Since returning home from our trip to Loei, see last post HERE, our days have filled with two solid days in the garden, a few social occasions, a trip to Udon Thani for my visa extension and shopping and the usual variety of everyday photo moments, all of which I hope you'll enjoy in this post.
For the one or two of you who can't read Thai 🙂 I am going to be absolutely NO help as I don't what name of this wat (!) is. You can find it just off highway 210 between Nong Bua Lamphu and Udon Thani HERE on Google Maps. It is another of those wonderful examples of completely over the top temple construction that will pull in yet more money but contribute zero to Buddha's teachings in my opinion.
The reason I took the photos above was because we were making the trip to Udon Thani Immigration for my annual visa extension. I was planning on changing from 'retirement' to 'marriage' but in the end I couldn't be bothered to complete the extra paperwork for the 'marriage' version and renewed my 'retirement' using money in the bank as the supporting financial requirement.
Dead easy as always if you make the effort to put the required paperwork together (more is better) and present it neatly and logically. In and out in 30 minutes.
I got a statement from Bangkok Bank that morning. They were very helpful at the Nong Bua Lamphu branch – ask for Taeng (her nickname, which means cucumber in Thai, who speaks good English). 20 minutes later at a cost of 200 baht plus 10 baht for parking in the temple 🙂 we were on our way.
Also provided to Immigration were copies of all relevant pages in my passport, a copy of my yellow house book and Guna's blue book, my pink farang ID card and Gaun's ID card – sign all copies, and a TM7 form (Application for Extension of Temporary Stay in Kingdom) with photo.
I also completed my 90 day report. Normally that's done inside Immigration in Udon but this time we were sent around the back where we met Ken, who will be the Immigration boss opening the Nong Bua Lamphu office sometime in the next couple of months. He seemed like a friendly guy.
For those of you who still use Facebook you will know the popups that occur sometimes as a reminder of events that you posted one or two years ago. Even though I have stopped publishing on Facebook I still have notifications like this and yesterday one arrived with a few of our new tropical garden photos from one year ago. I thought I would take the camera out today to replicate those photos and see what the transformation has been over the last 12 months. Pretty staggering. The before photos are on the left and the ones taken today on the right.
We don't know this lady very well but because we were neighbours we were invited to her daughter's wedding last weekend. It was a big couple of days for weddings with two others happening in our moo ban. These events follow a standard format so to some extent if you've been to one you've seen it all. However, everyone has its own distinct 'flavour' and I always enjoy capturing the colour and characters in each one we go to.
This was a young couple and the groom's family didn't have much money. I believe the bride's mum paid for everything and in return the groom's family were transferring some 4 rai (a rai is 1.600 mtr2) to her to compensate for the costs and for sid sod, which is like a dowery..
Motorbikes and marques – either a wedding or funeral! Happy days this time.
This is a vacant block of land next to ours where some of the overflow was happening. You can see where our land is from Gaun's Bougainvilleas!
The groom. Just a baby!
As always the groom and his party walks to the bride's house. Entry has to be 'paid' for by envelopes handed over to those holding silver and gold 'barriers'.
The bride on the left and two bridesmaids. The first is a neighbour and friend of Peng called Pan, and that's Puk on the right, Gaun's niece. I literally didn't recognise her, as she isn't a dressing up sort of girl and would prefer to avoid getting involved in this sort of affair.
The formal ceremony inside the home conducted by a 'spiritman'. These aren't Buddhist events although some of the chants are Pali verses you will hear at most formal Buddhist occasions.
There's usually a core family group that sits inside for the formal bit and everyone else sits outside eating and drinking.
The bridal party. I have been to heaps of weddings and have noticed that mostly the couple and bridesmaids always look like it is a funeral! The bride and groom seem to mostly ignore each other too even when he first arrives. Maybe everyone is on best behaviour being the centre of attention. You won't see any advertisements for Thailand Land of Smiles at some weddings that's for sure.
That's Bear, Gaun's older sister, on the left, who was helping with the cooking and Gaun in the middle, both of them checking the ceremony from the outside.
The bride's mum handing out more cash for supplies.
