PRE- ORDER Fleur's newest novel 'Voices in the Dark'
It hasn’t really rained when we wanted it to – well, not in the amounts we would like to have seen this year. The dams around the district have been drying to a puddle, and most farmers that have stock are worried about how they will water them. Us included. It’s amazing how a…
Making hay is one of the fun things about the farm … unless you get hay fever, like I do! For the last few weeks I’ve been sneezing my head off and will continue to do so until harvest has finished. Rye grass, grain dust, normal dust and ‘fines’ (minuscule particles of…
I’m not sure why it’s heart wrenching, incomprehensible tragedies that make us stop and look at our lives – I don’t understand why we can’t see what we have until something happens. Why have I enjoyed the hugs I’ve had from my children more this week than others? Why couldn’t I appreciate…
When you have a young family, evening is usually a crazy time of day! Trying to get them fed, bathed, homework done, the list goes on. I’ve had a friend staying with me, for the past two weeks – if you’ve read the acknowledgements in either of my books, you’ll know the name ‘Mrs. Mackay’…
I can’t believe we’ve hit March already – I’m not sure where the year has disappeared to! Our weather has been slightly murky for the last few weeks, with a real autumn feel about it. I sometimes can’t believe that Perth can be around the 40 degree mark and we haven’t hit 25 degrees! It…
The weather that Australia, in particular Queensland, has been having, is incredible. I’ve cringed at, not only the destruction that Mother Nature has brought, but the grief and pain caused to humans and animals alike. The TV news seems to be full of detailed reports, shocking images, crying, homless people and animals moved from their…
A couple of weeks ago, we finished making our hay. I love hay making time – the smell of hay curing is just divine; I’m sure it would be the best perfume you could buy, if only we could bottle it! I really enjoy sitting in the ute, raking the hay into perfect lines for…
These cattle don’t really look like calves, do they? But they are – they were born in April and are a far cry from the really cute, little 30 or 40kg babies they were, when they were born! (For all the mums out there, aren’t you pleased your baby wasn’t that big?!) At the moment,…
We started our main shearing on Monday – a busy time, but it’s always fun! I love the smell of the wool as it gets thrown on to the wool table and the hustle and bustle of the shed. Music blares out from the inside of the shed; it’s the only time we work in…
Meet Dave. He’s our vet. Dave lives a varied, exciting life and has many stories to tell! Like the cat that turned feral and shot into the roof, through a very small hole. They spent the best part of an hour running around the ceiling to get it out! There are many more hysterical tales! Then there are the…
We don’t often let these two rascals play together – it’s not good for Buck, since he’s supposed to be learning how to chase sheep, not Jack Russell’s’ and Rocket, well he thinks he’s ten foot tall, but unfortunately, he’s nowhere near close to it! Their rough and tumble games, as Buck gets older, could…
I’m guessing that many of you think that living on a farm is peaceful. Quiet. Well let me tell you otherwise! It was a gorgeous morning. We’d had a heavy shower the night before, which had netted us 8mm, so we were smiling! The trees and grass were weighted down with rain and everything was…
Here’s Buck, sitting waiting patiently for the boss to come and let him off! He’s chained in the back of the ute, so he can’t fall off the side (it takes dogs a little while to get their ‘ute’ legs!). Today, Anthony and I were wet and drying a mob of ewes (that means seeing…
On a beautiful Sunday morning the kids had the job of shifting a mob of sheep (I always go with them but hang right back or right at the front to slow the ewes down, so I’m there if they need help.) Today they took their bikes and two dogs – Rocket, the Jack Russell, a well…
In my few travels around the country and around where I live, I am always amazed at the women who do incredible things. Most of these women don’t think they’re extraordinary, but I can assure you they are. I wanted to introduce you to some of the ones I’ve met – their stories are sometimes…
It’s been such a busy time for us recently, with seeding, sheep work and all sorts of other things on the go! It will be like this until after Christmas now with hay making, shearing and later, harvest. We’ve been lucky enough to have good rains and everything seems to be on track for a good…
This time of year is always busy with sheep work. There’s ewes to be drenched, lamb marking and so on and so on. I’ve hardly spent more than an hour inside the house these last few weeks during daylight! Thankfully, it’s not just Anthony and I doing all the work! Shaun is a bloke who…
I was out about early this morning, helping Anthony fill the combine and getting ready for a day of replenishing the stocks in the pantry! It was very nippy and heavy dew left my fingers wet and cold, not willing to bend. I had to shift some ewes and lambs as soon as it was light…
Driving to a friends house early a few mornings ago, I came across this amusing sight: a cow, who looks like she might be in the throes of birth and an emu having a staring showdown! Now, I’m guessing, because cows are polite creatures and emus can tend to be a bit bossy, that the cow may…
2010 Fair Newsletter extract Check out all the exciting stuff that will be happening at the Condy Fair this saturday. Hope to see you there!
Today there is a catastrophic fire danger for the South coast of WA. It’s gonna be a stinker of a day and we’re just about to have another meeting to see if the Bushfire Brigade are going to issue a Movement of Vehicles in paddocks ban. There’s a smoke haze from a fire to the…