Diary of a farang in Isaan

[it is what it is]

On 1/4/2022 at 10:10 AM, owl sees all said:

To be honest Chaz, I havn't. I'm really not keen on having wireless stuff next to me.

 

Even though we have WiFi I still use a wired connection on my laptop. And haven't got a 'smart phone'.

 

i used to chat to a scandanavian guy in the local park, i knew he had issues with electrical equipment and electrical waves, mobile signals, etc. usually my phone was in my pocket and he was fine talking to me. one time he saw it and suddenly the sight of it made him start to tell me how badly effected he was by it and he had to move away. didn't have the heart to tell him he'd been sitting next to it for months without any adverse effects...

[HighPriority]

Blind test ????????
The gold standard though is when you don’t know (or forget) that it’s in your pocket AND he doesn’t know ????

[bannork]

Our farm is in safe hands, the next generation is ready and willing.

[owl sees all]

11 hours ago, bannork said:

Our farm is in safe hands, the next generation is ready and willing.

Good to see he is wearing safety boots.

[London Lowf]

11 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Good to see he is wearing safety boots.

Exactly my instant reaction - now he just needs the safety helmet, i.e., a straw sun hat!

 

It horrifies me when I ride past a major construction site - well, one of the few down here in Phuket that hasn't been abandoned - and see the labourer's work attire - and half of them female.

 

[Golden Triangle]

3 hours ago, London Lowf said:

Exactly my instant reaction - now he just needs the safety helmet, i.e., a straw sun hat!

 

It horrifies me when I ride past a major construction site - well, one of the few down here in Phuket that hasn't been abandoned - and see the labourer's work attire - and half of them female.

 

In this country it's mostly the women that do all the work, figure that one out ????

[owl sees all]

Owl Log - 19-01-2022 - Wednesday afternoon

 

Mildred was due to go back to school yesterday (Tuesday), but on Monday afternoon she was told that it's now next Monday. so I have the pleasure of her daytime company for another week.

 

Still no sign of rain. That's 89 days. There is some hope for the week end. Evidently it is wet Chiang Mai way. and coming towards us.

 

Had two days on the lilly move. The first I was on my own. I just couldn't get the root up.

 

 

Did get a few bits out and put them into number six next door.

 

 

Pleased to see that we have a fresh flower already.

 

 

Needed help for the big one. Beapp and E obliged.

 

 

Took it round to number five.

 

 

Tipped it in.

 

 

Then it was left to me.

 

 

Managed to get out OK. Very sharp stones by the edge; sticky mud in the middle.

 

 

Pushed the huge root-ball into the mud and held it in place with a couple of bamboos. Dismayed to see yesterday that it had floated up to the surface. I'll get it out and chop it into four manageable bits next week.

 

 

The twins, Nadia and Nadine are getting about. Exploring the property next door with their cousin.

 

 

Mrs Owl bought a couple of chop-chop boards. Fixed a handle on both. Hose pipe has multi uses.

 

 

Couple of events at the top of our road, where it joins with the 2022. Work is continuing on the road-widening scheme.

 

 

Getting rid of the last few trees.

 

 

You are next to go.

 

 

The build on our old land is steaming ahead.

 

 

Base in place and blocks ready.

 

 

The other thing that I didn't know about - or I'd been there with the camera - was a newly erected communication tower. Went to the 'General store' for some screws for the Mrs chop-chop boards at , and there it was.

 

 

Since last Owl Log another avocado has started growing.

 

 

Avacadoes for brekkies, lunch and dinner soon.

 

Gonna water the trees and plants in Mrs Owl's farm garden this afternoon. I reckon that 30/40 litres a tree once a week, will keep them happy until it starts raining in July or August.

 

Will not be seeing Novak, or is it No=vax Djokovic, at the tennis this year. Fell foul of the Ozzie covid rules. Can be a bit petty those Oz officials. Can recall when they banned Dawn Fraser from competing; and she was one of their own. There is this rumour going round that the only citizens of Australia are the Aboriginals. Everyone else is contracted to a private company based in Nolfolk Island. Have to check that one. I'll ask my uncle Kelly; lives in Woy Woy. Kangaroo whisperer par excellence. say what yer like bout those down-under guys, they know how to knock those stumps down. We, the English and Welsh cricket team, were humbled good and proper. And there's a thought. If Wales becomes an Independent Country, will they have to get their own National Cricket Team?