As a reward for getting another twelve months extension to my visa (not getting it is never really in question, but it's always a slight 'yay' when that stamp is in the passport and signed off) we called into my new favourite garden statue shop in Udon to pick up an owl I saw there last time. I had a spot picked out for him in the garden and I have to say he looks as if he has always been there. I have a spotlight on him at night and he looks terrific day or night.
Minor Improvements to the Farm Resort!
I so enjoy spending time at the ever expanding farm 'resort' complex that it is a pleasure to invest in little ideas to improve the experience. The timber table in what I now call the beach hut 🙂 has got a friend in the form of a matching chair to replace the plastic version. A cushion for comfort now added as well. You can see from the esky and towels that this is an active swimming location!
Always a great way to start the day. A swim, coffee and maybe a bit of blog writing. The esky is for cold refreshments (beer) if we stay later into the day.
This is a timber window shutter. Varnish it up and it makes a nice small table for 380 baht.
The rainy season is due in the next couple of months and the wild tropical storms we sometimes get at that time often come from the west, which is the direction the hut faces. I have been after a vinyl blind to roll down when we weren't using the hut. Two days ago a young guy and his partner drove past the gate at home advertising blinds. As I often say, wait long enough and everything you will ever need will pass by. We got him to drive out to the farm to install a four metre one. The outcome is true Isan. It doesn't look attractive but will do the job!
The lotus plants in the pond have just arrived unplanned. Maybe they were in the original soil. A solitary flower today.
The doorway in the end of the hut can be sealed too using small planks of timber that slide into groves on either side of the entrance. When it was being used as a rice hut the last plank would be padlocked to prevent the others being able to be removed.
Gaun's mama has taken it on herself to keep the small fish in the garden pond fed. This is her this morning.
We only started with a few imports from our home garden ponds and now there are hundreds! Mama is an enthusiastic feeder.
The smoky season Jan – Mar has been a bad one this year. Sugar is burnt before harvesting because it is easier to cut (by hand) after a burn. Interestingly, I believe that next year the sugar processing factories will be told to reject any burnt sugar, which means we may have better air quality. We will see if that translates to reality. I have no great confidence that it will happen but live in hope.
It's not just sugar. Paddy land is burnt like the photo below on the farm, before the soil is turned over prior to planting rice. The side of the roads go up in smoke as an easy way to clear weeds. Whole hillsides are burnt supposedly to encourage the growth of wild mushroom later in the year. That's on top of garden rubbish etc which is burnt as well.
Several of the farm paddies have already contributed to the smoky skies.
The replanting of the family farm continues after a quieter time post New Year january/February. Large areas of new crops are underway. So orderly and neat as you'd expect from these A grade farmers.
It's Friday morning so Yuan and Lud are looking for anything they can sell to increase the income from their Friday market street stall. Guess what's being harvested here.
They are cutting Morning Glory at Bear's (Gaun's older sister) pond on the other half of the farm.
Hunting ant eggs as well. If there's money in it Yuan will be taking advantage of the oportunity.
The long beans are coming along nicely. Gaun's contribution on the right. Her flowers are everywhere.
Tiny handmade bamboo ties for the long beans. Yuan never buys if she can make an alternative.
Here the ties in use to attach the long bean runners to the supports.
Rows of healthy looking tomatoes.
These are the cherry tomatoes and are picked well before us westerners would harvest. They are mostly crushed and added to papaya salad, to add sourness and a bit of colour. The tomatoes themselves aren't usually eaten.
An iPad photo so not the best. This is Noi on the left, the eldest of the seven children, who owns a farm about 30 minutes north of us. She and her daughter and granddaughter have brought over some chillies for Yuan to sell. Money is exchanged and Yuan puts a margin on top.
In a western supermarket this collection would be worth heaps. Here just a few dollars.
All the produce packed up ready to take to the stall early afternoon. I love the genuineness of this process, watching the crops harvested in the morning, then taken to market and money in the pocket by the evening.
Gaun and Peng headed out to the farm yesterday afternoon. Peng wanted some photos taken of her working (for Facebook only) and got into the gear and into (brief) action mode. Peng is even less of a farmer than I am!
This is as far as she was prepared to get up the ladder.
