I've been lucky to experience snow falls, built snowmen, attempted cross country skiing, tobboganed, had snowball fights, spent a Christmas and New Year in the snowy Alps of Austria, but never has it snowed in any of my home towns.
Yes it does snow in Australia, in a few places. The state i live in has several mountain ranges where each winter, tourists and locals alike, spend many weeks revelling in what mother nature has to offer.

I always check the WeatherZone website in the mornings to see what the day may bring. Never in the 8 years of living in this area has the weather report said it will snow! Well, this morning, the forcast was for winds and snow! Unbelievebale! I had to print the page just so people would believe me lol. Of course it hasn't yet snowed and i certainly didn't get my hopes up. One day, just maybe, we will be lucky enough to experience the snow on our door step.

Until next time
keep dreaming
-x-

Woohoo, i had a visitor today! LOL, i don't get many people visiting out this way. I do get excited and try to keep them here as long as possible, not in a wierd kind of way, i just keep offering cups of tea and yummy homebaked goodies.

Anyways, today's visitor was a LandCare Co-ordinator. I know what/who landcare is but didn't realize the area i live in actually has a co-ordinator for the organisation. Was a very informative meet and greet and i will be attending follow up meetings when they happen.

Today's talk was about weeds, the river system and revegetation.

We have 2 main noxious weeds here at home, Salvation Jane (otherwise known as Pattersons Curse) and African Feather Grass. Both are pains in the backside to eradicate. Salvation Jane in my eyes is posinous to the stock so overgrazing is out of the question. For the past 10 years we have been attacking it with round-up or digging it out of the ground and letting the sun kill the root taps.
The feather grass we've found, really only dies if we put a match to it. There is a posion to be used but it either costs a fortune or we need a permit to use it. I'[d like to say we are getting ontop of both weeds but i don't think it's happening just yet!

When it comes to revegetating we are fairly clued in on what to do. It's not that hard. You plant trees and bushes to replace what has been cut down or fallen down. It also provides the local wildlife with food and shelter. Very rarely have we had to cut a tree down. Yes, the odd tree has been a danger to the house, sheds, fenceline or roads. If we need firewood we cut up what the winds have blown over or dead trees that have fallen on their own. For the past 7 years we have planted atleast 1000 Gum Trees around the property along with the odd native bush. A big plus next to our names on the LandCare list hehe

One thing the lovely co-ordinator informed me of is we can get a discount on any posions we use for the control of weeds, and a rebate on revegetation. I believe this is something you should be told when purchasing a rural property. DH has owned this piece of land for over 20 years and did not know anything about the above mentioned. More so, the landcare group has been in the area for many years and who knew?!?! Not us, nor the neighbours!

I am looking forward to getting together with others in a casual meeting and discussing alot more environmental issues.

Until next time
try being a greenie lol
-x-

I won't be boring you all with the daily ups and downs of my weight issues. I just need to get it out there that it is a part of me and i'm hoping by annoucing it very publicly i have kickstarted my way to a thinner me :) I will post a litle progress report this time each week though.

Hello

I am a 30 year old overwieght mum.

I have never been a fan of formal exercise and strict calorie counting. Over the last 10 years i have attempted to do both and on the odd occasions i have lost 5 - 10kgs but then it becomes tedious and i get the grumps, although i can feel the benefits of being 5 - 10kgs lighter.

The past 3 months i thought i could ignore my weight and just get on with life hopefully without more weight creeping on. Oh how wrong was i! It's not like i was binging on junky foods and sitting on my butt doing absoloutely nothing, but i certainly wasn't doing alot to help myself.

As of today i am twice the size i was 15 years ago. Ideally i would like to be back at that weight but for now my goal is halfway.

Writing this intro is the 1st of many steps for me to becoming a healthy young mum.

I don't want to do meal replacements, they just don't appeal to me. I also don't want to calorie count as strict as i was. I don't have an exact plan of attack to help shed the kgs yet. I will be using the treadmill every day and i have the wii fit and my fitness coach which i do enjoy using.

I'm a sahm so i really have no excuse to not use these forms of exercise.

