Megan Palmer

Have you considered onion skins?

I’ve only ever used them to tint white embroidery canvas because I didn’t want any white bits to show so don’t know how colour fast it is.

Our library only has the Beamafilm service for movies and documentaries.

The Libby app is also available for electronic and audio books through our library membership.

Can you post photos of your carport so we can get an idea of how the cats are accessing it?

I had in mind a a lattice of fishing lines sitting on top of the surface of your carport but you would need access to at least two sides to fasten it down.

The frame would be 4 pieces of timber with nails around the edges that the fishing line is wound around.

Since the cats can't easily see the fishing lines, when they try walking across your roof, they would find it an unpleasant enough experience they would hopefully move to another site to do their business.

However, a fence to stop them gaining access could be just as effective a deterrent!

Just make your frame a U shape with uprights that the fishing line can be woven between so that the cats can't perch on the top.

Cats can jump really high so broom handle height ought to do the job.

Tereza Okava wrote: I need to think about how I can attach it without destroying my roof in the rainy season

Would it be possible to attach the lines to a frame on the ground, lift onto the carport then secure all four corners to the carport so it doesn’t get blown off in strong winds?

Is there any way to string a lattice work of fishing line across the top of the carport to dissuade the cats from walking across the roof?

William Bronson wrote:
I imagine mutton is more strongly flavored?

Mutton definitely has a stronger flavour, however the breed of sheep also affects the flavour.

My father would never allow mutton to be cooked at home, he disliked the smell of it cooking.

Many people won’t eat goat because they think that the meat will taste gamey.

I have never found that to be the case despite only ever having eaten wild goat. Admittedly, they have all been does or kids, never bucks.

Both mutton and goat meat benefits from long slow braising.

I am too embarrassed for our girls to photograph them when in full moult, they look moth eaten and have bald patches all over.

The weather is just starting to warm up and treated the girls to an extra protein boost of pressured cooked wild goat meat yesterday - the ribs and neck were chopped into pieces that would fit into the pot and stripped off the meat.

The bones get collected and tossed into our wood burner.

Our kitchen scraps buried in a pile in the chook run and I turn them over whenever more is added uncovering the worms. The girls come running when they see me with the kitchen scrap bin.

There are lots of worms in the run under the wood mulch for them to supplement their protein intake.

The saffron thread reminded me to add a generous pinch to last night's quiche that we had for dinner.

https://permies.com/t/60787/planting-growing-saffron

The saffron came through despite the strong flavours of the caramelised onion and sharp cheddar cheese.

How about an egg and bacon pie with some salad?

Homemade shortcrust pastry with flour and butter, beaten eggs, strips of bacon and maybe some sliced tomato.

We had a cheese and caramelised onion quiche and salad for dinner last night.

As for freezer food, we usually have chili con carne, ratatouille, stews, meat pies etc that we can heat up for ourselves when we don’t feel like cooking from scratch.

Dried noodles, both rice and egg noodles are easy to reconstitute and serve with stir fried vegetables for a quick meal.

M Ljin wrote:I’ve been growing saffron in a wet Zone 5. They haven’t had flowers yet, but they have come back every year since I planted them (fall ‘24 I think?) They have however divided plenty, which is rather pleasing to see.

I got them originally from Hudson Valley Seed Co. I also planted their regular spring crocus mix, which is beautiful and zero maintenance except for dividing them in a quest for world domination. They don’t interfere with other plants either, except maybe garlic.

It seems highly unusual for your saffron to have not flowered after two seasons.

Do you recall the size of the corms that were sold to you?

I have found that corms weighing less than 10g each are unlikely to flower in the first season (approx 3.5cm diameter).

Their website doesn’t specify the size of their corms. Here is a photo of the ones that were sold as a fundraiser that flowered the first season that they were replanted.