Winter in Summer

Winter has returned at our house.

We have had bouts of the tummy bug and now the temperature has plummeted and we have rain, high winds and I am even contemplating lighting the wood stove. It's hard to believe but someone somewhere in Tasmania may even experience a white Christmas this year. I don't think it will be us because of our location but it has been forecast of the possibility of snow elsewhere down to 700 metres.

Aside from that it is full steam ahead here as we are trying to get in our first ever raised garden beds and have them planted out as soon as we possibly can.

It is all very exciting as we are fast approaching the year 2013.

Our cows have adapted nicely to their new home. Our chicks have settled in with their foster mum and our yard is slowly changing in appearance as the tree stumps we inherited four years ago when we brought the block have been either dug up or chain sawn off at ground level; all sixteen of them.

Slowly, slowy the dream is taking shape.

 

We have more tree stumps located out further from the house but for now they can stay as they adapt nicely in with the bush and surrounds.

The blanket show

When we were kids our dad would often say, "Come on kid's lets all go to the blanket show".

That meant bedtime.

How many children actually like going to bed; especially when you aren't sleepy, so it was always a bit of fun calling bedtime, "the blanket show".

I cannot remember how many times we often believed we were going somewhere special.

Seriouly sometimes it caught us off guard and we thought we were going to a circus or a carnival. Late at night though? Not sure how that works but the minds of children are wonderous things.

There is something extra special about a warm snuggley blanket when you are feeling poorly or cold or it's winter and you want to snuggle up and keep warm.

We all have our favourite blankets and this here is one of mine.

This is my new just finished crocheted tartan bed cover, it is a combination of crochet and weaving.

I accidentally misread the pattern instructions after having an absence of crocheting for approx five years and not being a big crocheter to start with, but I think that may have changed now as I truly loved making this rug.

This gorgeous bed cover was meant to be a knee rug. Oop's!

It was a mammoth task and took me three weeks of crocheting every night after dinner to accomplish. All I can say is yay for no tv; four years next month of tv abstinence. What a blessing that has turned out to be!

Being a dressmaker and lover of all things fabric this was something new and exciting for me and just what the dr ordered, I love trying new things and I love and welcome change.

I even went and got myself a new haircut to celebrate my accomplishment and welcome in summer.

 

Oh and another thing before I go, look how fabulous my new hanging space is in our bedroom. We have been living for four years with el'cheapo portable hangers and now my husband made us this.

 

 

I feel like a new woman.

 

A new haircut.

A new bedcover

and now a

A new hanging space.

 

Whats new in your life, I hope it something special.

 

Country Chick and Chickens

 

We are beginning to get into the full swing of things now here at our house out bush. We have been living off the grid now for four years and our house has needed much tender, love and care and because our time has been consumed in that we have not quite got the self sustainability food thing down pat yet.

Fences and gardens are next on the agenda.

We do have plenty of eggs though, as now we have more chickens. Four more chickens; so that is a start; we have ten in total, (Buff Sussex ). We picked up the news girls on the weekend and we also have a dozen and half eggs in at the hatchery.

Two of our hens are clucky but they don't seem to like our breeding box Col made for them; silly hens. We tried a number of different techniques trying to get them to sit on our eggs but to no avail; they would not have it. Anyway I don't care really as it worked in well as a temporary home for our four new hens till they got used to their new environment and we let them free range.

Our rooster is strutting around as proud as punch with his new girls.

So in twenty one days time; all going well we should have baby chicks. I'm a bit excited, I am. Not sure why we need so many chooks, but my husband tells me he knows what he is doing.

Someone once said, "Never trust a man who says", "Trust me" ha ha. Did he say trust me, hmm I am not sure about that one!

We were given a cow each as a wedding gift too, (Murray Grey's) and on the weekend we went up to see them as we can't have them here on our block til our fences are up..................soon, we will have fences and cows and a veggie garden. Soon and I can't wait.

How cool is that though, getting a cow each as wedding present. I love it. My cow will be a happy cow too because I am a non-red meat eater. She will be a very happy cow indeed.

I love cows and we are even thinking of getting a Jersey cow so we can have our own milk, cheese and cream and if we do I will be the milkmaid. Happy with that.

 

Our house sure is a happy house.

 

But wait til we get fences, we are going to be over the moon.

 

If you would like to read more about what I do with my creative self please drop by my other blog at www.graceofautun.com.au