Here's to a better me, for my children and hubby, but mostly because it's what i want :)

Until next time

smile brightly

-x-

Been and gone and not alot of productivity :( General farm maintenance occured while we had the chance but between wet and windy weather not alot happened and motivation wasn't high on the list. A slight attempt at gardening that proved futile. Although, the nectarine and quince trees are in blossom.

We went visiting on Saturday night for birthday celebrations for DNiece and DD who both have the same birth date. Was good to get out again and have a few laughs. I might not say alot when i'm in the company of the outlaws but i certainly take in a lot. I can listen to 3 conversations at the one time and gain insightful information hehe.

DH has left for work for the week. 2nd week of continuing work, here's hoping it will continue. We are still looking further afield for employment oppertunities with DH applying for 2 positions in the past week. My gypsying days are one step closer to reality lol.

Until next time

-x-

Great starter topic don't you think hehe.

Seriously though, it's what is on my my mind right now. The rain is pelting down, the wind is gusting along at 85kms, 15 seconds of hail every now and then and when all that is over the sun peeks around the storm clouds and reassures us it's going to be a nice day, then the cycle starts again moments later.

Why can't it rain during the night when we aren't wanting to get outside to play or garden? It's soothing listening to the rain on the tin roof. Windy nights are frightening though. You can't see what is blowing around or how hard it's blowing, you gauge it by the noise. During the day you can watch the trees bend down for their tops to meet their roots!

Living on top of a cliff doesn't help with the stormy weather lol. Many times it's rained and gusted up here, i venture down into the gully and it's mild and less wet.

I worry about the animals. How do they feel standing out in the storm soaked to the bone, nowhere to dry off, no patch of dry ground to sit down and rest. There's plenty of trees to shelter under but i doubt they completely save any animal from the wet. I can't quite see a herd of cows, half a dozen horses, goats and a dog sitting inside my home (the dog and 1 goat are hovering in the cubby house as i write hehe) near the fire lol so i'll have to be content in thinking they are alright out there.

Spring is a less then 2 weeks in coming. Already the pollen from the pine trees is drifting. Each morning a thick layer or yellow, lines the puddles and coats the car. I am one of the lucky ones that does not get hayfever!

Summer is roughly 65 days away. One weather pattern i don't want to think about in a hurry! Give me Autumn and Spring all year round and i could be quite content :)

Until next time

Enjoy what Mother Natures blows your way

-x-

8 years ago my 2nd DD made her entrance into this wonderful and sometimes worriesome world.

A beautiful ( i may be biased lol ) baby, i have watched over her in amazement as she has danced and sometimes wobbled her way forwards through life. You'd think being my 2nd child i wouldn't be as amazed with each tiny milestone. She is nothing like my 1st born and i wouldn't expect her to be. Each child has their own personality and will do and say things in their own way.

We had a small family gathering to help celebrate another year of her life. She wasn't overly spoilt with presents. Most gifts she got she will get years of learning and experience from. She only asked for one particular present and she recieved it with the hugest smile and hasn't stopped playing with it lol.

The birthday cake was a hit! Literally in one respect haha. I don't have the use of an oven at present so i had to come up with a non bake alternative for the special cake. I asked around and one suggestion was a chocolate crackle pinata. I went with this. Relatively easy to create, filled with sweet treats, decorated to look like a mountain with flowers growing all over it.

We sung 'Happy Birthday' in a rather non harmony style that made Miss 8 giggle and cover her ears until we were done lol. She then had to break into the 'cake' with a hammer! I didn't think it would be too hard so offered a lightweight toffee hammer. Didn't succeed! Out with the big guns then, a couple of tentative hits then an almighty whack and 'cake' was everywhere aswell as sweets. Lots of fun and laughter to be had by all.

Another year gone so quick, plenty of happy memories to look back on and many, many more to look forward to.

Until next time

-x-

Why is it, those who live a healthy, happy lifestyle get thrown one of the worst curve balls in life?!?!

Yep, a family member of mine has been diagnosed with a lifethreatening illness. Still in the the process of testing but will be starting treatment in a few days. Prognosis isn't sounding good but you never know!

