Doing the feeds this morning

 I am not sure how well you can see these, double click and it should be larger.
The willy wagtails have hatched out their babies down near the stables and although there are 3 I only managed to get 2 of them, they are still practising how to fly, very sweet but their parents are pretty aggresive.
I think the cows were late going out this morning as I was caught behind a mob of them, they have walk a reasonable distance to thier paddocks.
One grey pony stallion was waiting for me, but he is so fat he doesnt get fed! Poor fellow I give him a scratch as he stands by one of the gateways and I have to put the tapes down and then up again.
Huge thunderstorms were standing like sentinels over the hills.
Kangaroos! Well there were a lot of them and the ponies take absolutely no notice at all, I got a bit carried away trying to take photos of them.
Mother and child were further on in another paddock.
I am getting very tired and I am aching but the weather has cooled down a bit,
I didnt even have time to have a sit after my shower as we had to get in to do the weekly shopping.
Now that is done and put away I am doing this and then I will have a rest, until I have to do the night feeds!

Hot and bothered

I just took these three phtos from the bedrooms outside door, the clematis which is flowereing like mad, the roses under the lemon tree, the pink one isnt showing up very well, and the succulent by the door in dry as dry earth.
Not as hot as the weather bureau thought but overcast and very humid.
I was up very early this morning doing my feeds and have to go out soon and do the night ones.
I am trying to leave it as long as possible in the hope that it will cool down a bit.
My feet hate this weather and swell up.
I have been inside doing sewing but I really havent finished anything that I can show.
I think we are supposed to have thunderstorms and rain but it will be interesting to see just how much rain we can manage.

I feel a bit like this haiku by Onitsu
How hot and dusty
these sunstruck
cobwebs glisten
between dry branches

Textile play

I have spent ages on my machine this past few days, I started with the two top pieces, all in one length which I then cut in half and added some organza over the top and then machine stitched it all together. Which then became the cover for my next years diary. I am really quite pleased with it and I love the colours, very warm and central Australia.
The button I bought from an aboriginal man many many years ago at the Eumundi markets.
We had two foals born during the night, both colts but looking ok, and I went around with Sarah this morning to see where the ponies are and what feeds I am doing. Interesting! I dont think I had realised how many fillies we have, and thank goodness for this years crop of colts as we for some reason seem to sell them more easily than the fillies, even though here our preferred ride is on a mare.
We had lots of thunder yesterday and poor Max didnt know what to do with himself, a bit of rain as well which is welcome but not nearly enough.
A small Haiku by Shiki which I altered slightly.

The thunder has subsided
evening sun on a single tree
The cry of a bird.

The other coast

 This morning, as the road was closed due to a triathlon or some such thing we went the back way over to Yankalilla and then on to Normanville where we walked the beach.
This is a much calmer coast with not so many rocks and cliffs or surf as we have at home as it is in one of the Gulfs, although the jetties that used to service the towns have mostly, like this one, been washed away,(the odd 100 year storm!) when I was small this was quite a long jetty and you could swim and fish off it, now tides and storms have trunkated it and it is more used to sit under as shelter from the sun than anything else.
A lovely firm flat beach to walk along with shells every so often, I did find a very worn cowrie, as we used to as children, there is a reef not far off where we walked and I found the shells, we used to snorkel and dive off it in our diving days, and it was a nice beach for children, although in summer the sun can be very fierce, I suppose it is a bit over half an hour away if we go the back road, but somehow we dont do it very often.
Sea urchins, a sponge and possibly egg capsules of something, cuttlefish perhaps, or maybe just sea squirts.
Click twice to enlarge the photos.
You have views down to Rapid Bay and possibly Kangaroo Island.
It was a funny morning, warm and humid but in the hills there were cold clouds and we were much cooler and more overcast at home.
I have been slowly trying to get some textile stuff done, slowly is the operative word! I think I have been walking so much (and I have taken off a bout 5 kilos but you wouldnt know it!) that other things are not getting done.
Am I panicking? pre Christmas? Perhaps.
Tomorrow I do the rounds with Sarah to see how much time it will take me and what feeds I have to do, no doubt I will need a rest after 2 hours of that.
I may be too tired to blog!

