Spare a thought…
January 6, 2010 § 5 Comments
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For the time being I’m stuck on a virtual croft. Spare a thought then for the likes of Ol’ Stoney, an exile from Oz shacked up on a croft in Aberdeenshire.
I like Stoney’s blog a lot and have read it for ages. I also like pulling his leg about being a self aggrandizing auld blawhard, transformed from a pudgy city slickin’ journo to a nuts n bolts smallholder and always reminding us city fowk how hard he works. I’m sure he appreciates my candour.
Anyways, he’s out there doing the do in some mighty cold weather so respect is due.
Closer to home and also keeping it real is my ‘Frisco chum esconsed in deepest darkest Earshader. Keep an eye on his blog too…
What’s that he’s got? A hoe? Cripes, buy the man a decent shovel. That said, I’m just using a spade and broom. No salt, we’re talking table salt, left in Lewis, anywhere. Thanks for the plug, but don’t call it Frisco! :>{)}
The City? San Fran?? Ah, go tell it to Herb Caen…
I’ve never known the ice hanging about for so long.
So my sympathies.
I use the hoe to hack steps in ice so I can get up and down slopes. Like this…
http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2009/12/25/it-wouldnt-be-christmas/
The hoe is also very effective for smashing holes in three-inch deep ice over the pig troughs. The long-handle gives leverage and power and the narrow blade focuses it. Of course, you do have to be accurate or you can chop a hole in the trough.
Ah ha . . . The Croft, you are a clever man. I pinched a signed copy of the book from my mom’s library several years ago. Caen was brilliant at times. (and I guess I had better try the hoe myself, though it is so old i’ll probably break the handle).