A short trip to Berry

Last weekend Ellen and family and I went down to stay overnight. Just a short trip but very full.

Janice and Rauri are always happy to have their adopted grandboys to come and stay. There are cattle to check and the fencing to be done.

 

There is a bull to try to coax closer (but the bull was having none of it.

 

 There are lots of peaceful places where you can sit or wander.

And after all the work the gear (and dog) are all left ready for the next job.

It was a bit scary for small boys when the cows came very close to the ute. It was the promise of getting through the gate to a new paddock of grass that had lured them. However, we were actually only going there to fix the electric fence.

 

A really cool find by Luke was a huge snake skin. He is taking it to Kindy in a shoe box today for show and tell.

There are so many tiny things to see. The fairy wrens loved the tangle of garden.

This lizard was hiding in the crack of a log. We even heard another big lizard digging away inside one of the fence logs.

 

Today's Progress

Kim and I worked hard today to clear Carport 3. It is wonderful! Here is Kim enjoying a well-earned cold drink after all our exertions. I now have full bins and a pile ready for the next street cleanup collection. I can also park the car in this carport if I go away or need to get out of the hail.

 

Thea and I enjoyed our lunch in the carport as well.

Thank you Kim for all your hard work. The list shrinks slowly.

Underhill - tiny wonders, huge wet

Geoff and I went down to Underhill last weekend. Our first task was to call in at Cal's to collect our CB Radio. But when we arrived at the block we forgot to test it because we were distracted by Mick and mates at #9 chainsawing the huge tree that had been down on the fence for years. But to go and say hello we had to slosh through mud as there had been so much rain. These few tiny treasures were loving the wet conditions.

This little frog was in one of the post holes from the never completed tank stand. The posts were sitting in water so Geoff took the opportunity to remove all but one (too hard). We put a stick in this hole so the frog can climb out. 

We then went for a walk to find that the 'waterfall' is actually running (well trickling is the best we ever get).

All dams are full and overflowing. The rain gauge was full at 280 mm so we don't actually know how much rain there has been in the last month but it is more than that. Here is the bottom dam...

... the far dam ...

 

... the overflow from the top dam ...

... and the very full top dam.

The middle dam also has some water in it.

Here is the 'creek channel' that Greg and I cleared years ago to try to catch the run off from the uphill block and divert it from our driveway. It is actually working!

The top dam at capacity...

 

Carport Capers

Those of you who have not visited for a while will remember the chaotic carports that have been rubbish sorting places for many years. Even before Surrey died, the second carport was full of crap. Above is a more recent photo of the second carport and the water gardens just beside it.

These are more photos of the messy carports.

 

The mess is no more in two of my three carports. Kim and I finished the carport capers at midday today. Here she is enjoying a sit down after a very humid morning getting my next area tidied.

This carport is now my potting shed. I have a few more cupboards from Geoff's old kitchen still to come yet and need a bit more carpet for the front section. I also need to work out a way to store my garden tools so they are out of the weather and easy to access. Suggestions welcome. I will also be constructing a woven bamboo wall on the side behind me and will grow some climbers up it.

The first carport has been functioning well as a clothes drying area now for some time but I have now been able to tidy out the last of the rubbish. The clothes line has been put under here and I can hang out washing even when it is raining. All that is left now is my firewood at the back in various buckets and containers. It is all nice and dry for winter.

Progress is slow as always but eventually Kim and I have a day together and finish a section. It is most rewarding. 

Thank you Kim.

Alex is now a Joey!

 

A Coat Workshop

Lyn Hewitt ran a Bog Coat Workshop last weekend. It was fascinating making a reversible coat from two rectangles of fabric sewn together.

The best bit was that instead of using two bought fabrics we could create our own fabric from bits we had. I used a panel that Geoff and Jen bought me in Japan, some grey fabric I bought at a quilt shop in Vermont (flood affected and very cheap) and a length of navy blue that Surrey and I bought in Hong Kong for some long pants for him (I only ever made the brown ones we also bought).

Here is the reverse side of the coat. I think next time I will make a shorter one because it looks and feels a little long on me. I might also make a longer one as a dressing gown. I am still using the one I bought in Marks and Spencers when we lived in London in 1983! That says something about quality!

I stayed the night with friend Lynne and we had a long, relaxed catch-up. Thanks Lynne and Lyn.

Fun in the pool at Janice J's

Last weekend the whole family enjoyed a gathering at Janice's. We started the day with the kids in the pool, Geoff acting as life saver.

Rod was life guard and entertained the boys by throwing them in.

The boring adults just stood around watching (including me) but it was great entertainment.

Underhill Harvest in February

Early in February Elaine, Geoff and I went down to Underhill to harvest the rest of the fruit. The damsons were so prolific that I am still cutting them up and making jam. Five trays at least two or three damsons deep makes for a lot of cutting up.

I've now got it down to a fine art. Card table in front of TV as Surrey used to do but I don't watch the cricket. I watch one of the many DVDs I have and have never had time to sit for so long. Currently I am watching two series of The House of Elliot. Cut off one cheek each side for jam and use the remainder for jelly to add to the jam when I cook it. That means less cuts on my thumb and a quicker job in the long run.

We also picked plenty of apples from one of the trees (Five Crown I think) and a few from one or two of the other trees. I'll chop these for jam. I've already added some to my first batch of Damson and Apple Jam.

Then there are quinces and peaches (probably for jam) and quite a few pears for eating when they eventually ripen. They ripened well at home last year so I'm hoping they do so this year as well.

Holiday Entertainment

Well the school holidays are now over but oh what a time Alex, Luke and I have had, sometimes with Mum or Dad, sometimes at their place and sometimes at my place.

There were four on the lounge and the little one said ....

Alex and I went to the Australian Museum to the Dinosaur show where we met a Muttaburrasaurus from Queensland.

He coloured in a dinosaur and dug for bones.

He tried to catch the huge virtual crocodile as it swam along the table.

Another day I went with Ellen, Alex and Luke to see the Hairy Maclary Show at the Opera House. We all enjoyed it imensely. We followed this with a ferry ride to Cockatoo Island where we had a quick lunch and a little walk around before catching the ferry back again. We had a great day.

At Ma's house the boys stayed over and we made houses for their favorite toys.

Watching the boys front step foundations being dug and the footings poured was a whole day's entertainment.

The really fun part at the end was trying to fill the purge pipe with water by filling the downpipe. Long hose extensions, lots of water, getting wet was all part of the fun.