We packed a couple unnecessary flannel shirts for Don to use mornings. The weather is great, cooling to the upper fifties at night, and reaching a high of 75 or 80 in the daytime. Two things influence the weather here -- the dryness of the air so warmer temperatures do not feel oppressive, and a mile high Denverish altitude.
Pastor Manaka loves an old fashioned country garden. Someone donated a greenhouse so he can grow fresh vegetables year round. The hoops have been up for a bit, but some serious manpower was needed to get the plastic on. Today was the day. Pastor Manaka, Phil, grounds helper Leanard, Dave and Don spent the morning adjusting wire ties on various joints and protecting them with inner tube strips. After that, the four of them, using two tall and one short step ladder, started pulling the sheet of plastic across. It became evident that they would not reach the top of the hoops. Six feet plus is still short compared to a greenhouse, and only three of the five can claim six feet. Even five tall ladders would have been inadequate. And Lenard's sliding across the hoop supports, shimmying his ladder around from the top didn't quite do the job.
They tried using the Massey. Then they added the bakkie, putting the short ladder in the back. Maybe that would have worked if a piece of the hoop support had not dropped out when Pastor Franz grabbed it. So now, how do we hold the plastic half way up, while someone forces that support bar back in place?
At this point those of us with cameras put them aside and grabbed a piece of plastic -- not terribly helpful, but we felt good. However, we just had to let the plastic slide, put the bar back in, and try again to cover the hoops.
So, using the bakkie as scaffolding, a fence pole as the push, and the Massey as the force -- one man on the tractor seat, one at the base of the pole, and two at the top serving as clamps, the remaining man on the top pushing it into place, and four women giving advice, they tried again. Almost...but as they say, close is only good in horse shoes.
Finally, Phil got a rope to toss across the hoop. Putting him on one end and Don on the other, they were able to pull hard enough on the hoop so the others could get the bar in place and we could all work together to pull that plastic in place.
A truly African greenhouse...
Judy
PS: Back in the early 1900's, either Paul Kruger or General Joubert, rather than rejoicing at the discovery of gold, suggested South Africans should be weeping because it will "cause our land to be soaked in blood". Today, that prediction continues to be proven true.
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