I don't have any photography skills, i just point and shoot. I have lusted after a DSLR for a few years but can't see the point in having one if i don't know the ins and outs of photography. The camera i have is a good one, i can't complain. Sometimes it amazes me how well a photo turns out.
The following photos took a lot of time and patience, i'm lucky the creatures involved were oblivious to my pointing and shooting lol
I'm rather proud of my efforts :)
I've been in a bloggy funk. I've tried many times to write something but the words haven't flowed. I feel i haven't really done anything worthwhile to blog about. My days seem to be rollng into one another with no direction or fun. I'll get there, i just need to find the good in everything i do :)
Anyways, i have a small update on the church renovations. The man of the house had some time to spare and B2's bedroom has now grown in length. Her floor is the ceiling of B3's future bedroom which at the moment is the kitchen. She has so much room up there she doesn't know what to do with it. Some new furniture is on the list. She can now have a proper bed as there is height now she isn't stuck under the corner of the roof. We still haven't decided on a set of stairs. I have a few more ideas but need to discuss them with my builder and interior designer (ma and pa lol)
We went on a train ride on the weekend. From Melbourne to Castlemaine, changed trains then onto Maldon for lunch and a walk aorund.
Our train was 2 beautiful old steam engines with 11 carriages behind them. The scenery was pretty in places. It was a long day. Longer for B1 as she worked in the buffet car.
Now i don't usually give a company a plug on my blog, but i will for Steamrail and not just becasue my good friend works there lol.
If you want to experience all that a steam train has to offer head to www.steamrail.com.au They are nothing like Puffing Billy. They run packaged trips often and for the price of them, they are well worth it. The amount of time, effort and sometimes hair pulling out moments the workers and volunteers go to behind the scenes to make the trips run smoothly, is something you need to see for yourself to appreciate it all.
The photo below was taken by a 14 year old lad. He was one of the many photographers dotted along the line trying to get that special shot. Actually, we saw him scampering all over the place between Melbourne and Maldon. Enthusiastic! We were in the 3rd carriage ;)
B2 celebrated her 11th birthday on Saturday and again on Monday.
Lots of presents, loads of fun and best of all was the family and friends who helped her celebrate.
We've more new additions to our animal family.
1 is for the freezer, yum! The other we're still debating wether to keep her or pop her in the freezer too. I'm leaning towards the freezer as i know how big she'll get and we don't really have the room for her when she's a grown adult although it would be nice to keep her. Either way, i have around 5 months to make my mind up lol
Met the new girls, Jap (just a pig) and Sulky. Sulky earnt her name because she got the sads on when we put her in the trailer. She kept side glancing at us as if to say 'why have you taken me away from my siblings?' She's still doing it lol. Jap got her name because any animal we have who is destined for the freezer has to have a suitable dinner name so the kids know not to get too attatched. We tossed around some other names such as pork chop, spare rib, yumyum but decided Roasted Just a Pig will go nicely with Roasted Just a Pumpkin lol
B2 is in her element now we have brought her pony home from the farm. We're 'agisting' it in a vacant paddock next to our home. I didn't want him in the backyard lol
I haven't seen Spirit the pony for nearly 2 years. He's been at the farm with the other horses and being looked after by the various tenants. The last time i seen him he was a little jittery and really wouldn't come when called unless there was a treat on offer. Now it's like he's a totally different pony and i owe my thanks to the lovely young lass who's been caring for him for the past 12 months. He comes when called. Doesn't flinch at loud noises. Is rideable with a lead rope, although he was always rideable but had a tendancy to be a bit wild.
B2 hasn't left Spirit's side much over the weekend. She quickly does her chores, feeds and has a brief chat with the other animals then she's out in the paddock playing with Spirit 'til it's dark. She even shares a carrot or apple with him! She's always been a horsey lover. Using anything and everything she could to put her saddle on and pretend she was riding lol
We took B2 and Spirit for a walk yesterday. Will be good to see her riding him on her own when both horse and rider have confidence with each other.
