The berry-house is behind me, CK. We grow raspberries, boysenberries, blackberries, silvan berries, loganberries, blueberries and rhubarb in there where they're protected from bird predation - but it's thick with thorny vines, hence the boiler suit so that I could get in to cut the vines back (with no scratches) so that I could pick the raspberries.
The Terrier has officially exhausted me. I'm overtired and grumpy and told him so last night when I couldn't get to sleep till after 1 AM.
I think Apollo's box sounds interesting - at least the poo should come out ready-packaged!
So much of interest! I had to take notes!! That glorious aqua water! The fine wool sheep (we had 1000 acres of dreadful land - the merinos had stunningly fine wool). The Terrier, the wonderful cooking. I wear Skechers shoes - SO comfortable and if you check out the remnants section or online sales you can grab a terrific bargain if you’re lucky. You are stunning in overalls!! I will check out the Richard E Grant interview - Richard Fidler is such a good interviewer when he’s on the same wavelength as his interviewee. And weathering being a good sign of being loved. Excellent. Another wonderful read. Thanks so much. And good luck with that garden - I’m looking after my brother’s at the moment and it is an exhausting job! Hugs dear Prue. 🤗🤗😘
Hi Beth. Merinos really are perfect for the Australian climate, aren't they? Even in Tassie, the least hot of Australian states, we've produced some of the most superfine fleeces in Australia - the Zegna family used to travel from Italy to buy the premier fleeces for high fashion men's suiting.
I've tried Sketchers, not too bad, I will have another look online. I have awful feet. High instep and high arches, wide-ish, and a condition called Equinus. I have a regular 5 weekly visit to the podiatrist which is wonderful. I float out...
I have to say we're having to supplement the garden water at the moment. Hoping for an autumn break of sorts in a few weeks...
Thank you for your continued interest and friendship. See you next week?
Shoe recommendation: All Birds. https://www.allbirds.com/ I found a pair at a thrift store, barely worn, and they are the most comfortable pair of shoes. Love your overalls, too, and Summer Breeze was my 16th summer's all time favorite. "Screen door slamming" is my favorite summer sound. Totally agree about Shaun Evans. He's superb.
Mary, we have sprinklers mostly and drips on things like the berry fruits. They are on an automatic system that comes on at 6PM and does the whole garden. Periodically my husband will change times and durations and also the heights of the sprinklers as plants grow bigger.
On the farm, we rely mostly on nature, except we do have large scale irrigation for our lucerne crops.
Thank you for the link to Allbirds, will check it out - feet are the bane of my life.
Hats off to you for tending your gardens and crops. That's hard work and rarely a day off, I imagine. Welcome for the Allbirds' link. I was surprised how comfy they are, almost like slippers but with support. Hope your Terrier is feeling better (and cooler), too.
I love the picture of the Terrier in his bath, Prue - gorgeous! I'm sorry to hear about his tummy ache, though - he's been really going through things recently, hasn't he? Poor chap.
Although I dislike the cold, what I hate more is inescapable heat. In 2022 we had two extraordinary heatwaves - one in June, one in mid-July - which beat the previous record set in the summer of 1976, when I was nearly two. In a place where we pay more attention to keeping our houses warm than cool (air-conditioning in homes is unusual, and apart from in exceptional circumstances, unnecessary) it felt as if the whole country had ground to a halt!
Your pictures are stunning - the colour of the ocean! You're swimming, and are in your absolute element. Oh, and I have never seen such a beautifully cut set of overalls, Prue. I wish I looked as attractive as you do in those when I'm wearing my boiler suit!
Another terrific post - I really enjoyed it. Thank you.
Agree - inescapable heat is awful and I'm so glad that we have aircon. We've been living with aircon now for maybe 20-25 years and I honestly couldn't survive without. We're lucky in Tasmania that our power is hydro-power, so we don't have the issues with environment, power running out as it does with coal etc. Many folk also bolster their power usage with solar panels on the roofs - I'd love to do it.
Isn't the colour of that bay wonderful? It's called Four Mile, one of our favourites and can only be accessed by boat.
Thanks as ever for your support, Rebecca. It's appreciated.
