Mid winter

 marking out.

At least winter means green grass

We have now passed the shortest day, but the worst of winter weather is usually in July.  We have had snow settle on the ground here twice in forty years and it has been in July both times.   On the plus side, the house is very warm, and the jonquils are coming into flower soon to be followed by the daffodils and native wisteria.   The winter will pass soon enough.   I have been avoiding outdoor work when it is really cold and have instead worked my way through most of the years accounts and tidied up odds and ends of craft projects.      All the carded wool is now spun into yarn and ready for use, and the wool from last year’s shearing is sorted so it can be processed.  I was hoping to have lots of the work done for me but there is too much wool to afford to have it all carded, let alone spun.  

Most of the family managed to get together for Ella’s third birthday.  Danni had organised a party at an hotel on the coast near their home and we all met up there.  It was a huge space with an indoor play area, so the kids could run around whilst the adults socialised.  Al and Pip turned up with baby P who had grown enormously since we saw him a few weeks ago. Bo , Simon, Wayne, Edd and I visited a local brewery after the party and relaxed but Al and Pip had to get their baby home. We had to get home to feed the animals before dark but that was OK.

Edd has braved most of the weather and has been working clearing up fallen trees and old wire in the top paddock.  He has taken a load of the old wire to the tip and a load of fire wood to a friend in Healesville.  It is much too cold for anyone to manage without heating and most people do not have an underground house, like ours, that stays warm.  It will be amazing to reclaim the top paddock after so many years.

I have been planning how to make the garden to the west of the house and have marked beds and paving out with pink paint.  Someone was meant to come and give us an estimate for the work today, but they put it off until Monday.  I would like someone to do the wall and the paving, but I can probably manage the rest.

A new family member

Yesterday I was introduced to the new family member.  Ollie has a new puppy.  We are all so happy for him, especially after his last dog, Gracie, came to such a sad end. Luca (not sure how it is spelt), is a border collie about eight weeks old and very, very cute.  Luckily, Tommy, Morgs golden retriever is equally pleased with his new friend.

Today the sun returned, and I had a massive house clean out.  I usually do a big clean at this time of year, so we can have a family party to celebrate the solstice.  This has changed since Ella, was born and we now have a family gathering for her birthday instead.  I have also just agreed to do the sustainable house open day again.   I must be totally mad but at least it sets a target for me to try and get some things done for.  There is still a lot needed to complete and maintain the house.

Rain rain and more rain

 The moat in action after heavy rain

 Winter sunlight

17.6.2018

This morning it was very dark outside and all the rain that we have done without was pouring down in sheets. The drive to our house was awash, with the water gorging out channels at one side. Luckily, our dry creek bed works really well and took the flood away from the house and into the dam.  Most of our water tanks were overflowing and Edd opened the valves to let the excess water drain down to the large, old tank below the ruins.

The dairy remained a dry island, moated on two sides, where the water tank that takes rain from the shed roof had over flowed.  We have raised walk ways so that the goats can get from their shed to the milking shed and today they were essential.  Bo tells me that Yarra glen is not flooded yet, so I hope that the bridge on our only route out is still passable.  We have not had this sort of rain since we started to build our house!

long week end

Monday June 11 2018

Today we have a bank holiday, but we have elected to stay home and avoid the crowds.  We went into Bo’s restaurant for lunch yesterday and it was totally packed out and overflowing. The waitresses were literally running to try and keep up and Bo and all her thee kids were working full steam to try and cope.  Today we had a quiet lunch at home with our own cheese and salad, a bottle of wine and perfect peace.   The sun is shining, and the house is toasty warm, so we do not feel under pressure to go anywhere.

I have made a start on the accounts this week and so far, all the receipts are logged and the last of the financial year’s bills sent out.  There is still a lot to do but it gets easier once all the stray bits of paper are under control.  I have started doing some research into my mother’s life so that I can put down some sort of story for future generations.  She did not want a eulogy, but this does leave something of a gap. Before she died she sent me out many of the stories she had written about her childhood, so perhaps I have inherited this duty.

Edd has continued work in the top paddock clearing up the dead trees and slashing ti-tree. We have lots of fire wood in the shed, so he is giving lots of the wood he has cut to friends. Apparently, we are having an exceptionally dry season, so this sort of work is still possible. Most of our water is coming from the heavy dews we get at night when the temperature drops.  It is a big relief not to be watering the vegetables.

more family

Family gathering for my mother's funeral

Walking round Frensham ponds UK

A walk in the Punchbowl

My friends fabulous UK garden

Our first oil harvest

2.6.2018

The sun is pouring into our house and warming everything, but outside in the shade it is still cold.  There was a heavy frost on Thursday night and the pumpkin leaves are dying.  Edd helped me crush the 3 kilo of olives that had not dropped off the trees and we crushed, stirred and then pressed them in the cheese press.  This only yielded about a jam jar of oil, but it tasted amazing.  I will try again next year, it is worth the effort.  We dipped fresh homemade bread into the oil, so it is disappearing very fast.

So far, the snow peas have survived the frost and some of the broccoli are starting to form heads.  We ate the first pf the turnips grated with a salad made from our lettuce and rocket. There are still tomatoes going red on the bushes, but they have lost their quality and I think it is time they were pulled out and the beds reclaimed.

On Thursday the power was cut off in Steels Creek for line maintenance. It was restored before dark, but our landline phone went dead.  In an unusual twist the internet still worked on the same lines.  Edd took the phone off with him to find if it worked elsewhere, but before he did this he found other neighbours with the same problem. Eventually the telephone company agreed it was a fault at the exchange, but it is still not fixed.  It is amazing how many people you suddenly need to ring up when you have no phone.

We are waiting to be connected up to a satellite for the internet.  Our phone lines out here are far too dodgy to cope with the modern systems and no-one is in a hurry to replace them.  I am assured that the satellite will be better and cheaper, but we will have to see.  I think having a second line of defence or a plan B is always a good idea out of town people.

Josh has asked me for bay leaves, so I have a pile drying in the sun room.  I have dried all sorts of herbs on the table out there this year. Even the parsley dried well.  The other leaves I have stored in glass jars for herb tea, which I enjoy.  I notice that we have quite a bit of ginger growing too, so I must remember to add that into the brews as well.

It seemed strange at first to not be phoning my mother as I came indoors to cook the evening meal.  I also found myself still taking mental notes during the day of things that might interest or amuse her.  These habits are now starting to fade, and I have more time for other things.  I just need to remember exactly what I was in the middle of doing before this busy period of the year started.