Another farmstay over

 Well this morning I said goodbye to another set of Farm stay visitors.  It was a great stay and once again I think I hit the objectives.   A new experience, a new cuisine,  and a new culture was all served up.  Our guests left with many memories from hayrides to understanding the full cycle of the egg.  It never ceases to amaze people how an egg journey can start in a nest and end in a scrumptious meal all within 24 hours. You can’t get fresher than that.  My plans for a field day in the paddock on the 13^Th November  are well underway and we are eagerly waiting for confirmation from our advertisement.  Eco tourist has become part and parcel of Pine Haven and I enjoy every minute of it.   I look forward to the future as this dream continues to grow and develop.

The other kind of day

Wednesday morning I started thinking about the farm stay students that were arriving on Sunday and all the chores waiting for me.  Johnny is back to working under pressure for the moment and so that left me in charge.  The grass, although not long had tons of leaves laying around which needed to be mulched.   I woke up with the resolve that Wednesday would be dedicated to garden work.  After saying goodbye to everyone for the day I grabbed a cap from the cupboard and headed outside.   I made my way over to the garage and was immediately confronted with a flat tyre on the ride on.  Now don’t get me wrong, while I’m very grateful for modern equipment and by no means would like to cut the grass around the house with a push mower, there are numerous parts of this modern equipment which need maintenance and seem to, well just complicate life.  So I turned around to go find the compressor and had to look for the pipe that is attached to it.  After a few minutes I located it lying curled up in the corner of the garage.  Okay so I was moving ahead but now the part that inserts into the tyre was missing.  Another hide and seek mission.  Finally I got everything together and pumped up the wheel.  I checked the petrol tank to see how much petrol I had.  It seemed sufficient.  I jumped on the ride on and swung the key eager to get started.  Nothing!  The battery was flat.     Everything today seems like an effort and I was tiring already.   I got off the ride on and pushed it to the fence where I brought my car to and hauled out the jumper cables.   Because there was a fence between the ride on and the car I had to make numerous trips back and forth through the gate to the left of the fence to attached the cables, start the vehicle, go back and start the ride-on then back to detach the jumpers, move the car and finally I was ready to cut the lawn.  It was a slow start but at least I was on my way now.  After the back garden was almost done, the worse thing happened!  I ran out of petrol on a downhill.   I just sat there ready to cry.  I remember checking the fuel canister before I started out this morning and there was none left so that meant a trip to the fuel station.  I left to go get fuel.  Glancing at my watch it was almost lunch time and yet I was still struggling to just get this job done.   Back at home the fuel was poured in and I silently prayed for it to start on the first swing.  Sadly it did not so I prayed for the strength to push the heavy ride on back up to the fence yet again.  It was around this time that my resolve to cut the grass became almost non-existent I must just add.  By the time I had her up at the fence again and the car back ready to jump start her, I felt like I was melting in the midday sun.  It was well past lunch time so huffing and puffing after the exertion I’d just been through I decided to go inside for a breather and lunch.  Refuelled a half an hour later I put my cap on my head determined to finish what I had started.  In the front garden I had to weave around all the cars parked all over.  Kicking myself for not reminding Jonathan to park his car plus his old Ute on the drive way this morning I left the motor running as I went back inside to look for the keys to move the vehicles out the way.  I couldn’t find them and even tried to ring him at work.  There was no reply.  Okay so I reasoned, I would cut around them for now.  Out I went to the idling ride on and carried on.  As I neared the end of the front garden I suddenly hit something really hard and I had dust swirling in the air around me like crazy.  Something was wrong.  It felt like the whole deck had dislodged.  There would be no more grass cutting today.  Defeated I parked the mower on the driveway and went inside to clean up.  I needed a shower as I was covered in dirt from top to bottom.  There are days that are good and then there are days like this.

