Space

The grass was slashed on Thursday. Usually we get it made into hay bales but there wasn't a market for it this year. It's probably not a bad thing for it to mulch the pasture. The dogs knew straight away that walks were on again. Neither of us have been keen to walk around in the long grass with the chance of treading on a snake! So we took them on a perimeter walk. All the trees we've planted are getting so big now, they've shot up at least a metre.
The dogs couldn't resist and went for a celebratory swim in the dam. Claudia likes to jump in and make the biggest splash possible. Nigella, on the other hand, knows all the little steps down so she can glide in ensuring she doesn't get water in her ears!
It's nice to have the whole block again.

Spring grass

Our block is a sea of green grass that ripples in the wind.

With all the recent rain it is ludicrously green and lush.

The puppies love to run and jump through it like a porpoise.

Hopefully we get a break from the rain in the new year to cut the hay.

Despite my hay fever, I love to see the block like this.

I can't wait to live here.

Change and seasons

It was so wet last weekend we didn't take any photos at the block. But I just looked at this photo from the same time last year. The block was green and the dam was super full. It hasn't filled up this year yet.

Trawling through my photos led me to this. Taken in January 2008. I love the day after the hay is done. So different to the verdant pasture of winter and spring. A few things have changed. For a start I'm no longer blonde. The tree in the white plastic cover is a lot taller than me now. The orchard has doubled, our vegetable and flower gardens are taking shape, and there is a level house site with a picnic table.

Just one thing missing now.

Hay harvest at the block

It’s been a busy week for us at the block. First of all we finished our front gate. We think it’s an appropriate entrance for our little hut one day.

Nigella is doing her best to look like a guard dog. She may look tough but we know it’s not convincing; she loves to meet new people, and seems quite offended when people don’t want to pat her or let her lick their ears!

Then it was the big hay cutting weekend. A few nervous days when we hope that it won’t rain, particularly on the baling day. Baling day is Rob’s favourite day of the year. We cart 150 bales of the hay. He likes packing the bales onto the ute & trailer, tying it down. Driving the ute. Stacking it neatly in the shed. Whereas it’s probably my least favourite day. It’s usually hot, lifting the bales above my head is hard work, not to mention the bits of hay that seem to find their way into all of your clothes, shoes, eyes (not great for someone who wears contact lenses) and lungs. We’re not usually done until 8.30pm. That’s when I feel happy; seeing the bales all stacked safely away. I guess Rob’s right, there is a certain honesty in the muscle soreness, the calluses on your hands from the bale twine, working for hours in the sun, the general griminess.

My favourite day of the year is the day after the hay is done. We can go down to the block and it’s all neat again, the cropped grass already bleached. Nigella knows she’s free to run around without me stressing about snakes, and Rob & I can enjoy a glass of home brew at the block.