Gaun was in real non-Facebook mode and this is her ladder-work. We have a two metre ladder and she stands on the top of that too.
For those of you who follow family events you will be pleased to hear that Peng was offered a place at Loei university a couple of days ago. I wrote about our trip to Loei for her entrance exams HERE. Peng was one HAPPY girl. She is still hanging out for a place at Khon Kaen, which we will hear about next month, but even now she has achieved a family first. Well done sweetheart.
A blog reader was kind enough to invite us to his house blessing ceremony happening just outside Nong Bua Lamphu. Like weddings these events follow a pattern but that doesn't make them any less enjoyable. It was a super hot day but thankfully they had the electricity connected so the fans were working overtime. The cold beer helped too. Thank you Guy and Nim.
These super thick AAC (highly insulated) blocks are being used here. The best way to achieve a cool house along with sensible roof/ceiling insulation and window positioning.
A quality, architect deigned house. The white and grey theme is very smart.
What will be a plunge pool off the lounge room and main bedroom.
The accommodation 'village' for the workers. Wow, wouldn't that be hot in 40 degrees plus, which it was this day.
Gaun all dressed up chatting to one of the workers.
The ceremony kicks off. Usually everyone walks three times clockwise around the house but I guess because of the heat we only did one circuit, which everyone was grateful for I am sure.
Tile boxes being used for shade!
Stairs at the back to a roof terrace.
This will end up a light, modern and comfortable house. Well done Guy and Nim.
The cermony continued inside. The 'spiritman' on the left.
Villagers and family from Nim's moo ban.
Ending with food – of course!
We are so lucky to have such a clean, well presented moo ban noodle shop, and the lady is an excellent cook. A very limited menu but cooked while you wait and we are usually in and out in 5 minutes. A large dish will cost 35 baht, enough for two people.
Gaun waiting for lunch. I just bought a cold beer. We hit 41 degrees today and riding there on the bike the reflected heat coming off the road was fierce.
How about that as a seed pod! Would make a nice glasses case. Isn't nature versitle and creative.
41 degrees (105 F) in the shade at 2:00 pm today. Read my recent post Thailand is Hot HERE for more details about why you should take the heat here seriously.
Aussie pumkin seeds kindly donated by Rodney sprouting nicely.
Gaun's older brother Orr visited the farm to say hello. He makes the rounds selling fish as he is based close to a local lake (Ubol Ratana) . The large ice box sits on the back of the seat for the fish and there are two baskets for other things he sells.
Gaun's farm garden behind the beach hut is a colourful joy.
And a third row of greenery has been added to the area surrounding the pond. These are small shrubby trees with bright yellow flowers all year. Grown from seed at home and transported to the farm.
I only contact you every few weeks to give you an update of the latest published on the blog. I provide a summary of the new stories so that you can easily decide if any are of interest (I hope they all are!) This is a non-commercial blog, unlike so many others, so you won't get bothered with rubbish cluttering up your inbox.
Glad to hear the visa renewal went smoothly. Chiang Mai immigration efficiency has also improved immensely since the shake up last year.
I always get a real kick to read a comment like yours Brian and know that someone is enjoying the stories. Your commitment to developing a garden will pay endless dividends once established. I walk through ours every day as well as the farm 'resort' and each time I do I so enjoy seeing both areas take shape. There's something new I see or Gaun points out every time. Turning the lights on at home and sitting with a cold drink early evening after sundown is close to top of the list for pleasures of living here. The early morning swim and coffee routine at the farm is priceless.
We were in Chiang Mai back in the airport immigration era. I felt equally sorry for the Thai staff who had to cope with inadequate accommodation as the farang who spent hours waiting for a result. Good to hear the things have improved.
Greatly enjoyed your blog. Garden is looking lovely isn't it! Congratulations to Peng.
Thank you very much Pippa. Funnily the garden is actually looking a bit tired, which you wouldn't pick from the photos. We water most days but the constant high temperatures does affect many of the plants. I know when the wet season hits, with lower temperatures and rain (maybe) you can feel the soil soak up the water and the plants all give a big sigh of relief and double in size in six months! Many trees and shrubs are still coming out of their 'winter' dormant and deciduous stage now so the coverage isn't what it will be in a couple of months. Having said all of that it is still a wonderful lush retreat and an absolutely essential aspect to living here.