Wow, hydro-power sounds amazing! Two households of family members have solar panels, and they make a huge difference to their energy bills. We're thinking of getting a tiny panel to power the campervan's leisure battery. Okay, its engine will still run on diesel, but it would mean that we'd have enough electricity to last more than 36 hours if we don't get to camp on a site with electric hook-up.
The colour of the water IS amazing - and wow, it's four miles across? Incredible!
Yes, we're metric in everything - distance, weights and measures and we went to decimal currency (Australian dollars and cents) in 1966.
I was educated in the first instance with imperials and so I'm always asking husband and son, 'Show me how big with your hands...' 'How far is that in miles? and so on. Makes for sighs from the men.
When I have to provide weight and height, I have to quickly google a conversion. Such fun!
I love the consistency of metric for everything! Over here, roadsigns are in miles, not kilometres, but with things with smaller measurements I think we more often plump for metric. I measure ingredients in grammes and millilitres. My husband's work (the printing side of his photography business) is sometimes metric, sometimes imperial - it's confusing! I like to be 6ft and half an inch tall, rather than 184cm, and I measure my weight in stones rather than kilos.
Prue, I am always impressed by all that you do, or have done! Merino! The berry house! Dressage! And your sweet terrier, always adding layers of...uh...interest. While you swelter, we continue to dodge the chill. I wonder if there are days when our two countries are more aligned. Surely there must be a period of time when we are all dancing with joy in the 60s (temperatures, not era). 😊
I'm pretty old, Elizabeth, and yes, I admit I've tried to pack in things that interest me. It's nice that you say I've done a lot because I think we're all guilty of not realising just how much we all do pack into our lives. We're all fortunate to have opportunities, aren't we?
I have a feeling that early spring (your autumn) and autumn (your spring) might vaguely align.
We've got a couple of weeks of warm weather coming and I will truly be ready for a cool change at the end, else I really will be pigskin!
I've just now been able to read your wonderful post from Saturday, having done some travel around the globe meantime. Besides all your wonderful photos and descriptions of your life, I do also enjoy the community of people who comment so thoughtfully here; their comments are lovely and enrich my appreciation as well. You have a gift for sifting through what's memorable and important and making it dear to the rest of us too. I love that whatever you write about I find absorbing and want to go check it out too: books, interviews, music (I love Seals and Crofts too!). Thanks for that. And the colour of the water and the sand below: mwah! (or however you describe a chef's kiss 😄). Wishing you a peaceful week ahead!
Hi Sabrina. It sounds as if you may be back on the Isle of Wight - holidays done and dusted? Back in your own bed, with your own things all around. There's always a flatness at the end of a break, isn't there? And especially when you have been with family and friends. I hope you're rested and filled with new energy for your coming spring.
Thanks so much for the kind things you've said about Knots in the String - I suppose the thing that I've most noticed most on Substack is the way people gravitate towards kindred spirits. It's rather special, if not downright spooky - as if there's a code beneath what we write and only like minds will pick it up. Which they do.
You do look dashing in your overalls, Prue! I’m so impressed by your energy…swimming—in the ocean yet!—grandmothering, the garden, pup care, helping on the farm, writing…Wow 😊 Wishing you lots of fun with your research—and the time to do it!
Thank you so very much for recommending Little Farm Writer, Prue! Your kind words made my week 😊 I feel especially grateful because your posts are so wise and insightful and a huge pleasure to ponder, and think more deeply about later. Thank you as always for all the great reading!
You made a description of aging sound romantic! So beautifully written.
That ocean water would make any swimming pool envious. Azure!
Love the white jumpsuit but curious as to what grows behind you in that photo?
The terrier. Our fur babies are little rascals. Apollo ate a small box yesterday. Probably easier on the stomach than desiccated rabbit.
The berry-house is behind me, CK. We grow raspberries, boysenberries, blackberries, silvan berries, loganberries, blueberries and rhubarb in there where they're protected from bird predation - but it's thick with thorny vines, hence the boiler suit so that I could get in to cut the vines back (with no scratches) so that I could pick the raspberries.
