INTRODUCING BOB

BOB

This is the newest member to our clan - BOB -a cross cattle dog saved from the RSPCA.

I decided about a month ago to attempt a year of not buying clothes, and wear only the clothes I have or purchases from op shops, or made myself. Someone suggested to me that every time I saw something i wanted to buy that I place this money into an account. So I did and instead of spending it on a much needed holiday we decided to rescue a puppy from the pound this weekend. Bob has had a really rough time, after being dumped at the pound with his brothers and sisters all of them contracted a near fatal disease that killed a couple of his siblings and then he broke his pelvis - all in the first 12 weeks of his life. After all he has been through he is the sweetest little guy and just so cute - and currently growling at Dan's snoring - clearly he is terrified.

I wish more lovely people would adopt a pet from the RSPCA - I don't really know why more people don't, all these little guys need is a nice home and lots of love. Sure there are lots of things to consider but really.......I could get on my soap box about this issue but will leave it.

Sure, we have had our dramas with having a dog and I'm sure we will have many more with two - but really I think that no mater what furniture/shoes they may eat, no matter how much hair they drop, how many poos I have to pick up, the holes dug, having another mouth to feed in the morning, keeping them in etc...etc.....the benefits of having a pet that you potentially saved from being put down and giving it a warm and loving place to live and having a beautiful relationship develop between your pet, you and your family - outweighs it all.

Kooly, Bob and Myles

My boys benefit so much from having a dog, teaching them the responsibility of caring for a living creature, gentle handling, animal behaviour and death by living with a pet. Kooly is a loyal friend to the boys, following them where-ever they go on the farm, running with them, and playing ball games with them. The other day I caught Fynn laying face to face with Kooly on the verandah - talking softly to her, gently tracing his finger around her eyes and nose and Kooly responding with a kiss (lick). It was such a special moment between a boy and his dog. Kooly the unquestioning confidant and valuable companion for a little boy when his big brothers at school and his mums cooking dinner.

Goosing around

The geese have proved to be excellent weed mulching machines and in their movable house (made from a trailer), they were initially doing their intended job very well. However, now we have loose geese on our hands as they have found a way out of their run. We were penning them in an area with chicken wire during the day, their house at one end where they are locked up at night to stop them being the foxes dinner and moving them around the orchard every two weeks. This was quite labour intensive, but in my eyes well worth the extra work to not have to spray weed killer all over the place. So we have decided it's time to invest in a solar powered electric fence to keep them in a concentrated area.

They are such a beautiful bird and apart from being difficult to herd into their house each night (every now and then), and escaping their run, they have been a worthy investment to the farm particularly in our pursuit to have this place producing organic avocados one day.

This weeks agenda also includes planting out a newly tilled plot with winter vegetables and loads of garlic. This area has been really interesting as the soil requirements for growing avocados is quite different to growing vegetables. The condition of the soil has to be changed and improved by adding compost, chicken manure, potash and a layer of lucerene on top - so it can hold water better than the sandy soil we have (avocados hate having wet feet). I have built the chook house in this area so once one plot is harvested I can place the chooks in their to do what they do best and fertilise the area - and eventually rotate them throughout each subsequent plot.

However, before we get to this - it boules and BBQ at the farm this weekend for friends. Its going to be a busy but fun weekend on the farm.

finding a rythm

I cant believe how busy I have been since Myles began school. I'm finding it difficult to find a rhythm to the days, weeks, weekends and the pages of our monthly calendar seem to be turning quicker than ever. I'm totally disorganised and out of balance. There just aren't enough hours in the day and I think I would like a couple of more days added to the week just to give me time to do all the things I don't necessarily need to do but want to do. I have begun making a list of all the things I'm going to do in retirement that I cant see myself getting a chance to do within the near future, they include learning to ride a motorbike, parachute out of a plane, learn pottery, be a famous artist...etc...etc.... Wanting to contribute to Myles' school in some way, and not knowing how to other than canteen duty, I decided to put an idea to his teacher about nature journaling with the kids during their weekly gardening time. I had started a journal with Myles before we moved and it still gets pulled out to be added to constantly. His teacher loved the idea and has taken it on as part of their weekly routine - they each have their own folder to record the things we do and we added a weather tree for them to update each week. It has created so much discussion and I'm a little scared now to go in without preparing something before hand. This little part of the week is becoming part of our rhythm and as I talk about the changing seasons and observe with the kids the natural surroundings it sounds, smells, and songs of the birds, it has made me more aware and have a better understanding of my new surroundings, its rhythms and the things that keep it in balance.