Cleaned up

Here is little Jed (who happens to be a girl) minus the goo. She's much lighter that I thought she would be - colour-wise, I mean. She looks very much like her mum. Eidel is being the doting mother and checking in on her left, right and centre, very different from Fungus with Sid. Sid was left to her own devices and mosst of the time when she cried for food Fungus would ignore her and carry on eating. I think that is why Sid is such a rebel now. She's like a little skateboarder ollieing off everything and doing big jumps. Very funny to watch.

Dinky has lost responsibility for 2 of the pheasant eggs as Babi stole them off her during the night and has claimed them as her own. They are both nestled in the same nest so it doesn't make much of a difference.

Christmas is being planned... every meal has been written down between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Whether the plans will remain the same is yet to be seen. I envisage many changes before then. Probably on the day actually.

The weather has packed in and doesn't look as though it's going to clear any time soon so we have holed up indoors and I think tree decorating is on the cards for this afternoon... if we can find the decorations. We have a freshly cut tree from the garden though which is nice. I love the smell of pine wafting through the house. I just hope the dog doesn't pull it over. He tipped all the water out of his bowl yesterday so he could bring it into the living room. Silly dog.

And on a side note, I was looking through some classifieds the other night and found, to my amusement, 2 ads, one wanting terracotta garden boots and the other wanting a rotary hue. I found it very amusing. Maybe my amusement was emphasised by wine?

Anyway, Renata and Brian are up tomorrow for a few days so hopefully the weather clears up.

Chau :)

Welcome Jed!

We have just witnessed the birth of the newest member of the family, Jed. Eidel opted for the au naturale method and did a brilliant job - not even Sid tap dancing around a ledge in the shed could deter her. They are both fit and healthy and Jed has already given his/her lungs a good workout.

And one photo just for the hell of it... who rules our roost!?

Also, I semi-accidentally ordered 6 fertilised pheasant eggs which arrived via Rural Delivery yesterday afternoon. Dinky is now happily keeping them warm in the coop and who knows whether they will hatch. If they do, they'll be here before 2009... just! I will keep you posted on their progress.

Help is needed with dinner so I better go.

:)

Return of the Lack (ey)

Above is our daily greeting.

Goodness it's been a while since I wrote. So much has happened and I don't know if I'll fit it all in one post!

The young 'uns are growing rapidly. Mono has put on 3.7kg since he first arrived and it's mainly leg. He still looks skinny but it's obviously because all the food goes straight to his feet. Marley and Gizmo are on the verge of being called sheep (Spencer is still little (er) though), Sid is bounding around like a madman and scaling anything in sight (including us), the chicks are massive and the roosters have started crowing.

The lamb feeding is diminishing with only Spencer still being fed 3 times a day (cutting down to 2 next week). All three sheep have been unwell recently with Spence contracting scabby mouth presumably from the live vaccine, and both Marley and Gizmo (and to some extent, Spencer) got infections from a wrongly placed injection (no fault of mine or Marty's) in their cheek. So they each got another injection in their neck to try and counteract their ailments. Poor girls. But they're all looking much better and happier now.

We're still having problems with the horsey boys but I'm going to get stuck into some regular work with them now and hopefully they'll come right before Christmas. And we'll have Sarah (the equine therapist) out again before then as well and she may also know someone to give us a hand with retraining Brother.

The aviary has gone beserk with weeds and they're popping up faster than I can pull them out. They've almost completely engulfed the potatoes and raspberries. I don't even know where to start with that area!

We've finally planted stuff in the new vege garden. Mainly tomatoes of various varieties but also the corn (which is looking great!) and some cannellino and borlotti fire tongue beans. Also a couple of zucchini, cumcumber, pumpkin and watermelon. So now, once again, we are running out of room to plant out the seedlings from the greenhouse and we'll probably need to make another patch. The next one will be dug out by pigs though - it's tough going. I'm also keener than ever to get some bees. I just have to convince Marty...

