Renovations are back in business.

Johnny has been working really hard this past year at work which has not left much time for renovating our old farmhouse.  This past month has been bliss as things have slowed down allowing him to be home more.  Deadlines have been extended and the pressure is lifted.  He has been home for the past three weekends in a row now.  The first weekend not much happened in the way of house renovating as he really needed to rest.  Since then it’s been wonderful.  The screen around the outside basin has been replaced with newer version.  We used slates of meranti wood and followed the design in the front of the house.  It’s more modern and streamline.  It brings me great pleasure to see progress happening.  For a while I wondered if we would still be renovating at 70!  The house is changing again.  After the screen went up the water pipes from the roof got re-aligned and then we started on the veranda again.  We have finally moved onto the next section of the house. Johnny worked on completing the inside wall of the porch.  It’s about a third of the way finished.  There is much on the cards for this weekend. Firstly and foremost is to complete the right hand side inside wall.  Hire a sander to finished sanding the floor, look for some paint to paint the concrete piece outside the sliding door and some decking oil.   There’s a hole in the wall to be repaired and the windows need gap filler around them.  Johnny also put up a porch swing for us to use.  It’s nothing fancy and in fact he found it at the tip.  It’s a little rusty in some parts but its still has a lot of life left in it.  With my newly covered cushions, you wouldn’t even know the origin of the swing.  I love it regardless.  It’s situated at the end of the porch, perfectly placed to overlook the paddocks.  It’s become my sanctuary.  I escape to it whenever life becomes a little overwhelming. 

Spring rains

It’s been so dry.  What’s left of the grass under all the leaves blown from the tree is struggling.  The weeds thrive in these conditions.  I could not see the little bit of grass left surviving if the rains didn’t come and come soon.  Today was the end of the dry spell.  It threatened all day but the clouds were high so I didn’t hold out hope and then as I was taking off the load of washing from the line I heard a small rumble in the sky.  Could it be a storm?  I longed for a storm for that meant rain and usually a lot.  I’m getting desperately low on tank water so a big top up would be so welcome.  I stood there hoping and praying, watching and waiting for the next roll in the clouds.  It came and suddenly I realised I had a lot of washing to take down before the storm hit.  As I rushed to finish my chore the air became humid and sticky, then the heavens opened.  I sighed, at last the spring rain has arrived.

A dog named Spot!

 Spot is a beagle.   He has been aptly named due to the array of tiny dots all over his nose.  He arrived on Pine Haven as a small robust six week old pup.  I was spending a lazy Saturday afternoon at home and the children had been out with their Dad collecting supplies.  The peaceful quiet was shattered in a moment of seconds with the loud shrieks of the children rushing through the hallway.  “LOOK”  “Look Mom, look what we’ve got!  There snugly wrapped in Michaela’s arms was the cutest little pup I’d ever seen.  One look at that nose and we decided immediately he was Spot the dog.  In the years since then he’s grown into a mature hunting breed.  His antics have calmed much but the very nature of a beagle is still alive and well however somewhat tamed.  Over the years just as a child grows and matures Spot has too.  In his wake he has left many memories.  As I think back to them, of the troubles he has causes with my neighbour, the shoes he chewed, the pillows he ripped up, the chickens he rumbled with, I can only shake my head but yet I smile.   I love him dearly and he loves us unconditionally too.  He still makes a bee line for any open gate and once his nose catches a scent, well the rest is history.  His ears fail to work and his nose guides his on his quest. I have given up trying to call him back, it just doesn’t work.  I’ve learnt to relax much through the years.   He always comes home once he has exhausted himself.   He will wait patiently at the front door knowing that his time is up and any minute now I will open the door and he will be home.   I scold him numerous times and he lovingly looks at me as if to say.  “I just can’t help it – please understand”, and I do.  Spot makes us feel good.  He’s added so much to our lives on Pine Haven, so much we are grateful for.  His dark eyes, forever look up at you and wait for the attention he knows is coming.  He’s one special dog! 

A country show

 Last Saturday we attended the Beaudesert Annual Show for the day. It was a day of fun and excitement and filled with animals. After walking through the pavilions of art work, flower arranging and baking, we met up with Meagan and Carlos, the Dexter breeders who were showing their herd. We got chatting and ended up staying with them most of the day. Carlos asked Michaela if she was up to walking a six month old bull called Diesel around the Grand Final arena. I could see the reservation in her eyes but she boldly said “Yes”. Diesel was an absolute gentleman, thank goodness, and Michaela returned with bright red cheeks but as happy as a lark. As the sun set on the day, we said goodbye to Meagan and her family and went over to see the Derby cars getting ready for a show later. It was amazing how buckled and bent some were and I couldn’t imagine how they would be able to ride. It reminded me of a place back in South Africa called “Speed Way”.  It was a place of racing and monster trucking. There was a Derby there once or twice too. We stayed to watch the introduction to the Derby but decided to leave early. It had been a long day in the new spring sun and we were all tired. A good tired though. As I lay in bed later that night, I had dreams of entering my scrap booking and a flower display or two next year. Maybe even one of our Dexter girls too – who knows? It would be thrilling to bring home just one ribbon. 

Learning again.

 Last Friday Jen arrived to trim Ozzies feet. I excitedly told her how the bandage changes went, how I battled to get Oz to lift up his hoof for me to clean and how the bandage change was back breaking work. I asked her to please teach me how to lift Ozzie’s hoof.  She looked at me with the quiet confidence of someone who’s been around the block with horses her whole life. She told me that it was really simple. Inside the four legs horses have rough spots.  A skin of sorts or a patch that looks like a scab only it’s not. All horses have them and Jen explained that the legs of a newborn horse are attached together at these points to enable the horse’s legs to come down together in the birth canal. I vaguely remember the lady that sold Ozzie to us call them scent glands, but Jen says she’s never heard that before.  Well these patches are the very spot one needs to press on gentle at first and then steadily increase the pressure.  The horse automatically lifts his heel and the rest is history. Wow, it was that simple. A nugget of wisdom for me. I smiled, bewildered at what I just saw as if it was the first time I’d seen Jen doing the trim. Of course it wasn't.  Who would have guessed it was just this simple – not me that’s for sure.   We chatted a while and I discovered Jen was rather partial to free ranged eggs. I got excited and told her I had just what she wanted and so she left with two dozen of my free range eggs. She told me how she loved to bake and had just learnt how to make a wicked low fat cheese cake and her cupcakes weren’t too bad either. I ordered one of each as I thought one good deed deserves another.  I found another customer and she found one too.