I know i shouldn't dwell on it and just sit and hope for the best but basically it's immediate family. If it was a relative twice removed, it wouldn't affect me quite as much, but when it's hurting someone who is very dear to me and i love unconditionally then i can't help but ask how, why and if and rant and scream to nobody inparticular!

So now i am more determined to compile the family tree. I've got snippets of info and am somewhat in contact with someone who's own family tree is connected to mine. It's going to be a long but interesting journey. I wonder how many skeletons are in the closet so to speak hehe.

Until next time
make the most of life now
-x-

I don't like the minimalist look of a home. To me, a home should look like it's lived in, not a sterile doctors surgery! The home is the heart of the family. Somewhere to kick back and relax and enjoy what you have. If the kids want to drag half their bedroom out to the living room then so be it.

I have always lived in homely homes. The family home is full of nooks and crannies filled with items from long ago aswell as the present. You can stand in a particular spot and be transported to another era. Sometimes i think of it as a museum. It's great for the younger generation as there is lots to learn.

The home i share with DH and the children isn't quite like the family home although i am trying. At present it's full of clutter, more then there should be.

I've taken the 1st steps to decluttering my home. One room at a time and at the same time i am making a little extra cash. Online auction sites are my main focus for getting rid of the unwanted/not needed items. So far i have 14 items gone and a nice $ figure to show for it.

I am on the hunt for more unwanted items. I have the children clearing out their rooms and any profits will go straight to them. A good incentive to clean their rooms lol

Until next time
may your home feel lived in
-x-

The weekend brought with it the sun and blue skies. Was lovely to be out pottering around pulling weeds and planting seedings.

DH decided to get creative and made a garden feature out of left over building stones. Looks more like a water fountain hehe. It's 4 tiered with the east and west points a fitting memorial of concrete statues in the form of sleeping angels to DH's father and niece who have both passed on. I want to have something similar on the north and south points that hold special memories of both my grandfathers, not sure what yet but when the time is right something will jump out at me.
I am looking forward to planting the feature up with both edible and non edible plants with lots of colour! I'm trying to convince DH to build another feature hehe.

We also drenched cows and de-nutted some bully calves. A waste of a perfect morning in my opinion but something that needed to be done.
We only have a small heard but it's growing each week with 6 calves born in the past few weeks and more to come. The ratio of female to male is 3:3 at present. Males were dominating though.
I think it's cruel for the cows to be bringing calves into a cold, wet world. I know we as their owners are partly to blame. We should have calculated the birthing month better but this time around we had no control what with the bull jumping fences left, right and centre to have a bit of fun!

Now the weekend is coming to an end. Wondering what the week ahead could bring.

Until next time
smile brightly
-x-

I was let out of the house today lol. Being so far from town and the rising costs of fuel, i don't get out and about too often. I do 100kms a week just to and from the bus stop!

So today i travelled across the border into the next State. I don't head into town without a plan of attack. I have limited time as the clock goes back half an hour when i cross the border meaning i have to wait that half hour before any shops open and i need to be back home in time to get DD's from the school bus.

My plan for the day was to do a little grocery shopping and then chill with my folks, nothing major.

I missed seeing my younger sister as she left for school before i arrived at the family home. Normally i'd get to chat with her for 5 minutes but either she was early or i was late. I was a little disappointed, i don't see her often and i miss her like crazy but don't tell her that lol.

I briefly chatted with my younger brother before he was whisked off to school. I miss him too and wish i could be there for him alot more. He causes me grief lol but he's loveable!

My mum and i did the grocery shopping as early as possible then we headed back to the family home for coffee, chatting and laughter. My dad was home for the day so he amused my DS4 who was in his element having Poppy all to himself.

Although i didn't 'do' anything as such, just being in the family home with my folks made me feel at peace for the day. I always had this notion when you went visiting, no matter who it was, you would talk, talk, talk and drink loads of coffee or head out to a cafe or shopping and do the same thing. I've come to learn to appreciate to quiet times in life and spending that time with the family makes it more appealing.

