Butchers

Our guests arrived, ate everything and then left again! They piled out of the bus and then dispersed to all corners of the yard and beyond! We even saw some wandering around over at Gibbo's chooks on the opposite side of the yard to where they pulled up. They were very curious. I felt very humbled when one of them told me, "you have a beautiful house".

They ate the entree so quickly that I didn't even get a chance to photograph it! The old marble score 8 marinated in a delicious mix that includes mustard and red wine vinegar - delicious - and always, always very popular.

Due to the projected cold and wind we moved from the lawn to the verandah.  Due to their proximity to the house, I mopped, cleaned windows, and scraped the bore water shale from the toilet bowl; how impressive of me. As far as the weather goes it turned out to be a reasonable day.

The entree disappearing......rapidly.......

Here's lunch.......

The Steak Man.......just don't touch his knife......

I've mastered the carrot cake; I just need to learn how to cut it so that it doesn't look butchered.

Poofy was so well behaved; Coco got lots of pats; Peppie was locked up. When Gibbo went to let her out this evening she brushed past him with a toss of her head and a swish of her little tail. Not happy.

As the group left they all turned to me and waved and smiled and said things I couldn't understand but that I imagine were Thankyou; one man rubbed his belly and pretended to go running. There were quite a few thumbs up too. They left well fed and satisfied.

Most groups come bearing gifts. These are Number 1 biscuit!

And check this out! It will come in handy....

It's Begun

It's a rather crappy photo but I wanted to record the first of many gardening sessions. I figure if I do a little bit often, I'll have it just right by the time we move. I don't intend to have a garden anywhere near the scale of the one I look after (or don't look after) now. My plan is to mulch most of the gardens (the ones that only have trees) and to concentrate on the area just out from the stone paved outdoor area. The vege garden will be a focus too as will planting a couple more fruit trees in the "little orchard". I'll make a herb garden near the back of the house.

Bonus: after only a few minutes of pruning I found a little sprinkler.

I spent half an hour in the house while Gibbo worked on the front gate. I just stood in the cold and quiet and visualised how our furniture will fit. I imagined this here and that there and then moved them around in my mind. Surprisingly, I think most of it will fit. I came home and measured several things so I can see if my minds eye is as good as the tape measure.

Tonight I've cooked a carrot cake and marinated meat for tomorrow's visitors - 15 butchers from Korea. Next year when they come it will be someone else's responsibility to feed them (I hope). We'd best lock Peppie up or she may disgrace us. It was bitterly cold here today and tomorrow is reported to be worse! BBQing on the lawn should be fun. Not.

Lunar

Drew rang me last night and said there was an eclipse; I had no idea. I snuck out in the cold and quickly snapped this - then ran back inside to the heater. Man, it was cold out there.

Getting Involved

Gibbo was travelling home from Surat during the week and heard talk of an upcoming workshop at Bell. He thought it might interest me so sent a rather cryptic text with scant details. I googled and found the workshop details and it turns out that it is going to be run by the woman who writes the blog "down to earth"; she's also written a book which I bought a couple of months ago. What excellent timing - we buy a small farm and then find out that a couple of local ladies have recently (5 weeks ago) launched a small business that offers up just the sort of things I've been reading about and imagining for years! I shot off an email and heard back the next day that I'm booked in. Then I shot off another email and booked Meg in too!

I received a very informative newsletter that listed other workshops and meetings. When we went to the farm on Saturday Meg and I called in at the hall and booked ourselves into the Cheesemaking & all Things Dairy workshop in July - and look who it's run by - a permaculture teacher. Oh be still my beating heart.

I look forward to finding out when the mosaic and soap making lessons are on; we're so gonna do those too hey Meg?

I can't do the Bluedog Photography workshop even though I'd love to - because I'll be on my BIKE RIDE!! I signed up for this year's ride last week; Gayndah to Noosa via Hervey Bay.

Work? What work? I won't have time to work!

And I think we've settled on a name for the farm; originally it was Sliprail and everyone was ok with that but I had some reservations. Sliprail is here and it's very personal and important to me; I feel a strong emotional attachment to it and I think it should stay here. The kids and I tossed around a few other names as we drove around today and I came up with something quite relevant for the farm's location (although it doesn't have the word Bell in it!). I need to mull over it for a day or two more before finally deciding. It's a bonus that the words "wagyu" and "organics" run smoothly off the end of it if we choose to go down that path!

Attack of the Lemon

Meg and I took Drew to the new farm to show him around. Finally, all the most important people in my life have now seen it. He loves it. Everyone approves. Even me. At last.

