Molly

 New member of the family, Molly, Jack Russell terrier and general ball of fun and mischief. You have to be slightly mad to take on a puppy at our age, but she needs lots of training to get along with all the other animals from a young age. Success so far?  moderate!!!

Favourite nap spot

Always running

Housework helper

Garden pest

Chook guardian

On guard

Kooka spotta'

Best friend Colo Kimpton

"I just love him"

Summer Days 2015/16

This has been a hot summer so far, preceded by an unusually dry spring. The paddocks are brown but the creek is still running, just barely, so we are thankful for water for the animals and the garden. Also, it seems hot weather is good for apricots, and we had a bumper crop, providing jam and stewed apricots for many breakfasts to come.

Spring storm brewing, one of the last

The Flowering Gum on the driveway. Show off!



Slip and slide with the grandkids Christmas Eve

New member of the family, Molly

with cousin Charlie

...and Pa, after grandkids have gone home!!

New fence around arena in preparation for spring planting of native bushes and trees

Sound asleep behind their fashionable fly veils



Plantings of Maple, Silver Birch, Frizia, Japanese Maples and Gladistia



Another good year for plums

 

 





 

One Year On

One year on: many happy hours and days spent in our piece of paradise. 

Such contentment!

Garden and Farm Update

It is now 6 months since we moved into our new house and 11 months since we moved onto the farm. Nanne's garden is slowly taking shape, as is the creek behind the house. Can there be any greater pleasure than working with the Creator out in His creation, restoring the neglected places or gathering beauty from friends' gardens to enjoy in our own? Perhaps sharing it with others equals it, or teaching grandchildren to appreciate it.
When the world grows more dark and dangerous, there is always the garden to bring us healing beauty and peace and new life. Thank you Lord!

The view from my kitchen window: a big red pin oak and happy little chooks.

Cuttings from the old house now looking healthy.

The front rockery (or 'loggery') taking shape, new plantings in and 'taken'. Just wait till spring!

Cuttings, seedlings and petunias. The treasured wisteria all set to climb the verandah next spring.




Vege garden with the last of the summer veges finishing and the winter ones in: onions, peas, cauli, broccoli and cabbage.

Much compost needed yet. Winter's work.

The gate (another pallet creation) to the creek

 Traces of the old tree that fell across the creek still visible, now just a fire pit for grandchildren to toast marshmellows. 

The hardest part of the restoration so far. All stones on the wall had fallen into the creek. Mud on the right had covered them and the spring was travelling  underground. Still a work in progress

 The head of the spring, from where water is piped to the old concrete tank, and thence to animal troughs and garden. 

 The creek now clean all the way to the bottom of the hill and on its way to the house block.

The Ninety Tree, commemorating my mother's 90th birthday. A beautiful Manchurian Pear, white blossoms in spring, shade in summer, red leaves in autumn.