I cleaned out the fish tank (the water was used on the garden) and then arranged the pebbles nicely on the tank floor. Some would say i was bored, other's, just being fancy lol Either way the fish are happy.
I've been rabbiting on about my new kitchen cupboards for some time so it's about time i showed you what they look like.
I'm not 100% sure they will stay in the position they are in. My interior decorator (my mum) can't visit as quick as i'd like her to, so i've had to rely on my own skills. Yes it's my house and i will have things how i want them but i always value my mum's opnion. Her house is beautiful, featuring in a few home and decorating magazines so as far as i'm concerned, she knows what she's talking about when it comes to turning a house into a home ;)
My new kitchen cupboards (from the Fleur range) were cluttering my home as we'd picked them up from Geelong over a period of a few weeks (i still have more furniture to come!) so the man of the house and i have arranged them to where we think they will serve their purpose well and i've started filling them. If mum has a different and more useable idea then i'll move them. it's easy done lol I only have 3 walls i can put them against, the joys of living in such a small space!
There are some modifications that need doing. My builder, aka my dad will be taking charge of these. I need a cupboard built around the oven and a bench on top where the stove top will sit. The cupboard that the tv is sitting on will be where the sink goes. This requires cutting a hole for it and i'll loose the use of one drawer but the cupboard (cheaper than the original ticket price as it's damaged) was purchased with this in mind. A corner cupboard or something similar is needed between the two cupboards on the left hand side of the 3rd photo so it becomes more enclosed and we can't see what's happening in the little passage way we have now created behind the cupboard that leads to the bathroom.
It's a huge work in progress but i can see it will be just perfect when it's done :)
Until next time
~x~
Hmmm. What to blog? I guess i just want to say Hi, i'm still here ;)
It's been rather quiet around here the past few weeks.
The munchkins are on school holidays. B1 spent the 1st week of the holidays at a friends house near Melbourne and had a fantastic time.
The man of the house spent near on 2 weeks trucking around QLD.
I had a birthday as did our little neighbour so we celebrated with a bonfire and neighbours.
It's been raining on and off, more on than off lol The garden is drenched but flourishing, both vegie plants and weeds.
The animals are happily waddling around in mud and eating more grass then their tummy's can hold.
School resumes this coming Monday. As much as i love having the munchkins home and enjoying their love and laughter i am looking forward to having the days to myself again. I think because we didn't have a family holiday or just a weekend away together, and the weather hasn't been favourable, we're over being in confined quarters and the munchkins are wanting to see all their school friends.
Until next time
~x~
This is why a wood shed would be beneficial!
Drying the wood in front of the fire before i can use it, because it's been raining non stop since Thursday night and all the wood is sitting out in the rain :(
Until next time
i hope you're keeping dry and warm!
~x~
B3 celebrated his 7th birthday over the weekend.
He had lots of surprises. The best being able to celebrate with the grandparents and my siblings.
He had a treat at a cupcake shop, blew candles out on a donut stack cake, blew more candles out on an icecream cake, recieved some awesome gifts and generally had a fun time with family and friends.
