Hot dam hot

Today has been declared a total fire ban day. 

The temp is expect to hit a top of 38 degrees Celsius that’s 100 approximately 

In the old Fahrenheit! 

Strong winds a sudden change to thunderstorms and it’s the perfect recipe for disaster 

My emergency app is going nuts with warnings all over the sate 

Me. I’ve taken care of all the animals

Hung the sheets out to dry 

And I’m planning on staying right here. 

I might venture to the local supermarket to buy a cooked chook to have cold with salad for dinner 

And maybe some ice-cream for a treat 

Where ever you are around this big country of ours. Stay hydrated and safe 

What’s the weather doing in your neck of the woods?

On the homestead

Life is moving along as it does. Not a huge amount changes. Just the  endless cycle 

Of chores, work, crafting and. A Little socialising 

But the exciting news is we are FINALLY getting access to this tank water for watering the veggies 

Here you can see where the trench was dug for the pipe to be laid   It’s quite a distance from the tank 

To make sure it was working grandpa and Ana sat and watch some water flowing into the dam 



That got boring so Ana decided she Needed to harvest some tomatoes 



Today the final part of the job. Installing the pipes 
And putting in taps 

One on this side so we can get water to the chickens and orchard easily 

The tap in the backyard. Central to all the food growing areas 

I’ll no longer worry about watering. Not about paying higher water bills or when, eventually, we are back in drought and have water restrictions 

I’ll at least be able to grow food 



What I’m processing today. 



The weather has cooled slightly 

And in the early mornings you can feel a change. 

Autumn is definitely on its way. 

Just a bit of decoration

I know Easter is a while yet 

And I know it’s not spring here 

But after the last week I just wanted a bit of decoration to pep me up

I leave it up until both the catholic Easter and Orthodox Easter’s are done. 

Unless it annoys me lol 

This morning I canceled my pool membership 

After ten years. I was sad. But I’m

Just not going enough to justify the cost. I will still go. Just to catch up with everyone and pay as I go. 

If things change I’ll join again. 

Maybe after all these years I just need a break 

Aftermath

After the storm on Tuesday we needed to clean up. We didn’t have a huge amount of damage but lots is debris 

The front was weeded and cleaned. The pots needed weeding but I had to wait on hubby as. Can’t climb ladders. So in the big clean up that was another job done 

All signs of mess was cleaned up 



This tree suffered a break. So it’s getting a good haircut and hopefully will survive 





All the animals are well and happy thankfully 

We haven’t had lots of rain so the dam is low. 

Hopefully it fills again over the next few months 

With a bit of luck we won’t have any more severe storms. Not for a while anyway 

Finally Friday

Power came back nine o’clock last night. 

I straight away put on a load of washing so that it would be ready to hang in the morning. 

Ana has been told grandma’s television wasn’t working so when she got here and bluey was on she was very happy. 

We spent the day chatting, watching bluey, chatting, having breakfast, chatting, and watching duggie. 

She likes a chat lol 

Then we went to see her grandpa but he wasn’t at the shed so we came home and harvested more tomatoes 

Finally I convinced her to take a nap. 

After singing to herself for twenty minutes. Ana slept for almost three hours! 

Grandma needed the rest. 

Apparently playing with grandmas knitted squares are fun to play with. 

Now all the girls have had fun looking at the different squares and making patterns. 

Maybe I won’t bother making a blanket and just leave them as they are lol 

Thank the gods for electricity 

I’m back. For now

Well woke up this morning and I have Mobil data. 

Still no power. We received a message saying they expect it to be back by Saturday! 

Generators are going keeping all fridge and freezers running 

I’m still sleeping in the van. It cools down quicker and I can sleep. 

My devices can charge in here because of the solar power. 

Having gas we can boil water to make the most important thing of all. 

Coffee! 

I’m just knitting squares, listening to audiobooks and trying to

Stay cool during the day 

The boys are still working although if we don’t get power soon I’m sure they’ll run out of things to do. 

Sometimes you just need power 

Thank you for all your concerns 

Still counting blessings 

Update

I don’t know how long the internet lasts. Still hand no power and out telephone system hasn’t been working. So I can’t get online. 

We have our generators keeping our fridges and freezers working 

The damage had been significant and there are still hundreds of thousands of homes with no power. 

For now we are all ok 

I’m get back to your blogs when I can 

Stay safe 

Wild weather

I’m sitting in our van writing this post I can charge my electronics in here and with all the windows open I get a nice breeze. 

Why am I doing this at home?

Because we had what I can only describe as cyclonic winds come through a few hours ago 

Trees have come down everywhere 

Some hit by lightning 

Power is out. 

Can’t get into the electric company web site to see what is the estimated time till power is back in as it’s crashed 

It looks like it’s going ti be a long night 

At least if we need we can camp in our driveway. I can have power to charge my essentials.

We can have lights so I can keep knitting and we can listen to an audiobook to keep us entertained 

I was supposed to go to melody’s eighth birthday party tonight. But the wind caused the doors at the workshop to blow in so hubby is over there fixing them 

I’m very upset about that. But the positive is all my loved ones are safe. 

And for that I’m very grateful 

Steamy Monday

This morning I got up early to feed all the animals before the heat set in 

Then I was off into town to pick up my new glasses 

Back home to get the house in order for the cleaner 

It was a very steamy sunrise 

While my lovely cleaner was working away I finished my first tea towel quilt I made. It was at the quilters for ages 

But it’s done  now 

It definitely is a queen size and very heavy 

Wrestling with it at the sewing machine worked up a sweat. Even with the aircon and fans going 

Now it done I really like it. I especially love the mix of scraps I used on the boarders and the binding was made the same way 

I’ve still got even more tea towels 

You can accumulate lots over seven weeks 

Good thing we will need blankets for the farm 

Saturdays at home

This morning was our first art class for the year. It was lovely to be back painting and having fun. 

