worrying dryness

Tuscan Feast

Edd finally finished making Indi's sandles

November 10 2014

The rain did not last long and the week has seen the ground dry to dust in many places. It has been hot too; so all the new trees and the vegetables have needed watering. The stone pine seeds have germinated giving us enough trees to complete the plantation but with the weather like this they might be best waiting in their pots for autumn. It is all a bit of a worry. We have not seen the land dry up at this time since the 2009 fires went through. The bush has grown back around us and the risk of fires is once again an issue.

We have started to prepare for the fire season by clearing up all the long grass and rubbish by the buildings. The sheep have grazed down most of the fire reserve so we have moved them into the old hay paddock to clear up there. I have mowed the stone pine plantation area, which looks very neat and organised. Now we need to check our pumps and hoses are in good order.

Even with all the farm work we have had time for fun. On Saturday Al and Pip invited us to their home for a Tuscan feast with other family members. The food was fantastic and amazingly everyone fitted into the kitchen /office to eat. Bo was working in her Restaurant and Indi was caring for her kids. She brought them over to see everyone and have a swim in the river. Then she took them to the heritage festival in Healesville. Here they had the time of their lives because one of Indi’s friends was in charge of a steam roller and let the kids drive it through the town blowing it’s whistle. The police turned a blind eye to the fact that little Silvy was steering a huge vehicle down the town main street!

Indi has had quite a week too. She floated the horses to Healesville and rode from Badger Weir across the mountain to Toolangi. She told us that at one point her dog got over heated so she carried him across the front of her saddle! Those horses would do anything for Indi.

Bo’s husband is in China at a beer expo so she has had a very busy week and I have not seen her. It is a busy time of year but we are all on the count down to Xmas when things start to slow down. The hay will be ready to cut early this year so we are starting to plan where we will get it from. We will also need to get the sheep shorn because if this dryness continues some will need to be sold when the grass is gone.