Until next time
~x~
Our home is turning into a zoo lol
On Saturday i took hubby and the munchkins to Melbourne for a spontaneous day trip. I returned home with hubby and the munchkins along with 2 hens, 3 pullets, 4 chickens, 2 ducklings and a bunny rabbit! It was a noisey car trip lol
So, without further ado, meet our new additions :)
Etta
B1 celebrated her 12th birthday on Wednesday and again on Saturday :) It's the normal way of celebrating around here as the weekends are the only time the Man of the House is home but if your birthday falls on a weekend then you only get one celebration ;) Wednesday nights festivites were quiet. Presents were opened and marveled over followed by a homecooked meal then an icecream birthday cake for dessert. We had many laughs with the candles. Everytime B1 blew them out they'd light up again and again. It wasn't until i looked at the candle packaging did we realize they were re-igniting ones! Saturday B1 was surprised by her grandparents (who live about 3 hours away) driving down the road with balloons and birthday banners stuck all over their car. We had a bonfire with loads of food and drinks and celebrated into the wee hours of the morning with family and neighbours. 3 of the neighbouring kids slept over so there was lots of giggling and very little sleeping. The grandparents stayed over too so a good night had by all :) Until next time ~x~
I haven't done an update on Buffy the dog for a long time. She's now 7 months old and still growing! She shouldn't grow much more taller but a little more filling out would be ideal. She eats like a horse then runs it all off so she's looking a little on the skinny side under her shaggy coat. B2 loves her to death which is great because i don't have to feed, exercise or clean up after her like i do with all the other animals around here that i didn't ask for lol. Speaking of the other animals, we've lost the rabbits. Someone left the cage unlatched. Luckily the guinea pigs stayed put. The rabbits were wild to begin with so i'm not too disappointed they've gone. They weren't the most playful pets we've had. Pigsy the big pig is just that lol. She's eating, wallowing and snorting her days away. She's 15 months old and begging for a boar to assist her needs. We may have to buy a young one. We've had no luck with finding one to lease around this area. The chooks are destined for the pot. I've not had eggs from then since February. I've tried threatening them and left the axe standing in their yard. They're ex battery hens so i guess after 2 years of being free from the battery and free ranging on the farm and now here they've finally settled into complete retirement. We also has pet yabbies. Funny characters they are. The lid to their tank is firmly on so no midnight escapes for them! Until next time ~x~
Normal families, as in once married, no seperations or remarriages, have 2 sets of grandparents. I like to be different lol
I have my mum's parents, my fathers parents, my stepdad's parents and my mum's stepdad. So that's 3 grandmothers and 4 grandfathers. I'd say i'm lucky :)
I don't remember my father's father. I believe he passed away not long after i was born. I recollect seeing a photo of him but no photos of him and myself.
My mum's father re-married so i guess i have an additional grandmother, although i've always known her as Aunt E. We weren't close to either Grandfather or Aunt E.
Mum's mum never officially married her next partner but he, Papa, was around from the day i was born, and longer before that, so they were like an old married couple lol.
I don't know if when you're a kid you're should have favourites when it comes to family members but i certainly had mine and they still reamin my favourites in my heart. Papa (mum's stepdad) and Granddad (my stepdad's dad). We lived with granddad for a couple of years. I don't have many memories of him apart from me always helping or perhaps being a hindrance lol at his place of work. He was a part of my life for many years but the memories are scarce.
Memories of Papa are more. From climbing the mulberry tree and picking the delicious fruits to him watching and sideline coaching my hockey team, we had some great times.
Sadly i don't have any living grandfathers now. My children were lucky to spend a few years with Papa and we have plenty of photo's from their time together.
Since we've moved to our little church i've self adopted a 5th granddad. You may think me weird lol but i think i may be missing a grandfather figure in my life, or even a father figure although i have my loving stepdad who i am close to but he lives in a different state. So my 5th granddad is a lovely neighbour who has many grandfatherly traits. He adores my munchkins, and indulges us with his passion for cooking. He's always around when help or advice is needed. He's full of knowledge and has the kindest heart. I couldn't ask for a better stand in granddad :)
Until next time
~x~
We have a flag pole in the middle of our front yard. At 1st i wanted it gone because it's in an awkward spot but after discovering it was concreted in the ground, apart from angle grinding it off at the bottom but still having the concrete there the only other option was to put up with it. I'm glad it stayed as it's become a talking point with the neighbours and passer by's after i thought long and hard what to do with it.
There are many occassions we have reason to celebrate so what better thing to do than hoist a flag for each occassion.
Australia day saw the Australian flag flying proudly. 
St Patricks day, a leprechaun drinking guiness flew high. 
Easter bunny made an appearence for a week.
Do you know how hard it is to take a photo of a flag blowing in the wind? lol
I have a happy birthday flag which will be hoisted for each of my children's birthdays during the year.