But work still needs to be done every day in a simple self sufficient life. 

Hubby is splitting wood for winter. He filled these cages and then stored them near the workshop as it can get too wet here for the tractor during winter 

I planted up my cuttings of palagonias, I think. 

Every one took so this will really fill the pots and empty spaces  


I’m cooking, preserving and keeping busy in the kitchen. But in between I keep knitting squares 

I’ve got 36 so far. 

I’m aiming for a hundred 



Then I have to sew them together 

That will happen during the cooler months. Maybe with the fire going. 

Today it’s a very warm and sunny day. Finally getting some summer. 

A full day

Ana told grandpa they needed to pick all the tomatoes 

She also wanted to water all the pots 



It was hard work so here she is resting 



Meanwhile this was our corn harvest 



Some rhubarb 



The big tomato harvest for the day 



As usual zucchini 



Eggplants and cucumbers 



All sorted and bagged for the freezer 



I’ve cut up the veggies and will make a big pot of ratatouille. Some we will eat and the rest will be frozen for winter 

It’s been a busy day and I’m exhausted 

But oh so thankful 

Reading signs

When you see this 

Leaves Turing brown 

You start thinking of these 

Saving seeds for next year 

Getting seeds out for the coming growing season 



The cycle is never ending. 

It goes round and round 

I find comfort in that 

Spaghetti squash

I harvested two of my spaghetti squash. The larger one had a thick rind and I’m wondering if it was cross bred with the pumpkins across the road   I don’t know what it looks like inside as I could cut it. I’ll get hubby to do it today 

But I did cut the smaller one in half and cooked both in the air fryer 

I added some butter to it and ate it for a late lunch. 

The second half for dinner 



It had a lovely nutty mild pumpkin taste 

It really does look like spaghetti when to scrape it with a fork 

Unlike pumpkin it has low carbs. So great for those cutting carbs out of your diet 

I’ve not seen it sold in the shops which is why I grow it 

I have lots more out back. So this will be in the menu for a while. It’s a nice break from all the zucchini anyway lol 

Odd jobs

I didn’t swim again. I slept in 

But I enjoyed it so I’m not too upset. 

I did head into town and met the girls for coffee 

I also got my nails done and 

Bought bags and cards for the the little princess birthdays 

There is still something coming in the post for Brianna but as her birthday isn’t until may im not worried 

I like to be organised 

After coming home I hung out one load of washing. Put another on, then headed off on the opposite direction to the quilt shop. I dropped off the large quilt for machine quilting 

They are overrun with them and I was put into the queue 

About three or four months ago! 

Not that I minded. I was warned. But finally mine was done and it looks great. Now to trim and add binding 



While I was there I may have bought a few stitcheries

And a quick table runner project 



Don’t know why its upside down   I think it has something to do with the operator lol 

Any way. I’ve hung  the second load out and now I intend to sit until it’s time to think about dinner 

It’s a lovely day. Sunny but not too warm 

Perfect really 

Sudden change

Today the temperature is way cooler than yesterday. 

And we have had rain 

The sudden drop has triggered a fibromyalgia flare 

I didn’t swim this morning as I’m so very tired. 

I’ve been sleeping long hours during the night and having naps during the day. 

Not at all like me. But I’m listening to my body and doing exactly what it wants  that is  best and quickest way out of the flare 

I’m continuing work on my squares. 

Today it’s all about stripes. I’ve been Waiting ages to wear my new tights 

Just hope no one drops a house on me

Enjoy doing what you love and keep well 

Lovely weekend

Friday, as usual, was AB’s day. 

Here are the terrible twins relaxing in the air conditioned home as it was very warm outside 

We did venture outside to pick strawberries and tomatoes 

There a few strawberries that were consumed right at the veggie patch. Got to decrease those good miles lol 

And the tomomostly went into the big bowl. 

Ana loved them so much she wanted done to munch on while watching bluey 



When her daddy finished work and too her home we packed the van and headed off again. 

This is the last weekend I don’t have art class so we took advantage and spent the weekend at the farm 

It was very warm in the afternoon. So trixie and I sat in the van with the air conditioner going 

She had spent und morning in the tractor cab with hubby while he slashed more paddocks 

We are trying to mow down as many of the weeds snd bracken to try and get the paddocks back to just nice green grass 




The sunset was beautiful watching it from the bed 



We are home now. 

Chickens are out and have been fed

Cats have been given wet food. Dry food alone wasn’t enough for them and acted like they have been starving even though we really were only gone one day 

And teddy was given lots of love. 

He doesn’t like the car at all so stays at home 

He’s old and set in his way 

Again he was left with lots of dry food and water 

Next week art class starts again.  Do it will be a while before we can spend the whole weekend away. 

Hubby might go down to keep slashing the paddocks. But I’ll stay home   Until the weather cools again anyway   I don’t do hot at all 

Once again

The wheel turns 

First of the harvest sabbats 

As you can see they’re flipped down in the Southern Hemisphere 

Those in the north will be celebrating Imbolc

, which means. In the womb

The ewes have lambs waiting to be born. 

But here we are harvesting and preserving for the coming winter 

I love celebrating these milestones. As they let me know what I’m doing and I feel 

Connected to those in the past the gardener not for pleasure or saving a few dollars. 

But because it was a necessity. 

We all come from a long line of survivors. They had to have been to live long enough 

To procreate. All the way down the line to us 

I think this is a nice way to thank and appreciate them 

Blessed be