Goodbye Winter 2015!

Last day of Winter today! Tomorrow will be warm fresh, beautiful and sunny!!!! (l can dream!!)
Geoff heard on the radio this afternoon that we have just had our coldest Winter for 50 years and the 6th coldest on record. So we have been right to complain!! It WAS cold!
We have had the Wettiest

The Snowiest

The Frostiest

And most stunningly beautifuliest Winter since we both have lived here in this State. 

We consider ourselves lucky!!!.....But we ARE still looking forward to Spring!

 

 

Tip Shop Treasure

On Saturday l found this gorgeous little box at our local Tip Shop. l really have no idea what it is!

It was all green, rusty and tarnished but it scrubbed up a treat with a bit of elbow grease.

It's not real silver of course. It's the electro plated stuff but it is beautifully ornate and l haven't seen anything like it before.

Any ideas??

It has lovely engraving.................

Cute little legs!

A gorgeous handle!

And its maker's stamp engraved on the bottom. A company from Birmingham, England. PH Vogel and Co......Google....l love you!!! What is quite interesting is the hand engraved number 5385 scrawled above the makers I.D. What is that?? An inventory number?? No idea and l shall try to find out! Don't you just love all the questions old items like this conjure up?

So what to use it for?? My mobile phone perhaps?? It's a perfect fit!

l asked the cat but she wasn't talking!!!

The Raging River

Well we woke this morning to a very wet Saturday. NOTHING compared to poor old Queensland where some regions  have recently copped up to 360mm of rain. But wet for here...............soggy......mushy...muddy......
Saturday is Geoff's 'lie in'  day. l do all the animals so he gets to veg in bed for as long as he likes with absolutely no chores whatsoever to do before breakfast.(Sundays in mine!). So off l bravely trekked in my hat and coat and gum boots over my dressing gown.
Let the ducks and geese out of their Quoll proof house, feed them......do the same with the hens ......l didn't open the goats door as the wind and rain was howling to the point where l knew they would  have NO intention of stepping their little toes outside, so a pat and a scratch and the promise of some more hay was all they had.
Next the horses...hungry as always.....then the sheep and the cows.....but there were no sheep, only cows!. No beady little eyes peering through the gate! l looked up on the hill and soon saw what the problem was and where they were. Our tame little Winter Creek had overnight become a raging torrent and there was no way our flock was going to traverse across it!!

So they just waited patiently for me to go back and get some more hay and then teeter across in my gum boots (and dressing gown!) to the other side!

l felt like l was up on the wild Welsh Moors!!!

So sheep happily stranded but feeding, l waded back across and headed out to our Wild Paddock where the Winter Creek joins the Rivulet to see what was happening down there!

A lot!! This is usually grass and the creek runs underneath the rocks. Not today!

And the Rivulet  itself had taken on the appearance of a White Water Rafting Experience advertisement! Very pretty but l didn't stay long as l had visions of leeches slinking up my gum boots and up my Dressing Gown.....(((((.!!!!!)))))...... so l made a quick exit back to higher drier ground. Ughhh!

One last check on the girls  on my way back before l headed for the warmth of the fire found Poppy mournfully mooing to her best friends up on the hill. (The cows in the adjoining neighbouring paddock). She wasn't game enough to head BACK across the creek and was wandering up and down trying to find a crossing spot. I  followed her for a while to see if l could catch it on film but she just kept giving me disgruntled stares and wouldn't play the game!

Maybe here??

l left her pondering and headed inside. Plans for the day scuttled. Wood Fire, books, breakfast and the odd snooze instead for the agenda??

Sounds like a great Saturday!

 

 

 

Nearly Spring!

Just a few more weeks to go!!! Still very cold but lots of definite hints around the place that Spring is indeed just around the corner! The daffodils are out in force. Gorgeous! Huge big bunches of yellow all over the lawn. l just love them.

Everywhere you look!!

I was quite happy and surprised to see these little grape hyacinths come up this year! Due to our coolish Summer they started flowering months and months ago. l really didn't think they would have much left to give for Spring........but l was wrong!

Lots of photos l know, but l love them all and couldn't decide which one to use!!

We have lots of nervous snow drops too. ........Nervous??

Wouldn't you be? The big fellows night yard is FULL of daffodils and snow drops. He has stomped most of them into the ground although they keep coming up each year and always the odd few survive and manage to flower... I must make the effort this year to dig some up and transplant them....let me put that on the TO DO list!!!!

It's not all about beautiful Spring flowers though!!!

Grass is still scarce and hay is getting munched on in large quantities.

Roll on Spring!! We can't wait!

Sad to say...........

Little Steven the lamb sadly didn't make it. A complication took over and by the afternoon l had to make the decision to have him humanely put to sleep. Always upsetting but not entirely unexpected.

RIP little fellow

The Inaugural Dinner with the Queen

Last night here at Candlestick Farm l hosted the Inaugural Dinner with the Queen! This funny concept came about when a group of us decided to get together for a meal. (just girls, Geoff was away watching the Rugby!) We decided it would be a nice opportunity to dress up. After all, who does these days? No one really and even if we do......it's not very often at all! So to set the standard l suggested we dressed as if we were having dinner with the Queen!
And so it evolved from there! The dining room was set to the most royal of standards!

Candles of course!

HRH WAS there! At the head of the table with her own dinner setting!

Looking most imposing and well..................regal!!

We had a great night!

And all enjoyed getting out the heels and pearls!

l think SHE enjoyed it too!

We have decided to hold this event on a regular basis. Different venue, different hostess each time. Same rules apply.. Dress for the Queen...She WILL be there..

.And where is Queen Bess now?????...............In the toilet of course! Above a throne of a slightly different nature... awaiting her next invitation..!