Meg and I went to inspect the lemon tree; if anything needed to be picked, she had to be the one to do it. So she did....and when she went to smell the lemon, she stuck the stalk up her nose. Karma. Drew had the camera out to take some photos. He recorded the whole thing!

Discussing the beauty of the green hills against the dark sky.

My bebes.

A selfie.

More progress! The hole is dug and the post is in - and do you notice, the sign is gone.

A card from Pam.

The offending lemon and stalk.

Birthday Girl

Megs got lots of kisses and attention this morning - well you're supposed to on your birthday aren't you?

We had bacon and eggs for breakfast then Meg and I took Mum back to town. We drove via the showgrounds where, last night, a Brisbane radio station held a music festival - in the pouring rain. Apparently the final act, the big one, the one that everyone had come to see, was cancelled due to safety concerns for the band and the fans. The grounds were a quagmire and the street was littered with forlornly abandoned inside out umbrellas, plastic raincoats, bottles, cans and rubbish for a distance of several kilometres. We then drove by the soccer grounds where several hundred people had camped. It too was littered with the debris of a Big Night Out. If I was a teenager it would have been a blast; as a mature age woman with a hearing problem - I'm glad I missed it.

Meg got phone calls from two of the little people in her life - Lachie and Phoebe rang and sang HB to you!

We came home and had a hot drink with the Tmba Trio then Meg and I took Drewy to give him his first glimpse of the new farm.

Meg left to head back to Tmba as the family down there were having a birthday dinner in her honour. How special to be cherished by so many.

I miss her. She is my sunshine.

A Shoe Affair

Meg has a fetish for exotic shoes and that's what I chose as her cake decorations this year. I went back to the lady who made the wonderful farm animals for last year's cake and asked her to make me something FABULOUS in a shoey kind of way. The result:

The handbag and outer motifs are mine; the shoe is by KC.

Pumpkin soup again! A favourite.

She's 24!

It's just gone midnight which means Meg is 24 years old! She was born on a Friday, just as the world was waking up. Here she is at a week old, heading home from hospital via a visit to Grandma. Who's the handsome one nursing her - why it's her Daddy of course! Check out those muscles hey!

And here she is with Gibbo just 2 weeks ago; my how the time flies by!!

She brings sunshine and happiness into my life and she is a constant source of joy. Meg, you are a true delight.

What We Did Today

We went to the farm! Gibbo started on the hole for the new gate strainer.

Mum, Mate and Peter came for their first look and were suitably impressed. Mum, Meg and I walked through the house working out where to put some of the furniture. G picked up the two remaining cows and dropped them into one of the front paddocks. He took Doug down to have a look around and they serviced the bore pump. Poofy had a couple of trips in the back of the ute, playing Farm Dog. Desley, Ken and Pam came out from Tba for a tour and we spun around in the wet - 20mls worth. Tonight we had a birthday dinner for Meg with pumpkin soup, wagyu steak, potato bake, coleslaw, onion and mushrooms and CAKE! The Reynolds' came out too. Just as we were about to sit down to eat I went to hand some plates out - I looked towards the door and saw THIS............there he was, just standing there all nonchalant like. He came for Meg's birthday tomorrow!

He got a lift home with Nat. I wondered how he got out here - and it was explained. Just before G went to  cook the steaks he said he'd had a phone call and had to go to the yards and let some late arrival cattle in. Ken and Dave had to cook. After a while I commented that Gibbo seemed to be taking a long time; I rang to see if something had gone wrong but didn't get a response. Not long after that he walked in and that's when I went to hand out the plates - and saw Drew standing inside at the other door!! Gibbo had raced to town to pick Drew up - that's why I thought he was taking a long time! You know that split second when your mind can't comprehend what your eyes are seeing - yep, that was totally me. All I could do was scream Arrrggghhh! I was duped real good. I'm not usually duped easily but they got me good this time - and I don't mind a bit!

Measuring Up

G is keen to get a lockable gate up as soon as possible. We rushed there at lunchtime so he could measure up; we re-checked some fences and I took a couple more house shots.

Looking towards The Bunyas from near the top of the laneway.

I'll make good use of this pile of stones.

Meg arrived home this afternoon after a week long management course at the correctional centre. She's ready for her birthday on Sunday...but before that she's keen to apply all her design ideas to the new house....oh, and she's keen to go paint shopping.

Drew had a huge night last night at the final Exchange for the semester; he was texting Meg and me at 4 o'clock this morning. He's now up to 5 essays - 5 High Distinctions - although he's finding Spanish a little challenging. He has swotvac now, then 2 exams and a Spanish language test - and the semester will be over. Already.