Moon shot from the southern hemisphere

October 19, 2014 by easternhighlander

Dramatic pictures are emerging of a new space mission apparently targeted at the moon. At the secret high-altitude launch site our cameras have exclusive access to the new rocket system as it is being developed.

The lunch site has been chosen so that the rocket is carefully aimed at the moon from lift off onwards.

Aiming at the moon

Here we see the all important nose cone developing against a backdrop of distant peaks and troughs

Nose cone

As engineering continues to work on last minute adjustments to the crew capsule …

Engineering in the Main Cabin

… the crew takes a moment to relax on the newly built launch tower during the rigorous training and selection procedures

Happy crew on the launch tower

We are told that moon juice will be collected via this retractable arm – now being re-programmed for low gravity cheese. The amount of R.AN.DEE (Ranting All Night & Day Endlessly) that has gone into this new exploration system is sure to excite fellow space-fans – it is clearly in-excess of anything seen before in such a mission.

Retractable arm

The crew decide they want to see where they are going so aerodynamic potholes are added to the cabin

Portholes to aid navigation in space

An early morning test firing of the rockets leaves no doubt as to the tremendous cheese-melting thrust the newly developed power system will generate

Cheese melting thrust

Now all we need to know is whose shirts they will wear….

World’s View

July 23, 2014 by easternhighlander

Over the weekend we went to look at 1.8 metre high veld fence (also called bonox) at a nearby house and ended up at World’s View.

World’s view, Troutbeck, Nyanga

Looking at veld fence in Troutbeck

From World’s View

Relaxing at World’s View

From World’s View looking west

At World’s View

Aloes at World’s View

Silhouette

Operation Fireguard

July 13, 2014 by easternhighlander

It’s a cold, dry winter here in the Eastern Highlands. Soon the grass burning season will begin as the vegetation becomes completely dry like tinder. For the last month we have urgently been working on our fire guard. This will protect the property from fires that get out of control and blown in our direction. Judging by the tree height it looks like this is the first time in 20 years that it has been properly done. We have chosen a 6m wide, 4.5km route right round the property that has to be totally denuded of vegetation, trees, grass – the lot . This will hopefully prevent any fire jumping onto out plot. Below is a picture of the new fire guard, taken from one of our southern side boundary pegs going west for 900m.

Hornbydale fire guard

Following is a ‘before and after’ of a northern 700m stretch facing Troutbeck. In the top right you can see some of our cleared fields showing brown in colour.

Hornbydale northern boundary

And after the team has been through!

Hornbydale northern fire guard

This picture is a very good example demonstrating the reason why a fire guard is important. A nearby property (in white) completely burnt out. Our own property suffered a huge amount of tree loss 2 years ago and lost one small building – which we are now refurbishing.