KW-05 The end of January

seems to be a thoughtful time

It’s been a funny old week, and it looks like it has decided to continue like this for a while or so. Some reference points are missing, many balls are in the air, and with a lack of finishing successes, it’s proving difficult to track time and progress.

In the snow, it has been cold and silent, so much that you can hear your heartbeat and see your thoughts. Until the winds come roaring through the canopy and whistling down the chimney. It’s much harder to get warm when the katabatic Böhmischer Wind of the Vogtland blows all night.

Sir Anthony Marmalade Nutsless enjoying a banana

Daylight continues to expand into the night. Working until 5pm is now a thing, and it feels good.

Pruning fruit trees is not a thing which can be done simultaneously with warm fingers. Being thankful for the cold might not be the easiest task, but it is good that the trees and bushes have all gone properly back to sleep. I’ve cut the bushes back a lot harder than the trees, I think. The gooseberries especially were getting carried away with themselves. The goji has sent out dozens of shoots all of which I shall cut out and transplant or give away. Does anybody want a goji bush from the barracks?

I have said many times that it is impossible to take an interesting photo of the orchard. This is doubly true in the winter.

In developments for the kitchen, I have mostly been waiting for bricks to dry. They’re nearly there now, I think. And I have decided that the big wooden cabinet thing will be made with the 10cm beams. I was avoiding this because my table saw can only cut 8cm depths, so it’s all going to have to be done by hand. Which is fine.

This week

• Back to chopping wood. Lets see if I can get all of February’s inside in a couple of days.

• I have to make a table for a painting studio. This will be fun

• Hopefully some kitchen stuff

• Sow broad beans. Why not, eh?

• Plan the planting. Order seeds where needed.

On the reading front, I’ve noticed a bunch of Twitter threads mentioning Art Spiegelman’s Maus. I have it here, and I think it’s probably a good time to re-read it. If you haven’t, you should.

Have a great week - February already! See you all next time,

The Pirate Ben x