the walkway is finished and amazing

the walkway is finished and amazing

Over the past weeks a team of absailers and builders have worked on the slip site removing big stones from above the track that has been made over the area in the past 6 months. It’s now safer to walk with formed steps, a long orange absailing rope that extends from one side to the other attached at various points. The walk feels so much safer so that we have been out and in at night with our head lamps catching the steps clearly. There is a boardwalk/bridge in the central portion that was most difficult to walk because it was changing with every rain. So as we are close to 22 months behind the locked gate, with as it was reported in the local paper no plans to be repaired in the next 2 years, nothing decided yet. …

A new backpack with just a frame ( another Tetonka type) so that it easier to bring in boxes and the gas bottles. It is amazing to have help with bringing food and supplies here. Not many stayers but occasional visitors.

We have had the small hut moved from close to the gate to the eastern edge of the springs paddock parking area using the large wheeled digger to pull it into position and then balance it. Great for storage and changing although I find myself keeping my rain gear and boots on until we have exited the gate. The gate 500 m from where we park has been reconfigured to make a passageway for walkers who have been welcomed into the area via the local newspapers with a photo of the area. We have been told the slip area isn’t stable, in fact the central area is causing some concern. But that’s our entrance/exit so we need to be observant and watchful.

How are we managing? with difficulty this week with the generator malfunctioning so that there was no power backup on the cloudy days. This meant the frozen food needed to go somewhere else and the contents of the fridge outside the door in the carport. An interesting situation and pressure, I can’t say I handled it well. We are grateful that a friend is coming to do some maintanence work on the generator so that things get back into order. Pressures increase when we can’t find the relevant documents and have difficulty locating the appropriate parts.

Back in the garden…. it’s pruning time and I have decided to purchase thornless boysenbetry plants after trying to prune out existing plants which didn’t produce much this past season. Keeping birds out of the vege patch is a challenge both chicken and blackbirds. It has been time to have some colour so I have extended the flower beds with cardboard and mulch so there’s now some violets, flock, polyanthus and emerging bulbs beginning to make there appearance and colours have come. It looks better too. Planting seeks will begin soon, pototoes now being encouraged to sprout. More strawberry plants in tyres close to the blueberry bushes and now some growbags to put some trees in.

Pests keep being caught…mostly rats but a stoat was caught within 300 m of the house in one of the DOC 200 traps. It’s a good reason to be outdoors although I did find recently one of my ropes to support my climb up one of the ridges has been moved/removed?

There’s plenty to keep us active, many things giving a purpose for each day.

So there we are again and I am glad it’s Friday… a rest day tomorrow.