morning walk and a new quilt in the post

W

we walked along the beach at Encounter Bay this morning, a lovely cool breeze but a lot warmer and quite muggy at home.
This lovely quilt from the Another little quilt swap group arrived today, mine this year is a gorgeous one of bird houses (with cats on the back!) sent to me by Mary Jane Cardwell who lives in America, I am so pleased with this little fun quilt.
At least a week of hot weather ahead so I am doing the early morning and evening sprinkler run. trouble is sometimes it takes more than a week to get around the garden and some places need water more than others, the sprinkler system only goes so far!
A little bit of Buson

The sea in spring time-
all day rising, falling,
rising, falling.

Sorry things have been a bit hectic

This arrived in the post today. My fantastic carved plaque from Robyn Gordon in South Africa,see her blog on my side bar. I have wanted one of these for ages but wasnt sure how easy it would be to get one into Australia.
I am in love!
Now to find somewhere suitable to hang it, somewhere where I can see it all the time.
The weather hasnt been good, a really bad fire day the other day and then when it cools down all you want to do is sleep and I havent time for that.
I am still up at first light to see if we have a new foal, two of the mares are hanging on and on and on.
I have had visitors and it is going to warm up again in the next few days, just so long as we dont have lightening strikes and the terrible fires of a day or so ago.
We live in such a difficult country, we havent had any rain to speak of for a bout a month and we are now worrying about what water we have in the rain water tanks. We had such a lovely winter and early spring but summer is coming fast.
I did manage a couple of early walks, along the cliffs near Petrels Cove and I have been playing with fabric and making little bags, these are not finished yet but have been fun to do and I will put something small in them for Christmas presents.
In doing them I have been learning a bit more about my new to me Bernina sewing machine something I should have done ages ago but other stuff got in the way.
The build up to Christmas and the thought of having to feed the ponies for almost a week next week in the heat is getting to me I think!
I must just slowly plod on but when the temps get into the mid to high 30's I really dont like it. Perhaps a nanny nap in the middle of the day is the way to go!

Goolwa Barrage this morning

 John and I went into the market early and then over to Goolwa to the barrage to see the seals, there were only a couple and they were in the water but there were lots of birds and a couple of the barrage gates were open, such a lovely walk and we even saw a small boat go through the lock.
Double click the photo and it should enlarge.
Wonderful light on the hills and they water.
We went around to the beach and had a coffee at the kiosk there.
Out feeling I was part of the world.

Low tide today

 In to get the mail and papers and then for a walk around near Kent Reserve.
The tide was very low today and I had no problems taking photos of the reef, quite a reasonable walk, it was cool and breezy and we had a nice 2.2mm of rain overnight.
I have been outside potting up petunias and fertilizing them. I already have quite a nice display by the back door so I hope this will be my summer colour.
I have also been climbing up and down looking for something the girls can use to dress a pony up for a Chinese theme at the Horse of the Year (or is it the Nationals?) any way it is a big show in Victoria.
It is all go here, I am also trying to tidy stuff up but as quickly as I do that it becomes another mess!!
Off to see where I can fit about 10 pairs of black pants, wearable but out of fashion, I keep hoping they will come back into fashion one day and I can fit into them, wishful? probably but at the moment I dont want to throw them out.
In another 10 years you wont find me under the accumulated 'stuff',  if I am still alive!

I have been busy

 sorry about the blog not being udatd but I have been busy, and then tired!
Lat night J brought this wonderful and huge moth in, I had terrible trouble taking its photo but you get an idea of it, about 4 inches long I think.
This morning we had a quick walk along the cliff tops, it is schoolies week, when school breaks up for the year 12 and they come down to Victor to play up, it can be rather a nightmare, so I went in to shop early and today not tomorrow.
I dont feel terribly coherent, but I will be back soon I hope, with Christmas getting here so fast I have so much to do and I keep being interrupted.
I hope everyone who reads this is having a better time of it than I am!

