Collecting firewood

If, like us, you have an old cast iron range, or an open fire, solid-fuel stove or solid-fuel range cooker, then you have to decide what wood to burn in it and where to source it.

There are many websites that will tell you hardwood is better than soft, that well-seasoned timber is better than green, and to buy from sustainable forests.

What I’d like to consider instead is wood that comes from the landscape around you.

The anti-consumer and socks

Over on Subverting Consumption, Nikko writes about the struggle to be more of an anti-consumer while also trying to maintain some vestiges of glamour.

It does pose Nikko with some interesting dilemmas - as well as being something that the Other Half definitely relates to here on the croft.

What do you do when you’ve resolved to buy nothing new for a year, only to discover that you need replacement socks - and preferably with a little bit of fashion to them?

Water - a continual juggling act

First, the good news on the water front.

The borehole has now recovered slightly from its recent drop in flow rate, which means the pump has been able to fill the 12,500-litre main tank to the brim.

While we have to continue being careful, it does mean I can shower every other day instead of every third day and this will be something of a relief to the people I meet.