth time this year.

Now we're going for the fifth time... only a week later.


>All the locals say they've never seen weather like this before, what
>with record snow falls as well. At the same time ironically this
>winter has been relatively warm. I need to go to Hobart this Friday,
>so hopefully we won't get much more rain this week...