We've been down in Wellington over the past 2 weekends. Both have been quite busy with parties - Rach's 30th and Renata and Brian's retirement/been in NZ 40 years. Mum and Richard were on animal minding duties (thanks!) so they had their work cut out for them.

Jen came back with us last Sunday and stayed until today. It's been great having her here. Sid obviously took a shine to her because it's only been in the past couple of days that she's been approaching us at all. And Mono adored having another person to play with. And, of course, it was just nice to spend some time together, something we haven't done in a long time. AND, she helped me with weeding and horse training. Awesome! Not to mention the ongoing animal feedings and cuddles...

Withing the first half hour of Mum and Richard starting their minding duties, I got a panicked call from mum saying that Gizmo wouldn't eat and one of the chickens was missing. Rita had gone AWOL as revenge for kicking her and her friends out of their nests because they're all broody and not laying. When we got back to the farm I stalked her and uncovered her hideout...

in an iris with 10 eggs! So I stole her eggs and she has since gone back to the coop. Sill chook.

Sid took up a lot of our time while Jen was here because she's just so funny. The lambs were a bit upset at the lack of attention they were getting but it got them eating some grass which is good

But of course they weren't completely left out...

And Mono got some quality time too - once he decided he didn't want to eat my face...

Anyway, there is much more to say, I'm sure, but dinner is on it's way (good on Takapau co-op for delivering fresh fish to our door every Thursday!) and I need to turn my brain off in preparation for work bright and early tomorrow morning. I thought this time of the year would be quiet but apparently I was wrong and work has gone crazy. It's good for the holiday season but I'm spending a lot of time in the car.

Ok, I will be more prompt with my next post, I promise.

Chau,

K :)

Quadruped Mugshots

Flighty Dino

Feisty Brother

Evil-looking Sid

Mum Fungus

Soon to be mother, Eidel

Little Spencer

Cheeky Gizmo

Rascal Marley

Monkey Mono

This week is going to be restful

Another eventful weekend has come and gone and life has resumed its normal path. Friday saw us return Beetle to the SPCA which was hard to do but necessary. He is now being fostered by another girl who works there and hopefully will find a nice home with people who love him. We also officially adopted Mono. He has settled in well but it may be a different story once Bella leaves and he is the only dog in the house.

On Saturday Trish and John arrived in the area and we met them at Arran Station, a big horse event venue in Takapau (where Mark Todd trained for the Olympics!), for the One Day Trial. We had perfect weather and saw some great competition. Trish's horse, Woody aka Kaitawa Eve, was competing being ridden by another girl, Laura. Unfortunately the Locker-Lampsons were late so missed seeing them in the dressage and show jumping that day. But Arran Station is a beautiful place. It's been really cold here recently so all the mountains are covered in snow and made a beautiful backdrop to the showjumping ring and cross country course. I'm glad to know where it is now so we can go to more events there.

Of course, Saturday night wasn't a relaxing night with the election on. Disappointing outcome but I'm glad Grant Robertson got Wellington Central over Steve Franks. That would have been a nightmare! I dread to think. Anyway, I don't want to go into the election except to say that I probably got to bed later than desired seeing as I had work on Sunday and didn't prepare for the super early wake up call thanks to Mono deciding that it was play time at 5am. He was in the laundry but Trish and John's room was directly above him and would have kept them up. So up I got and found the light on in his room which probably brought on the wailing. I took him back to bed with me where he proceded to scamper all over me and Marty and chew everything in sight. So that morning was not the most pleasant.

Marty made an extravagant dessert for that night though that nearly killed us all...

After work on Sunday (!?) I met up with Munm, Trish and John at Arran Station again for the cross country. Marty and Richard had already become tired of the event and had gone home to shoot rabbits. The remaining 3 had a great vantage point by the water jump and so we sat there and scoffed almonds and slowly cooked ourselves to a crisp in the bright sunshine. Because of work I missed Kaitawa Eve again but heard that there had been a problem at one of the jumps - and not the water jump where they expected it. But it was great to watch and made me desperate to get back into horse competitions (minor competitions, that is! No 6 ft jumps for me just yet!).

