Yet another birthday

Today is Alex's birthday, so
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX

Thats it for a while I think

Easy Sunday Morning

Had a late night last night. We were at a 21st. Lucky it was only literally up the road at the local football rooms. It was a good night and we caught up with lots of people we haven't seen in a while.
But this means my sleeping routine is out of wack again. I only just got it back on tract, so I am hoping that it won't be too bad.
On the agenda today is fencing, the big paddock got fenced and now we have to go around and put the staples in to hold the wire tightly in place.
Really don't feel like it but once I'm out there I will feel better I am sure.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend, school holidays are here yeah!

what makes me happy

Some of the things that make me happy are,
The quiet of the morning before everyone gets up,
The stillness outside before sunrise and the animals start making noise to be feed,
Knowing that my family is fast asleep, safe in their beds, nice and warm,
Knowing that the fridge, freezer, and pantry are full and the pile of wood outside is plentiful,
Having enought money to pay all our bills, and not having to worry about it,
Knowing that I'm loved and appreciated for all I do to keep this family warm, safe and feed.
What things make you happy?
Another birthday today
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIM

Wild and Wooly Weather

Well were still here, just. The wind was terrible all night long and I was up half the night listening to it.
Couldn't help it really it sounded like jets were taking off just outside and even though I had" batten down the hatches" things could still be heard flying about. But on inspection this morning we were not able to find too much damage so thank god for small mercies.
Any how today is wonder sons 19th birthday.
so HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATHEW
Boy do I feel old.

Windy Wednesday

We were going to put the plastic up today but its getting windy and the BOM has put out a galeforce winds warning.
So this may not happen.
Having a quiet day at home, no plans just pottering.
Have a great day

A birthday

Today is my sister in laws birthday, will endeavour to visit her today and give her a small pressie.
The bread I baked on saturday was such a hit I have had requests for more. I did the numbers and it only costs 50cents a loaf when I bake them as compared to aldi bread being $1.19. So looks like I will be baking more. I have some rising by the fire right now.
Yesterday we picked up the plastic for the igloo so hopefully that will be finished by the week end.
Fencing contractor will be here this week to finish the fence around the last large paddock so will be able to move the stock into the big paddock and give the little ones a rest.
Maybe I will invest in a calf to fatten up.
Will see
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRAN

busy sunday morning

It was a very productive morning with washing done and on the clothes horses to dry in front of the fire.
4 and a half metres of organinc compost moved into the igloo and the sheep relocated back out of the permiculture area as they have mowed down the grass enough that the geese can now handle it.
Back inside by 12 to watch landline and now for a well earned rest.
Out to dinner with regular sunday night dinner couple and our weekly therapy session, and another weekend gone.
Time flies when your having fun.

winter solstice

silent slumber
the pregnant pause
the golden cipher
that promises all

going under
going within
and in the silence
all will be seen

then a new dawn breaks
the sun is reborn
the energy rises
bringing abundance for all

HAPPY YULE

my new igloo

Finally after weather constraints, doctors appointments and cows calving, my new igloo is up. Well not totally up, we have put the frame up and measured for the plastic, this will be ready on Monday so then once the plastic is on its all stations on.
I can tast the fresh vegies now.

morning rambings

This morning it was very hard to get out of bed. Even dear old hubby found it hard. Good thing the kids are self sufficient, wonder son even opened up the workshop this morning as well as take his sister to the bus stop. Yesterday he offered to take her to dancing and pick her up again as he wasnt playing football again this week due to injury, so I was able to work on my quilting homework and got it finished last night.
So now I dont need to worry about it for the rest of the month.
Today so far has been busy, gym then shopping at IGA and washing. Before the washing I had to unblock the drain and resorted to crystal draino. Its smelt yukky but I think it worked so lets hope so or hubby will have to take the deck apart again to find the problem.
Anywho still lots to do so I'll see ya

quilting class

today I had my block of the month quilting class. There are four other ladies that go as well as me and the two ladies that run the shop, and we always have a laugh.
I like to call it stich and bitch but no bitching goes on. We do talk about our lives but being older ladies they have seen it all and know that in the end only we can make ourselves happy.
Not like some of the committees I have been on, all they do is bitch and talk about other people and that is why I left them to it.
Anyway this months block was by far the most complicated and I did not finish it in class so I have some homework to do.
This month is block 5 of 10 so we are half way there.
Hopefully my finished quilt will look as good as the one hanging up in the shop.

