Doughboy - our wandering bull

Our bull, Doughboy, has been a bit naughty over the last few months, and has started testing the fences and going on to neighbouring properties. We got a call from the stock squad a couple of weeks ago to say he had wandered on to another property, which ended up being a neighbours property.

They have been using molasses traps to catch the steers on their property, and Doughy can smell molasses from miles away. So he has broken through our fences to get over to the molasses, and keeps getting caught in their yards - which then means they can't catch their own cattle! They dropped him back for us, but he quickly disappeared again.

After looking for him for a few days while we have been up at the farm, I rang them to see if they had him again, and they did, so we arranged to go to the property they have taken him to, to keep him out of their molasses traps, about 30 klms from here. So yesterday Damian headed out to pick him up. In the meantime, the owners of the other property were rounding him up for us, Hugh...the owner, who is 73, has ended up having an accident on his quad bike, coming off, passing out and having to be choppered in to the local hospital! Nothing is bloody quiet around here! He has ended up having a few broken ribs, punctured a lung and bruising. He was actually very lucky. Quad bikes can be so dangerous, even if you know how to ride them.

Apparently, the news has been in contact with them today, and their grand-daughter has been giving interviews about children ringing 000, as she is 9 years old, and the one who rang the ambulance.

(Hugh being loaded in to the chopper for the ride to hospital)

We are so glad he is ok,  He has left hopsital today, and is managing well.  We have been up at the farm since the Thursday before Easter, and I was due to head back today, but I have been sick since last Friday, waves of headaches and nausea, and ended up going to bed at 4pm yesterday and was not up to the 4 hour drive back to Brisbane today.  Not sure when I will head back yet, probably will spend another day or 2 up here and then head back. I want to do some painting in the kitchen here, and we have been having a big clean out here, and clearing out bits and pieces from the shed while we have been here. Well, I better go and make sure the bull is behaving himself and hasn't wandered off again!

Weekend happenings and running on empty!

I am running on empty today, I didn't get to sleep last night until 11pm, and because I am trying to not take my tablet to help me sleep, I have been awake since 3am....blah...very tired, but surprisingly productive.

I have organised a few more guinea fowl to come in tomorrow, that are the same age as the 2 I have left, so that we are back up to 6 again. I also have a clucky hen at the moment, so I have organised for a half dozen day old chicks to come up tomorrow to place under her. I have a mix of Anconas, plymouth rocks and silver spangled hamburgs coming. I should also have a few ancona pullets coming up as well. I think quite a few of the girls are ageing and their laying capacity has dwindled , as out of 8 girls we are only averaging 1 or 2 eggs a day, and that has been since spring last year..so time to start bringing some new ones in to bring the laying capacity back up.  I'm happy to let the older girls live out their lives happily as they have done a good job with the egg laying, so now they are more for fertilising and eating some bugs.

I have been also organising a few final inside touches for the reno this morning as well. The weekend was relatively quiet, I spent most of the weekend keeping my sewing machine whirring away working on my wall art for the main bedroom, and I dug out the french knitting tool for Kasey yesterday, and she spent most of the day getting the hang of that, she absolutely loves it, and is currently working on a round rug for her floor (which she has conveniently given me the job of sewing together for her)  Then I think she will start work on covering some tins for storage containers on her desk. I will look at also getting her a rectangle knitting loom which is based on the same principle, but she will be able to make scarves and things with, but I will give that to her when we go away at Easter or whenever the novelty starts wearing off with the french knitting tool first.

I also did some baking for lunches and make pikelets,

 Chocolate yogo,

 and Hodgetts slice

So, lots of variety there for snacks to take to school, and for after school. I also placed an order with Fishpond last week, and 2 of my books arrived this morning.

I am waiting on another cheesemaking book on more of the soft cheeses, yoghurts, creme fraiche etc to arrive as well as a couple of cake decorating books. I am going to pop them away and take them with me on our Easter holiday as my easter reading...I just need to be patient...not long to go, Kasey finishes school this week for the term, it has gone so fast. I have booked her in for a kids easter cupcake decorating class next week, so she can bring her creations with her to share with her friends over easter. So..that's the update for today...lots going on as usual...
**Hour a day in the Garden Update - I have done 3 hours in the garden today, as I missed the last couple of days due to other commitments, so I made up for it today, I did 1 1/2 hours of mowing, (it is still really wet though, so only could do the front area until the back dries out more) and 1 1/2 hours of planting, I planted some Qld Arrowroot and Kassava in the pool area, I am hoping the Arrowroot gives the area a tropical look without having to have palms everywhere as they can get pretty messy. I have also planted Vietnamese Mint, Lemongrass, Mushroom plant, 3 types of sweet potato - purple, clumping and orange, and I know there is something else but I can't think at this stage what it is. I still have some pennyroyal to plant, and a Davison Plum, but I think I will plant that up at the property when we go up at the end of next week.

