Drought

Everywhere is very dry, even Job's tears have dried up.

Three of the nutmeg trees are looking very unhappy

and several of the citrus have given up trying

including the lime tree at the top of the hill and the grapefruit that bore so well last year.

The saddest sites are the vast areas of forestry that have been burnt deliberately, like the hillside behind Cornel,but T's valiant efforts at persuading 'the river that has become a stream' to pass through our lettuce, strengthens our resolve and reminds us to count our blessings.

Construction

Along awaited essential piece of construction has taken place in Corn Buck this week.
Materials being at a minimum, T, as ever, rose valiantly to the occasion.
Not enough old galvanise for the door? No problem.... weave your own.

Of Food and Shelter

Today was close and humid and the thunder began to roll just as I finished weeding the okra and T gave the grass to the cow and her calf.

I peeled the tania and onions whilst T went to the river to fish, returning a few moments later
with enough crayfish for the pot, which he combined with the above, together with dumplings, split peas and basil. It was delicious.
Xena, hating thunderstorms, ran for cover, unimpressed with today's menu.

Happy Days

We almost finished
weeding the lettuce
and the pak choy
this morning.

I prefer to weed and mole
as I go


















and T likes to weed all
and then mole.





































After an early lunch,
we made the rounds
and picked nutmeg
and mangoes with our
all time favourite
fruit picker.













Whilst taking some shade
and a five under the Julie,
we sat and admired T's
ability to persuade water
to run uphill,
all the way from the river,
which is way down below
the shed, the roof of which
can just be seen below him.









The cow was happy too.

On the Mend

T and 'The Back' much better today.
Three beds forked for eggplant and
lettuce weeding commenced. Lots of
rain and the river came down.

May Day

T has not been
feeling too well
these past couple
of days. I think
he has been
overdoing it.
This morning
we came up to
Corn Buck just
to cut grass for the
cow and come
home.

I cutlassed below
the top nutmeg
which is bearing
now. These are
the last few remaining
trees following Ivan.
Afterwards, I went
higher up the
track and cut some
broom to sweep with.
Today was hot and sunny,
with a nice breeze,
just hope T is feeling better soon.

Good Intentions

This morning,
as the sun peeped
over the mountain









and T decided
to trim the bamboo,
whilst cutting grass
for the cow,








I resolved to
weed the lettuce.


My back,
however,
had other
ideas.




So we took
ourselves
off to the
river,
and sat,
with this bank
behind us





and
contemplated
Job's Tears.