My week in thread and the morning walk

 I used one of my rusted pieces of fabric for this  piece, I think it maybe a bit yellowish and some things dont show up terribly well' Monday John strted to burn some of the heaps around the place, Tuesday the wind came up and it blew, it did the same on Wednesday and I did not do a lot of constructive work, but I did do some stitching on this. Thursday John went up to the hills and brought me back a spider orchid as I cant go out to see them, it is lying on its back I am afraid.
Friday was my birthday and I went to lunch with a friend, lots of chat and a lovely meal. John also took me out later that day so all in all a lovely day.
Saturday we went to a local Ag show but what really had taken my eye was that going over to it lots of the Yakka or black boy or grass tree, take your pick were out in flower, my white flowers dont show terribly well and this one is also on its back.
Sunday we went out to see how the mowing was going in the back paddocks.
My week in stitch.
This morning the sun was shining and we had a quick walk along the beach, lovely but as withall things farming we had to rush back to make sure all was well with the mowing, and silage making.
Now it has clouded over and is quite cold.
fickle spring weather.

Some favorite views

 We have started making silage and I went out with John to see how it was going. I love this end of the valley but unfortunately we are having to sell off a large amount of the area they were doing silage making on.
At least our son is buying it but it is heartbreaking non the less.
It wont really pay off the debts but will help to keep us here for a bit longer.
The dairy industry here is in dire straits with most if not all farmers owing money, mostly for feed.
We had droughts, high feed prices and now low payments for our milk with all costs on the farm rising every year. If we are not careful there will be very few dairy farmers left, particularly in our part of the country.
I suppose when the time comes we will be past an age when we should retire into town, but I dont really want to.
Yes P I do feel down about it all and not particularly happy about what we have to look forward to.
So I think I am aloud to be a grumpy old woman occasionally.

A busy couple of days

 After yesterdays excitement of going out to both lunch and dinner in one day, today was lovely, I shopped early in the morning and then at mid morning we headed over to the agricultural show at Yankalilla, a lovely typical show of which I took only a couple of photos which really didnt show what it was like, the best was the fellow doing a shearing demonstration.
We went back up into the village and had a lovely light lunch (tapas) at the local cafe, which is a wonderful mix of very old, very kitch and wonderful food.
On the way home I managed to get John to stop while I photographed a flowering grass tree, in my youth we called them black boys, the birds love the flowers on this wonderful very tall spike.
Yankalilla is full of lovely old cottages, my grand mother and great aunt lived in one of these, not this one, I just loved its garden and fence. This was next door to the cafe.
Sorry I am telling you about the photos back to front.
John is burning heaps, and the wind has changed which means that now I have a house full of smoke.
Very windy this morning and now the wind has dropped as well, still it was a lovely day.
Tomorrow is the start of daylight saving, would you believe we have it for 6 months, ridiculous.

Give away winner

Robyn will be heading to the UK having been won by Gill. I had a lovely birthday but was out for lunch and dinner so no time to post. John pulled Gills name from a hat. Wish I could have sent them all out. A more comprehensive post later in the day.

Dolls, foals and flowers

 Just a reminder about my give away, scroll down to find it, ends Friday evening my time.
Here is another little miss. Her name is Rachel and she had almost given up all hope when a handsome prince croaked in her ear.
So silly.
We have had a few new foals, with the awful weather we have been having it is inevitable, here are a couple of the new arrivals, both Welsh Mountain foals, the first a filly and the second a very nice little colt. Born a few days ago, todays arrival in freezing cold and wild winds is in a covered yard, a colt to be named I think Gailforce!
I walked down yesterday to take these photos.
Finally my yellow clivia is flowering, I can never get the colour right but after nearly 20 years wait it has been worth it the last few years.
Absolutely awful weather, I hope it clears up soon.
I have been inside, sewing and doing a bit of beading.

This mornings photos

It is still windy and we had very little rain but early this morning the sun was out and I wandered around with Max and my camera taking photos of what I think will be very fleeting flowers in the garden.
I really wish we had lovely long spring weather but it is always interspersed with wind and heat which  makes things go off so quickly and before I know it I will be lugging hoses around.
The peacocks are calling, lizards are on the pots, how I would love for them to be bright green like the ones we saw in Italy.
My lemon tree is laden and the geranium maderense is flowering with its huge purple heads of flower. The redbottle brush is flowering and attracting the honey eaters, the crab apple is out as is the old persian lilac and I even found a flower on a small azalea.
Then we went in for a walk along the road at the bottom of the Bluff, we havent been there for ages but it was a bit more sheltered from the wind, sea and clouds and rocks. Magic.
Take it all while I can.
Double click to enlarge the photos on the collage.

These photos go with the last post

 blogger and picasso playing up.