Year's end

31.12.2011

It is now the last day of the year. My main feeling is that it has gone very quickly. It is a pity it has ended on such a difficult note but let us hope things are better in 2012. Our hay has been cut at Judy’s property down the road. I suspect that it will be baled and ready for carting on new years day. We are expecting stinking hot weather then and possibly a change afterwards.

Why does hay always happen at the worst possible time? Really this is a totally stupid time to have Xmas if you live in Australia. I guess we are stuck with New Year but my Xmas is gradually shifting to mid winter when I have time to deal with it. This might be the year I just go whole hog and accept the inevitable.

It actually feels a bit odd not building all day. Yesterday I went back to work and began to teach myself to bag walls. I have started in the laundry because I need to set up the sink in there so the plumbing can be done. I also measured up the wood needed for the vanity tops where we have basins. Edd repaired the mower, which was tangled up with wire again and did some slashing with the tractor. I found a huge snake on the lawn in the morning so we want to make sure we can see it coming.

The first of our tomatoes are going red but our biggest crop is from the runner beans. I have already blanched and frozen two bags, as there are more than we can eat. The straw berries are doing well too, but we are able to eat all that grow. The garden is also a riot of flowers despite total neglect. The red-hot pokers are on fire this year and the agapanthus makes a good contrast. The arum lilies have died back and now the Canna lilies are having their turn.

The jacaranda trees are beautiful as always and our little crepe myrtle looks all ready to bloom. Peaches, plums and apples are ripening and we even have limes on the new trees this year. There are lots of pomegranates and figs and the grape fruit are huge. We have also started eating the cheese we made from Donna, the cow’s, milk. I covered it with yellow wax and it has stayed lovely and creamy. I am really pleased with how it turned out.

The chooks are gradually recovering from the fox attack. The chook in isolation is eating and drinking well but still a bit unsteady on her feet. I have weaned Dot’s kids onto bottles and the other five kids have grown huge. Last years goatlings have filled out on the abundant grass and are fat and glossy. We still have not shorn the sheep but hay seems first on the agenda.