missing rice

On landline yesterday they had a segment on the lack of rice grown in the world due to climate conditions.
Today at aldi there was a big sign saying that due to global shortages they had no rice.
That was quick. So Wednesday when I go IGA to get the cat food I will buy a couple of bags of rice and put them away as the start of my stockpiling that I have been intending to start for a while but have put off.
For hints on how to start stockpiling check out the link to down to earth and she explains it perfectly.

a day in the life cont

here is what happened for the rest of the day.
after lunch watched landline and then whent outside to cut back the roses and weed around them.
Fire wood got split and all the animals got bedded down for the night.
New chicken rescued from the pot has settled down well.
All very tired but had yummy souvalaki for dinner so happy.
what happened in your day?

a day in the life of me

Some other blogers are writing about a day in their life and so I decided to do the same.
So here goes,
woke up late today, about 7.30 and stayed in bed watching tv with hubby and talking about all sorts of things.
Got up to start the day and discovered elder son had come home during the night with girlfriend and were asleep on the sofa bed in the lounge.
retreated back to bed as not to wake them.
Stomach grumbled at about 8.30 and so hubby made tea and toast for us to have in bed. Isnt he a sweetie.
Son and lovely girl got up at 9.15 and rushed to get ready as she had to be a school for rehersals at 10.00
We then got up and dressed and whent outside to worm goats, feed animals and start on todays chores.
Got phone call from mother in law wanting her eldest son to come over and ready some chooks for the cooking pot.
10.30 at mother in laws to help with chook situation.
10.45 head back home to start the day again.
Started day buy cleaning fireplace and relighting the fire and relocating one chook that escaped the pot to live here with the bantams.
checked emails and now posting.
So far its been a busy day.
ITS ALSO PHEOBES BIRTHDAY TODAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

take back your power

living the simple life isnt the romantic thing some people would have you think. Its hard work growing food and for someone like me who doesnt like gardening its a chore at times.
But I do like harvesting the fruits of my labours.
I do like saving money and having more to spend on other things we need and want.
I do like the feeling of pride I get when I see the garden looking healthy and abundant.
And I do like the feeling of contentment I get when I serve dinner and everything on the plate has come from my hard work and determination to provide healthy, well balanced meals for my family without it costing the earth.
So to all you who hate gardening dont see it as gardening see it as being rebels against the mainstream, against harming the earth to get what you want, and see it as taking your power back from the conglomerates that have taken food production and turned it into factories producing stuff to feed us, not for our good, but, for their pockets.

Playing in the big sandpit

Hubby has got his hands on a excavator and has been playing like a kid in a big sandpit. When it used to rain our back paddock used to flood, but now we have built up the land and the rains have been less abundant he decided that one of the drains we had could go.
This is great as now we have more room and so the site for the hothouse has been established.
I am very excited as now that the hothouse is happening I can plan to grow more food and a greater variety over winter and even summer. Hopefully the hoops for the hothouse will be up this week and the the plastic and then I can plant to my hearts content.
The new 92,000 litre tank as started collecting water as well so it will be all steam ahead very soon.
It,s very exciting isnt it.

There goes the budget

We had a great afternoon yesterday. We took the baby girl to the pictures to see the new narnia film, prince caspian. When we got there the session was sold out so we bought tickets to the next one. This ment we had to kill two hours. So we had something to eat and drink at the food court, bought lollies form kmart for in the movies, and when to the dvd store that sell really cheap dvd's. I bought two dvd's for $10.00 each, one for $15.00 and Part 1 and Part 2 of session 3 of little house on the prairie for $59.95.
Coupled with the $50.00 to see the movie and the budget was blown away.
But still The movie was great, we all had a laugh, and I love little house on the prairie so that will keep my happy for many weeks to come.
Now we have to save for Harry Potter in November and Twilight in December.
The count down has begune.

Queens Birthday

Today Is a Queens birthday holiday. Holiday comes form the word Holy, so I dont see whats so holy about the queen but anyway its nice to have a break.
Yesterday we went to the Lock wine and cheese tasting and had a very enjoyable day.
I was very good and did not spend any money. Hubby bought some natural soap that we like and a bottle of very hot sauce for the son who thinks that he can handle it, but that was all.
Not bad.
We spent the day with an older couple and another couple who are friends of theirs and really had a good time.
Does this mean we are old now. Who knows but it was a day away form home which is what I needed.

