2 July 2012

Business as usual

Thanks to everyone who inquired about Hanno's health. He's fine now, his eye has healed well and apart from eye drops every two hours during the day for the next three weeks, it's business as usual. I was really pleased that it rained while he was out of action with his eye. Had it not been so wet, I know I would have had Buckley's chance of keeping him out of the backyard. When the eye healed and the rained stopped, he was raring to go. We'd been discussing changes to the backyard to better contain the chickens and that has evolved into an extra vegetable garden and so now it's full steam ahead. I'll write a post about the changes in the backyard later in the week.


We went to the Landcare Conference at the Brisbane Exhibition Centre on Saturday. What a day! There were a lot of very interesting speakers and I met up with a few friends I hadn't seen for a while. Along with us, we had our good friend Beverly Hand, who also gave a very interesting talk on Cultural awareness for engaging Indigenous people. I sat in on Beverly's talk, and she on mine, and I was treated not only to her courageously spirited talk but also to some photos of her family. I also sat in on a talk by Dr Graeme Sait who spoke about healthy soil, the narrow focus of NPK fertilising, soil minerals, microbes and compost. I feel the reason I went to that conference was to meet Graeme. We spoke briefly after my talk which he listened to, and he told me how interested he was in what I was talking about. I was really impressed by this man's knowledge and understanding - even in the short time I was there listening to him. He reminded me of the links between soil health and human health and convinced me I needed to know more about him and his topic. Yesterday I downloaded a copy of his book when I signed up for his newsletter and I've started reading it. It's very interesting and has reminded me that we've got some Biodynamic preparation 500 here and this week, we'll be applying it. When we finish that, I want to try some of Graeme's Life Force fertilisers. If you have time to check out his site, read the article about Blueberries.  What a treasure. He and his wife live here on the Sunshine Coast so I hope I have the good fortune to meet with him again.


Today I'm returning to the Maleny Neighbourhood Centre as volunteer coordinator, with help from Beverly who will come in on Fridays. Ali, who has been our paid coordinator since I left to write my book, left last week. She'll be doing her Masters at the local university and I wish her well. It will take up more of my time that I expected to give right now but the Centre is close to my heart and I can't walk away until it's on firm ground again.


And here at home, I'm still working away quietly with Hanno on those things that keep us fed, clothed and happy. The garden is starting to produce quite nicely, the chooks are laying well, I'm still knitting up a storm for various babies we'll meet for the first time later in the year, and I've just made a new batch of soap and laundry liquid that will keep us going for a few months. Tomorrow, we'll happily welcome home Sunny and Jamie after a six week holiday in Korea. I've missed them so much. They're coming up to see us as soon as they get off the plane. Yay!

Ernie and I are still working on our Blogging Workshop materials and have one booking so far for those in Brisbane. If you're a new blogger and are hoping to attend a workshop, please tell me where you are so we can look into venues in that area. I think the workshops will start next month.

So with all the changes life continues to throw our way, it's still business as usual. I hope you enjoyed your weekend and have an interesting week planned. After my short break, I'm really pleased to be back here with you.

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20 comments

  1. Thoroughly enjoyed the article on blueberries and felt a little surge of national pride at our country being mentioned even if Woolworths South Africa is the recipient of his praise!

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  2. Glad to hear Hanno did so well with the surgery and glad to see you back to blogging as well. I always miss you when your gone. you sound very busy these days, funny how life can do that to us, some seasons are so busy and some seasons slow. I like them both. You have a wonderful day...till tomorrow bye.

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  3. Hi Rhonda. A really interesting post today, as always. I am a new blogger and interesting in your workshop. I live in Teneriffe, Brisbane. It would be great if I could book myself into one down here.

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  4. Happy week to you, Rhonda! Glad Hanno is doing well, and am excited to see what you have planned for your garden! :)
    -Jaime

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  5. I totally agree with Eileen comments - I miss you when you are gone, but great to read older posts. Such a good idea!

    Glad Hanno is on the mend.

    I would love to start a blog and would love to go to a workshop. I live in Sydney.

    Eliza

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  6. Hi Rhonda, I enjoyed revisiting your past posts recently. I think that's a great idea! Glad to here Hanno is recovering so well, and I am really looking forward to your upcoming posts about the changes to your yard. Sam xox

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  7. Oh, lovely Rhonda. So nice to hear from you.... you are a faraway friend! :) Enjoy the week.

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  8. Hi Rhonda - just wondering if you are doing any blogging workshops in Maleny again soon

    regards, Shari

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  9. Shari, we may be doing a beginners blogging workshop but I'm not sure when. I'd put up a notice when we decide on the dates.

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  10. Hi Rhonda - I am in Cleveland but happy to travel to the Sunshine Coast for one of your workshops (are you thinking this month?)

    Regards
    Penny

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  11. Penny, it won't be this month, probably next. These workshops are for beginners.

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  12. Just wanted to let you know I finally got a copy of your book. I asked my mum really nicely to attend your function at the Avid Reader in West End and then asked her even more nicely to attend, listen, get the book signed and send it to me as an extremely early Christmas present.

    She really enjoyed the evening, enjoyed your book, but found it a little light on and not quite applicable to her. I have to admit she was born during WWII and lived very simply for many years of her childhood. So she had already picked up a lot of that way of life back up and put it back into practice.

    So I appreciate that your book enabled me to talk about living simply with my mum and get her perspective as well. I'm keen to have a look over it this week, but I have 2 dishcloths and a scarf calling my name.

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  13. And we're glad to have you back too! Very interested to read Dr Sait's site as we're very interested in the benefits of healthy soil here. Looks like nothing is going to stop Hanno and we look forward to seeing his ideas and changes to the garden.

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  14. I'm so glad all went well for Hanno! It's a scary time undergoing any surgery. I look forward to seeing your changing garden. I've never dabbled in biodynamics but it is a fascinating subject. I'm assuming the talk by Dr Sait is what inspired you to look at the garden afresh?

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  15. An interesting post as always. Bread looks lovely, care to share the recipe or even how you got it into the wonderful shape - very organic and touchy feely!

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  16. I've been to a number of Landcare Conferences and have always found them to be enormously rewarding. Love that article on blueberries, greater motivation to grown our own.

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  17. Dear friends

    Good idea for Healthy food is Organic Food
    so
    Visit us- http://www.downtoearthorganic.com

    Thanx

    Abhishek Erach

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  18. That soup looks fabulous!! (anybody have an idea the recipe?)

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  19. Linda, having the spare square of land made us think about adding the extra garden but Dr Saits talk convinced us to build it using several of his suggestions.

    Datacreata, it's my usual bread recipe - just made with a drier dough so I could do the shaping.

    mdoe, it's a lamb and vegetable hotpot (soup). I'll have the recipe for you soon.

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  20. Thankyousoverymuch!!! I was having soup here once a week to stretch either a chicken or beef roast, chili or even hamburger veggie. Got out of the habit. Its soo good and filling. . . and cheap. And from now on it will be "hotpot", sounds fancy!

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