Categories: uncategorized
Date: 26 October 2008 07:02:20
solar power was very very interesting ... it has reaffirmed our decision to go with a solar hot water system (electric boosted - we are in Tasmania after all!). We will not be using the system 'marketed' even though we both think it's fabulous (evacuated tubes, rather than the regular flat panels) as you have to buy your hot water cylinder as well - and as we're building a new house we will get the cylinder with the system we originally chose, for about the same price as just the tubes. But, if we were replacing our system and keeping the water tank we'd go for it in a heartbeat.
We also like the idea of putting in as much solar power as possible, however we were told that at the rate things are changing it's much more worth our while to wait a bit as prices will drop and new systems - straw panels etc - are on the way - and in reality it's worth it if you just have the money kicking around, but if you have to add it onto your mortage? not so much :)
Still, enjoyed it all greatly. We even had time to head up to the block and finish off some jobs which was great. Today i didn't feel like going to church (though Mr Tas did) so I stayed home and cleared part of the area at the front of the house - underneath the banksia trees, raking out really thick layers of the leaves (which take YEARS to break down so are useless as soil improving mulch and are also highly flammable - better gone really), pulling out lots of small shrub stumps (which had massive root systems), sawing back some branches which were at 'concussion' height for the unwary gardener etc ... an hour and a half later I was soaked with sweat but very happy with what I'd achieved. A refreshing cuppa and I planted out 14 geraniums from my 'striking' pots - some dark red, some small pink scented, some randoms (which means I've forgotten!). Cleaned it all up and then I've struck another 20 or so - gotta keep the production line going!
Mr Tasmania and I also packed all the leaves I raked, plus some more of our big pile of leaves from the tree felling into four wheelie bins (thank goodness for neighbours who only visit their shacks occasionally!) ... we can actually see where we've been, hooray, and we're starting to look TIDY!
It's all stuff I want todo and get done BUT I'm also on a self imposed deadline of having so much stuff happening in my garden by end January when the whole family arrives!