Roofbuilding team enjoying ice cream

You see a chain of people working together to move tiles up the chain to close the roof. In this moment it was so warm they paused to have an icecream cone. The horizontals meant to keep the tiles up are 5x3 centimeter wood. The other side was made of scrap wood that came from a sawmill. My idea was to get cheap wood. But actually the scraps were scraps. Not so much useable material. In the end the sorting and organising of the whole heap costed so much time that we decided to take what was usefull and alass, burn the rest. Also in construcing it appeared that the scrapwood sometimes was so thin you couldn't walk on it without breaking it. An idea that scrapwood from a sawmill can be useful can be just that: an idea. Something that exists in the head but in effect has some consequences not recond on. So one has to conclude that something is a mistake. When that is the case, be drastic. Take your loss and burn or ditch your mistake. Don't let the idea withhold you.

I must say I enjoy working with various people together in teams. What happens is we create easy functioning teams. Barbara and me select from the emails those that appear interesting from the point of gut reaction. Until now we can be proud as husband and wife on having so good experiences being WWOOF hosts. This year has started in an incredible way. I trust we will have a lot of fun with the visiting volunteers this year. Also having a child learning all the languages he can by connecting to so many different people is encouraging. Keep you posted.

Diesel day

You see Mile posing with a beer bottle accompanied by Mirko, Jason and Max. The last 2 came from the westcoast of the US. Unbeknowst to them, Fleur called them respectively Ruby and Emma. They worked on finishing the roof of the small cattle stables and on terraces for our vinyard, and they worked in the garden. They came travelling via various WWOOF-farms to our place. 

Coming here wasn't easy. Passing through England met with some stern frowns about "working" (volunteering) without a permit. They were actually sent on the first plane back without a refund. When in a later stage they passed that hurdle, their luggage was put on a train to Siberia. They had to go back to Austria to try and pick it up. They didn’t succeed. (Just remember to put your luggage in the same wagon as you are sleeping. Otherwise you might wake up to a previously non existant window at the end of your carriage. Beyond which endless, is the iron road to Novosibirsk.)
Together Max and Jason formed a wonderful team. Both of them have sustainability written in their future. First they are going to take education as a next step in that direction. By the way, the beer bottle you see Mile holding gave way to the joke of the day. Amidst cries of my team I took a swig thinking (not looking) it was beer or water. I burped old cartersmell for the next 48 hours.

Croatia and westcoast US team

You see Mile posing with a beerbottle accompanied by Mirko, Jason and Max. They were dudes from the westcoast. Unbeknowst to them, Fleur called them respectively Ruby and Emma. They worked on finishing the roof of the small cattle stables and on terraces for our vinyard and worked in the garden.
They came travelling via various woof-farms to our place. Passing through England met with some stern frowns about working without a permit. They were actually sent back on the first plane, without a refund. When in a later stage they passed that hurdle, their luggage was put on a train to Siberia. They had to go back to Austria to try and pick it up. They didn’t succeed. Just remember to put your luggage in the same wagon as you are sleeping. Otherwise you might wake up to a previously non existant window at the end of your carriage. Beyond which endless, is the iron road. In this case to Novosibirsk. Together they formed a wonderful team. Both of them have sustainability written in their future. We had some deeper exploration of that after them being with us for some time. We touched upon working with vision, values and action plans. In that there was heartfelt connection.  First they are going to take education as a next step in that direction. By the way, the beerbottle you see Mile holding gave way to the joke of the day. Amidst cries of my team I took a swig, thinking (not looking) it was beer or water. I burped old cartersmell for the next 48 hours.

The 'Ooee sisters band

Ruby en Emma Day Branch of Maine

Here are two beautiful people. With their mother we exchanged sweet notes about those two. We had a lot of fun and all kinds of exploring discussions about life, earth, education, the system and so on. We came to the conclusion that living in your own piece of the earth, working the earth, celebrating once everyso often and eating from the earth would be a worthy way to spend ones life. And spreading that message too.

And work they could. They are two locomotives. Searching their way to life yet decisive when a plan needed executing. Mile and Mirko, our two local workers, noticed their endurance and other qualities too. Making beautiful doors shine, colouring a wall, decorating our topfloor, they were versatile, energetic and creative. No doubt they will succeed in their country initiative. With a complimenting nod to their mother Katey and late partner. It was a mutually inspiring period. Remembering them still inspires us and brings a smile to our faces.
Fleur looked around corners in the house expecting them to be there. She would call "Ooee". Her rendition of Ruby. Whenever they open up an initiative in Maine US, we’ll mention them. It will be worth visiting.

Cheese making ala Carlos

One day Carlos came in from Lubljiana. We started speaking about various things one speaks about  when one doesn't know each other. In short time he mentioned he could make cheese. He came in two hours later than the message from Sinisa we would get three goats as a present from him. I mentioned that to Carlos. And i grabbed our special goat recepee book from the bookcase. All pretty amazing. Then and there we decided we would arrange a cheesemaking workshop.

Bringing milk to temperature, keeping it there 15 minutes, coagulating the milk, putting in forms, putting under pressure in a cool place for a time. To age the cheese. Enjoy!

Max and Sinisa came from Blatusa to join as well as Anja our neghbour. All in, the cheese is maturing in the larder now. Goats will be coming shortly. We will make a nice house for them. And know how to make cheese.

Eten vinden wij belangrijk

De keuken krijgt smoel. Het werkblad in de keuken is een oud blad uit de school uit Leiden waarin de vader van Rozemarijn les gaf. Een oud loodzwaar beukenblad waarvan we er twee in Kroatie hebben. Leiden leeft voort. De stad waar we graag zijn. Tegelijkertijd is het project en onze tijd in Kroatie een enorme verrijking. Het werken aan dit project is zeer inspirerend. Nog even en we kunnen boven koken.

Croatia working with Galicia

Working together on acacia balcony. In the foreground you see a very focused Carlos. He comes from Galicia. He has many specialties. Cooking, forests, making cheese among others. Today he suddenly was playing quite a good harmonica. He has many surprises. In the background Mile and Mirko are positioning acacia parts in the grid. Mirko uses a broad ax or bradva. It is a very old style tool. There are some tools that just are extremely effective. They are I can tell you ancient. This tool has appeared maybe a 1000 years ago. Maybe longer ago. The tool Carlos is using is much older. I don't know for the ax. It can be it's older than i think. I just can't find it.