Talk about busy....!!

Time is just zooiming by at the moment. We went up to Gin Gin on the weekend to drop the quad bikes off for Easter. We enjoyed a lovely weekend catch up with Rick and Marina and the boys, and then headed back home on Sunday. Went out for dinner with friends on Sunday night when we got back, so that was a long day! I am busy today finishing off packing up the caravan for our Easter trip away, we are planning on leaving early tomorrow morning, as it's about a 5 hour drive with the caravan on. Just finishing off some washing now, and then will start packing clothes and finishing off the last few bits and pieces that need doing before we go, have to give the chooks lots of food and water and re-do the straw in their pen as it's been quite wet here again and they have squashed what was there in to the ground. Also need to feed the worms! There's been lots of other things happening, I just haven't had the time to post them on here...I have saved them in to my drafts though, so I will eventually catch up on them.

New toys for the big and little kids

We drove up to Bundaberg last Monday to pick up some quad bikes. We have been wanting to buy some for the past 12 months or so, as every Easter we use our firends when we stay at their property, and we all have a ball riding them around. We came across a set of 3 on a trailer, which was perfect for us, and are in good condition, and being 2nd hand were not too expensive (well, nowhere near new cost anyway). So we've been riding them around the front paddock making sure everything is right with them before we take them away for Easter.  There is a couple of things we want to get 100% before the holidays, the medium one needs a new battery, and the big one needs a new reverse cable, but otherwise everything seems pretty good on them.  Michael also picked up his new bike a couple of weeks ago, now that he has finished his apprenticeship, he is earning more money, so this has been his big indulgence to make the last 4 years of working hard for not much money worthwhile.  This is probably the biggest "family fun" purchase we have made ever, we have always planned on buying something like this, or a jetski, but we have never made the commitment to spend this much money, but is already meaning more time spent outside together having a good time, so it's a worthwhile investment. 

Easter 2010

We had a fantastic Easter break. Our friends have 100 odd acres at Kolonga, and we always head up there for Easter to avoid the Easter camping crowds at the many camp spots around. We camp in a lovely shaded area beside the creek, and our friends who own the block camp down there as well in their caravan.

All of the kids came, and had a great time. They did quad bike riding

Motorbike riding (ahem.....fixing...)

Firetwirling

Whipcracking

Easter Egg Hunting

Swimming in the dam

 Relaxing with friends

I had lots of time for craft and reading

We arrived at Kolonga at about 4pm on Thursday, as we didn't leave home until about 10.30am, and we had a stop for lunch, it was a long trip

By the time we got there, we had a quick catch up with Rick and Marina, and then settled back for an easy dinner and drinks around the campfire. Saturday, the kids went swimming in the dam, and we spent the afternoon riding the quads and reading and doing craft etc. We had a roast in the camp oven for dinner, and then did firetwirling with Lyle and Faye supplying the equipment. Then we finished off the day around the campfire. Sunday we did the yearly easter egg hunt for the kids, and then had a little birthday party for Adam who was turning 6. We also did a tug of war

After this we did the yearly Kolonga Golf tournament, put on by Lyle and Faye, the kids had a balll, and came home with a couple of trophies.

Sunday night we had steak and vegies for dinner, and settled back by the campfire (again) Monday morning was spent around the campsite with the kids playing, and I baked a loaf of bread as we had run out, we cooked it in the camp oven

The boys went fishing in the afternoon at Lake Monduran which backs onto the property here, and Marina and I went up to the shed to do some scrapbooking, didn't achieve too much but did 3 pages

After this we just had an easy dinner of sausages and vegies, and did a bit of packing up as the holiday has just about come to an end. Tuesday morning was up early, and we left by about 8am, and headed into Gin Gin for breakfast, and then started the long journey home. We got home about 1.30pm. 