In the meantime though, Richard managed to shoot his first rabbit...

As I said, it's been really cold here recently and 2 days after I bravely decided to plant out the zucchini and cherry tomatoes, we got a severe frost that almost did the zucchini in. All their leaves have turned black and they are not looking very happy. The next night I managed to get the frost cloth over them and I'm hoping they'll revive themselves. The tomatoes are suffering a bit but nowhere near as bad. I'm surprised the sweet banana chilli has weathered the storm, so to speak.

But on a positive note, one of the cherry trees is laden with sweet red fruit. It's so nice to be able to go and scavenge in the aviary. I'm still waiting on the strawberries, raspberries, grapes, blueberries, black currants and logan berries though! Soon, my pretties....

And the purple wisteria is in full force at the front and back of the house. The white one is on it's way and should be out in a few days. So here are a few photos of the garden at present...

The wisteria at the front of the house



One of the many varieties of rhodo



The garden framed by a front



Pretty genko tree and others as the clouds pass


One of the dogwoods

We're heading to Welly this weekend for a bit of a fiesta so hopefully will see some of you then.

And I apologise if this post is a bit disorganised layout wise. The computer changes it every time I upload it for some reason

Ever expanding responsibilities... I love it!

Well, Mono's brother arrived at the SPCA on Sunday and we declined fostering him. But on Monday we went in to adopt Mono and saw him, a little 'black' lab that really is almost chocolate. He was on his own at the SPCA and not very happy so we ended up leaving with him as well and still not adopting Mono due to the fact that he had to registered int he pound for at least 7 days before being put up for adoption. His 7 days are up tomorrow so on my way to work I will go and fully adopt him. Beetle, as we have named his brother, will unfortunately be going back to the SPCA on Friday and there is a person looking at adopting him. I hope he finds a nice home.

They had their first vaccination on Monday and Mono has been booked in for puppy pre school next week where he will learn a few manners.

When I arrived home this evening, just in time for Home and Away, Marty announced that Fungus had given birth to a tiny little kid. Such a cutie. Unfortunately she doesn't seem tobe feeding it so we may have another orphan on our hands. But if little kiddie hasn't had any colostrum from Fungus it has a slim chance of survival. Here's hoping. So gorgeous and as yet unnamed. Suggestions welcome....

Meanwhile, we are still looking after Bella who is slightly jealous of the new pups and has put them in their place a few times. But she still manages to get a bit of play time in

But it is almost time for the mass feeding of everyone so I better head off. Gizmo is not very well so she's getting some yummy acidophilus yoghurt in her feed for the next few days to try and balance out the bad bacteria with good bacteria (just like ont he ad :)

Three Musjeteers and a Monito

This afternoon I got a call from the SPCA in Waipukurau asking if we'd like to foster a 6 week old black lab pup. Of course I couldn't say no so now he is with us, infested with roundworms, and thinking he is in 7th heaven. We called him Mono and he thinks Spencer makes a fabulous chew toy and is purely in the house for his amusement. And Bella thinks the same of Mono. So our house in mayhem in the best form.

Spencer had her first introduction to Marley and Gizmo this morning. Marley is quite perturbed at now having to share her attention with 2 other woollies and gave me the cold shoulder for a while. She bunted Spencer out of the way a couple of times to keep her in her place but I'm sure once she joins the clan full time she will settle down.

She is such a cutie and even with in the last 2 days she has grown and livened up. Yesterday she could hardly walk but today she has been bounding all over the place and is less happy about sleeping in a box. She will probably eat her way out tonight.

Anyway, time to try and get little ones to sleep. Mono has just got his second wind and looks in no mood to sleep. Let the games begin...

The tiniest lamb ever

We have now acquired our third little lambie. She is completley white and miniscule. She is 2 days old and such a cutie. Every time I pick her up she tries to suckle on my chin, ears or nose and is constantly wagging her tail. Her name is Spencer. She's staying inside at the moment but will soon go and join the bigguns, Marley and Gizmo, in the paddock. She's being fed every 2 hours so there's a bit of work involved at the moment!