 

The Irons came a cropper at the week end. Losing at home to Leeds. Had a lovely girlfriend from those parts many moons ago. If I kneeled on her bed I could see Elland Road's main stand. Can't remember how I remember that. Those were the days.

 

Got my new white had very dirty, messing about with those lilies. Went into the wash, and somehow got ripped. "How did my hat get torn teerak?" "I not know. Why you ask me?" "Well Mrs Owl! You are in charge of the washing machine?" No answer. Best that I didn't pursue the point any further. Gives me an excuse to go see Ting next week. See if she has one for me.

 

Only one Ting left to say; bye y'all.

Edited January 19, 2022 by owl sees all

[champers]

The torn hat is a subtle message of foreboding. Take heed!!

[owl sees all]

2 minutes ago, champers said:

The torn hat is a subtle message of foreboding. Take heed!!

You are bang on the money there Champers. But really it's all a distant memory now days. Just need to get another hat.

 

 

[Andrew Dwyer]

2 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Owl Log - 19-01-2022 - Wednesday afternoon

 

 

The Irons came a cropper at the week end. Losing at home to Leeds. Had a lovely girlfriend from those parts many moons ago. If I kneeled on her bed I could see Elland Road's main stand. Can't remember how I remember that. Those were the days.

 

Sounds like you were doing a lot of kneeling on her bed to remember that !!

( nudge nudge wink wink ).

As a part time Leeds fan I enjoyed that match very much, was a great cliffhanger with Leeds getting a fourth disallowed and the Hamsters also on their equaliser.

A timely win for the whites to boost morale I think, a home win against Newcastle and an away win at Villa is what is needed now ….. pause for wishful thinking ……. 

Pleased to see the match being televised on True , did you watch it @owl sees all ??

Still no sign of Leeds shirts on the local market stalls though ????, that’s when you know you have really made it !!

[Golden Triangle]

I'll start looking for an XXXLL Fulham shirt ???? We've been doing really really good in the championship just recently ????????

[owl sees all]

40 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

I'll start looking for an XXXLL Fulham shirt ???? We've been doing really really good in the championship just recently ????????

After a spell where they couldn't string wins together, they are scoring for fun. Can they score six or more against Stoke on Saturday? They will do something special if they can. It's been eighty years since even three sixes have been scored in successful matches.

 

Now the big question is! Can they break up the big seven next season? A bit premature to speak of winning the EPL, or even top four, but you Cottagers are allowed to dream.

 

Just as an addendum to the above; Johnny Haynes was one of the finest English players in my lifetime of watching footy. And Tosh (Trevor) Chamberlain also. Had the longest throw-in I've ever seen. Could take a throw-in and get it past the far post.

[owl sees all]

2 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Still no sign of Leeds shirts on the local market stalls though ????, that’s when you know you have really made it !!

I'd definitely get a Leeds one, especially if it was in their old colours, or even the stripes they started off with. Well as long as it was only 99 baht.

 

I've bought a few of the 99 footy baht shirts since I've been here. The two best ones were AC Milan and the Italian national shirt. Both had this sweat-cloth as a lining. Not that I sweat; a bit like the Duke of York in that regard. Also a Spurs and Man City shirt. Don't really care what it says as long as it fits.

[Golden Triangle]

1 hour ago, owl sees all said:

After a spell where they couldn't string wins together, they are scoring for fun. Can they score six or more against Stoke on Saturday? They will do something special if they can. It's been eighty years since even three sixes have been scored in successful matches.

 

Now the big question is! Can they break up the big seven next season? A bit premature to speak of winning the EPL, or even top four, but you Cottagers are allowed to dream.

 

Just as an addendum to the above; Johnny Haynes was one of the finest English players in my lifetime of watching footy. And Tosh (Trevor) Chamberlain also. Had the longest throw-in I've ever seen. Could take a throw-in and get it past the far post.

