Family

 

Family!! I dunno if it's just because I'm getting older, or if it's because I've had kids but you seem to appreciate family more now. You hug them just that little bit tighter and just that little bit longer and you miss them just that little bit more. We have such a lovely family and it's so nice to get together! We don't make excuses enough and now that everyone is married, I think we need to be conscious to make more opportunities to catch up!

I was feeling a bit torn about going away when there's so much to be done at home and leaving Justin behind, but I was glad that we decided to go. 

Sadly Justin wasn't able to come with us, as he was finishing off some grader work at home while we still had the machine, so it was just us three that made the journey to Finch Hatton for my cousin Steph's 30th birthday. 

I love it so much when cousins get to hang out together!

Poor ol g man was in the water for about 5 mins when he slipped and bit the rock. So we had a change of plans and came straight to Rockhampton after our Finch Hatton visit for a Dentist Apt. 

Dad getting the work done while we were away. 

Minty looking very impressed. 

Miss won a halter at Blackwater with her name on it. 

Getting some progress on my tree but unfortunately I haven't made it tight enough so it's a bit weird, but anyhow, might as well finish it. 

We also had mini school which meant book week and mum did her usual last minute shop to find something appropriate for them to wear. Kaka did make a very good witch though, even though she didn't want to pose for a photo. 

My niece Hayley 

Kids got to meet the fire service. Love the look on kaka's face

Yeeeeh...... 

Someone..... namely kaka.... has stolen my horse!!!!! I hope they will be good mates. We still have Bobby, but I think he is a little sour with the gymkhana scene. 

Miss won her age group, although I do feel a little bad for some of these kids as they have been changing her age group all year and making it "7yrs and under" rather than "under 7" which I think kinda puts her at an unfair advantage over some of the others. On the second day she was in her correct age group and she only came home with a couple of wins. She's become rather shy at receiving her prizes and keeps insisting I go with her. 

G man rode really well and we were so happy to be able to catch up with Lexie (on the end) who used to be in his class at school until they moved to Dysart. 

Carlos is so accommodating. Justin's horse tries to strike him! 

We had a fire at Bogantungan township the other day and the firies came from the Willows to help out. We were more concerned, should we need to perform CPR on some of the service men, due to their advanced years than to any real threat the fire posed. 

Rosie had her teeth done. 

And Cruise got a couple of stone lighter and just in time too by the looks of things. 

So awesome having Shaylee just a short ride over the hill. These guys have so much fun going over there to play. 

And I'm so grateful to have made a friend in Julie. I think it's probably a bit rare to move into a new community and find a friend like that, so I feel very blessed. 

And that's a wrap from me. I haven't had a chance to do any photos with my good camera this month.

 We have a Carbon Edge workshop this week which should be good.

 I've been reading Goldie Hawn's book which I'm enjoying although it's not a big page turner but I do love listening to her. And I'm also reading a book called "By Any Other Name". I don't mind it either but again, it's not one that I just can't stop reading. And I've been listening to a song by Chirs Stapleton called 'You Should Probably Leave" which I'm a bit in love with. 

Anyhow, stay warm and thanks for reading. 

With Love x 

Something Sweet in the Swamp

It’s been so nice lately to get out and about with my camera and take a couple of good shots.

Even this dude was in kakas garden the other day. 

Few brolgas strutting around.

This cow was so funny, she was just going from Lilly to lilly and munching on all the flowers. 

We had retreat creek camp draft and I managed to get a few shots of kaka but their official photographer had a flat battery on their camera, so I lent them mine and never got any shots of g man.

Someone was a wee bit grumpy. 

Managed to get third 

Our neighbour Shaylee got a horsemanship award as well which was cool. 

Grandma came for a weekend at the end of school holidays and we took an afternoon to go and get some photos along the new fence line which runs perfectly east-west. 

From my Phone

Riding home late from Shaylees house. 

We got this little pody in an attempt to wean some of our bigger podies, but she’s didn’t survive. 

Getting some pipeline tracks in with the dozer and Tex was here doing the work for us. The kids had a lot of long conversations with him about everything. 

Off to Alpha for gymkhana. 

Feed time. 

Check out that cream!!! With the attempted weaning, I also got some fresh milk which was a nice change. 

Alpha seniors group. Good ok Carlos came out of retirement for the weekend and ran really well for me. 

