kids, lambs and curtains

October 20. 2013-

It is hot today and very windy. Luckily the grass is still green and lush, so we are not in fear of fires here yet. NSW has not been so lucky and the news tells us that about 200 homes were lost last week. As I write new communities are being evacuated and so far we only know of one person who has died. Many fires in the mountains are still out of control and hotter temperatures and greater winds are predicted for the week so the danger is very real.

I am back in bottle-feeding mode. One lamb has been rejected by his mother and one of a pair of twins needed supplementary feeding to gather strength. I am slowly trying to convince Zero’s boys that they will be bottle fed from now on but the milking machine that Edd took to be repaired has now seized up so I am not happy about the extra milking.

Edd went into town for the engagement party on Friday but I elected to stay on farm duties. It was lucky that I did because Melissa kidded just as Edd left and had to be helped to delivery a doe and a very large buck kid. In the past we have actually helped lambs be born wearing evening clothes because of last minute emergencies but I just don’t have that sort of energy any more. The new kids are doing well and Melissa went out to graze with the herd today.

I am still sewing curtains but I am now on the last of the four big windows. These curtains have three drops each and take a lot of effort to make. I use heavy tape to make the pinch pleats easier but I still hang each curtain to check the length before I do the bottom hem. There are three curtains needed for the end bedroom but they are much smaller and less intimidating.

My friend Beni has started to move her belongings out of the donga and into the house she has brought. She hopes to complete the move over the coming weeks. I am happy for her that she will now have her own home again but I will miss having her around. She has been a very easy person to share with. Next we have Edd’s friends coming to visit from the UK and various school outings. There is always so much to do.

We have prepared the base for the new chook shed and Edd has straightened and strengthened all the wall sections but it has been too windy for days to actually put the shed back together. I am hoping we will get that done next week too, surely this wind can not keep up for ever.