I'm yet to get a few more different ones, Christmas, New Year, Geelong Cats for when they win the AFL premiership this year ;) Ford racing for when they win their races too! I'll have to put my thinking cap on for other occassions.
Until next time
~x~
Easter has been on it's way since Christmas ended! I've not fallen into the trap of buying hot cross buns before the actual event, nor chocolate eggs. This is probably because my little family doesn't celebrate Easter like others do. My children don't believe in the magic of the Easter Bunny. The tooth fairy is more of a novelty and i'm happy with that. Also, being pagan means we do our celebrating in the springtime.
The magic was certainly there when i was younger. My granddad and i made easter baskets at his place of work and they were always miraculously filled with eggs on Easter Sunday. My mum always left a candy egg (my favourite for the past 30 years) in all sorts of places for me on the day. We never actually celebrated the day like we do Christmas or birthdays. I guess not following any religion meant we didn't do all sorts of things others may have over the easter period but getting a basketful of chocolate from a never to be seen being made it all fun :)
In saying that though, my little family still do the chocolate egg giving during April. I don't think chocolate of any form would stay put in the cupboard for 5 months waiting for spring to come lol. My children recieve an egg of their choice, most years it's the humpty dumpty egg, aswell as a pair of winter pj's. We also do a little decorating as any reason to do a little creating is right up our ally ;) It’s nice to brighten up the home for different reasons and gives the visitors something new to look at. So yesterday I donned my easter bonnet lol and arranged some easter novelties in a corner of our home. Simple, minimal but bright.
Until next time
Happy Easter, however you and your family celebrate it :)
~x~
We now have solar hot water. The man of the house installed it last weekend and after a few hiccups it's working well.
It's not on the roof of the church. The pitch is a little too steep so it's on the ground tucked away in a corner where the sun hits it mid morning to late arvo.
It's the 1st time in 11 years i've had hot water over the kitchen sink :) No more boiling the kettle or bucketing it from the bathroom.
Will be interesting to see how hot the water gets during the winter months. At the moment it's boiling hot but i suspect come winter we won't need to turn the cold tap on.
Until next time
~x~
Not part of my Australian spotty pottery but spotty and bright all the same :)
My mum gave me this gorgeous teapot, 4 tea cups and saucers and a large jug and bowl for a combined birthday/christmas gift. It's by Maxwell Williams and if i ever get to a store that stocks it, i'll add to it.
Now i just need someone to visit and have a cup of tea with me ;)
Until next time
~x~
Not sure why I’m writing this. I just need to write. We’ll see where it leads shall we :)
My mum and the man that helped conceive me, married when mum was pregnant with me. They divorced not long after. It could have been a year later, perhaps a bit earlier, I’m not sure and I haven’t asked but I do know I was 3 years old when mum married the guy I have called my darling dad for just about forever :)
I didn’t have a great deal of contact with my Father in my younger years, to be honest I can only recall one encounter when I was young, it may have been just after my 10th birthday. The 2nd visit was when I was 18. I do know there was an altercation when I was very young but all came good thanks to some great family :)
I did however have loads of contact with my Aunt T, Uncle D and Grandmother, and I am forever grateful for knowing them and knowing they still accepted my mum and me aswell as my stepdad and my siblings as part of their family. The most special part of being a part of their family is I was born on my Nanna’s birthday :)
My Aunt T and Uncle D made many trips to my hometown to visit us, 2000kms south of their hometown. When I turned 10 my Nanna, aunt, 2 uncles and their partners came to celebrate. When I was 16 and having a party to celebrate my soon to be travels to Germany, Nanna and Aunt T made an appearance. When B3 was born, Uncle D stayed with me for a week. There were many other visits in the space of 25 years but the above were the most memorable. One other memborable visit was from Uncle D. I was younger than 10, still playing with dolls lol and he brought me a baby doll that had a heartbeat. I cherished that doll and still have him, and his heart still beats!
