Harvest and Preservation in the Fifth Phase

Some Ancients divided our four seasons into eight - calling the first part of our Autumn (or Fall) the fifth phase. The Fifth Phase is a time of frantic effort - the crops have to be harvested, animals sheared, and produce preserved.  

This year has seen a bumper crop of pear (brown and nashi) as well as an unbelievable crop of horse mushrooms (there are many varieties, but in the main they are dinner-plate sized giants). After my electric stove fused a couple of days ago (one too many lightning storm), i have returned to using my old Stanley wood fired stove for the pear/tomato bottling process.

In this Fifth Phase i might add reflooring, bike riding, hiking, cattle fencing, invasive weed spraying and an intensive period of retooling with the animation powers of the Unreal Engine (the opening image). I fall asleep early and wake at first light before the first Kookaburra call.