Half of July has been spent in Takaka, and I'm developing a new talent for magically closing roads. Motueka and the Takaka Hill took a big hit with the recent storm that included 2 flooding events. Numerous slips have since been cleared but a huge slump with washout damage is proving more challenging. The hill is currently open with restrictions but there's talk of potential for permanent closure. Surely this can't happen? The contingency for me would be to fly me in from Blenheim - not too shabby a prospect, but still sincerely hoping it won't come to that.
Back home, the torrential rain brought down a huge slip and blocked the North Bank valley road again. It's an extension of the big slip of August 2022 and this time it's serious. The rock fall is not yet stable and is being continuously monitored. Contractors estimate that 20,000 cubed metres of material needs to be cleared, and more rain is forecast for next week. We're looking at weeks or longer before it's properly accessible. Currently one lane is open overnight from 4:30pm - 9am and at weekends. This is considerably better than last week when it was only open for an hour on weekdays in the morning and late afternoon, but there's always a disclaimer saying it could be closed at any moment if deemed unsafe. Any trip out has to be a full day event and I have an overnight bag with me in case I can't get home. Shift work has been unfeasible but luckily I've had enough work in Takaka to keep me going. Others in the valley have been way more badly affected. Let's hope it gets a proper fix this time.
I have agreed to a 7 day on/off roster at Golden Bay Community Health starting in September, and after some negotiations, have been provided with accommodation just outside Takaka (right behind a gin distillery) for when I'm working there. It's a 2 bedroomed downstairs apartment, also not too shabby. Sometimes the other enormous bedroom will be occupied by my colleague Rachel, who travels in from Mapua. I've been enjoying the primary midwifery care and the friendly facility staff, so hopefully this line of work will be sustainable despite the distance from home.
The enforced time at home has allowed me to continue shovelling soil and other manual jobs a little at a time. Progress is visible and 3 raised beds in the horse arena are now nourished and open for planting business in spring. They'll provide substantial zones for multiple annual vegetables, and I'm hoping that they'll be more easily managed from a weed perspective than the open-ground beds. It's a big relief to have got rid of that giant pile of soil. I’m absolutely amazed at this volume which was originally created from composted prunings and weeds. The bed to the left of the path is shaded by 6 olive trees and the soil added to it has been freezing overnight. No wonder the mediterranean herbs I once lovingly planted never made it through winter. It's amazing the difference that trees can make.
A big tidy up of general garden crap and debris is next on the cards, so that it's all gravel-ready for whenever a gravel truck can get into the valley. I’ve raked up most of the dead leaves, though there’s always more hiding. It’s good to remove this rotting organic matter from the gravel paths, but it also reveals the weeds that have been sheltering there. Lots of attention is needed in the step-over espalier apple bed - I'm looking at you raspberries! That'll be a dastardly old job as those prickly berries have really over-extended their boundaries. There's also more work to be done in the flower beds, including digging up some of the flouncy pink dahlia tubers that are much admired.
Orchard pruning part 2 finally happened today. Karyn braved the drive out to provide her sage guidance and skilful pruning of the remaining trees. We'll have to have a fire at some stage to get rid of the numerous branches that have been dropped. Happily the task is now completed and the trees are looking heaps lighter and beautifully open. Hope they reward our efforts with abundant fruit in summer. I've also pruned most of the vege garden fruit trees. Guessing the fig tree might never forgive me for its brutal trim, but I'm going with less figs next season being a win. Same for the feijoa tree. The olives are all trimmed and looking tidy - should make it easier to weed the paths around them. The cows have been very happy recipients of the foliage.
Lucas and Laura have finally moved into their new house in Rolleston. It sounds like it's been well worth the wait and they're excitedly making it their home. Peter's going to head down there to help with some DIY stuff, and I'll be dog-sitting the grand fur-babies, Woody and Charlie, in August when they take a holiday to Korea. It'll be a good chance to catch up with some of my former Ara friends and scout around for a camper van.
It looks like the ewes could be pregnant, though I've been shamefully and totally wrong about this before. Hope they don't choose the worst weather night to birth their lambs. What am I saying - of course they will.... It's been the harshest winter we've had so far in Aotearoa, and not over yet. The long range weather forecast for the next 3 months suggests that more adverse events are possible, so we'll just have to brace ourselves. And bring on spring!
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