The Terrier has officially exhausted me. I'm overtired and grumpy and told him so last night when I couldn't get to sleep till after 1 AM.
I think Apollo's box sounds interesting - at least the poo should come out ready-packaged!
Hahaha! 🤣
Yuuummm. Lots of jams and pies.
Apollos poop! Haha.
Hope you slept well. 🙏
'ready-packaged'!!!!!!! 🤣
So much of interest! I had to take notes!! That glorious aqua water! The fine wool sheep (we had 1000 acres of dreadful land - the merinos had stunningly fine wool). The Terrier, the wonderful cooking. I wear Skechers shoes - SO comfortable and if you check out the remnants section or online sales you can grab a terrific bargain if you’re lucky. You are stunning in overalls!! I will check out the Richard E Grant interview - Richard Fidler is such a good interviewer when he’s on the same wavelength as his interviewee. And weathering being a good sign of being loved. Excellent. Another wonderful read. Thanks so much. And good luck with that garden - I’m looking after my brother’s at the moment and it is an exhausting job! Hugs dear Prue. 🤗🤗😘
Hi Beth. Merinos really are perfect for the Australian climate, aren't they? Even in Tassie, the least hot of Australian states, we've produced some of the most superfine fleeces in Australia - the Zegna family used to travel from Italy to buy the premier fleeces for high fashion men's suiting.
I've tried Sketchers, not too bad, I will have another look online. I have awful feet. High instep and high arches, wide-ish, and a condition called Equinus. I have a regular 5 weekly visit to the podiatrist which is wonderful. I float out...
I have to say we're having to supplement the garden water at the moment. Hoping for an autumn break of sorts in a few weeks...
Thank you for your continued interest and friendship. See you next week?
Sounds like a plan. Grin. Hugs my dear. 🤗🤗
Drinking my morning coffee in the quiet of a Saturday, this post made me smile and settle in. The heat can be challenging, and drought even more so. Do you have drip hoses for your plants, or tree T-pees? We learned about tree t-pees on Shark Tank. https://vimeo.com/489449242. Love the guy that invented them. https://www.treetpee.com/our-story/#:~:text=The%20tree%20T%2DPEE%20is,Georges%20(Johnny).
Shoe recommendation: All Birds. https://www.allbirds.com/ I found a pair at a thrift store, barely worn, and they are the most comfortable pair of shoes. Love your overalls, too, and Summer Breeze was my 16th summer's all time favorite. "Screen door slamming" is my favorite summer sound. Totally agree about Shaun Evans. He's superb.
Mary, we have sprinklers mostly and drips on things like the berry fruits. They are on an automatic system that comes on at 6PM and does the whole garden. Periodically my husband will change times and durations and also the heights of the sprinklers as plants grow bigger.
On the farm, we rely mostly on nature, except we do have large scale irrigation for our lucerne crops.
Thank you for the link to Allbirds, will check it out - feet are the bane of my life.
Hats off to you for tending your gardens and crops. That's hard work and rarely a day off, I imagine. Welcome for the Allbirds' link. I was surprised how comfy they are, almost like slippers but with support. Hope your Terrier is feeling better (and cooler), too.
I love the picture of the Terrier in his bath, Prue - gorgeous! I'm sorry to hear about his tummy ache, though - he's been really going through things recently, hasn't he? Poor chap.
Although I dislike the cold, what I hate more is inescapable heat. In 2022 we had two extraordinary heatwaves - one in June, one in mid-July - which beat the previous record set in the summer of 1976, when I was nearly two. In a place where we pay more attention to keeping our houses warm than cool (air-conditioning in homes is unusual, and apart from in exceptional circumstances, unnecessary) it felt as if the whole country had ground to a halt!
Your pictures are stunning - the colour of the ocean! You're swimming, and are in your absolute element. Oh, and I have never seen such a beautifully cut set of overalls, Prue. I wish I looked as attractive as you do in those when I'm wearing my boiler suit!
Another terrific post - I really enjoyed it. Thank you.
Agree - inescapable heat is awful and I'm so glad that we have aircon. We've been living with aircon now for maybe 20-25 years and I honestly couldn't survive without. We're lucky in Tasmania that our power is hydro-power, so we don't have the issues with environment, power running out as it does with coal etc. Many folk also bolster their power usage with solar panels on the roofs - I'd love to do it.