I haven't always had such a perfect relationship with my mum. I moved out of home at 17 under regretful circumstances but it has made our mother/daughter bond stronger. I couldn't handle physically spending more then 2 days straight with my mum lol, we clash too much but i enjoy chatting to her every day if not twice a day. I can see my eldest daughter growing up to have the same relationship with me. She is so much like me and i would love to have the patience and loving warmth with her as she grows older as my mum has with me.

Until next time

Keep your family close to your heart

-x-

I'm a little more knowledgeable today!
I was reading through a forum thread earlier, talking about wee wipes. A stop to using toilet paper. Fair enough, not only does it save on the cost of loo paper, it helps the environment. A few less trees will be cut down if you use cloths! Yes that's right, cloth wipes. No different from what most mums use when changing baby's nappy - a 'face' washer - then throw it in with the normal washing, hang out to dry and start over again. Of course you'd have a nice stock pile, not just the one!

During the discussion i was enlightened as to what a Merkin was. No, not the designer brand of handbag! I must have been under a boulder the day these merkins became fashionable. I pride myself in knowing the unknown before it becomes a trend but these i'd never heard of before. Of course, i had to google it, google is this housewife's best friend! Oh i had to chuckle! What will they think of next! A toupee for the pubic region!

Laughter aside, there are some perfectly good reasons why a person of either gender would wear a merkin. They protect actors inadvertently performing full-frontal nudity. Combat pubic lice. Back in the old days male actors could wear them to hide they were male!
Now days you can get these in all sort of designs. Bejewelled, hot pink, full of flowers, pirate patched lol.

So, that was the exciting part of my day. The remainder consisted of general housework, toilet training the young Master of the home and surfing the net. Oh i did plant up some vegie seeds in seedraising mix. I'll keep them inside for a few weeks at night, letting them have their daily dose of Vitamin D during the day and hopefully they'll be up and ready to plant out in the beds by the time the last frosts have been at the begining of Spring.

Until next time
may the sun smile down on you
-x-

A muddled day today! Totally forgot it was Imbolc! We were celebrating Tree Day, planting out some blue gum trees DH had grown from seed when DD9 asked if we were celebrating anything on the Wiccan Calander this month. The penny then dropped lol

For those who don't know, Imbolc is midway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Kind of a lets prepare ourselves before Spring is upon us.

We washed down the garden tools and blessed each one for a plentiful season. We planted potatoes and scattered flower seeds around the garden. Hopefully we will start to see some growth in the next 4 weeks :)

We baked muffins and picniked amongst the vegie plots who are waiting patiently for the weather to get warmer so they can be planted up, while warming ourselves near the bonfire.

Apart from that, an uneventful weekend this one. Looking forward to what the week shall bring.

Until next time
-x-

I 'm in a rut! The past 6 months or so i've felt like uprooting the family and moving further north or interstate or just travelling around the country for 6 - 12 months. Dropping everything and starting afresh.

I've been checking the job boards for farm jobs for DH but nothing seems appropriate yet. Maybe it's part of my procrastinating lol.

I'm willing to homeschool the children if we can't find a permanent farm posistion. DD7 would be in her element travelling around the country side and learning hands on. DD9 is like me when i was younger, doesn't appeal to change and loves her school and friends too much to leave (but oh how that has changed with me!). DS4 loves being with his daddy and will follow wherever we go lol.

I was chatting with DH today and he feels somewhat the same. Problem is we are both hesitant to do it.

Would it be possible to up and leave everything and live a somewhat gypsy life? I put the question out there to 'friends' on a forum and they answered quite positively. Do it do it do it! Your kids will benefit and learn lots! You'll never never know... if you never never go! Don't let fear stop you, if you feel in your heart it is right, go and enjoy!

My problem is i want to do it now! I don't want to have to plan it, it supposed to be spontaneous. Unfortunately i have to have my head screwed on tight for this major unbalance i want to bring upon my family. So much to think about, tying up of loose ends and asking favours of people. Oh what i'd give to be footloose and fancy free.... on sencond thoughts, i wouldn't give up what i have for anything! If we are to take this adventure we will do it together!

Until next time
Smile brightly
-x-