So it seems the only way I can get into the blog at present is via an edit of the previous post ... Still, it works. Last night was a fire-fighter's friend with lovely cool temperatures and no wind. As a result they seem to have managed to get the fires in this district under control, though those elsewhere seem to still be busy. Despite that, this was the view from the kitchen window this morning at 5 am

The good news is that this is what it looked like by 11:30

which was when the gardener arrived at last!! So I now have a good wide firebreak between me and the rest of the world, and the yard is finally wrestled back to a point where I can do the fiddly stuff (like digging the hedge out from under the weeds and such like). Spent much of the day indoors doing housework and getting things in order, but did make a start on digging a large hole in the gravel where the shipping container was located so I can fill it with soil and plant the native hops I bought to block views into the house from next door's yard (the close ones at least). Also concluded that Roundup will be my friend for some time to come to keep the orchard under control - and I can then mulch around the fruit trees more effectively than I have been able to do in the past (between the efforts of hens and geese and other such things).Have also decided (finally) on the location of the fence which will define the house yard, in a position where the chances of running into gravel are limited and I should be able to drive the posts in deep enough to make it worth my while. Another thing for the list methinks.