Our mushrooms are awesome and we ate the first of them last night. Beautiful, soft, flavoursome mushrooms as fresh as they come. It is so exciting that things are starting to produce and our shopping will come down in price.

Also, yesterday I ate the first cherry off one of our trees. It probably could have done with a few more days of ripening but it was great nonetheless.

The huhu bugs have arrived. 4 were crashing around on the deck last night. And of course they landed on me. They hone in on anyone within 100m and make a beeline for their head. Ugh. Not happy. They are so solid and creepy.

Renata, Brian and Stu are here at the moment. They went to watch the golf at Cape Kidnappers yesterday and had beautiful weather for it (Marty worked and got horribly sunburnt in a perfect singlet pattern so he is a true farmer now... just need the sock tan lines to complete the transformation). They are heading back to Wellington today and we are looking after Bella for the next 2 weeks while Renata and Brian go on a cruise in celebration of Brian's retirement.

Anyway, I better go but I will write more later.

Chau,

K :)

HB A&P

Marty and I have spent a fun filled day up in Hastings at the A & P Show. It's been on since Wednesady but today was the only day we could make it. I love A & P shows so even if it means 4 consecutive days driving up to Napier (work on the other 3) it is worth it.

It was so hot when we got there and the temperature gradually increased as the hours passed. First we went to the rodeo arena to see some calf wrangling...

I'm still not sold on this 'sport' because I feel bad for the calf and the horse but it was interesting to watch. That was also our first introduction to the dust that billowed about under the animals' hooves. SOme of the horses were absolutely gorgeous! Big stocky cowboy horses.

And there was barrel racing which put Marty and I to shame (we did some barrel racing at Kiwi Valley when we were having our lessons). Most of them finished in 16 seconds...

Then we went over to the Oval where all the showjumping was happening. The junior class was good and the jumps enormous for the seemingly tiny horses but later on in the day the full-sized, top competition, ridiculously amazing class was on and the jumps were HUGE!

One of the members of the Olympic team was there riding Dunstan Hairy Maclary. Unfortunately we didn't stay to see who won but it was awesome to see. Not many people went clear in that round so it would have been interesting. There was one jump, a big castle, that was about 6ft tall...

In amongst the horsey madness we observed the wood choppers...

which was impressive. Those guys got though some gosh darn mighty logs in very little time. And the little old man next to me was also highly impressed by their hard work.

And then we went back tot he rodeo arena for another coating of dust and to watch the actual rodeo...

This guy face planted quite badly. A lot of the riders barely made it out of the gate and the rodeo clowns spent a lot more time trying to round the bronco up afterwards. Those horses can jump though! One horse went straight up in the air, all 4 legs off the ground, about 4 feet. Pig jumping and bucking all over the place. Brother would be good in a rodeo...

Anyway, even though our Labour Weekend fiesta is looking slightly emptier people-wise, we will still be having a few people over for some rabbit stew and good times. I think everyone is arriving tomorrow.

Ont he vege front, our mushrooms have sprouted which I am over joyed about! One bucket has a cluster of fast growing fungi in one corner and you can see the other bucket pushing a few things through as well. All 5 cherry trees now have tiny little cherries on them, the strawberries are in full flower, the basil is a thick forest of green and purple and one pumpkin has survived transplantation and is poking a leaf through the soil. Our second vege garden in the arena paddock is well under way and hopefully we will finish it off next week so we can plant more potatoes etc...

The goats have gone fee range in the shed paddock and so far (touch wood) haven't escaped. We had a bit of a drama the other day with Eidel getting her foot caught up in the tether really badly and cutting off a lot of circulation to her foot. So I picked her up, untangled her and decided that the tether idea was finished. In the process, while holding her, I felt her stomach moving around so I;m pretty sure she is pregnant. And possibly Fungus as well but I havn;t picked her up. Eidel was surprisingly calm when I was holding her though. They are much more comfortable with us around now - not enough to come anywhere near us but at least they don't take off anymore!

Ok, bed time for me... work in the morning.

K :)