Friday, February 10, 2012

quiet please

It has been a busy time since Christmas. Although the height of summer is usually our quiet time we have had more bookings than usual. Generally it is too hot to holiday inland but summer has been really rather cool with more rain than usual and temperatures seldom exceeding mid 20's, so the garden is looking greener than expected and water levels in dam and tanks good.

As I type this areas of NSW are suffering serious flooding, we appear to have brought UK weather over with us although I am not at all envious of the snow hitting Europe at the moment.

I have been away from home for the last few weeks because a good friend has been unwell so have spent a lot of time driving to (and sitting around in) Westmead Hospital. The oncology unit is very impressive-clean, efficient and with excellent staff. Back home now, patient slowly recovering, so catching up on backlog of work, including this blog.

I did manage to get a 3 day break in Melbourne c/o my great friends who bought me tickets for 2 days at the Australian Open Tennis for my birthday. Weather was fantastic, and I saw the ladies' semi-finals and the Murray/Djokovic epic which finished at 1am. I was seated behind some very large demonstrative Serbian gangster types, so was rather timidly Scottish in support of Andy.

From Protea Farm 1

From Protea Farm 1

Julia Gillard seemed to enjoy the match, although I think Rod Laver ( in his Arena ) was asleep.

From Protea Farm 1

The atmosphere was incredible, very different from Wimbledon, so not sure which I prefer- the traditional but overcrowded and cramped conditions dripping with history or the modern purpose-built stadium in the middle of the city with easy access and much more space. Pros and cons for both I suppose, and I did not have to rely on Virgin Air to get me to Wimbledon ( although getting from north to south London probably took as long as flying Sydney-Melbourne!).

From Protea Farm 1

From Protea Farm 1

From Protea Farm 1
From Protea Farm 1

Back at the ranch and this week heralded the liberation of the guinea fowl. They are almost fully grown and need to get out and see the world. Last week I brought them a mirror ( retrieved from a skip in Sydney ) because Ness read on some loony guinea fowl website that they like to admire themselves. They have been strutting up and down for days fixated by their reflections, so opening the door to the pen was an anti-climax because they stayed glued to the mirror for the next 2 days.

Finally yesterday they ventured out and started exploring the protea orchard.

From Protea Farm 1

Since before Christmas we have noticed a largish bird of prey circling overhead, but it did not come close enough to be identified. In January the number increased to a pair, closely followed by 2 newly fledged offspring. The family visits every day and is getting bolder, and we have now identified them as 'at risk' little eagles.

From Protea Farm 1


There was a very loud commotion in the protea orchard this morning, with guinea fowl scattered to the 4 corners. The ( not so ) little eagle was perched in a protea bush working out his breakfast options. The result of this attack is that the guineas are too scared to fly or perch in trees and have taken to skulking in the shrubbery. Not sure how much Mr Fox paid the eagle, but bet he is rubbing his paws. So every night after we have rounded up the ducks and locked them away for the night we have to round up the guineas and put them safely away.

Ness has started a production line producing concrete paving stones and the new pathway to one of the guest cottages is coming along nicely.

From Protea Farm 1

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice to catch up with events. Love the paving slabs, is there nothing Ness isn't good at! R

twosheilasandadog said...

Not found anything she cannot turn her hand to yet, so keep the challenges coming! Fx