I was talking to an old mate about this earlier today, this morning I think, if we can score 6 then we will set a new record that may stand for a few years ????

[Golden Triangle]

1 hour ago, owl sees all said:

After a spell where they couldn't string wins together, they are scoring for fun. Can they score six or more against Stoke on Saturday? They will do something special if they can. It's been eighty years since even three sixes have been scored in successful matches.

 

Now the big question is! Can they break up the big seven next season? A bit premature to speak of winning the EPL, or even top four, but you Cottagers are allowed to dream.

 

Just as an addendum to the above; Johnny Haynes was one of the finest English players in my lifetime of watching footy. And Tosh (Trevor) Chamberlain also. Had the longest throw-in I've ever seen. Could take a throw-in and get it past the far post.

Typical Fulham, do well, go up.

 

Play in the premier league, do cr*p go down,

 

Do well in the championship go up, rinse & repeat ????

[chickenslegs]

7 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Since last Owl Log another avocado has started growing.

 

 

Avacadoes for brekkies, lunch and dinner soon.

If memory serves, Mrs C planted this one (grown from seed) about the same time as your first one, a year or two ago (not these new ones in the photo).

 

Here is her first effort ...

 

It's about 3 ft tall (just less than 1 metre) but she had to chop off about 12 inches (30 cm) from the top as the leaves turned brown and died. I think it was getting too much direct sunlight.

 

Google tells me that we have to wait about 6 years to get fruit from an avocado grown from seed. Hope I'm still around to taste the first ones.

 

 

[owl sees all]

40 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

If memory serves, Mrs C planted this one (grown from seed) about the same time as your first one, a year or two ago (not these new ones in the photo).

 

Here is her first effort ...

 

It's about 3 ft tall (just less than 1 metre) but she had to chop off about 12 inches (30 cm) from the top as the leaves turned brown and died. I think it was getting too much direct sunlight.

 

Google tells me that we have to wait about 6 years to get fruit from an avocado grown from seed. Hope I'm still around to taste the first ones.

 

 

My avocado tree at the farm is doing great. I'll take a pic later this week and post.

 

From what I've seen of avoes being grown from seed, they can give fruit on their fifth year. My big one is 18 month old and gets watered virtually every day, or at the latest once every three days. I have also had to trim the top. I've been plucking off any discoloured leaves straight away. That seems to work.

[chickenslegs]

25 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

My avocado tree at the farm is doing great. I'll take a pic later this week and post.

 

From what I've seen of avoes being grown from seed, they can give fruit on their fifth year. My big one is 18 month old and gets watered virtually every day, or at the latest once every three days. I have also had to trim the top. I've been plucking off any discoloured leaves straight away. That seems to work.

I will be sure to post the progress of Mrs C's avocado. I'm pretty sure it was planted around the same time as yours.

 

The one in the photo is in her garden in Surin. We have planted a few in our garden in Bang Saray, but none have survived. 

 

On the other hand, we have had some success with lemons (European) in Bang Saray - but they don't thrive in Surin.

 

You haven't posted any pics of the "leaning tree" lately.

[HighPriority]

If I was Welsh I’d be succeeding from England so I didn’t have to play cricket with them either !

 

[owl sees all]

8 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

I will be sure to post the progress of Mrs C's avocado. I'm pretty sure it was planted around the same time as yours.

 

The one in the photo is in her garden in Surin. We have planted a few in our garden in Bang Saray, but none have survived. 

 

On the other hand, we have had some success with lemons (European) in Bang Saray - but they don't thrive in Surin.

 

You haven't posted any pics of the "leaning tree" lately. this week.

Mrs Owl has been buying those little oranges from the market. The ones that are as big as a snooker ball or a conker shell. Very sweet. I'd like a few of those growing at the farm.

 

The leaning tree is still leaning; more than ever. This is the year for it to fall I fear. I'll post a pic later this week.

Edited January 20, 2022 by owl sees all

[DJ54]

Looking good so far ... 

[chickenslegs]

3 minutes ago, DJ54 said:

Looking good so far ... 

Looks very healthy. Will you plant it out or keep it potted?

