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Almost. The Night Owl is the latest new offering in the ever expanding Fat Pigeon empire in Piopio, which currently includes The Fat Pigeon Cafe, The Crafty Pigeon (gifts and crafts), and The Owl's Nest Motel. It is due to open on Easter or thereabouts for dinner seven days each week, although there have been a few events held there pre-opening. Very cool interior, with rustic corregated iron, shabby chic decor. The sign (above) gives you some idea.
We can't wait!
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Yes, infrastructure advances at Struan Farm! Our friend Aaron was able to use his digger to take a water tank down the river track. We will run a pipe down from the roof overflow tank up at the new house to provide water for Jim's Hut. The pipe has yet to happen, but now the tank is in place:
p.s. It's tied down until filled up with water so it won't blow away in high winds...
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No, we weren't singing the Christmas carol at Struan Farm, rather John decided to improvise using a charcoal chimney and old grate to roast chestnuts. Not just any old chestnuts, rather Johnny Moo chestnuts, organically grown by our friend farmer John down the road in Mahoenui.
They are now being sold by Countdown supermarkets around the country, and of course we needed to support the cause! John cut an X in each nut before tossing them on the grill. He remembers doing this in the fire at his uncle's as a child.
While they were delicious hot from the fire peeled, even better with a bit of butter! Bravo, Johnny Moo!
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It's that time of the year when we're in tomato overload at Struan Farm, so I was happy to find an interesting recipe for Green Tomato & Roasted Walnut Salad from the current issue of NZ's Dish Magazine.
Green tomato, zucchini, telegraph cucumber and fennel are sliced thinly on a mandolin, seasoned, then topped with the fennel fronds chopped, roasted/toasted walnuts and lemon zest. A dressing is made with olive oil, white vinegar, creme fraiche, dijon mustard, garlic and honey.
Really fresh, good, and something a wee bit different.
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We've got alot happening right now at Struan Farm. Apart from my own work projects, builders, painters, plumbers, electricians and stone masons are at the new house, and the digger is trenching for phone lines, moving soil for landscaping, and grading my veggie garden area.
On top of all this a little hazmat remediation (aka the old chicken coop) has been underway!
Turns out the old chicken coop was constructed of asbestos. It was a material used around New Zealand for sheds and garages, obviously since found to be quite toxic. Once I became aware of this (I had never seen this kind of asbestos before), there was no way either John or I were going to take this off the chicken coop ourselves. I inquired about it at our dump, who directed me to a local Piopio contractor specialising in asbestos removal and clean up.
And so this week that happened. The contractor has taken away the asbestos, wrapped for safe disposal, leaving the frame and roof for us to deal with. John was hoping that it would have toppled over during the asbestos removal, but no such luck!
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Or perhaps I should say one stocking down.
Drum roll, please! I am finished with Ella's needlepoint Christmas stocking. It was started about three (?) years ago but I lost steam, didn't have alot of time, and simply hadn't picked it up due to competing priorities.
Peaceful evenings at Struan Farm provide the time for needlepoint, knitting and reading, and I have been determined to get this done. This will now head off to The Needle Nook of La Jolla in California for blocking and finishing. It will be backed with red velvet and lined with satin in time for next Christmas, possibly also a twisted cord around the edge.
Next is Livy, but I need a breather first!
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