Finally dry

   The kitchen is finally dry apart from a spot ot two like under the washing machine but that should dry up when I move it back into place, I'll be able to move much easier around the kitchen then. The plumbing still isn't 100% leak proof but I think this is as good as its going to get, its nothing major and I'll keep an eye on things to make sure they don't get worse.

  Harvested a couple more tobacco leaves and have started cutting up the ones that have dried and changed colour. I've not smoked any yet, the stuff doesn't smell like tobacco at all, more a green smell like normal leaves would smell. For next year I might look into fermenting the leaves on a small scale or drying them differently like the regular farmers do.

  This weekend I'm going to work mainly on the clothespin peg bag and see if I can finally get it finished, it was meant to be a birthday gift back in June so I should get a move on before next June swings around.

  Hope you all have a great weekend, take care folks.

Tobacco leaves.

   I harvested some tobacco leaves last week and had them hung up in the dark in the spare front bedroom and thought they had gotten a black mold on then so I took them down today to wash in  weak white vinegar solution. They weren't moldy it was just the poor light and the way there changing colour. I still washed them and rinsed them off in clean water and now have them hanging on the washing line to dry. I also picked another leaf and have that hung up to. I'll bring them in later and hang them up in the back bedroom but I think the first leaves are pretty much done. I'm not 100% sure what to do once its dried, whether it really does need fermenting or as some folks say just smoke it. 

  I've decided the go with the crossed arrow cable design for my phone sock, still not too sure about the back but might go with moss/seed stitch. I had to download the pattern again, I do have the pattern written down because I've knitted the crossed arrow cable twice before but I couldn't work it out, I guess I'll have to write more clear instructions next time.

  Hope you all have  great day, take care folks.

Tobacco plant pictures update.

  An update on my good tobacco plant today.

Tobacco plant

This plant is really coming along in height now as well as width.

tobacco plant height

  Its about 6 inches tall now, last week it was pretty short. You can see the bottom leaf where the slugs or snails have been at it. The damage is minor and only happened one night. Its been left alone since.

Tobacco plant across

Tobacco leaf

  I wish all my tobacco plants where this big, the one that is close has been eaten by slugs. All the rest are small.


  Hope you all have a great weekend, take care folks.

Waiting for the rain

I'm sat on the back porch smoking my pipe waiting for the rain, its dark and getting darker. Got a pair of sweat pants hanging on the line, washed em in the wonder washer and was kinda shocked at how much water those things soak up. Will be so glad once I have my mangle/wringer, things should dry much faster then. Lot of birds in and out of the garden getting a last feed before it starts to pour, they don't mind the dog running and playing, nor me sitting here in a cloud of blue smoke.
I recently started to smoke a pipe to save cash on tobacco and found that its a very pleasant way to smoke. I haven't smoked cigarettes for over 10 years, now find em harsh and nasty tasting. Usually smoke rolling tobacco, its habit more than pleasure but the pipe is something else. Its a ritual, a process that takes time and gives you time. In our busy lives today we don't often get to stop and contemplate, listen to the silence.
A true moment of me time.