Fantastic

21 January 2012

I seem to have missed out the fox.  I stepped out of the camper truck just at dusk, about 6.30 pm on Saturday 21st, and saw what I thought at first was a dog, but as my eyes adjusted it looked more like a cat, but too big, and then I twigged. 

'You're a fox!' I said out loud.  It didn't deny it.  Just stood there, about six metres away and looked.  I looked back.  After a while, it turned and loped away.

I know it's a pest and a danger to the next intake of chickens, but there is something wonderful about seeing wildlife up close and personal.

Lonesome Pine

Last week there was an excessive amount of chainsawing in the field down the slope from us.  We assumed it was the normal olive pruning that everyone does at this time of year, and didn’t notice until we went down there that this enormous pine had been chopped. 

It changes our view, some people would say it improves it, but we enjoyed looking at the tree, it had an old nest in it and Dave was hoping the Sparrowhawk might move in.  We share a boundary with that land, and the boundary is full of trees, but I don’t know whether we have any sort of claim to them, and whether the neighbours might just chainsaw them up if the fit takes them.  All we can do is hope they won't.

There's the tree as it was, the large silhouette on the right.

 

Playing for Supper

Friday 27 January 2012-01-29

The boys playing a subdued gig in a local restaurant, a regular feature on alternate Fridays.  Rob looking smooth and Vicky doing something strange in a scarf.

Tearing winds

Tuesday 24 January 2012

A wild night that ripped into the awning and left one end hanging.  We think it can maybe be taken out and restitched, it has a bolt rope design a bit like a sail.  We’ll try and see out the worst of the season and get a repair done in spring when we’ll need the cover for sitting outside.  It would be a pity to get it repaired and have it damaged again.

Final Foundation Plans

Monday 23 January 2012

Spent the day in Lefkas town, various errands to do with car insurance and MOTs, and tried to get to see Constantine, but he had a day in the tax office and couldn’t get away.  But later we got a call from him to say he was in Nidri, so we met up at George’s and discussed the latest developments.  The foundations are now lighter overall, , but longer on the cob side, which does look more stable than previous drafts.  So - back to the drawing board (literally) - and redrafted.  The final (I hope) plan looks like this:

Foundation section - note elongated footing which centres cob stem wall on the ring beam.

Foundation plan showing extent of underground ring beam, concrete plinth and little crosses for each timber upright.  These extend outside the cob walls at three places to the south to support the roof where the walls curve.

And a wall section showing the full height at the gable ends – to check that there is enough cob – given a 5 degree taper – to leave sufficient thickness at the top.  The 5 degree taper is recommended by the Cob Cottage Company in the US for structural integrity – and it means less cob at height, which is all to the good.

War Zone

Sunday 22 January

Another walk, in the hills between Paleokatuna and Haradiatika, significantly spoiled by litter left by shooters.  This time of year it feels like a war zone here, which it is, if you are a thrush, starling or blackbird.  These shotgun packets lay discarded in a heap by the side of a pretty track, and further on, the spent cartridges litter the ground like confetti.  Every day we hear the boom of guns.  It’s madness, I don’t suppose anyone actually eats the birds, but it must be traditional and manly to do it.  No wonder there are so many flies in summer when the birds are being killed off like this.

And moss on a wall, to cheer ourselves up

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Walking

Friday 20 January

Been to see the doctor for being menopausal, and been put on a regime that involves drinking lots of water and going for long walks – can’t be bad.  Spotted this wonderful pattern on the wall of a building, where the creeper pads have left traces.

Went on to the big archaeological dig at Dorpfeldt’s old site, which we were afraid had been bulldozed over, but found instead that they’ve gone down another layer, and opened up a whole new area.  No-one there to talk to about it, unfortunately.