Thanks on behalf of Peng. If she gets into Khon Kaen next month you will hear the cries of joy from Queensland!
Love your garden Tony and Gaun. Allways thought you had more in the bank than me, the visa confirms my thoughts .
Miss you on Facebook but love your Blogs .
Thanks so much Bob. I am really pleased you are still following events down the road from you.
It goes with out saying, anything you and Guan put your mind or hand to turns out lovely.
Thank you as always Bob. You are such a consistent supporter. Cheers. Tell Nana that we want to see some updated photos of the garden 🙂 I am sure it is improving all the time. I only have her 'Nana Cullearn' Facebook name and I am not sure that is the one she posts her latest photos onto. We will have to organise a live viewing post-Songkran.
I have just spent the last 2 weeks 'trying' to have our Australian marriage recognised… OMG !!
First a trip to the Aus consulate to have our marriage certificate and my Affirmation to marry certified, 1750 Baht EACH document, for a stamp and signature !! I am not home and the Gov't is still screwing me !!
Next we have to get the documents translated, lots of translation services, BUT, and this is a big BUT, they cannot guarantee it will be accepted at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs…. So we left BKK and came back to Patts.
Then I am told I need a copy of my Passport certified y the Aus embassy… I kid you not. Back to BKK. Besides doing this we are trying to get my Wife a Visa for a trip to Aus (that is another story in itself). Hand over another 1750 Baht for another stamp.
With all this rubbish about the translation I thought why we were in BKK we should go to Foreign Affairs and get what we need from the horses mouth. Needless to say that was a a big failure… A huge storm came though Traffic was gridlocked and we were stuck for hours and missed closing time by a long margin.
At this point I surrendered. Between hotels, time, fuel, taxis ect we had spent at least 10K Baht to be no closer than when we started… We still needed the docs translated. Yesterday we went for a ride into Patts to see some translation places, went into one and was greeted by a nice English bloke.
We then proceeded to tell him of our troubles and then he told us something that suddenly made a lot of sense.
His office, like so may others apparently have stopped with the translation of documents for Foreign Affairs because they were constantly being rejected. I thought this odd until he also explained they have an INTERNAL translation service that they want you to use. The penny dropped.
And congrats to Peng on her achievement.
It is amazing and unless I look at the photos I never realise just what a dramatic change it has been. If we can achieve the same growth in the next 12 months you will need a map to find the entrance to the house if you visit.
Thanks for the update on the horror story of having your Australian marriage recognised. What an absolute nightmare. Do let me know how you go tomorrow and if your 'insider' information makes a difference. I might transfer any words you can give me to update a post I wrote about this process some time ago.
Wishing you every success in the battle with bureaucracy. Few things in life are as frustrating.
Morning Tony, yet another nice read from you, filled with interesting photo's of your charming oasis in the north. Does anyone else share your passion for early morning swims? I've always wondered what was inside the large Buddhas to hold them up, amazing, and intimidating at the same time! Well done to Peng, she must be on cloud nine, the future is bright. I hope she never gets to stand on the top of a ladder like her mum, always a dangerous thing to do.
The garden looks amazing even though as you say it's been dry and hot, bring on the rain. I like the owl.
Speaking about seating, especially the concrete ones, not only are they uncomfortable but they are built for locals (not surprisingly) and us farang end up with our knees around our ears 🙂 I know that with the chairs I have bought Gaun often ends up sitting cross legged because her feet don't touch the ground! I am investing some of my book sales money in a few simple Thai-style statues from the Udon garden shop on our next visit so keep an eye out for that.
another great read as always with superb photography! the garden around your new rice hut is really looking established all credit due to you both. Our temperatures here in Tawatburee have been around 40 degrees for the past few days now, like you we have been busy with house blessings,weddings and ordination of a record 8 monks in our Moo Ban which was a very special occasion with live music as well. Our experiences here mirror yours so much!