Isn't the colour of that bay wonderful? It's called Four Mile, one of our favourites and can only be accessed by boat.
Thanks as ever for your support, Rebecca. It's appreciated.
Wow, hydro-power sounds amazing! Two households of family members have solar panels, and they make a huge difference to their energy bills. We're thinking of getting a tiny panel to power the campervan's leisure battery. Okay, its engine will still run on diesel, but it would mean that we'd have enough electricity to last more than 36 hours if we don't get to camp on a site with electric hook-up.
The colour of the water IS amazing - and wow, it's four miles across? Incredible!
Not four miles across, four miles from the penal settlement in the 1800's.
Oh, I see! 😊 That's just as interesting!
Oooh, this has reminded me to ask you - it the case that these days distance in Australia is measured in km?
Yes, we're metric in everything - distance, weights and measures and we went to decimal currency (Australian dollars and cents) in 1966.
I was educated in the first instance with imperials and so I'm always asking husband and son, 'Show me how big with your hands...' 'How far is that in miles? and so on. Makes for sighs from the men.
When I have to provide weight and height, I have to quickly google a conversion. Such fun!
I love the consistency of metric for everything! Over here, roadsigns are in miles, not kilometres, but with things with smaller measurements I think we more often plump for metric. I measure ingredients in grammes and millilitres. My husband's work (the printing side of his photography business) is sometimes metric, sometimes imperial - it's confusing! I like to be 6ft and half an inch tall, rather than 184cm, and I measure my weight in stones rather than kilos.
Prue, I am always impressed by all that you do, or have done! Merino! The berry house! Dressage! And your sweet terrier, always adding layers of...uh...interest. While you swelter, we continue to dodge the chill. I wonder if there are days when our two countries are more aligned. Surely there must be a period of time when we are all dancing with joy in the 60s (temperatures, not era). 😊
I'm pretty old, Elizabeth, and yes, I admit I've tried to pack in things that interest me. It's nice that you say I've done a lot because I think we're all guilty of not realising just how much we all do pack into our lives. We're all fortunate to have opportunities, aren't we?
I have a feeling that early spring (your autumn) and autumn (your spring) might vaguely align.
We've got a couple of weeks of warm weather coming and I will truly be ready for a cool change at the end, else I really will be pigskin!
I’m so impressed too! Plus Prue writes novels!!!
She does! And lots of them! (~swoon~)
I've just now been able to read your wonderful post from Saturday, having done some travel around the globe meantime. Besides all your wonderful photos and descriptions of your life, I do also enjoy the community of people who comment so thoughtfully here; their comments are lovely and enrich my appreciation as well. You have a gift for sifting through what's memorable and important and making it dear to the rest of us too. I love that whatever you write about I find absorbing and want to go check it out too: books, interviews, music (I love Seals and Crofts too!). Thanks for that. And the colour of the water and the sand below: mwah! (or however you describe a chef's kiss 😄). Wishing you a peaceful week ahead!
Hi Sabrina. It sounds as if you may be back on the Isle of Wight - holidays done and dusted? Back in your own bed, with your own things all around. There's always a flatness at the end of a break, isn't there? And especially when you have been with family and friends. I hope you're rested and filled with new energy for your coming spring.
Thanks so much for the kind things you've said about Knots in the String - I suppose the thing that I've most noticed most on Substack is the way people gravitate towards kindred spirits. It's rather special, if not downright spooky - as if there's a code beneath what we write and only like minds will pick it up. Which they do.
Talk next week? Hope so...
You do look dashing in your overalls, Prue! I’m so impressed by your energy…swimming—in the ocean yet!—grandmothering, the garden, pup care, helping on the farm, writing…Wow 😊 Wishing you lots of fun with your research—and the time to do it!
Thank you so very much for recommending Little Farm Writer, Prue! Your kind words made my week 😊 I feel especially grateful because your posts are so wise and insightful and a huge pleasure to ponder, and think more deeply about later. Thank you as always for all the great reading!
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