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….

Nice temperature inversion

August 24, 2014 by easternhighlander

Woke up to a perfect temperature inversion – cloud level just below the house:

Looking across to Worlds View

Tree shadows on clouds

Hornbydale at dawn

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

The Tadpole Building: Part 2 – Utilities

July 23, 2014 by easternhighlander

Tadpole after plastering the outside

View from the septic tank

Routes were chipped out of the brickwork for the electrical conduits prior to plastering the interior. (No nice cavity walls here)

Routes of electrical conduits

The electricians covered in brick-dust

Brick-dust

Next Mr Patrick 2 ‘plasters’ (with cement) the exterior and interior. Chicken wire was used to add strength to the outside of the existing round rondavel.

Mr Patrick 2 plastering

Mr Tadoka and Mr Paul the plumbers chipped out the shower

Place for the shower

And finally the most important part of any building and the one you have been waiting for … the septic tank.

Here being inspected by ‘Mr Huckle’

‘Mr Huckle’ at the septic tank

Mr Farai plastering the septic tank

The plumbers had to spend a couple of extra days burning a route through the stones for the pipe connecting waste pipe

Burning rocks in the trench

Mr Tendai looking safer than usual!

Mr Tendai in hard hat

Danger! Men at work

July 17, 2014 by easternhighlander

We have a few tricky overhanging tree and branch projects. Something that Tendai and I get up to with the 6 ton winch when everyone else is away (pure coincidence)! Obviously he is the brave one here… (with me safety on the ground working the winch and taking these pictures).

Mr Tendai tree cutting

Pulling tree branches with 6 ton winch

6 ton winch pulling gum tree branch

Tendai at work

Wind damaged gum branch

Tendai making rope holds in gum tree

Tendai using rope to shin up gum tree

This row of tall gum trees remains a pending project themselves.

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.