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rebecca r burrill's avatar

Wondering Roselle, how long have you and TM been working this place that you are writing about? Its wonderful particularly about all of the tree planting and your knowledge about that.

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Roselle Angwin's avatar

Hello again Becky - well, not long; 12 months in terms of growing (we've been here about 18 months). But we've both grown food and trees, and in my case kept livestock too, in our previous lives, together and apart.

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Hello from the south where three days of constant rain have just fallen… (ignoring that this occurred on the first three days of my winter break, that I came down with flu and have had to force myself to buy ghastly chemical treatments to rid myself of ‘des poux’ given so freely by the children I work with because every natural remedy has failed,) I am delighted! The rivers are filled to overflowing and the land once again is turning green… it is not enough but certainly helps.

This morning once again, calm reigns through mist and fog and I too took time to wander in the “loud green silence” (I also pulled these words from your lovely text) of the forest, through woodland paths and up over the hill. From the top I can hear only the sound of water running, gushing even in places - A Bliss… coloured spring!

I hope thé day is kind to you Roselle, I will be making the most of a dry day and continue with my wassailing!

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Roselle Angwin's avatar

Hello Susie

So pleased to hear that you've had RAIN! You'll realise that you were the friend I was referring to in the Aveyron.

Lovely to imagine you walking and listening to the rain!

Sorry though to hear of your other tribulations :-(. Did you try quassia chips?

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

I tried grated cherry bark which has much the same properties with no luck, maybe quassia would have worked but I didn’t have any and I simply couldn’t wait for delivery… these horrible little critters are fast becoming a worldwide epidemic, they are more resistant every year Roselle, virtually nothing, not even the chemicals, work anymore. And, she says scratching furiously again, I seem to be one of those unfortunates that catch them every year, neither Seth or William ever, but my daughter yes… it is an enigma to me as to why?

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Roselle Angwin's avatar

Oh no :-(. Horrible. It does seem women/girls are more susceptible, as with eg midges and mosquitoes (our sweet blood!). I remember it from my daughter's school days. Hard luck.

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SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

“this loud green silence” So lovely! We have a couple of small vernal pools near the house, and they are magnetic, as you say. We can hardly step outside without wandering over to one to “see what’s going on.” 🤣

So sad to hear about the water. The town that we live in is known for wild blueberry farms, which are located on hilltops. There are basically two families that have consolidated all the farms over the generations. In the summer, their irrigation runs the water dry for all the house wells that are up at the same elevation. We are at a lower elevation and unaffected, but each year I am exasperated that the farm owners, who are from here, would rather run their neighbors’ houses dry year after year than find a better solution. :(

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Roselle Angwin's avatar

Hello Sydney

Thank you as always. Glad you get the pool thing.

I know it can't be unusual, but I was shocked to read about the blueberry farms (and glad it doesn't affect you personally). I do think water stress is going to be the next big issue in places not traditionally associated with such lack. We are considering how we might best capture rainwater (other than in our current 1000l tank) and direct it by pressure down to the veg garden.

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SydneyMichalski🌿NatureMoments's avatar

I agree. I wish we, as an entire human race, were more thoughtful about how we use water. I think of beavers often, how they create space to store water in the landscape. We are of a similar mind, often contemplating where we might be able to capture and store rainwater to support farming and orchards :)

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Roselle Angwin's avatar

Yes - I imagined you'd be thinking similarly!

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