Queens

WQ

Quiet Sunday mornings

The house is quiet with sleeping teenagers and I love being able to enjoy my morning cuppa in the stillness of the day. But! The cat is crying to be feed, the geese hear me in the kitchen and start going off to be let out, the dogs flick their metal feed bowl around because its empty, when You let the geese out the chooks see you and flap around their coop until you let them out, the goats see you and start bleeting to be feed and the sheep see you as you get firewood and do the same.
Did I say I love quiet Sunday mornings?
Whats that!

sleepless in devon meadows

I have not been sleeping and that has made me very cranky and sad.
I bought sleeping tablets from the chemist about two weeks ago but I hate taking any kind of medication unless I absolutly have to so in two weeks I have only used 3 of them.
Last night hubby was banished to sons room because he wasnt home and I slept all night like a baby. A good baby because most babies, especially mine, dont sleep like babies at all.
But I digress.
Hubbys snoring and tossing and turning are keeping me awake and that makes for a not very happy mummy.
But two nights of sleep, and I do feel much better, had a sleeping tablet the night before.
Hopefully the pattern will continue and I will continue to sleep blissfully the rest of my nights away
see ya

Friday on my mind

Well its the end of a very sad and hard week. Its been a steep learning curve and its the animals that have suffered. But the vet was really nice and made me feel better. So now armed with my new information I feel that at least in the future my animals will fare better.
This weekend is the queens birthday long weekend and a busyone for us. We are going to dinner for a friends bithday on saturday and we normally go out on a sunday night with another couple for our once a week therapy session and bitch about teenage kids.
Our kids are really good but things like not ringing when they will be late, staying up all night and sleeping all day, and messy rooms. Not bad compared to all the things they could be doing but still its good to get it all off our chests.
so enjoy your long weekend everyone
see ya

sad days

Yesterday the vet came and put down the mumma goat. She was very sick and it was better that way. She was the first goat we bought and because of her we ended up with 7 goats.
Also this morning a goose that was attacked by a fox a few weeks ago died overnight. We think its neck was damaged but it seemed fine after a few days so we thought it was ok.
not having much luck at the monment but lets hope its all over now and things will be better and happier from now on

mid week hump day

Wednesday was always hump day, once today was over you were nearly at the end of the week. Only now everyday is the same for me because I work at home. I do basically the same things everyday but Wed. is laundry day, but then so is saturday so Friday isnt my end of week.
Sorry just rambling. It feels weird today, I have no energy and I even slept late, which isnt like me at all.
I'm sure I was a bear in a past life and in winter I just want to hybernate.
winter solstice is around the 21st of this month, so hopefully after that I will start to feel more energetic.
so until then I'll just ramble on
see ya

update on sick livestock

Not good news I'm affraid. The mumma sheep has died but the goat is still fighting on. She is eating today and hopefully when the vet gets here tomorrow she will be even better. It was hard to find a vet yesterday that did goats and sheep and he couldn't get here till tomorrow. Three days after I called. So hopefully the goat will survive. I'll keep you posted.

posting comments

Hello everyone. I think I have fixed the problem with the posting comments section. could someone try to leave a comment and see what happens.
Let me know if it worked.
see ya

goosey lucy and her friends

I had a good laugh this morning with the geese. I anybody ever tells you animals as dumb do not believe them. All the animals I have ever had from dogs, cats, poultry, sheep, goats,and pigs none have been stupid and all have been extremely smart.
This morning the fog was its usual pea soup consistency and so I didn't get the geese or chickens out till 9.30. Well I got out the back and was greeted with wild squaking or whatever it is geese do and no sooner had I open the pen door and the door to the backyard permiculture area 5 geese started running. It was the funniest sight as they only have short legs and big bodies and they kept tripping over themselfs.
See small things amuse small minds but it is the simple things in life that keep me happy.
see ya!

sick livestock

Wehave two sick mummas at the monment. The original mother goat and one of the mother dorper sheep both have scoures witch means runny poos. We dont know why but I'll worm all of the flock this week and stop giving them hay for a few days and see if that helps. The sheep and goats are in different paddocks seperated by our house so I dont think its contagious but you never know. If any more come down with it I may have to get the vet in.
I may try the garlic powder and seaweed meal first.
So I'm off to be a vet nurse today and will keep a close eye on proceedings.