Another Easter holiday that has gone way too quickly....but we had great fun :)

I'm back from our holiday

We have arrived back from our Easter break this afternoon. I have just finished unpacking - phew... and cleaning the caravan. We have had a fantastic break, and I will update tomorrow with details and photos.

Kolonga here we come.....

Today was busy packing the caravan for our trip to Kolonga for Easter. I did the grocery shopping in the morning, and spent the afternoon packing the caravan etc. I have made sure to pack a supply of scrapbooking supplies, as my girlfriend and I are going to do some over the break. I am also taking my knitting and crochet, a supply of craft mags, and my trace outs for my Back on the Farm quilt to cut out, so I will have plenty to do as well as relax.  It is always a lot of work packing for a trip away, even with the caravan, but it is worth it once we are there. I will post lots of photos when we get back.  We have friends staying at our place while we are away to look after things here for us.

Caravan, Overlocking and Crochet and stuff

Toni had her follow up appointment after her operation at 7.30 this morning. It's all looking really good, and she will be able to go back to school tomorrow. She really could have gone back today, but anyway.....

I made some more Easter eggs today, these were rocky road ones. To make these I combined:

2 packs marshmallows - roughly pulled apart by hand

2 packs red rasberry lollies

1 cup coconut

I melted 3 blocks of milk chocolate, 

and then added the other ingredients, stirred it all up, and put into the molds to cool. This made 8 large eggs.

Then giftwrapped them ready to give as presents.

I also went through the caravan and checked all of the supplies, and made a grocery list for things to buy. I also went to my overlocking class and finished my table runner, I am really, really pleased with it.

My overlocker had a hissy fit at class, and would not work, I only got it back from being serviced last week, so I had to use one of the ones from the class, which was a bit stressful, as I didn't know my way around it to thread it etc. I actually had to get up at one stage and walk away from it, as the stress levels had built up to ridiculous anxiety levels, after that I was fine. I had my overlocker serviced through the sewing shop that I do my classes through, so they kept the overlocker there and they are going to get the technician to try and work out why it isn't working.

When I got home I crocheted one of these little whimisical flowers, I think it turned out lovely for my first effort. I will definitely make some more of these and dust with diamond dust etc, for my scrapbooking pages, I will post pictures when I do some, and I will post some instructions for making these a bit later.

Snakes in the grass!

Today I went to the Husqvarna day at the local sewing centre. We are constructing a pieced cushion, using different feet and sewing techniques on each piece of the cushion. I am up to piecing it all together now, and then the cushion can be constructed

(Photos to come)

Toni picked Kasey up from school for me as she is home still recovering from her surgery. She is really good now, just not allowed to do anything strenuous for the next few days, but otherwise she is completely fine. I have done some washing, and tonight when I was going to hang it out, there was a little black snake on the back verandah, it was probably only about 60cm or so long, but I really don't like snakes, but it disappeared before Damian could get the shovel... it's only going to get bigger, I hope it has moved on, but I have a bad feeling that it hasn't. :(

Tonight I have made some honeycomb easter eggs. They are so easy to make, and cost about $2 each to make, they are the same size as the ones Darrell Lea sell for $11.95, so a big saving. I will be making some rocky road ones tomorrow.

These are my egg moulds.

First I roughly cut up the honeycomb pieces, then I melted a complete block of chocolate (Aldi brand) in the microwave for a minute and a half, then stirred the honeycomb through the chocolate.

Then I spoon into the mould, I spray it with cooking spray first.

This is the finished result, ready for pretty packaging, to give to family and friends. Rocky road ones are next on the agenda.

http://www.channel4.com/4homes/design-style/how-to-guides/how-to-make-christmas-crackers-steps-09-12-07_p_2.html

http://www.channel4.com/4homes/design-style/how-to-guides/how-to-make-christmas-crackers-steps-09-12-07_p_2.html

This is a link to making some beautiful handmade christmas crackers for Christmas, they are stunning. I have added these to my Christmas spreadsheet for 2010, so will start on these during the year, and fill up with chocs etc, as it gets a little closer.

I have also printed out my to do list for the easter eggs I am making this year. I will be making rocky road, honeycomb and chocolate crackle eggs. I make these the same size as the lge Darrell Lea Eggs, and they cost about $1.50 each to make. I will buy the ingredients this week, and make them the week after, ready for Easter the week after that. I already have the moulds which I purchased last year - just got to find where I put them!