[owl sees all]

Owl Log - 21-01-2022 - Friday morning

 

As I type rain has started. First since October 22nd, 91 days ago.

 

It's all about trees today. First the avocado grown from seed 18 months ago.

 

 

Planted at the same time was this mango tree, also grown from seed.

 

 

The leaning tree has not been featured much lately. Two pics. First one from the far end of the pond.

 

 

Don't look to be leaning much in that pic. Next is the view from the house end.

 

 

We had excess eucas from the planting in June 2020. The last lot were moved in the week. They are not really worth keeping as they will never be any good, but Mildred likes to tend to them, and that's good enough to keep 'em..

 

 

Mildred and I decided to leave the bigger one, as the root was firmly in the stony ground, and would have died if we had snapped the root. Have to make sure it grows straight up or Mrs Owl will surely sort it out; with her chopper.

 

 

We saw three fires on the go yesterday afternoon. It wouldn't be good if the fires moved over to the eucas and the palms. Did have a problem in number three farm some years ago. Twenty or so trees got burnt through one of the farms burning rice stubble next to us. Took a year, but all the palms recovered.

 

 

It's the burning season for the next two months, so have to watch out. When the fires hit a bamboo copse, the 'cracking' can be heard for miles around.

 

The rain, drizzle we call it in England, has stopped. Couldn't even call it a shower. Not enough to stop a game of cricket. Sun is about to come out.

 

A full Owl Log next week.

[bannork]

Good luck growing oranges Owl, not easy in Issan soil and climate. 

I've tried durian, mangosteen and orange trees. None survived the heat in April. The daughter's somtam shop in Bandung is doing well so I've planted 90 papaya trees between the bananas as well as 75 chilli plants. I'd love to plant 50 tomato plants too but the local nurseries are all out at present. Maybe resort to growing from seed 

What do you think of these grey skies? Not my cup of tea at all, dismal imo. Too much like blighty in winter though a tad warmer I concede 

Come on sun, do your stuff!

 

[owl sees all]

2 hours ago, bannork said:

Good luck growing oranges Owl, not easy in Issan soil and climate. 

I've tried durian, mangosteen and orange trees. None survived the heat in April. The daughter's somtam shop in Bandung is doing well so I've planted 90 papaya trees between the bananas as well as 75 chilli plants. I'd love to plant 50 tomato plants too but the local nurseries are all out at present. Maybe resort to growing from seed 

What do you think of these grey skies? Not my cup of tea at all, dismal imo. Too much like blighty in winter though a tad warmer I concede 

Come on sun, do your stuff!

 

Dull and dry.

 

There is a dwarf papaya that is being grown in a garden near us. The trees never more than 1-5 metres high, and the yield is very good. We have just got hold of one, and are hoping for a good result.

 

Where do they grow the little oranges Bannork? I'm sure they originate from Thailand. The are great eaters. Eat half-a-dozen for dinner sometimes.

Edited January 23, 2022 by owl sees all

[bannork]

Winter Olympics in the village.

[Golden Triangle]

Where do they grow the little oranges Bannork? I'm sure they originate from Thailand. The are great eaters. Eat half-a-dozen for dinner sometimes.

 

 

I thought they were Satsumas, originally from Japan I think ????

 

 

[bannork]

37 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

Where do they grow the little oranges Bannork? I'm sure they originate from Thailand. The are great eaters. Eat half-a-dozen for dinner sometimes.

 

 

I thought they were Satsumas, originally from Japan I think ????

 

 

They're much smaller than satsumas, I imagine they're grown in the North like oranges. I'll ask in Ban Dung market. They are delicious and slip down the throat a treat.

In the meantime, a photo from many years ago of a hopelessly naive orange tree planter.

 

[HighPriority]

They look like VERY big oranges on a very little tree !

[sotonowl]

1 hour ago, bannork said:

They're much smaller than satsumas, I imagine they're grown in the North like oranges. I'll ask in Ban Dung market. They are delicious and slip down the throat a treat.

In the meantime, a photo from many years ago of a hopelessly naive orange tree planter.

 

David Pleat lookalike.????