Even got a red one in the rider class which was a surprise. 

Shaylee had her 8th birthday at the gymkhana which was a shame as she went into a different age group to kaka. 

Kaka got second overall in her age group. 

G man got fourth. 

Having a fire in kakas new fire pit that she won. 

This was munchkin 1.0. Munchkin 1.0 spent a night with our family and in the morning when we tied to let her out for a toilet break, she decided she didn’t want to stay….. after I chased after her in my fluffy winter socks through the scrub and getting a prickle in my foot I realised that I am very unfit. Munchkin 1.0 did not return. 

Our first new fence for the project! So exciting!

New trough and pipeline 

This was the tiny prickle I acquired after chasing munchkin in my wooly socks through the scrub, which I did plan on just leaving in my foot, until my foot became very painful and sore and it became necessary to dig it out. 

More ribbons. This time at Capella gymkhana. 

Started a “tree of life” macrame project. It’s slow progress but I’m getting there. 

Justin was away and I had to pump up the tank so I took the opportunity to make a damper and boil the Billy. Nothing quite like Billy tea!! 

Some of our Brangus weaners that we sold at the feature sale. 

Nice to have to quiet wags coming through the herd.

Girls are getting a bit hungry, thankfully we have had 45mm in two falls this week which will go a very long way to helping get through the winter. 

We also made it into agrow this last month which was a nice opportunity for the cousins to catch up and aunty Fooz bought a new horse. 

Moved some of our steers from Cappella to Springsure on some new Agistment. 

The Greer family made it out for a weekend and gave us a hand to do some mustering which was nice to see them, even if we were mustering. 

Bit of a rarity for Greer to be on a horse. 

Preg tested out Brangus which didn’t go as well as previous years. We suffered with the weather but also shot ourselves in the foot by not having enough bulls and two out of the four we had, injured their pisols and were potentially chasing effective bulls away from our cows. So we now have a surplus of empty cows that we need to dispose of which may have been through no fault of their own. 

The cheeky helper 

Mustering team. 

I must say that between the frost and the dust and me having the flu, I wasn’t the most enthusiastic team mate when we did our wagyus but at least their preg testing made up for our lack of Brangus pregnant. 

Need to add yard sprinklers to our list of jobs. 

Back to school and we had our first week as a bit of a disjointed one with us pregtesting on the Monday and missing school, then one day of school and then driving to  Mackay for a two day book festival. 

G man got to board with the school while kaka and I got to spend some time together at the beach each afternoon. 

So weird when we were there, a fog rolled in at about 4pm across the breach and it as quite cold. 

Back home and uncle Dave and Justin have been flat out getting the pipe laid. It’s all out now, just need to connect fittings and do the fence-lines. 

Someone came home from bookfest with nits….. 😩😩 my worst fear. So we have been combing and bombing, and straightening and itching but I think we are safe now. 

She doesn’t like her straight hair! 

This is munchkin 2.0, aka munchkin. This one was left in its cage for a week before it was let out and now follows us around everywhere. We are still working on toilet training and not biting, but it is a bit cute. 

I think it’s quite a good therapy pig 

Riding home from jump practise at Shaylees house they were trying to make love heart shadows. 

Carlos had another run at Clermont and I think I’ve had enough now. He did very well and I’m always so proud of how well he calms down. Might need to let him calm down for kaka so perhaps she can move onto him. I did a jump round on him which I had never done before so that was entertaining. 

Bailee and G man were in the same age group this time, and they loved hanging out together. 

All the Wall team with their prizes. 

Kaka won her age group

G man came second overall for his. 

They didn’t say who won the seniors. 

Kids also won the team of four beside Savannah and Bailee and Kaka won the highest points for a rider that wasn’t Clermont. 

Sunday …… grateful for a Sunday and I forced myself to ignore the pile of jobs awaiting me. I had a rib fillet lunch sandwich and watched Pocohantus with kaka. I may have slipped in a bit of a hose around the house but I was pretty dedicated to trying to recharge. I feel like we haven’t stopped for some time. 

And that’s a wrap. Our next month doesn’t appear to be any less eventful. We have relatives visiting us this week which is exciting. We also have Blackwater gymkhana this weekend which we must practise as there are some new events that we haven’t done before. 

Hope you are warm enough and that you managed to get under some of that beautiful rain. I’m signing off for now, 

With Love.