friends and family

 1.25.2025

 

It is hot, dry and very busy here today. Ti and Edd have been working on the pump for the main water tank.  Edd found there was no water today and we worried that the tank was dry.  Luckily, we still have a metre deep in the tank and just the pump had given out.  That was good news as pumps can be repaired and replaced but we have to wait for it to rain to replace the water.

 

Oli and his mate are working on the shed roof putting up corrugated iron under the eaves. The idea is to stop birds getting into the roof cavity and help with fire safety. Morgen is also here to use Edd’s welder for some boat repairs. I took cheese to our local market and had a great time with all the neighbours who were thrilled to get back together after the Xmas break.

 

Meanwhile Edd as well as sorting out the animals and water situation had some other friends arrive to pick up goat compost mix for their garden.  Edd also had to keep the dog, Sezz, on a lead because she ran off yesterday and had to be brought home by another neighbour.  We think she is in season because she has never run off before.

 

Yesterday was a day off with no builders working and a friend from Hong Kong visiting. We went out for lunch at a restaurant just down the road that we had not visited before. It was surprisingly good and laid back. We sat outside and the view over the mountains was a fantastic was back drop as we laughed over funny incidents and learnt about life in Hong Kong.   I feel so blessed with such wonderful friends, family and neighbours.

The heat continues and Trump takes control

 1.21.2025

 

It is still hot. The temperature has been in the high 30’s for days and all the grass has faded and dried off. Keeping the vegetables going is almost impossible but I keep trying.  I am so sad today, sad for all the life on earth as Trump changes USA policies to with draw from agreements to limit emissions in his first hours as president. He ignores scientific research, and just says what people want to believe. I feel despair for so much life on our home planet.

 

On the farm things are better. The sick goat has fully recovered and her symptoms fitted in with a condition called cloud burst that I remembered reading about 40 plus years ago.  She went out one morning and seemed to pass buckets full of urine which she then licked up! She was also very distressed but I found a description of false pregnancy in an old book and how fluid builds up in the uterus. Presumably, ‘cloud bust’ referred to a natural passing of this fluid.

 

Stevo and Edd are putting insulation and ceiling panels up in his shed. This is great because all sorts of birds were nesting in the exposed rafters and dropping shit and nesting materials everywhere. Tilba and family are off on holiday and Bo has only a week before her puppies go to their new families. The tiny one has survived and is doing well and Indi our grand daughter is adopting the largest female so at least one is staying in the family.

 

Our next task is to get the sheep shorn. We will probably need to sell lots of them before winter. This is really hard now as all the local markets have closed down so the land can be used for housing. It is making it near impossible to be a small-scale farmer.  There is a move to try and get a local slaughter house but that could be a while off.

Birthday at the beach

                                               Xmas party
 2.1.2024

 

It is hot and we have had no significant rain for weeks. Keeping the vegetables alive is quite a challenge.  Vegetable costs in the shops have risen sharply, and half the time they look wilted before I can get them home so it is worth while making sure we can walk out and pick fresh stuff daily.

 

Sadly, we did not complete our building efforts last year so work starts again next week. Josh has been working with his electrical team over most of Xmas but he has found time to do some work here too.  We have the usual farm and garden work every day but Bo looked after the place for a day last week and we drove down to Rye on the peninsular and met up at Wayne’s mother in laws house. She has this amazing beach house facing south looking right across the bay. The living room and kitchen are on the second floor and as there is only the road between the house and the beach with the wall all glass the view is panoramic. 

 

Al and family had planned to come on the ferry to meet us as it was Edd’s birthday but at the last moment the all got sick so it was just Wayne’s family and us. We had a fish and chips lunch and then walked down to the beach. The grandkids spotted two huge sting rays cruising round under a pier. I have never seen them so close before.

 

Bo’s puppies now have their eyes open and have started on solid food. The litter runt has survived but is still a lot smaller than the rest. Bo is still giving him extra milk. This is fine with us as the goats are producing much more milk than any logic should expect! The goat Dixie was troubled yesterday but even google could find nothing that accounted for her behaviour. We will just have to wait and see what happens next. She is better rather than worse today and still looks well and is eating but her legs are troubling her.