In the Southern Hemisphere.
The days are getting longer and warmer, the plants are awakening, blossoms are forming on the fruit trees, babies are being born, both human and animal. It's such a cheerful season to experience.
We planted a pear tree and a plum tree to mark the occassion. The plum already has blossoms!

The weather this past week has been a mix of blue skies, sunshine, rain and winds but it's all good. A few days of rain follwed by sun makes the garden look healthy and happy.

We are looking forwards to celebrating the Spring Equinox later in the month. Hopefully we can light a bonfire on the day and go about our doings in the sun. I find bonfires sooth the soul and clear the mind. Toasting of marshmallows is always good too hehe.

I should remove myself from the computer and enjoy the sun while it's out.

Until next time
-x-

I've been living on this property for 8 years. We have alot of wildlife around the area, Kangaroo's, Wombats, Lizards, Snakes, Deer, Brolgas, many spieces of birds, the list probably goes on, but not once, on the property, have i seen a Koala. Well, that's all changed! Down near the river while we were wandering around, a Koala scammpered across the ground and shot up the tree. Yes the tree was on our side of the fence line ... just ... hehe. The kids were super excited as was i! I attempted to take photos but not having my dream SLR camera (one day i will) i wasn't able to zoom in close enough. He chose the tallest of trees and was balancing on the thinnest of branches. It amazes me he didn't fall out!
So that's one more thing i can cross off the list for living here. I keep adding to the list so it will never end hehe.

Until next time
Keep your eyes wide open
-x-

Gosh! I've been slack at updating here :( My mind is all over the place of late. Thankfully i write snippets of what's been happening in a hard version daily diary. Nothing indepth though so i'd have to think extra long and hard of what exactly happened in the last few days. So here is Wednesday's, Thurday's and Friday's blog rolled into one.

It was book week on Wednesday. The theme was Safari. DD9 went along as a leopard and a cute one at that hehe. I attempted face painting and was proud of my efforts as was DD9. DD8 was a hunter. Fitted out in khaki clothing, a safari hat and magnifying glass she really looked the part when i did a photo shoot of the girls in the surrounding pine forests near home. Gotta love the backdrops nature has to offer when it comes to interesting photos :)

DH had a job interview on the 27th for a farm hand. Sounds dreamy hehe. Technical stuff aside, it comes with a home and room for chooks and a pony. A small town, much much smaller then where we are now. The school has around 100 students and that's from prep to 3rd year of high school! I studied up on the town and surrounding area lol. I possibly jinxed the whole interview! It would just be perfect and DH is truely interested in the position available. Well, unfortunately we weren't successful :( Looks like we are staying home for awhile longer. It's disappointing. I guess .... no .... i know, i had my heart invested in it way too much, it's a me thing and i will never learn *rolls eyes* Oh well, onwards to the next job, if we can find one lol

Firday saw the school choir competing in the local eistedford. DD9 has participated in the choir for the past 2 years and enjoys it. This year there were 4 choirs in the under 14's section. Each group sang 3 songs and i admit all groups presented their songs wonderfully although our group (CPS choir) was the most entertaining (biased much? hehe) We didn't win the top prize but came equal 2nd and the kids were over the moon with that :) considering they have only come together and been practising for the past 7 weeks! Much applause goes to their choir master who has worked hard with the group.

I think that's it.

Until next time
-x-

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-