New Years Eve

Geoff and l aren't hitting the party scene tonight! Far from it! l think we will both be in the Land of Nod way before midnight strikes!
Cool, grey and overcast here. l am feeling sorry for the residents of Perth at the moment. Temperatures reaching a consistent 40 degrees plus for a week! Ughhh!!! Here we are still enjoying hot pot meals ,candles and toasty bread!

We have had a few nights where we have sat outside but until our veranda goes up our places are limited. The spot where we took the old shed down is just beautiful in the evenings before the sun disappears behind the trees, but it was decidedly grotty as the shed sat on what seemed to be the original wood and rubbish heap!

 So along came another truck load of gravel!!!!

Only temporary as this is the site (one day) of our new bathroom extension...

But it's a lovely place to sit and enjoy the late evening sun for now!

A very happy New Year to everyone and we will see you in the next one!

Long Time!!

Been a long time since my last entry! The end of another year almost. Life has been chaotic and busy as the Season of Insanity, Goodwill and Too Much Food descended upon us! Throw in a visit from my brother and his lovely family from Sydney into the mix and life became very full on!

Only a few more days of 2012 and we head into the next one. l wonder what it will bring?

Here are some stunning photos my brother took of his visit here.

His beautiful daughter India riding Clips. So brave and so so thrilled. l can see this big fellow giving a lifetime of joy and pony rides to many many children!

 Their other daughter Meadow. A little hippy wild child if ever there was one!

Hanging out in the Ute....

 Friends

 Toasting marshmallows on the campfire... a picture of pure happiness..

And my oh so handsome beautiful husband. l love you Geoff and l look forward to sharing the next year with you my darling man. x

Fruit and babies

Four more little babies arrived a few days ago. First time Mum and one hatched here on the farm. She's a lovely gentle hen and very calm and placid considering these are her first batch of babies!!

And  on the subject of firsts.....Geoff's crop of raspberries and strawberries, with a few cherries thrown in! Not many as the canes haven't established yet but it's a start!

Talking of abundant fruit...... Anyone want a few ton of Walnuts?? The tree this year is absolutely laden and groaning under the weight of the nuts! After  heavy rain like we have had these past few days the branches are not far from touching the ground! Last year we had a very severe late frost so we didn't really have many ..........this year we have thousands!!

And two sad little fellows who had tails and 'other bits' elastrated today. (not sure if that's actually a  real word there!!!) So no twilight frolicking  for them this evening,they just sat....side by side. Tomorrow they should be fine though.Poor little things....

Spanish Delights....

You know when you sometimes see something and you just HAVE TO HAVE IT?? Happened to me yesterday. Saw these. (in the Op Shop)....ghastly.......garish.........tacky.....indescribably gaudy......quite hideous and absolute conversation stoppers......... (proven when l placed them on the lunch room table at work) l just HAD to have them................................

Wine decanters............... real leather , stitched..................cork attached to tacky gold chain..Aren't they just great???They are Spanish, going by the writing on the bottom of the bottle.

l did try very hard to try to photograph them in a way to stop them looking awful but  l was totally unsuccessful. l love them.......Watch out.......you ever visit us here at Candlestick Farm  and your wine is going to be poured out of one of these!!!

Aside from that (Geoff is still recovering) l spent a very enjoyable day today in the garden. Mowing ,weeding, pruning and generally enjoying the sunshine.

Geoff came home (avoided the wine decanters) and we had a lovely BBQ at the tail end of the day and ate a meal fit for a king as the sun slowly disappeared behind the trees.

 Cask wine and rain water tanks......... how very Australian!!

Water Lines

Today was a stinker!!! Hot windy and humid! But in typical Tassie fashion, by 7.30pm we were both cold and soaking wet when the cool change came in, gave us 5 ml of rain,  cold lashing winds and the opportunity to snuggle up in bed and watch a DVD as opposed to the bbq we had planned due to the hot weather!!

During the day when l was at work, Geoff slaved away in the high 30's and laid out 100 m of water pipe so we now have water points near the horses yards and in the garden. No more lugging wheelbarrows and buckets of water Hooray!!!

He also rolled a tank we had spare up to the top four paddocks so now we can feed the water troughs off that as opposed to going down to the river and turning on the pump that sits in there everytime we need to fill them up. Lots of jobs to make our lives easier! Well done Geoff!!!

Whose Shed?

The shed l built for the geese and ducks appears to have been taken over by Elle and Louise! These two older ladies are living in the orchard at the moment to keep the grass at bay to save me mowing. The inclement weather had them running for cover. One each did them very nicely thank you!!! By the amount of poo in the hay l would say they have been in there  for quite a while these the last two days!! Who says sheep are tough??

And a sad victim of the gale force winds we have been having. The little fruit tree outside their shed!  A few straggly branches still attached but l think this Autumn we will have to cut it right back to a stump and hopefully it will re shoot next Spring.

Typical Tassie!

Last Saturday we sweltered in the 30's. Today we shivered in sub zero temperatures!!!! Never put your winter woollies away in THIS State! The fires lit and the electric blankets are on!!!
This is a screen print off my sister iphone  yesterday  afternoon for the Valley

And this was for the top of Mount Wellington that overlooks Hobart..

What Hemisphere are we in???

A big Week

A big busy week here on Candlestick Farm. We have had fun times with the kids. And a very big moment here for our little niece Tabitha who rode Clips for the very first time.. He was as good as gold and Tabs was quite rightfully very proud of herself!

We had some glorious weather rivalling that of any other State in Australia l am sure!

A $2 bargain from the local Tip Shop!!! Thank you Carrie! We could do with  a few candlesticks around here!

We had a campfire with marshmallows for the kids

But on a more serious note the glorious weather brought several potentially serious bush fires very close to home. A wake up call for everyone as Summer approaches.

Homes weren't lost, but several shack /shanty communities out there were. Not permanent homes as WE see it but people lost all they had including possessions and cars.

We had a few surprises too! One morning we came across this little black addition to the family! Another boy though unfortunately! Nigella (Mum) is a  little bit of a nervous first time Mother so this was as close as l could get to her!

And not 24 hours later we had another one! A boy as well. This one is a teeny tiny little thing with big knobbly knees. Very sweet.

And sadly as new lives enter our world ,old ones pass away.One of Mum and Dad's dogs was Archie was put down this morning. 14 years old and a well travelled little dog who started his life in England and is now peacefully buried in the orchard at their home.

 

RIP Archie

Visiting Sis!

Lazy tonight. Stealing some amazing photos that my sister who is visiting from Victoria took. Always a different interesting perspective on things

Roses from Mum's garden (hope you don't mind Ma but you were away..........................!!!!!)

 Foxgloves. Pure Spring.

 Lilli looking very chilled!

 Tabitha just loved the big boy!!!

Fearless considering she has never done anything like this before! AND she rode him bareback!

The Library

Candlesticks.............

 Wondered where that earring was!!!

Our sad little broken mice............

Errrrrmmmmmmmmmm and a few Princess Lillies too Ma ...only a few......l promise.......you had heaps....and you were away........

 Love my red fireplace wall..... And my tip shop candlesticks!

 Great photos Carrie .Thanks xx