owl sees all

Welcome. Any contributions that keep in with the very broad areas of discussion are appreciated. What are your fish Rick?

Just in from farm. Had to feed the fish and chickens. That sounds interesting GT. There is a cover that goes underneath. I'll watch the video now.

Owl Log - 07-10-2021 - Thursday afternoon Me and Mildred went and had a butchers at the small euca farm near us. Their trees are a different variety to ours. According to Mrs Owl they are faster growing but not quite so dense and therefore lighter. The are well into their second year now. Found the biggest. Weighed in at 44cms. Mildred and her friends have been making really useful things from drinking straws. What artistry! What imagination! And to think that these straws would usually be making Thailand untidy. Think Cha cha should take note. He likes to see things clean and tidy. I'll ask Mildred to get a couple of pics of her friend's efforts. I'm informed that there are two different ways of connecting up the straws. One is to squeeze the end and slip it into the other end; then put a fold in it so it can't pull out. The other way is to simply push one end into the other; wetting it first of course. Mildred wants to do me a nice belt next. I am a little baffled by the guy opposite to us. He has recently put up a mesh fence to stop his fish escaping. But there is hardly any water in the pond! He must have something in mind. I'll keep watch. More action in the other farm. Don't know where they are getting their water from. Rain has ended for the year. Must have a deep water well somewhere. There is no pond. No idea what he is growing. Mrs Owl drinks about 2 litres of the chlorophyll water a day. Had to send off for more. Potted both avocadoes. I had a feeling that the larger or the two wouldn't take. And so it proved to be. It's root had not developed enough. The smaller one is doing great though. The light in the lounge went out. New starter-motor couldn't help. So next time in town it's trip to the leccy light-fitting shop. Wouldn't be an Owl Log without a couple of pics of the wonderful skies we get. Happy is growing in confidence. As soon as the chickens come over for their grub he arrives. The lillies have doubled their pad numbers in just a month. There are quite a few ready to blossom. That will be so nice. I want to see the pond filled with pads. Poom and his younger cousin came over to help us feed the fish yesterday. Had a major row in Ban Dung in the week. We went to pay the percent on the gold the Mrs had hocked. Last time I paid two months off; 1,000 baht. This time I wanted to pay off just one month. The gold man wanted 560 baht. I wouldn't pay it, and asked for a reason why the price hike.He kept showing me the figure on the calculator. It got a little heated and I walked away. The Mrs paid up. On the way home the row kept simmering. "He was trying to cheat us teerak." She couldn't keep the pretense up any longer. "I took another 3,000 baht to give to Nan before she went to Pattaya." It all then fell into place. "Why didn't you tell me in the shop?" Thailand; land of secrets! Just paid 1,000 baht for the washing machine. None of this stuff, gold, furnishings or washing machine is mine, yet I pay up with a smile. Went ito Ting's shop to get some reishi. She wasn't there! Gutted!!! Went past Nan's old house on the 2022. The new people - who are renting the property - were at work fixing up motor-bikes. Good for them. The villagers are gradually getting their jabs. Only two families on our soi not done yet. Us and Guy's lot. That's it for the rain this year. Two very poor years on the turn. Only one thing left to say; bye y'all.

To educate man best go through his balls first.

Fancy a change of toothpaste?

We got a confirmed case in our village this afternoon. Whatever that means?! Symptoms, or a PCR test, or doctor's pronouncement; just don't know. Don't really want to know. Just try to keep my head down for a while. Have to go to Ban Dung for supplies in the week. Lots of little things to get as well as food. Also pay the leccy.

Last time in Ban Dung, half the shops had closed. That must have been because of the covid scare. Some of our villagers have had the jab. Not so many down our soi.

Owl Log - 01-10-2021 - Friday afternoon Not been to Ban Dung for over a week. Every day is spent in the village or at the farm. Just wonderful. Have to share some of the lovely pics of the area and clouds. Sun has just retired for the evening. Looking North East towards the VOA compound. At night can see the flashing lights from all of the transmitters. Going up the hill towards the village. The dog from one of the adjoining farms comes over when we feed the chickens. We have named him 'Happy'. Sometimes there is a bit of something he likes. If not, Mildred gives him a bit of fish food. We have a great harvest of this small green fruit at the farm. Has to be licked and dipped into salt. Called 'star gooseberry'. Loaded with vitamin C. But very bitter. Might make good wine. Thinking of putting a couple of handfuls; sliced up, into my next brew of reishi. Farm one to the right and four to the left. The road is 280 metres long. Built in 2008. I'm always keeping it in good order. There are a couple of small repairs needed now. I'll check on the price of a pick-up load of stone. Mrs Owl found a fruit from a tree that was growing without help. Just the one. A tree along the main road to the village has decided to do its thing. Quite unusual. Gonna just leave it. Been putting up signs. Well not me or Mildred, but the guy harvesting the nuts. Two signs. And for those that don't understand Thai. It says ""Do not take worms. Fine 5,000 Baht a worm."" I said to the Mrs, ""Let them take the worms and we'll pocket the fines."" My input not appreciated one little bit. That washing machine is causing some contention. I want it moved to the MinL's house. She has tons of room. Instead it's another bit of junk we can do without. And to think I'm paying for it. Just not enough room. Must get a bigger house. Another win for the Irons last night. If we don't get top 4, then we can crash the Champions League by winning the Europa Cup. Exciting times ahead for the team and supporters. Orient looking good too. Have not seen the sun yet today. But no rain. Going to Ban Dung on Tuesday next. Have to get a couple of starter motors for the lounge lights. Both are flashing away. If I take out the starters as soon as the lights come on, they are then OK. Probably get them at the 20 Baht shop. The sound is giving problems on the computer. The audio card is fine, but when I plug in the headset; nothing! I think the wire has come adrift from the female sound jack on the side. Have to take it apart to see. Sure it's something simple. Still writing the chapters of my book. Completed 22 to date. Two of the shrimps have died in Mildred's blue tank. Mildred and her friends are collecting used plastic drinking straws. They are making costume jewellery and belts. What a great way to help save the planet from the plastic menace!? Pics next Owl Log. Only one thing left to say; bye y'all.

Not yet. Had a shower in the night. Lasted for 20 minutes or so. I'm being totally selfish. Only want rain to fill the ponds.

Have to get him some red socks. Leave the boots to his mum.

I've been in Isaan for 12 years and I find it fascinating. Virtually every week there is something that I find of interest or something that surprises me, dismays me and sometimes shocks me. My wife runs four biggish farms and they too have had their ups and downs recently. This year there has been very little rain and the rice harvest was abysmal. Also, I couldn't fill the ponds up enough to risk putting in fish. I have still got 80% water in two ponds, but I've sacrificed three others to get this. A neighbor recently killed our farm dog (because it killed one of his chickens) and someone borrowed 10 litres of diesel from the farm house store without telling us. We found out who it was. Of course, he just forgot to tell us; but he would have eventually! The wife was on the loo and couldn't give rice to the monk the other day. She asked me to give it. No problem! But I didn't get on my knees; just called him over and tipped it into his pot. I got the 'thank you' verse all the same. Later, when the wife found out that I'd not even bowed my head she was not best amused. "You must not be higher than monk," said she. But, there are lovely things aplenty in the village. Dancing and laughter and Lao Khao drinking. Somone had had a bit of good fortune on the lottery. I'll try to update the thread a couple of times a week. Shortly I'm off to Nong Khai to get some grow bags for my avocado trees that I've grown from seed and will soon need potting. I'll put in some pics as I go.