Sorry, but I found the name of that over the top Wat on some Facebook post, but lost it the next day, since the link no longer worked correctly. Once again there seems to be a connection between buying your way to heaven is just like buying a lottery ticket and hoping to win. The before and after photos of the garden(s) are amazing, and show how hard work and planning can pay off. Everyone seems to be enjoying splashing around in the swimming hole, except, of course, the fish that live there. If Gaun is going to live dangerously, I suggest you invest in the best ladders money can buy! That looks like a good sized new home, but the pool is pretty small compared to yours . Hope you and the plants don't burn in all the heat. Speaking of burning, those AQI numbers are horrible, and bordering on hazardous. Tell Peng, the better school may help get you a better starting job, but in the long run, it's the individual, not the school, that makes the real difference. I have worked with PhDs that graduated from some of the finest schools in the world, but I wouldn't have trusted them to know how to change the lights in my office.
Yes Jim, my old man, a crusty old lieutenant colonel in the South African Army used to say, 'he is a very clever man, but he's got no bloody brains'!
All the great teachers were simple folk and yet we have managed to turn that simplicity into not only such a complex set of standards but managed to give the process a good dose of capitalism. I am not complaining as it costs me nothing to enjoy the fruits of other people's contributions to that chequebook heaven scenario in the form of some beautiful wats in Thailand and of course magnificent religious architecture from around the world.
The gardens are a real treat. With finances so tight I sometimes wonder whether I should have bought the land next door and then spent a lot, by Thai standards, developing it into what it is today. The payback is the pleasure I get from wandering along the paths every day and observing the amazing growth as well as evenings like tonight where Gaun and I sat with the lights on giving a five star hotel atmosphere with a couple of cold drinks in hand.
I wanted to buy Gaun a second ladder so she could put a plank between the two, which seems like a safer option to me. She wouldn't be in it and while she's the easiest person to get along with on most issues, if you hit her stubborn streak there's no moving her.
Some plants are feeling the heat and we are getting burnt edges to leaves. Luckily the watering system keeps everything ticking along until the slightly cooler weather arrives for the wet season starting May/June (in theory). This is when you can almost see the plants grow in size and the garden will have reached another maturity stage by the end of the year. I had a reader comment today about the dreadful smoky season they a\were experiencing in Chiang Mai. We certainly got smoke, and the air is still hazy, but nothing like the areas in the far north. Corn planting has dramatically increased recently and the burning of corn residue is one of the main contributors to one of the worst seasons on record. What to do?
I agree that Peng will sell herself on character as much as academic results. I worked at senior levels in the Australian government and some of the brightest executives with multiple degrees were some of the silliest people I have ever met. Give me a Gaun with education and now that would be a person I would put in charge!
Sorry to be slack in replying to your comments Jim.
I especially liked the two year apart photos, what a great idea! The herringbone pathways look much nicer than the gravel too !
Just for an update. I think the name of the Wat is Wat Pa Nong Saeng. It looked like it was being built as a tribute to a very revered 83 yo monk by the name of Luang Pu Sen Punya Tharo (Puntharo). Anyway, look up the Wat on Facebook, but the postings are over 2 years old.
P.S. The only time I ever ate green tomatoes, was when my mom would pickle any unripe ones left on the vine at the end of the season. I would pay double the green price for nice ripe ones.
Like you I thought the colour of fruit was an indication of their readiness to eat. However, green tomatoes, green mangos and white strawberries prove that not all people have our attitude to ripeness. The tomatoes are only sliced into papaya/green mando or long bean salad to add extra sourness. Isan people don't seem to eat them as they remain on the plate at the end.
Congratulations Pang, what wonderful support you have from your family.
Thank you Jon. This is a family that seems to work in the way one would want of a family. Unusual in any country.
What a wonderful read. Thank you so much for sharing your life. We live in Thailand too, and often wonder how things work. Your blog gives such great insight. We know how much time and effort it takes to write and photograph for posts too, and thank you for your time. And it looks like you have a fabulous office!
Thank you so much Viven. It is always a pleasure to hear that the blog has been interesting and useful to someone. Many visit but few bother to put fingers to keyboard. A special buzz to get a first time comment.
My office is pretty special!
I hope you hear from you again. All the very best from Isan.