Heavenly autumn weather

                                            Our ruins with the Virginia creeper turning red

                                                                     Making feta in our dairy.

13.3.2023

 

The sun is not climbing so high as we approach Easter, and rainbows can be seen again inside our house where the louvered glass on the window deflects the light.

The weather is perfect, calm, warm, clear and sunny.  Yesterday Bo and I walked round the farm and gathered blackberries, pears and nashi pears to eat and process. It is nearly time for the apples too. I have harvested the sweet corn and bush beans, so already the freezer is filling up with food for winter. I am trying to organise a family get together for the equinox but it is difficult to find a date convenient for everyone.

 

I have had some good news.   One of my dear friends who moved to Queensland tells me she hopes to be able to move back here.  She is finding the heat and humidity of her present location near Brisbane too much.  I am really happy because I have missed her company.   I also heard today that another friend who moved down to Phillip Island has lost her house and stuff due to an electrical fault.   This is quite a common occurrence in Australia where houses are built largely of timber.  Luckily, she has a lovely daughter who she can stay with, but I would not wish this experience on any one.  Actually, getting the insurance money and being able to build our present house has been wonderful as we downsized without leaving our land. I love living in a house dug into the ground too.  This summer we have used it in “cave” mode with the doors open day and night and it has stayed a comfortable temperature (low 20 C’s).

 

Last night we all gathered at Bo’s house for the evening meal. We started with a nibble plate.  Bo’s home-made zucchini pickle goes really well with our soft goat’s cheese. Bo had been given trout by their friends who caught them but did not want to eat them.  Simon smoked them and Bo used the flesh to make a great salad dish that we all enjoyed. The puppies are now a week old and there was lots of puppy cuddling going on.  They are taking some goats milk to make sure they are all getting enough to eat.  Luckily, we have plenty of milk spare.  We sold two of the young goats with horns this weekend as well. They had started to dominate all the hornless goats and one even injured an older goat’s udder, so I was glad for them to be rehomed.  Now there are 18 goats to feed day and night but as our bale takes 6 at a time this is now exactly three runs. Very convenient.

 

Edd is struggling with the water supply to the donga. A bit ago Edd had to change which tank our water came from and the system has not worked right since then. This has been a long weekend and a very difficult time to get advice or spare fittings. It always seems to work out like that.  Even with out pressure pumps the water flows down to our house but the route to the donga is an uphill journey so even though we share a water system CB who lives there is affected worse. Josh has water from a different tank and his supply is managed by gravity.  We are totally dependent on rain water tanks and dams for all our water supply and keeping everything in working order is a constant pressure. We are told that La Nina is finally over and that the climate will return to being much dryer, so water and fires will be next year’s concerns. There are still massive floods in Northern Australia with large areas of land underwater and towns still being evacuated.

 

15.3.2023.  Edd solved the problem with the water pump. He found information on the internet that made it possible.  How did we ever manage with out google? The weather has continues sunny and mild with cool nights and it is quite heavenly here.   Today I am making more feta and saving stuff from the small old demountable. The roof has given way and is in danger of collapse. It is too old and too far gone to try and save. Luckily, Stevo put the upper floor and stairs into Edd’s shed so we have a place to store the unused beds and mattresses.   

  

Life and death

                                                    Josh's stuff in the ruins

                                                                        Tommy            

                                                                    Tommy's grave
 5.3.2023

 

This week has been eventful. On Monday Bo’s family dog, Tommy, was put down and buried on the farm.  He lived to an old old age but has been deteriorating fast over the last few weeks. He was a large golden retriever and has been a great comfort to everyone when troubles arrived. Simon brought all the kids over to help prepare his grave and I found a young oak tree to plant on top.  He is now close to Amy, Al’s Great Dane and Flynn who are all laid to rest in that area. 

 

On Saturday Bo’s other dog, Luca, gave birth to six puppies so their house is still full of canine family members.  Josh and Bo have been working hard looking after them as Luca has not demonstrated a great commitment to puppy welfare just yet.  We are also sad for one of our dearest friends, who has not much longer to live.  We have shared so much over the years. We trekked on horse-back together through the mountains in the 80’s, lived together on the farm and worked in remote Aboriginal communities. So many things we shared over the years. Recently we have all shared Indian food on Fridays and struggled to understand the USA electoral system. 

 

On a brighter side, Summer finally arrived and the grass has burnt off.  The trees are suffering but still hanging onto their fruit and one tomato ripened! It has been a very odd year for our food crops.  The old above ground pool is now empty of water and I am hoping to get some male help to take down the frame.  I have most of the old gardens round the ruins of our old house under control, But Josh has taken over the ruins themselves as a place for storing a growing collection of possibly useful stuff.

 

In our house I have been decluttering and have taken loads of our excess stuff to the opp shop. I stored a lot of gear to use on school camps and as we no longer do them I really though it was time to clear a lot out.  The junk may be going down but the stuff in the freezer is going up as I process and stored vegetables and fruit for use over winter. Bo and Josh have been making chutneys and pickles, and I still supply family and the local community with cheese.  It will soon be time to make the hard cheeses for the year. They make better in the cool months when the goats have settled down their lactation after giving birth.