December 20th 2019.

The smoke from the fire that devastated our neighbourhood.

Amazingly the fire went around our house but the rest of the property was completely burnt. Most of our sheep were either killed or burnt. Later those burnt were shot by PIRSA as there was no way to help them. The horse and donkey survived but with burns. A Vet came to treat them and then they were taken to a clinic for further treatment.

What a sight to return too.

 

 

It's been awhile but we're coming up to the second anniversary of the bushfire of December 20th 2019. So I thought maybe I should start my Blog again. I'll be looking back to that date, a stinking hot, extremely windy day, that changed our environment. We left our house taking the dogs and caravan. We put the equines and sheep into a grazed field which had a largish dam. We thought we'd be back the same day but that huge black 'cloud' we could see heading our way turned out to be the fire that had started that morning, heading straight to us. It burnt completely around at least five towns and rushed through our neighbourhood that night. Many of our neighbours stayed to fight it. We watched the smoke from our escape town on the River Murray. not knowing what would be left. It would be two days before we were able to return through the dangerous fire zone.

Lambs.

With the dry start to the year we weren't thinking about a planned lambing. We had to divide the sheep up as to which would stay and which we would sell. Those that stayed went in with our ram. These were old thin ewes, some small lambs and a few nice ewes. Usually lambing at our place starts at the end of July but this year we had no idea when any or if any lambs would be born. So it was a nice surprise to go up to the flock and find a couple of lambs. Over the last three days we've had 4. The ewes won't let us get close and are very protective. We may get a few more.

Dams.

August has been a good month for rain. We can face the coming summer knowing the dams are full of water and the grasses should grow nicely now. The front dam has come a long way from back in May when it was dry and just been dug out.

Amazing what a trickle of water can do!

It's been a few days but wow look how the dam's water level looks like! Long may it continue.

At last!

We've been hoping and had our fingers crossed that this would happen, particularly when the long term forecast has constantly stated there would be below average rain, but at last the creek has  started to flow! Well it's more a trickle, but the last two days of showery weather has been enough for it to start. Amazingly the dam has risen by a foot with only a trickle! If this continues the dam should fill which will be relief to us.

  

The equines were on their best behaviour!

The farrier visited this morning and for once the horse behaved himself! Maybe the hay helped? So their hooves are all tidy and cleared of muck.