I've heard of people finding unusual objects when they've moved into a new home but we didn't expect this bird when we bought our property 15 years ago: an emu! The locals told us the previous owners had removed the emu from a nearby dairy, to the property, as it was frightening the cows. Oh that was 10 years or so back we were told. This emu then has wandered around our fields now for over 25 years. She's semi tame and we only give her seed in the dry summer months. We had to learn how to move her when we wanted to move our own sheep, slowly by putting pressure on her shoulder like a cow. However cows don't stop to go through their feathers! We asked an emu farmer at a show how to tell which sex our emu could be and learnt that the female drum. Well ours drums deeply! She is a fixture if annoying at times and for how long we don't know.



We need to take more time to appreciate the beauty of nature. I've seen some wonderful sunsets recently which those around me seem to miss. As I get older there have been more aches and pains, and health issues appear ( gall stone pain is terrible). I feel the need to try and slow down and enjoy the simple things, like sunsets. Why is it we race around more and more, try and fit lots into each day and complain there's no time to do everything. Surely we are in control of our lives and therefore can make time just to stop and relax. All those gadgets we're supposed to have, just seem to me to used for games and pointless activities! It's time to step back and remember that your health, friends and family are the important things and watch the sun set sometimes.

A quiet moment! He's hoping I'm carrying a carrot!

After such a dry spring it was only a matter of time before our front dam dried just leaving mud. A bit of rain at the beginning of February only delayed the inevitable.  A green tinge has reappeared over our fields but the lack of water is a real worry. Deciding where to move the sheep is a problem. We still have a larger dam with water but that provides a number troughs, and then there's a natural spring. Anywhere else and we have to move water to those troughs and refill them when they empty, a heavy and tiring business. One of our next jobs is to sell our wethers now numbering around 25. Less stomachs to fill with water on hot days! It all stems from the El Niño which changes the water temperatures of the coast of Chile, affecting weather patterns and the result is our spring rain vanishes! This dam hadn't filled at the end of winter. Spring was extra hot which didn't help. Now we wait to see what happens over the next few months weather wise and if Autumn is normal and the season breaking rains will come.

 

 

 

 

At around 15 or 16 years of age I had to think about what I would do with my life. I had an interest in animals and natural history so thought a Zoo Keeper would be interesting. However Mum and Dad soon talked me out of that saying I'd be cleaning up after the animals and only feeding them. We know Zoo Keepers do much more than that, watching animal behaviour and doing research studies, but I took my parents advice and looked elsewhere. So it seems somewhat ironic that I'm now feeding stock and sometimes cleaning up after them too. I also help a friend who is a wildlife carer when they go on holiday, cutting up fruit and vegetables, mixing chaff and grains for a group of kangaroos and wallabies.

 

 

 

 

Donkeys! Are they mystical, soulful with great wisdom; or are they stubborn and wilful. We didn't know anything about Donkey's except they carry people on rides sometimes. Then Betty and BJ entered our  lives. They needed a new home so we provided one for them. We soon learnt they were very friendly, only did things on their terms (unless carrots were involved when some discussion could happen), they're curious and clever. We soon learnt so latch the gates properly or they'd take themselves for walks and they couldn't live near the garage or they'd take themselves inside to raid the feed bins! It didn't matter what you were doing in a field, if they were in the same field they'd come to see what you were up to, even if that meant chasing the ute. They love attention! They have such slender, fine bones I wonder when they trot around and the choice of a farrier was very important. The farrier really does need experience with Donkey feet to be able to do a good job. They settled well when a horse came to live with us, but Betty was the Boss! The bellows have to be filled with air before that unique bray floods the surrounding area, usually to attract our attention when they wanted chaff or carrots. I can't think of not having a donkey in our lives now, there's the ears and lovely soft nose. Although the next may have to learn to be a guardian Donkey for our lambs.

 

 

 

We often go to the local Antique fairs and that's where I saw him, looking forlorn and homeless. I couldn't help myself and bought him, to add to others of his kind I had at home. The other three had been given to me as a child by my parents. The white teddy happened one memorable day when both parents had had a bit to much to drink at a winery, I worked both of them and they forgot to say no! So my new big yellow Wendy Boston teddy came to live with Brown bear, Mary (small yellow) and Terry the white bear. Wendy Boston bears were revolutionary, they were the first washable bear with safety eyes. The company started by Wendy and Ian Boston in 1945, created these bears in 1954 from plush material with the ears all part of the teddy body for easy hanging after being washed. My brother also had a Wendy Boston bear and I remember that bear hanging from the washing line from his ear on a number of occasions. These bears are easily recognised by the label sewn into either their paw or leg, depending on their size. I'll keep an eye out for more homeless bears to add to my family.