it just goes to show

It just goes to show that when your feeling down thats when someone will come around to brighten your day. My friend simone came over this afternoon and invited me to her sons bandpractice. I went along and meet a few other women I havent seen in a while. It was nice to see people and they were really happy to see me.
Just goes to show, I really do have friends
see ya

Words of Wisdom

I have been re-reading Polgara the sorceress lately and came across the line
"be happy in your work Pol"
It was her father saying that to her as he was leaving for an extended trip.
For some reason they struck something in me. I have not been a happy camper for a while lately and I think it has something to do with my work. I do not value it as I should. I have always been a stay at home mum and when people find that out the responce is usually "is that all you do" or "your a lady of leisure"'
Over the years I admit this has erroded my self esteme.I always wanted to stay at home to raise my children, I trully believe this is the best you can do for your kids. My kids have never had all the fad toys and gizmos as living on a single wage is hard, but they never suffered or went without.
But now I was being unhappy and Pols father reminded to remember why I choose this life, and why I still live this life, simple living.
When I remembered this, I remembered to be happy in my work.
So no matter what you do, no matter what others say, be happy in that work. Even if its not your ideal one, by being happy you will perform better and then you will manifest the job you want.
Its all in our own hands
see ya

Yummy Strawberries

My beautiful sister in law gave me 6 strawberry plants which I have planted in the raised garden bed. I remember my grandmother growing her strawberries in a raised garden bed and during summer she would tell us to go an check for berries. We would then all rush outside for the strawberry hunt and come back inside with our mouths full. She is 92 next febuary and she still lives on her own and still has a vegie garden. Although not as big as when we were all little.
I hope to bring her here in the summer and have her hunt strawberries in my patch. It would be great.
see ya

I think I can feel spring

Spring is well and trully on its way. The days are getting longer even though it still gets dark by about 6.00. We have a very good way of telling as the chooks now go to bed at 10 past 6.00. Only a few short weeks ago it was just before 6.00. Also the egg laying has progressed form only one or two a day to six a day.
The days are still frosty and the arctic chill goes throught your bones but the fruit trees have started to bud and even some have the first few blossoms appearing.
Hopefully soon my order from diggers will arrive and then the flurry of seed planting will begin.
see ya

lucky me

Get up this morning not feeling all that great. A bit down really. Decided that I did need to go to gym and to IGA as the cat was running low on food.
Good job I did. At the check out they gave me a scratchy. You know the ones that you have to get three of a kind and then you win that prize.
Well I won.
Now for the kicker. I won 2 litres full cream milk.
Isnt that hysterical. My first thought was oh good I forgot to get some, then I thought, well I'd rather the cow. HE HE!
So now after that little interlude, and a good laught, I feel much better and the world is a funny place again.
Amazing how it all works.
My your day be blessed, with laughter
see ya

Frosty Saturday

Got up early to split wood as we were running low. With all the rain I havent been able to get out side. So split lots of wood, dear old hubby sprayed the fruit trees for leaf curl and wonderson feed them.
Our geese have laid eggs and she sits on them all night long. In the morning when we let them out one of the chickens takes over for her and sits on them during the day. I hope after all the effort that they will hatch. It would be nice to have lots of little goslings running around.
Out in the vegie garden we harvested lots of brocolli and the beetroot are ready also. Our cabbages, which were planted late as the first lot were eaten by our chooks, are forming nice heads.
So all in all a very productive day.

thank god its friday

Well its been an exhausting week. My stay at home and catch up will all the work day is wednesday. But this week Wednesday was go to maffra for a funeral day. Maffra is about 2 hours drive form here and because we had to go to two services, one at 11.00am and one at 2.00pm we were gone all day.
It was a beautiful service and even the grandkids got up and said a few words.
Mean while, baby girl had the day off from school, report card day I think so she got all the washing done for me. Isnt she good. But still its not the same as if I was home. Lots of little things get done when I'm home that no-one else seams to notice.
Today will get spent doing the run around for the rest of the family and hopefully tomorrow I will get a sleep in. I live in eternal hope. Have a great day everyone.
see ya

