My House
One storey, two bedrooms, newly tiled floor, pleasant sitting area and bedroom.
Plumbing leaves a lot to be desired and getting used to cooking on a kerosene stove is a bit of a challenge. There is a ‘yard’ which my predecessors have tried to turn into a garden but sadly it consists mainloy of compacted rubble so it’s going to be a bit tricky. I wanted to get a compost heap going but Mesdek, my lovely day guard has different ideas and the food waste disappears. There doesn’t seem to be any general understanding that if they composted the animal dropping and food waste, they could improve at least the gardens.
The house is located half way between Gondar and the college. So I have a 30 minute walk in each direction. I can and do sometimes catch a line taxi – these are VW vans with seats, a driver and a conductor hanging out the side yelling where they’re going. If they have space, they will stop anytime you flag them down.
Mesdek and my house
Mesdek looks after the house and tidies it including putting furniture back where she thinks it should be! She does all my washing and ironing and, if I fail to leave it out, she will get it out of the wardrobe and wash it.
Across the road are some little shack shops that stock the basics. The family that run it are very nice and sort out the best tomatoes for me. It is early days, but I think it will be possible to get to know my neighbours – the children already know exactly who I am!
The back yard
This is my garden. It isn’t much to look at but there are several eucalyptus trees around it which give a lot of shade. The ground is compacted rubble. The soil all around is just like dust. I want to start a compost heap for my food waste but it does get very hot and I’m not sure how to go about it.
Beyond the corrugated iron fence is open space – to the right is a Police camp and to the left is a footaball ground. Directly in front is a small space shaded by trees where youths collect in the early evening and mums with babies sit during the day.
My house is located at the back of a small collection of houses. A new one is being built to the right.
posted by Ruth @ 14:12
5 Comments
5 Comments:
About composting: my grandfather, my father and I all bury our kitchen waste: just dig a hole in the garden, empty the food scraps in and cover it up. The worms do the rest. Don't know if it will work for you....
Ooops - it wasn't Ruth who said that, it was Charles who is logged on as Ruth, editing the blog for her!
Depends on the soil.
If it is rich and fertile,well nourished usually loads of earth-worms to carry on the good work.
We have just bought ourselves a composting bin and some worms to get the the thing started.
Althought the soil seems richer here than in Sydney we introduced worms ourselves anyway.
If they dont' like it they will bugger off. for greener richer pastures.
Worm-farming always conjures up the old straw in mouth image going arrrr!
Vermi-culture is actually a great way to go.
They are using in some places as part of sewage disposal-gives a by product of fertiliser,is odourless,quick and efficient and cheap.
An upturned forty four gallon drum or some such would do the trick.
However by the sounds of it you have probably solved some of these problems by now.
I would say your problem solving skills and intiative and innovation talents are well to the fore.
Just getting my two bob's worth in.
Good on you Ruth cheers Roy
I just read my entry and just to point out the forty four gallon drum
is for the garden and not recommended for sewage disposal.
Let's hope it doesn't come to that.
Will better next edit in future-Yor Wred
Dust, eucalyptus trees and corrugated iron.
Sounds like Central Australia.
Might be tricky getting worms.
Sorry about bits and pieces of input.
Just got back online again and trying to get with the programme.
Roy
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