sheep shearing

17.12.2009
36 degrees in here again yesterday. I went Xmas shopping which is as good an excuse as any to retreat to an air-conditioned shopping centre for the day. It was too hot for much sleep last night but at least that meant we were all up and ready when Bill arrived to shear the sheep at 6 am.

We had locked the sheep in one of the temporary goat pens the night before and rigged up tarps to keep off any rain that might obey forecast instructions. We cleared the new dairy so we could shear in the goat milking room and Bill had the brilliant suggestion of fetching the sheep from the holding pen by wheelbarrow.

There are only 7 sheep and 3 lambs now so this worked really well. Josh stayed out of bed when he got home from night shift so that he could help us and everything went very smoothly. The next job was to get the sheep to the gravel pit paddock with the cows. After a few arguments we agreed to drive them there in the old Toyota. The biggest task here was clearing the Toyota back out to fit passengers in.

It is a great relief to see shorn, wormed, sheep in a paddock of good grass. Much to my surprise they were quite fat under their wool and some wool was good enough to spin. We were lucky that they were shorn a few weeks before the fires. They had a little wool to protect them from radiant heat but not enough to trap embers. Our neighbour had not shorn her animals and the ones that survived were injured and put down.

The builders have finished for Xmas but we have had Mike here this week sorting out drains and other large earth moving issues. The extra steel supports for the shed arrived early yesterday so he used his digger to unload them. Edd was kept safely on the ground this time. Between them Mike and David H did a fantastic job of moving the burnt tree trunks and other rubbish from the side of the old drive where the new chook run is to go.

Dave P and I are still gardening. Dave has sorted out the first half of the veggie patch and I have now got grass growing fully surrounded by the new broken brick paths. Dave’s work is the most useful because we have had a good supply of food from his efforts. Mine work is aimed at keeping spirits up by giving us at least one place we can bring friends and family that is a bit relaxing.

I am worried about Xmas. I am usually flat out at this time preparing for a house full of guests and the Xmas eve feast. When we migrated here 30 years ago Xmas was always the worst time. Everyone else went off with their own families (for better or worse) and I was left with trying to make a jolly time for three young children who had opened all the available gifts at around 6am.

Over the years I avoided the loneliness by filling our home with enough people to keep us all too flat out to think. Some years paying guest or wwoofers join our family and other years we found enough friends with no better offers. On Xmas eve we lay out trestle tables in a long line and dress them for the big feast. I try and plan a different colour scheme every year but the feast is a biodynamic turkey with my old pewter platters heaped high with vegetables.

My old pewter platters melted in the fire so that part of our tradition is over for now. My daughter in law has invited us all over to have a meal at her place on Xmas day but the rest of the time is pretty empty. Perhaps we will enjoy having a rest. We are all so tired we certainly need one.