If I waited until I had the proper gear for each of my ventures I would never get anything done at all.
Instead I use what I have lying around.
Like this stock trailer. I put a big iron hog house inside this trailer, filled the in-between space between walls of the hog house and the trailer with straw as insulation and the pigs call it home.
You can see the curve of the hog house through the door of the trailer.
Here’s a photo of the inside of the ‘good’ stock trailer for your information.
You can see why I needed a house inside this house. I put an extra bale of straw in their trailer home yesterday and Jude spent almost an hour dragging it bit by bit inside into his bed. That is how I know cold is coming. Jude is a great bed maker.
WaiWai is another barometer of weather. He started making his bed at 2.30 in the afternoon.
They both start early because sunset is at 4.30pm!
And pigs do not like the dark. They are prey animals and prey goes to bed early. The PopPops don’t care about beds they just sift through their piles looking for things to eat.
They do have a house within the barn which is an old water tank upside down, stuffed with straw.
Even my audio book recording set up is found.
I attached the lapel mic that I use for the Walkabout videos to the rubber top of the orange oil eye dropper! It works like a charm. If by some happy chance my reading makes a bit of money I will buy a next level microphone. But I bet I find one.
And I think the sound is quite good. Because a bad worker blames his tools my Dad always said.
The Sunday Newsletter is HERE. If you would like to hear the Alice in Wonderland demo, scroll down and have a listen.
Alice in Wonderland has 12 chapters and I will read a chapter each Tuesday and Thursday.
What shall we call this new venture. TKG Fireside Read Aloud?/Audiobooks?/Bedtime Stories?
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Good morning. I have woken to a clear and cold morning. This will be a good test of the water tank heaters. 24f (-4c). Cold. Plus I will check the bubbler in the pond. It is a very slim tube that carries the air from the basement through the wall, down the rocks and into the pond and not strictly designed for the great outdoors!!
But we do what we can with what we have.
Today, after feeding out and checking all the winter equipment I will be back into my studio recording again. I remember a recording studio we set up years ago – we attached egg cartons to the walls to baffle the sound. Then spray painted everything black. Of course!!
Life does not need to be dull!
Celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
19 responses to “A Bad Worker Blames His Tools”
Ha ha – a bad worker can blame good tools, but bad tools do not produce good work!
So true!!! Good morning, Mad!
lol to “a bad worker blames their tools” (while a good one fixes them; )
I have forks with handles wrapped in gaffer!! Ha!
And a real farmer doesn’t buy new, cause there’s always some odds ‘n ends around to make it work!
(Love your mic stand: ) [and Piggy Barometers; ]
the piggy barometers are never wrong!
you are amazing, a farm/life wizard
we all are- you too!
“Make do” was a term I grew up hearing and seeing the people around me demonstrate. I took that to heart and still very often “make do” because why not!
plus it is pretty satisfying!
Absolutely!
My dad used to say, you can fix a lot of things with duct tape and bailing twine.
We use what we have.
baling twine! Yes! I use a lot of it!
All perspective! You’re waking up to cold
I love that orange oil bottle.
Love it! Making do and mending is something a lot of people can’t even fathom. I grew up watching old fishermen mending and mending and old ladies darning. That where I get it from, their pictures in my mind. On a separate note I am reading a book I think you would enjoy called “Remarkably Beautiful Creatures” by Shelby Van Peet.
Thank you for the book recommendation! Which reminds me. We have not done our Christmas book post in an age!
A creative worker finds ways to make everything into a tool. Obstacles become tools.
Why on earth would anyone buy something new when you can improvise from what you have? Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without. Words to live by.