Painting in the padock

 Yesterday I had a friend over.  We packed up our trundle bags loaded with pencils, paints and paintbrushes.  We put on our sunnies, donned the hats and walked deep down into the paddock.  This was a dream I’ve had since moving into Pine Haven.  Four years and a bit and it’s here finally.  Not bad going huh....   Oh and we had our trusty fold up chairs too.   We drew a fair bit of interest from the cattle and Oz who saunter over to see whether there was any food about - a humans only purpose to them.  After a few sniffs here and there they decided there was nothing and stood close by us posing ever so wonderfully for us.   Out came the sketch pad, and freshly sharpened pencil.  The race was on to get the outline of a cow before she moved.  A line this way and that.  Slowly a picture emerged.  It was by no means a masterpiece but it was fun regardless.  It was peaceful and serene down in the paddocks.   While the lead flowed on the pages, a wonderful idea was discussed.  We want to do a “painting in the paddock day”.  The audience will be fellow artists and for a small fee which will cover admission and a light lunch, it’s bound to be a success.  If it takes off perhaps we can do it on a regular basis, we will have to just wait and see what transpires.  In the mean time we will be working on a date and an advertisement. 

A sad time

Saturday I went to a funeral.  It was the first funeral I’ve attended since arriving in Australia.  In was held at a crematorium about 40 minutes from home.  The service hall we used was lovely in any sense of the word.  There were pews slanted on each side.  The wall on the right was glass and had water slowly running down it.  Outside there were beautifully manicured gardens, green and lush.  It wasn’t a very hot day but the cool air-conditioning that blew managed to keep the place fresh.  The coffin was placed in the front with a bouquet of multi-coloured roses on top.  To the left sat three musicians with guitars in their hands strumming beautiful melodies.   It was a sad occasion but the environment could not have been more tranquil.  I didn’t know Margaret well however we did cross paths a fair few times and I felt like I could help with the wake afterwards aswell as offer my support.  It was good to see the amount of people, friends and family who arrived.   Clearly this lady was dearly loved and will be painfully missed.  She touched every person she met. Story after story came.   As her son Jerome stood to give the final words and eulogy he broke down.  His pain was so raw and real.   I found myself remembering what seems like only a few months now the pain and heartache I went through when Dad passed.  It isn’t a few month though, more like going onto two years now.  Jerome put it wisely as he said “our departed loved ones leave a hole inside that nothing can fill.”  We learn to carry on but the void that the person left is always there.  Death always confronts us with many emotions and it is uncomfortable at each turn however I would like to think it brings about a good change and causes positive reflection. 

After the service we made our way back to the hall where the refreshments would be.  The family had been drawn from many different parts of the country and so this time was filled with conversations.  As it wound down a song came over the speaker loud and clear.   A song that described Margaret to a T.  The name of the song was “I did it my way”.  Margaret did things on her terms; she was a fiercely independent woman who raised six children on her own.  She lived a full and rich life and passed away at the fruitful stage of 81.   May you rest in peace Margaret.

A new addition for Pine Haven

Look at my gorgeous new bird feeder.  It didn't take the wild birds and parrots long to figure out theres free grub in there!

Never mess with a mamma duck!

The past few weeks have been full.  so full I have struggled to find a moment to write.  We had a very welcomed holiday on Frazer Island where we explored places with funny names like Indian Heads and Lake Wabby.  We did a bit of 4 x4 - ing and I decided that it was quite over rated.  By the time we got back to the holiday flats I decided a kidney belt would have been a good accessory that morning.  We endulged in white sand between our toes and swam in turquoise coloured water.  I returned home refreshed to find eight fluffy ducklings had been born while we were away.  Buttercup and Daisy are as protective as all good mothers should be.  I must look terribly frightning to them as today while changing their water they both flew up at me. Luckily I had a thick pair of denims on and all I felt was a small pinch on the back of my leg.  They are possessive and rather aggressive as most new parents all are.  I will have to find homes for my new little critters as I can't keep ten ducks.   Spring has sprung with the first newborn animals at Pine Haven!