The Hunter's Chronicles - Sunday 27th May 2012

A Hunter must possess versatility and adaptability if he is to survive. This sometimes means providing more than just meat. Water. Fuel. Foraged greens.

For those finer things that his skill set cannot extend to, he may choose to trade or sell his time for units of currency.

The recent heat has meant that, without proper refrigeration, any meat left hanging is soon spoiled by hordes of flies eager to fill every orifice with their eggs. So, I feel it disrespectful to slay any creature only for his body to be cast aside as nature devours it in her numerous peculiar ways. In such weather, it is also more refreshing I feel to enjoy the option to subsist on cool vegetation and foraged leaves

And so it was that this past week, it was not the fields in which the hunter could be found.

Still outdoors in glorious and blessed rays of sunshine, but in contact with stone not soil. Lots of stone.

For the most part, the lime mortar has been raked out. Now, with new sacks of traditional (and thankfully, ready mixed) lime mortar. The re-pointing has commenced.

Alas, the working week must end. It is then one can retire to the shade of the woodlands, resplendent with trees in full bloom. To where sanctuary can be found and tranquility enjoyed with those held most dear.

I'll Get Cracking. Tomorrow - Friday 10/12/10

Temperatures have risen and the ground is thawing. Now our carefully measured lines on the building pad that were taut, are now slack and adrift.
Aside from odd jobs, the only thing to do is take Kit to the train station. He'll be away until Wednesday. Will miss him but I have plenty to keep me occupied.
1) Lay a pathway to the static. The thawed ground is now soaked and muddy.
2) Turn over the vegetable beds ready for planting around January.
3) Dig a 100m trench 6 inches deep in order to fence an enclosure for our rabbit farming venture.

Not a long list, but a tidy amount to do. Will get cracking tomorrow.

M Jones

Freezing My Barn Off - Thursday 09/12/10

The bitter taste of Tuesdays so called Committee Meeting has started to subside. There are still rumblings and grumblings amongst the residents, and I forecast further tremours and aftershocks following the next meeting, scheduled for this Tuesday.
Kit and I occupied our bodies and minds doing what little we can on a frozen but defrosting building pad. The lime sitting in two trugs is still frozen solid and unusable. This made brick laying impossible, so we had to satisfy ourselves by marking out the edges with fluorescent string and metal line pins. Even these put up a fight...
Am mindful the blog is being neglected as it is simply too uncomfortable to update whilst sitting in a freezing agricultural barn. So this evening I have been trying to do it in the luxurious warmth of the static caravan. Its taking a while....

M Jones

Man Boobs - Thursday 19/08/10

My Dads birthday today, left a message... Put in some work on the building site which is now simply a case of filling a barrow of sifted stone and dumping it in a trench. We're about 1/4 of the way done.
By 15:00 the misty drizzle came full on with a severe weather warning issued. Despite this Kit and Sara came down for last nights pudding and to watch '300' . Sara was not impressed. By neither the violence nor the man boobs.
A stormy night meant I was up at 04:30 ensuring the awning and the man tent were still secure.

M Jones

The Bench - Tuesday 03/08/10

Made a bench today. Similar to the washing up table in its design and construction.

The Bench

Started the build!
Began by making a 'bunyip' essentially just a tube filled with water secured to two posts. This instrument acts as a spirit level between two points. Ayres cut out squares for the post footings whilst i dug part of the drainage trench.

The building site

Have two more volunteers starting work tomorrow, so looking forward to meeting and greeting.

Have set my alarm to start work nice and early. Am eager to keep the momentum going.

M Jones