Friday the 13th!!

A rather  ghoulish sight on the road as l drove to work this morning.

A black dog tucking into a bit of road kill. A wallaby l would imagine. Rather apt for this day l thought!. He certainly looked the part!!

The dog is in fact the crazy, happy, over friendly dog that lives with the pig! It just seems to have a taste for dead things and hunts up and down the road most mornings dragging animals back to its house!

I'm sure the owners love it! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

New July Arrival!

Today Auntie Jack had her calf! She was restless all morning and circumnavigated the paddock several times. Any chance of her having a quiet birth on her own WASN'T going to happen! Auntie Poppy and Auntie Blue followed her faithfully wherever she went.

l missed the birth by minutes! Isn't that always the way? l was in the paddock next door snipping blackberries and THOUGHT l had a close eye and ear on her but within 15 minutes of me last checking, the calf was born surrounded by loving family!!!

 Quickly licked and cleaned by a very surprised first time Mum!

 Chooks looked on

It wasn't long at all till she was up on her little wobbly feet. 

Sort of!!

Blue was verging on being annoying l must say! Poppy wandered off once she knew all was well but Blue didn't! She was fascinated!



Geoff determining if it's a boy or a girl.....................definitely a girl as l thought! And so tiny!!

Goats looked on........horse didn't!

Looking like a cross between a new born seal pup

 and a water buffalo.................

 she has done well, is drinking and even trying to frolic!

Welcome to the world little girl!!

Fog Lines!

There are many places you can live down here in the Huon Valley. You can live on the Valley floor with flat green pasture and rich soils or you can live high up on the tops of the hills with all day sun and views for miles and miles. You can live halfway up the sides in wooded wonderlands surrounded by tree ferns and wildlife ,but the one thing that separates people the most is if you live 'above' or 'below' the fog line!!For a large proportion of the time during Winter, Spring and Autumn as well, the Valley fills up with the thick cold misty fog from the River. To see it from above is quite beautiful. It looks like a lake of white snow, with no hint of what lies beneath On really bad days like last Sunday the fog lifted at 1pm for about 50 minutes before it descended again!!!. When l used to work in town l would leave my little cottage rugged up with scarves, hats and gloves, but as l climbed out of the  Valley all of a sudden l would be in brilliant sunshine and off all the layers would come! It used to feel like another world 'back down there!!!!'
We now live 'above' the fog line and this morning was a classic example as l left the house in (very cold  though!!) beautiful sunshine only to climb down into the murky grey and dismal land of the 'below the fog liners'!!!
On the bright side though it's always beautiful and one of the very rare times you can take a direct photo of the Sun and not have to worry about glare!

Colourful boats and an inquisitive swan in Franklin ( this was a RARE day l left home early enough to stop and take pictures on the way!)

The Sun trying its hardest to break through!

No, its not the Moon!

All in all, out of the fog or in it.......its a pretty stunning drive to work each morning whatever the weather!!

Daffodils.

As usual, during the coldest and frostiest of times, up come the bulbs! The garden will soon be  awash with daffodils. They are pushing up everywhere.

These ones l found this morning l particularly loved as they have determinedly pierced the Walnut leaf that was in their way to daylight!

And all three sides on! AND three quarters of the rafters! All that's needed now (apart from the roof of course!) is a divider in the middle and it's done! (oh and two yards either side.....and gates......and lights...........and feeders....and water................................!!!)

Blackberry Burn Off!

Running right through the middle of our big paddock is a Winter Creek. Actually its more of a Winter/Autumn/Spring Creek as l think during the time we have been here it has only stopped for a few short months. The trouble is though.. we can't see it.....can't cross it.............all we can do in most places is hear it!!! Blackberries...Grrrrrr!! Great for jam but what a pest! Geoff went out there the other day in some fine weather and set into them with some fuel and a fire starter. Once they are burnt to sticks and we hack them out the animals can eat the grass that appears underneath and (hopefully) the goats will annihilate any young growth that shoots its delicious new green leaves up this Spring! That's the theory anyway!

Why do all Firemen love lighting fires???

The Creek is easy to see here! Just follow the blackberries!

He burnt a considerable amount but there's still a lot left!!!

Photo Brag!

Dad called in the other day to say hello and have a coffee. He took these rather lovely photos and l cant help wanting to show them off!

Little Max is such a character and a bit mischievous as l think only little ponies can be. l have never owned a pony before and l think he will keep us on our toes!

Ambling up for a carrot.

 The pony is in charge we think!

Getting there!

A sunny Winters day and the shelter starts to look like a shelter!!

It has a beautiful outlook. l do hope the horses appreciate it! It looks down towards the Rivulet. Sort of a nice place to build a house! Maybe we can convert it to Guest Accommodation one day?  It's certainly going to be built to last!