Thanks Middlemount!

I was determined this time, that I wasn't going to miss another month.... but it's now September and so here we are.... life is rather busy it seems. 

For a change, I'm going to put my phone photos up first. And they are a bit all over the place with their order. 

The smoke has made for some really pretty photos in the morning and this horse, supposedly has a sore leg and was prancing around, right up until I ran and got my good camera. 

Rat bag!

Nice try buddy, nice try! 

Some afternoons, dad manages to get out on a ride with us. 

On this particular afternoon, these two cool dudes, just decided that they were going to stand up on their horses. 

Not to be outdone, dad had to have a go! 

I decided that I had been injury free for a while and didn't need to jinx myself. 

Got to be the most favourite photo I've ever taken! 

Big fella stood on my reins... think it might be time for a new set!

Getting some coals for my garden, don't need much of an excuse for a fire! 

At the end of my last post, I mentioned how we had all contacted some illness at Ag-grow (along with a heap of other friends that had been there). Anyhow we were just functioning but not quite at the end, when grandma came to visit us for a weekend.... yes she ended up diseased too, fortunately my niece Hayley who also visited, didn't get it, I think being at school, they probably get exposed to much more than we are here! Lasted 3 weeks! 

We still all had lots of fun though and the kids rode every day. 

Even Grandma was dragged along every where. 

"Go Team, Go"

Got my vege patch planted out. 

Then after having a week of being healthy again, we had a weekend at Lindleigh, which is out at Capella on our friends Mitch and Kirsty's place where we have some cattle on agistment. 

Such a beautiful little spot. They've planted some wheat and it looks amazing at the moment. I can't wait until it come to a head. I would love to take some astro-photos with it. 

How damn cute are this pair. Kirsty and Mitch's daughter 'Annabelle' and Kaka

Charlie. 

I think he prefers a motorbike, but he came with us for a ride non-the-less. 

Wags were a bit steady to push along over this stuff. 

Been having some big days.. but when we got home from Capella... it was Monday at smoko time when the big fella started to go down and by lunch time he was in bed. 

Tuesday night I was feeling rather cocky thinking that it had missed me, and we went for an afternoon ride!

 Kids weren't too bad although kaka had a night of vomiting and G was just miserable. 

Us adults however, got a good hit. Still being run down from the previous flu as well I think it got us good. We were both bedridden for a couple of days each. Fevers, chills and body aches like we had been bit by a truck. As well as the nausea. Luckily we both weren't flattened at the same time and after a couple of days we could function again, but it took us a good week and a half to feel human again and to regain our sense of smell. I feel like we should get some sort of "I survived badge", but it seems that everyone will eventually have it to some degree I imagine. 

My gorgeous mother, flagged down the mailman to send a care package of tissues, flowers, zinc and chicken soup! Talk about spoilt! 

Body aches were the worst I thought, although J reckons it was the nausea that made him the worst, but I think I had phenergan on board that helped. 

With our nominations accepted into Middlemount Campdraft for us and the kids, we were really struggling with the decision of whether to go or not and it came right down to the last day for us to make the decision. 

 Inked Lady Photography took these couple of photos and you can find her here. 

I was so glad we decided to go, the kids had a ball and I was so damn proud of how my hot-headed horse handled himself. 

Justin's second run out and he gated the beast. First time that mare had been drafted. He did so well! First time we had drafted for 12 years. 

Kids had a sports day on the Saturday and were stoked with all of their ribbons. 

Oh and the lollies!! And how good are those feed buckets! 

On the second day, they had their mini-draft and G man got second! Which was really cool. But he was so beautiful and cute because he was so upset that kaka didn't get a ribbon. Kaka was pretty devastated too, and I was a little bit surprised that they didn't have rainbow ribbons for the little ones, but anyhow, good lesson I guess. She was crying, saying "I didn't even tail-turn mum"! Breaks your heart. 

Anyhow, she said to me later, (as I still had one run left), if you win a ribbon mum, can you share it with me? I said, "If I win a ribbon babe, you can have it!"

So was pretty fortunate that I won one! She can't have my buckle though lol. 

She didn't want a blue one, she wanted a gold one!! Of course! SMH

Yeh I had that stupid grin all the way home! 

It was a loooong way home too because we didn't leave the draft till 6ish and then had to go home, swap bags and unhook camper and continue on to mini-school for the week. 

Where the awards kept coming. G-man for excellent maths work. 

Kaka with her little kindy buddie "Howie"

Got to spend some of her pocket money on make up and a crown. 

Big fella came to town in the truck so I could collect mynew project (you will soon see) and we stopped over for the BEST burger in town! We went halves because it's ridiculously big! 

Big fella told me that if our weaners (steers and heifers) averaged over $3000, he would buy me a dress and take me to dinner!! Well they avg $3170. So I got two dresses and a lovely dinner date with my handsome lover!  

She 'blew' into her glitter! 

Thank goodness it was Bobby and not any other horse, as it may not have been the lesson I would have desired. 

Mustering team! 

I had the urge to do some painting. They aren't exactly what I envisioned, but I had fun. 

So did the gremlins. 

I wish I had some better time lapse photos of this pit. It's simply amazing the amount of dirt moved here. They really have moved a mountain. 

Sorry Kaka but this was really too funny not to share! (That's my heater)

Kindy fire truck. 

Cat carrier. 

So damn cool!

"Silky"

Sooooooo this happened, my new project!!!! Springsure Show is holding a brumby challenge, all the participants get a brumby rescued from Mt Kosciuszko and they have until the show next year which is the 1st of June to train them and have them ready to do a challenge. I am so excited, I've always wanted to break in a brumby. The little lady above is a pregnant mare, that I also took onboard. More because I thought the kids would love to have a little foal. And the guy below is my big (not so big) steed. So plan to see a bit more of these pair in my posts. You can also follow the rest of the participants on facebook to see all of our progress, just look for Springsure Show Brumby Challenge and  you should find us. 

"D'artanian"

So that's what we've been up to. And here are a few from my SLR 

Lindleigh Capella 

How gorgeous is this! 

I think this is wild turnip or something like that. 

I took a scenic route on the way home from Capella to look at some more country which ended up being far more scenic than I had hoped and added an extra hour onto my journey! 

And we had to stop to check out this little dude! 

He's got some style! 

 Through the gate! 

And that's it from me. 

Much has happened in the time since I started writing this blog, but I will save it for my next, as I've already rabbited on long enough I think. 

Hope you are all well and have survived any illness that this season has thrown you! I am off to a yoga retreat next week which I have been looking forward to for some time. The funniest part is going to be trying to smuggle some beef jerky and bully beef into the vegan camp for mum, so she doesn't get withdrawals lol. 

With Love

Be kind or be quiet.