B@#%*Y Foxes

The fox has come into the back yard, right up next to the back door and taken a chook. My poor dog molly is shell shocked. The chook used to sleep with her during the day and she is looking very sad. I have taught her not to kill any animals as I have many, but not attacking the fox is going too far.
She is only 17 months old but she is a border collie and ment to look after our stock.
So now we have to make sure the back yard is sealed off from the permicultur area and hopefully the fox will not be back. I wonder if we keep the light on will it help.
I might give that a try

just a short hello

not much to tell you today. The rain has stopped finally and the sun is out. did a flying visit to my friend today, she is feeling low and has lots of achs and pains but hopefully she will feel better soon.
Have quilting class today.
thats all really
see ya

Its time to build the ark.

Yes folks I will be downloading the plans for the ark and work will start very soon. The permiculture area out the back is nearly under water and all the drains are not only full but the water is running in them like streams.
All the trees are sitting in water and I am starting to panick about them drowining. Ironic to loose them to too much water after keeping them alive durining the drought.
The chickens look like drowned rats, but the geese are having a ball. The sheep are bedragled but the goats are smart enough to stay under cover.
Yep will put in a call to noah and see how his ark is and maybe I could just borrow his.

around the world in 80 blogs

Well actually less, but it sounded good. It is interesting to read blogs from other countries and see what everyone is doing and how the weather is affecting them. In New Zealand it winter there too, and they are getting heaps of rain, thunder, lightening and even hail. In the U.S its summer now but even they are getting lots of rain. One family has cut hay and is praying the rain will hold off for a few days so they can bail it. Here in good old Oz we are having lots of rain but we love it.The paddock that used to always flood, but hasnt for years, is now flooding again so things are looking like getting back to normal.
Hopefully the sun will shine through for all of us soon and we can all reap an abundance of produce, and hay, from our gardens.

Quiet Saturday Mornings

Its very quiet this morning. Dear old hubby has done all the animals this morning so even they are quiet. Yesterday I got up a 5.30 to get ready to spend the day at the hospital with my friend. We had to be in East Bentleigh by 8.00 so had to leave early because of peak hour traffic. Her step mum and I whent with her and she was very grateful. We got there half an hour early and lucky we did. Her blood tests could not be found and so her chemo could not be made up until they were found. After ringing around we finally got them and the whole proceedure started late. By this time it was about 9.30 and it took longer than the 5 hours it was supposed to. By this time my friend was absolutly terrified and so we had to calm her down. She hates needles.
So after all that we finally left about 4.30 in the afternoon and we were all very drained.
When I got home I only had the energy to eat dinner and after a glass of wine and a sleeping tablet I was in bed by 8.00. I often have very vivid dreams and I did not want any last night.
So that being over we only have 5 more visits the endure and hopefully after that she will be given a clean bill of health.
At least she now knows that its not too painful so next time she may not be too terrified.

Just some ramblings

I am currently sitting in the office with the heater on full. It is so cold and wet. I love winter but even I am sick of this weather. We built a new workshop over the summer and lucky we did. It is much bigger, cleaner and warmer than the old one.
Much better for the boys.
Tomorrow I am taking my girlfriend to the hospital for her first chemo treatment. It will be about 5 hours long and two days latter all her hair will fall out. This is very sad and we will all have to get used to her new look. She will have 6 sessions all up about 3 weeks apart. After that hopefully she will get the all clear and all will be fine again.
I will keep everyone posted.
Please pray for her.

well finally

I have finally finished my block of the month homework. And not a monment too soon. Class is next Tuesday. Since I have the sewing machine out I have made some large wheat bags. Its been so cold the family have been complaining so I thought that these would help make things nice and cosy. All I need now is the wheat and then I can stitch them up by hand. So hopefully this afternoon I will have time to go and get some, then they will be ready for tonight.
Toasty

cabin fever

Well after cleaning all day yesterday and doing the washing, today the house looks the same. Thats my life same shit different day. Sometimes I get so down that I am wasting my life just being a maid for the family and that they really dont appreciate what I do for them at all.
But thats because its winter and I do get cabin fever by the end of it. I rang the diggers club yesterday and my order should be here in about a week. Now when the hot house is finally finished I will be able to get outside and start my seedlings off for the spring planting. Then that feeling of inadequence will hopefully go away. I know I'm being silly but I am allowed to be.
Nancy came by yesterday will her quilting and it looked fantastic. So Heather if your reading this hello and well done you have taught her really well.