When Uncle D moved overseas we kept in contact via phone. I always wrote handwritten letters to Nanna. One time I sent her a tape recording of me rambling on about my day. I had fun making that :)
As I got older my letters stopped. I sent birthday cards to Nanna, mostly on a regular basis. It wasn’t a birthday I could forget. Life got busy. It’s easy to blame life but it certainly doesn’t sit well. I’ve never been able to travel north to visit them. It’s too far and the finances haven’t been there. I then had my own family and there was absolutely no time or money to make the trip. We were headed there once a couple of years ago but didn’t make it :(
I’ve never once not thought about them all. They were always good to my mum, family and me. Aswell as my own children who Aunt T and Nanna have never met. Not keeping in constant contact as I got older, is I guess, my fault. Perhaps it was my mum who was always on my back to write to Nanna but looking back, I don’t think so. I quite enjoyed writing and telling her about the happenings in my life. I didn’t receive long letters back from Nanna, but a few quick words in a card always came back with love.
Late last year I was blessed to have made contact with my 16 year old stepsister, my father’s daughter, through facebook of all places lol. I’d always known about her. I’d met her on that 2nd visit, she was aged 2. We are slowly getting to know each other. It’s strange knowing I lived 35 minutes away from her 2 years ago. I always thought I saw my Father at the local farmers market one Saturday in their home town but I had no desire to go up to him and make conversation. Perhaps if I did, Em and I would have known each other longer than the 6 months we do now. Anyways it’s no use what if’ing, everything happens for a reason. I do have a stepbrother, Em’s brother. He’s the same age as my B3. I’ve also been told my father had a child to another woman before he met my mum....
Like I said at the beginning of this post, I don’t know where I’m going with this but I now feel I’m done. It seems I’ve started and ended with no rhyme or reason but I just had an urge to write and now feel better for it.
Normal blogging will resume soon :)
Until next time
~x~
Say hello to our loveable,grunting Pigsy :) Before i go on, she is a pet only, not for fattening up ;) We may breed her but for the moment she is digging around my vegie paddock cleaning the weeds out and turning the soil over.
We welcomed Pigsy into our paddock on New Years Eve. She travelled 300km from her old home to us on a hot dusty day but she travelled well and was extremely happy when she found a muddy wallowing hole to squirm around in.
Pigsy is now 1 year old and HUGE. If she had her way she would eat all day. A normal meal for her consists of apples, potatoes, green leaves and barley. Every so often when i can get to the bakery she gets old cakes and slices and once a fortnight she gets a big box of vegie scraps from the local greengrocer. She won't eat mushrooms or capsicum and isn't fussed on carrots. Fussy pig lol. I'm trying to grow vegies for her to make life easier for all. There will be a nice crop of corn in the next month or two. Hopefully the pumpkins produce more then we can eat and i've a few plots of potatoes growing strong. We were lucky to get a freezer full of apples from trees off the side of the roads and the neighbours are always throwing her their scraps. She can't complain when it comes to variety.
I'm not sure what breed she is. She's red/brown in colour and has very coarse hair. You know when she's happy because her tail is cute and curly. When she's sad or not well the tail is straight. We had a slight illness scare where she dropped a lot of weight in a 48 hour period but a dose of penicilian perked her up and she's been great ever since.
Until next time
~x~
Happening soon ;)
The man of the house had this past week off paid work lol not from around the house work though ;) His 1st mission was to complete the swimming pool. We've built it from recyclable materials. I think we only had to purchase some of the steel posts but the rest came from scrap bins and what we already had laying around the place.
It has a deep end (took some effort to dig out!) and a shallow end and is long enough to swim a lap or two.
It's not quite finished. Work still be be done is some timber decking around the top so you can sit and dangle your feet in the cool water, some plants around the base to make it look inviting, a screen along the back and side fence to screen out the neighbours and a proper fence to enclose it all and make it council approved. And at B3's request, a lot of pool toys!
I can just see the kids having a blast with their friends over the summer holidays :)
Until next time
~x~
