Frosty but no snow, Man.

"It was a black and white day of frost, which crawled along the dark trees and outlined twig and branch. The air was misty, and distant objects assumed a mysterious importance. Slight sounds, too, suggested infinite activities to the mind."

Robert Smythe Hichens

The climate change deniers are leaping about in a single point data delirium, as local temperatures plummet to below zero. "Surely!", they proudly squawk, "The planet cannot be warming if the temperature is below zero in some parts!"

What fun to us are those bereft of any formal training in The Scientific Method, and also beholden to the shrinking echo chambers found in the same corners of the internet where Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley are still alive and living on a (somewhat hotter than average) desert island together.

In the meantime, clutching our newly stamped "climate refugees" passports we revel in the wispy white mornings where mist clings to our faces and the cold can penetrate the soul if one is not too careful about appropriate outer layers.

It is indeed glorious here in Tassie and some our recent visitors have been gasping in awe at the beauty.  It is difficult enough to comprehend on the ground, but even more superlative from the air. 

See below a snap taken from the comfortable cabin of a Boeing 737 as we descended into Hobart recently after a hectic 12 days on our own desert island of Rarotonga (although sadly no Elvis or Michael in sight).

Actually, it wasn't that hectic - more like Groundhog Day on Valium! Bliss here and bliss there.

Home sweet home

I don't have that colour in my palette

The sky takes on shades of orange during sunrise and sunset, the colour that gives you hope that the sun will set only to rise again.

Ram Charan

We see some crazy skies around here and the photos, amazing as they are, do no justice to the awe we experience when gawking out the window.  At the moment sunrise coincides with exit to open up the chicken house and feed all the girls (🐔🐔🐔🐔🐔🐔🐓🐐🐐🐐🐑🐑🐑). We nearly always snap a pic and then groan as the little screen throws back a pale facsimile of the reality. We're sure that if we painted a true representation it would look like a cartoon sky and nobody would believe the kooky palette.

Stare in wonder, marvel at the universe, rinse, repeat

It has been mighty wet around these parts and yes we did flood out again downstairs. The mods we did after last time had some effect and made the situation more bearable, but still it was a sight to see us in dressing gowns and gumboots at 3am sloshing the river of water out into the garden with brooms. Good exercise but we prefer sound sleeping! Work was cancelled the next day thank goodness as we were in no condition to be upright and functional. We'll have another look at drainage and hope to retrieve our driveway from the neighbour's paddock real soon!

One downside of a wet winter is the slop that the puppy brings in on her oversized paws. When we returned from Rarotonga there was a lot of mud in the house and we had to get in a cleaner to bring it all back up to spec. She's a worry that one.

Paws perfect for gallons of mud cartage

Take care and stay warm.

How do you like them apples?

Every chef I know, their cholesterol is through the roof. And mine's not so great.

Anthony Bourdain

In our family lexicon "tiny tiny" apples (thanks Jackson) are bursting forth from the crab apple tree. Last year they fell to ground unharvested, as we busied ourselves with tiny tiny people that needed more immediate tending. This year our goofy hound Kelly has reminded us that they have to be dealt with - by carefully picking ripe low hanging fruit in her ridiculously oversized mouth and then carrying them around like a precious gift (she's a bit special).

So yesterday we picked some, and then tried the following made up recipe:

1. soak mixed fruit in spiced rum for a few hours
2. core tiny tiny apples
3. mix the soaked fruit with homemade cherry jam and push into the core
4. bake and serve with hot custard
5. praise the Lord for tiny tiny apples

Cored and ready to bake 

OMG thanks tiny tiny apples

Addendum: ...and how about the tomato sauce...

Thank God we drank all of that rum and maple syrup