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

It has been very cold here in the south. We didnt get snow but only half an hour away in the dandenongs it snowed.
We had the old wood heater going full on yesterday but it could only just take the chill out of the air. So we bit the bulliet and turned on the ducted heating. We only use the ducted on very cold nights to take the chill out of the bedrooms before we go to bed. But yesterday the temp outside did not even make double figures all day.
Its still raining and that is great but I do wish that it would rain over the catchments now. We well and trully have had enough. All the tanks are full and overflowing. Even the new 92,000 litre tank we had installed a few months ago is nearly full.
We have been blessed.

let the games begin

Sat up until 1.00 oclock last night watching the opening ceremony for the olympic games. I sat up until the aussies entered the stadium and then I had to fall asleep. I cannot sit up late like I used too. The ceremony was very well done and hopefully I will be able to see the rest today. Im sure they will repeat it.
On the home front we got our first 3 eggs today so hope fully now the egg laying will get well on the way.
aussie, aussie, aussie, oi oi oi!

Always look on the bright side

Did not feel like doing anything today but, since Monday I havnt been to gym so I had to go this morning. I have been slack concerning gym in recent weeks. Seems like I havnt been a full three times in a week for about three weeks now.
But like a good girl I headed off today and got weigh and measured.
And guess what? I gained .75grams for the month. But then I have lost 10cm too so I dont know how that works, but like everyone keeps telling me its size that matters.
So the body has taken a beating this week with all the heavy work I've done, but it must be paying off.
So another plus of self-sufficiency, body work.

more sad news

the mama sheep has died too. dont know why but her udder wasnt full so she obvously wasnt making enough milk for the little one. We dont think she had mastitis but then we cant be sure. Is mastitis enought to kill her? I dont know that either but is heartbreaking. My dream of being a farmer is slowly becoming a nightmare. I dont know if I am cut out for it.
Still we have the original babies and the ram so lets hope we will be more successful next time.

And todays lesson is

Still very sore from all the weed pulling the otherday. I go to gym three times a week and work around the house and garden and I still am not as fit as I used to be. I suppose thats the difference between 20 and 40, the recovery time.
So I will again be taking it easy today. I have been walking around and doing things to try and lumber up the muscles but only very slowly.
I hate not being able to do what I want and so that must be the lesson. I believe everything happens to teach us something so I think this lesson it slow and steady not rush like a bull at the gate.
I will ponder this

Sad News

Sad news the baby lamb was found dead today. We don't know what happend but we are all very upset.
Yesterday the garden was too overgrown with weeds to just dig it in so I started to weed it. I got about 2/3 of the way through and today the back of my legs feel very tight.
Good thing its raining I will have to stay in today.

surprise!

Yesterday I checked the comments and found one was left by nancy. I was very excited to hear she has started a quilt. Good on you nancy, I will have to come around and see it.
Today I am going to try and dig one of the vegie patches. It is full of lush growth that I am going to dig in as a green manure.
Its only weeds but there are no seed heads so it should work.
Its an experiment. I'll let you know how it goes.

A quick update

Yesterday after our shopping trip into cranbourne, only to be told that the long awaited arrival of the new book has been put back two days, we got home to get started on the chores.
While baby girl got the washing done I spent about two hours spliting wood. We had about one wheelbarrow left. Its been raining so much that we have not been able to go outside at all. Dear old hubby weeded another flower bed and wonderson fertilized all the fruit trees.
After all that I stayed inside with the fire blazing knitting my washcloths. I am planning to make some home made soap and will be giving all the female relatives a washcloth and soap for christmas.
I hope they like them.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Another Saturday

Its Saturday again. I'm sure someone is skipping days. I look in the mirror and I can see myself aging.
Its still very cold and wet so I dont think I will be doing too much outside. Baby girl needs to get some new shoes, a flower pot to use in her glass class and pick up the new twilight book thats been on order for about 2 months.
So after all that I will get the washing done and continue knitting my dishcloths.
So a busy day but not to busy.