Another Postcard!

Another postcard arrived today; this should be the last! When we all received postcards in February (after Drew had arrived home), Gibbo missed out........his arrived today!

First Planting

We didn't make it to the farm yesterday what with the poultry show and visitors last night. I mixed feed and rode this morning, had an early lunch then drove the 20 minutes to Woodlawn. I checked on these girls - 10 new additions purchased last week at the local saleyards, all in calf. It's good to have some cows again; they quickly met up with the charolais mother and calf.

Is there anything more beautiful than a soft angus face with that mop of hair and the nose swirl?

My first herb planting - parsley and oregano in the garden bed between the garage and the back door.

I did a little spraying around the edges. We have a few ownership issues in our family so I like to let everyone know what's mine - so that when I go looking for it next time, it will be where I left it.

I resurrected my ancient iPod Mk I - I had it playing loud on shuffle as I tried to remove the glue left behind from the wallpaper in Meg's room.

When I went outside to start spraying the battery died.....I nearly think the poor old brick (compared to the latest models) is obsolete. It might be time for a new one.

I drove home in the afternoon sun, thinking about the weekend, planning my week at work and looking forward to next weekend. Life is good. Hope it stays that way.

If Not For Dirty Legs......

Yesterday we took 22 birds to our local poultry show which ironically was held 50km away. The shed that has been our venue at the local showgrounds has been deemed unsafe and is therefore condemned so the boys sent an SOS to a club down the road and they happily accommodated us. The show was a Wyandotte Feature Show - and Gibbo has wyandottes! He had a very successful day, winning Champion Large Wyandotte/Reserve Champion Wyandotte of Show (with a hen) and Reserve Champion Bantam Wyandotte (with another hen) - and the judge said in his summing up at the presentations that if the owner of the bantam Reserve bird had taken a bit more time and cleaned the legs of the bird it would have won Champion! He also won quite a few firsts and seconds in the large and bantam rooster and cockerel classes (but the females beat them for overall breed winners. You Go Girls!!).

Here's where we do (minimal) preparation pre-show - vaseline on legs, combs and wattles; smoothing feathers and cutting toenails (and spurs if necessary). Then I am tasked with the very important job of taking the birds into the shed and putting them into the CORRECT pens. One of us tends to stuff that part up because he forgets the pen number between car and shed or he swaps the digits around once inside!

I think she was wondering what was going on?

Some of the boys.

Champion Large Wyandotte (hen) and Reserve Champion Wyandotte of Show (2nd Overall).

Reserve Champion Bantam Wyandotte of Show - she of the dirty legs!

Partners in crime....at feather club and feedlot.

I love ducks......

And this one wanted ribbons of his own; he kept trying to eat the tassels of the wyandotte's ribbon next door.

It's written all over his face........

In other, less spectacular news this hen of mine won best white silkie hen.

This lavender hen won best any other colour silkie hen and was Champion AOC silkie overall too but no ribbons for me. My little black silkie pullet came second.

I've Started

First official training ride for CQ2012 - 20km on a beautiful day; life is good. When I look in my car rear vision mirror and see my bike handles hooked over the back seat it makes me think - I RIDE - and I think that's really cool.

5 months and 1 week later

Look what arrived in the mail this morning - two postcards that Drew posted in Antarctica on January 8!

Drew had his second exam today (Inequality and Development); he had a Spanish speaking test yesterday. Next Wednesday is International Relations - and then first semester is over!

Owie

Chloe has an "owie"; she spent Tuesday night outside and I knew something wasn't right on Wednesday morning when she didn't come for breakfast. I found her resting in the cat tube and I had to pour her out of it. She seemed to come good but then this morning she wasn't herself - so off to the vet we went where she proceeded to hiss at anyone that came near. They had to give her a general anaesthetic as sedation wasn't enough to allow them to examine her. The verdict - a big cat fight abcess had formed a pocket of gunk into the thigh muscle; the biggest puncture was infected and now has a drain inserted; she's had anti-inflammatory and antibiotic injections and will be on antibiotic drops for 5 days. I went back and picked her up this afternoon and brought her home. She's still rather groggy and wobbly on her feet and is lying in front of the heater.

These photos are a bit gross!

Farm Dog

You'd go a long way to find a happier dog than this one. He loves the new farm and has done a wee on absolutely everything....and the best thing about being a real farm dog - you get to ride in the back of the ute and feel the wind in your hair!! (even in the rain).

Hung and Swung

The gate is finally hung; after some debate about measurements and symmetry it passed muster.

It was very cold for the girls so they went home while Gibbo and I finished the job.

Then he and I spent 20 minutes walking around the yard, working out what will go and what will stay. There's quite a lot of tidying up to do but I think if I do a bit each weekend I'll have it all finished by September. My plan is to cut out, cut back, weed and rake everything then lay down manure and mulch. Come Spring, the ground will be ready to plant in to. Not sure what I'll plant yet but whatever it is, low maintenance is the goal.

Gardening 101

Bear with me - there's lots of pics in this post - I want to record every angle so that when it's all finished I'll have some great before and after photos.

Gibbo turned up with the chainsaw.

Taking it away. There's a lot more of these to come.