Jill Dyer

Daily check of news from the world of Archaeology -
https://archaeology.org/news/2025/12/11/roman-concrete-ingredients-at-pompeii-analyzed/
and I vaguely remember that the sea shells were heated/burned to produce the quick lime.
When our large concrete water tank sprung a leak, the "solution" recommended was a substance called Krystol, painted onto the inside (yes all the water had to be transferred or perish the thought, wasted) but it worked.  It is something that's used on underground carparks that start to bleed water.

Beans removed from the pods - dried - then cooked, and the tough skins removed. A bit of a challenge, but possible, then 'meat' pureed and turned into a dip like hummus - add garlic, tahini and lemon juice.
Nice also made with fresh beans to make a lovely green spread.

In the UK my mother would start "early" seeds in a cold-frame - which is basically a small scale greenhouse with no powered heating.  A frame of wood, or bricks, placed in a very sunny spot with a pane of glass on the top.  Not too big, or it gets hard to lift the glass to water seedlings.
Hopefully you have enough sunny days in the Pacific Wet Coast.  I have heard that it can be Very Wet!

My folks used to make elderflower (and elderberry) wine.  Flowers or berries simmered and strained off,  liquid decanted into a large bowl from a Victorian jug and bowl bathroom set,  slice of toast, spread with yeast floated on the top, covered with a cloth and left to ferment. I don't remember how long this took - but I remember the result being strained thro' cheesecloth and then bottled.  Then left on the cellar steps to mature. Opened at Christmas.

Alternative to freezing or drying - pickling.  Makes a good quick pickle for instant use, or use in an Italian Giardiniera pickle with other garden veggies.   There's also the classic onion/carrot/celery - a base for all sorts of dishes - pre-cook and freeze, in meal sized portions.

Still can't escape the noise - only its different.  Crows doing roll-call at 5 a.m., magpies welcoming the dawn with a choir practice and the cockatoos taking exception to intruders in their territory,  the occasional grunting koala, and the tutting of a mother 'roo trying to round up her joey.  Inversion layer allows distant traffic noise to filter in which highlights the actual pleasure of nature's symphony🎼🎶🎵.

My climate is described as "Mediterranean" and strawberries have really well in the garden until last year when we had severe drought conditions.  Half the already low average rainfall, which saw Eucalyptus trees looking very sick, thyme and tarragon just giving up - you get the picture.  
I'd suggest making waterwell containers - that ensures that the plants will get what water they need - as long as the water is topped up (I forget sometimes but the plants look a bit limp as a reminder)  If the containers are portable like icecream containers or broccoli boxes etc, then they can be loaded onto a wheelbarrow and moved according to where the sun/shade ratio is the best.  Good luck, strawberries are the best!

Cooking, me too - a few teaspoonsful of tarragon vinegar are essential as the last step before bottling tomato sauce (the ketchup sort, with sugar and vinegar as ingredients)

I always like skirting fleeces - all that lovely woolly stuff spread out on the table. In a shearing shed, the actual belly gets removed and put into a separate bin as the shearer removes it, together with the very short woo on the poll (top of the head). Once the fleece is off and thrown onto the classing table, the the roustabout or the classer removes all the "daggy" bits.  I called my bag of removed bits "bellies, bums and armpits", much to the amusement of the wool buyer who took the fleeces surplus to my requirements.
So, you get the idea - the short bits from the legs, the bits that have matted under the front and back legs, the piece on each side that connected to the belly (very seedy usually) and the area around the tail (less said about that area the better) and anything that is discoloured or second cuts (the very short bits) all go into the "skirtings" bag.

This suggestion may turn out to be expensive, depending on the supplier, but Roper's gloves which are usually made from deerskin seem to last a long time.  Another suggestion Riggers gloves - both are subject to lots of hard wear.  Happy Christmas to you and yours!