Feeding the ponies

 About half an houir ago while I was walking Max. Sarah, Mason and Isabelle with Fern the cairn terrier in the very old toyota.
More used as a wheelbarrow, doing the rounds and feeding ponies.
Max had to investigate Sarah. Here they are with a Welsh Mountain Stallion and a mare in the dam paddock behind the house.
It is always a squash with so many in the poor old toyota, normally it is only Sarah and Fern but today Masons mother Gaby is working and Isabelle is home from work so is helping to move some of the ponies around.
The final shot is across the paddocks to - more ponies and down the valley. Click on that one to enlarge the photo.
Cool and muggy today, after a hot one yesterday, no rain so far and we will be lucky if we get any. Looking at these photos it still looks a bit green but it is drying off quickly and these paddocks have been sown with rye grass to give a bit more feed if we do get any rain.

Adelaide yesterday, Pt Elliot this morning

 I went up to the craft fair in Adelaide yesterday, bought a few odds and ends and then went up to my friend P's house, on the way we stopped at Cappos the fishmongers and I couldnt help taking a couple of photos. The flat head on ice greeted you at the door and I loved this display of whole fish in the cabinet.
This morning we went into the markedt and then over to Pt Elliot to get some seedlings and then for a walk around green bay. big southern rollers were coming in and making a splash and a grumble, the surfers were out as well.
A lovely morning to walk.
I have been very busy this week, what with one thing and another, the judges from our Welsh Show came for lunch on Wednesday and a look around, I asked my friend R to come as well, a lovely time but it was a bit short as they had been to one stud, saw something of ours and then went on to Tabbys and she was taking them back up to Adelaide.
John had been back and forth to Adelaide all week, I was busy trying to get my house in order and then to Adelaide yesterday and shop for the week end as well.
Felt thoroughly exhausted by the end of the week!

Internet problems

 Put up a huge post yesterday and it didnt go through, I am not sure if today will be any better as the internet has been intermittant today after a night of thunder and lightening and heavy rain.
I made these rock buns, well I think on sunday! and yesterday thisabsolutely marvellous cushion arrived from Julie in Florida. she had used one of my mad bird designs and stitched it for me, isnt it wonderful?
I love it.
My lunch that was supposed to happen today through total disorganisation has now been transferred to tomorrow, I hope it happens.
I will post this now and see if it gets through.

A busy few days

 Yesterday was spent all day at a show, our SA All Welsh show held 2 hours away and with an 8 am start and a late finish.
The foal in the first photo (Rivington Sundress out of R Sunsilk) was born the day before and is by the 3 year old colt (Imperial Aden) we took (second photo) who was Champion colt and best Welsh B youngstock. The foals 3/4 sister in blood was Champion Section B filly. We did well on the whole as the A stallion was also Champion stallion. We didnt take our usual big team but it still meant that where we shouldnt have had clashes we did.
My gorgeous 15 year old granddaughter also was Best handler in her age group.
I didnt leave until almost 4 and by the time I got home (six) I was ready for a stiff drink but had to check on a stallion with a swollen leg, looks like a kick but this morning it looks a bit better and he is putting weight on it. He is an older precious stallion and in with a couple of mares, you would think he would know better than to get kicked but it happens.
Team Rivington are back today for the ridden day. Not sure how well they will go as we have UK judges and sometimes their judging, as yesterday is a little different to the way we do things here.
So this morning it is hot and windy and the hayfever is back and I feel rather as though I have been run over by a bus!
Walking Max and checking everything I had to take a photo of my Sparrieshoop rose which had been out for a few days but is now just a little past its best, and also similar but the flowers are not a so big, Rosey Cushion (I think that is its name I have had it for a few years now) which we cut back very hard this year is just starting to flower.
I have a very soft spot for single roses.
I wish it would rain, everything is drying off very quickly and the lovely Spring flowering is over too soon..