Tom Roberts shearing sheds … who needs the Royal Easter Show?

I watched shearing today. Not at the Royal Easter Show – real shearing. In a shearing shed. In the country.

Six sweaty blokes doing bloke work.

I’ve never seen shearers at work before, and there were a few surprises.

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Is this an official drought?

We’re back on the farm. Last week when Doc rang the farm manager about coming down, he said they were feeding sheep – they were in drought.

I was gobsmacked (I love that word). I didn’t think there was any part of NSW that wasn’t now flooded, and in Wollongong I almost can’t remember the last hot, dry day. We might have had the hottest January on record, but I’ll bet we also had the wettest February.

So here are the photos, you judge for yourself whether you think there might be a drought.

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The pick of the pics

A picture tells a thousand words, so here’s the story of our Christmas at the farm – from arriving in the golden glow of sunset, Christmas lights and Christmas beetles, millions of grasshoppers, Doc building his country shed, and all the rest

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Help me make our part-time farm life more sustainable

Now that we’re home, and getting over the “post holiday blues”, how did we go in terms of sustainability on the farm.

First of all we used lots of water, about 600 litres, or 60 litres per day. This is way above what we would normally use, but Doc was concreting and I cleaned the walls in the kitchen and bathroom, which took up a lot we wouldn’t otherwise use.

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And it’s time to go home

I woke up this morning, as I do most mornings out here, to the sound of birds greeting the day. Some mornings we sleep in so late the birds have already done their salute to the sun and are starting to look for some cool shade!

But today we’re due to go home, and I’m trying to milk as much out of the day as I can before we head out. Sitting on the veranda with my morning coffee, there’s a flock of small birds flitting in and out of the blackberry bush by the small dam, as they do every day – morning and evening. It’s their playground and they always look like they’re having the time of their life – chirping away to each other, swooping and diving in and out of the blackberry bush like a game of chasing.  Then they come to rest along the branches of the dead tree, B – A – R.

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We’re going on a pig hunt …. I’m not scared (not with my pink gumboots on)

WARNING: THIS BLOG IS ABOUT SHOOTING FERAL ANIMALS. IF YOU DON’T LIKE SHOOTING PLEASE DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER

Last night was one of those magic nights. Cool after the heat of the day, with stars blazing in the clear sky.  After dinner, we sat outside in the dark for a while, snuggled up watching for shooting stars.

“I don’t think we’ll go out tonight” said Doc “Let’s just go to bed.”

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Starry, starry sky

A week ago there was a full moon, then last night there was none. The absence of moonlight means that out here a million stars blaze in the sky. These deserve full size photos, I hope the low resolution is good enough to show the sky in its full glory.

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Relaxing with a good book … while somebody else does all the work

Thank you for all the emails, it was great to get such a response.

Yes, I do know how lucky I am to have Doc. Though his exes might disagree. We “deserve each other” is the phrase I heard on a number of occasions – and I don’t think they meant because we are both so wonderful!

And for those of you who wish your partners/boyfriends/husbands were more like him – be careful what you wish for.

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Life on the farm

Life’s pretty simple out here on the farm, away from all the ‘mod cons’ of the city. With all the wide open spaces, clear star-filled skies and boundless plains to share, what more could we want?

Well, some of life’s basic necessities I suppose – like water.

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Watching the sunrise

I’m sitting here with a cup of coffee watching the sunrise.

One set of Christmas lights are still flashing, though very languidly. Like me, they’re waiting for the sun to recharge their battery, to make them bright again.

It’s peaceful rather than quiet. Despite – or perhaps because of – the lack of city noises, it never really gets quiet in the country. Right now, there are birds singing, and the wind is rustling through the trees.

And it’s cold.

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