Category: Rural Life

Fire Plans and Pumps

Recently, we’ve been to a few Community Fire Authorityn (CFA) information sessions.  These sessions are aimed at ensuring property owners are aware that we are coming into the ‘fire season’. This is the time of year when, due to the combination of high heat and low humidity, vegetation is dry and bushfires are more likely … Continue reading Fire Plans and Pumps

Coming to the rescue: Lizards, Wrens and Spinebills

As I write this, there is at least one very scared skink lizard hiding under the filing cabinet in our study.  Yesterday I rescued two lizards which Luna brought in to me. Today I was given reptile gifts by both cats, and managed to rescue four or five of them (I lost count) but unfortunately … Continue reading Coming to the rescue: Lizards, Wrens and Spinebills

Rain, Heat and Fire Plans

This week has seen a shift in the weather. As I walked around on Monday, the dry soil and drying grasses seemed so different from the lush green growth we have had here for most of our time. I didn’t see many native flowers in bloom, and the bracken had grown in areas which needed … Continue reading Rain, Heat and Fire Plans

Luna and Clio’s first day in the enclosure

In our previous house, Luna and Clio had free access to a patio enclosed by cat netting.  They both love being outside, basking in the sun or chasing insects.  For the past few months in our new house, they have had to be content with sunbaking next to a full length window, or watching birds … Continue reading Luna and Clio’s first day in the enclosure

Cat Enclosure Stage 2 – Cat Netting

This weekend the weather was fine and we had free time, so we were able to finish the cat enclosure.  Essentially this meant covering the yard with cat netting and patching up any potential escape points, for example, making sure the cats are not able to get under the house, or squeeze through a gap … Continue reading Cat Enclosure Stage 2 – Cat Netting

The Cat Enclosure Stage 1 – New Fence

It has been very difficult to find clear weekends to build, where we don’t have other commitments, but last weekend we made some progress on the cat enclosure. Finally! We needed a firm anchor point for the cat netting.  Unfortunately, the existing lattice was not strong enough.  It was beginning to show signs of age, … Continue reading The Cat Enclosure Stage 1 – New Fence

Native Shrubs in Flower

Dotted around the property are a number of flowering native shrubs which have been planted by previous owners.  Many of these are just coming into flower, while others have interesting seed cases on display.  I have not yet researched the specific plant names, so I have just posted the images without descriptions. Enjoy the photo … Continue reading Native Shrubs in Flower

Kangaroos and Orchards

When watering the fruit trees in the orchard tonight, I noticed that almost all of the fruit from one tree was gone, and there were telltale droppings beneath the tree.  Richard identified these as kangaroo droppings. I knew we had to watch out for the birds when the fruit grew large and ripe, but these … Continue reading Kangaroos and Orchards

Preparing for the Greenhouse

On Friday we had word that the greenhouse is ready to collect from the warehouse.  This is exciting news!  It comes flatpacked, so next weekend we hope to construct it.   During the week, our raised garden beds and greenhouse shelving should also arrive.  We’ll need to order crushed rock to form the floor in … Continue reading Preparing for the Greenhouse

First Harvest

We have used some herbs from the garden before, but this is our first vegetable harvest.  Sufficient broad beans to make Broad Bean, Leek, Goats Cheese and Mint Pasta.  As I didn’t have a leek to hand, I used three of our shallots, and to deglaze the pan when it got too hot, I used … Continue reading First Harvest

Our Garden Blooms

As I walk around the garden, I appreciate the care taken by previous owners in the garden design.  The cultivated garden is relatively small, with a few shrubs interspersed with annuals and perennials.  Each month we have been here, a different plant flowers.  The effect has been to frame the view differently, refocusing our attention … Continue reading Our Garden Blooms

Ancestry, Gardening and Food Plant Recognition

Inspired by perfect Spring weather, last Wednesday morning I headed out into the vegetable garden.  Now that the potato plants had sprouted leaves, I could see where they were and clear the ground  around them.  Surrounded by tall eucalypts and calling birds, it was easy to relax into the task. I realised this is what … Continue reading Ancestry, Gardening and Food Plant Recognition

The Cat Enclosure Dilema

As responsible cat owners, we will build a cat enclosure before we allow the cats outside.  Our intention was to have this enclosure built before we moved in, but the existring fence structure was not strong enough to support the cat netting we need to secure to it.  The new fencing materials are due to … Continue reading The Cat Enclosure Dilema

An end to the 2 Bar Blues

Out of pure frustation, and not expecting much, we phoned the Government communication people to enquire if there was a subsidy to install a satelite.  We were more surprised than anyone else when the answer was ‘Yes’ – if we were on a list of approved regions.  Thankfully, our region was one of those listed.  … Continue reading An end to the 2 Bar Blues

Growing Food

Our plans for growing food are beginning to take shape.   Eventually, we will have four separate growing areas: 1. Open air vegetable garden 2. Greenhouse for all year round tomatoes, capsicums etc 3. An open air herb garden 4. The fruit orchard. This post documents our starting points for all four areas. See the photo … Continue reading Growing Food

A quick tour of our bush habitat

We are very fortunate to have friends who know much more than we do about the native plants on our land.  It turns out that our property is rich in native orchids and native lillies.   A couple of weeks ago, we had 6 species of native orchid in flower, and another six to ten which … Continue reading A quick tour of our bush habitat

Taking a chainsaw to my green ideals

When we moved here, I knew we would need a chainsaw.  We had so many trees, and our heating comes from a wood-burning fire.  In my mind, I could see that after a high wind, it was inevitable we would need to clean up fallen branches, and I knew there were some dead trees which … Continue reading Taking a chainsaw to my green ideals

Catching My Breath in Slow Motion

The pace of life seems to have slowed since our move. Partly this is simply because we have passed through three frantic weeks of cleaning, packing and uppacking boxes, shifting furniture into new formations that suit the new spaces, and the settlement on our former home has successfully come to a close.  Now we just … Continue reading Catching My Breath in Slow Motion

Boxes, Birds and Wood Fires

For a week now, we’ve been living in our new house among a sea of boxes.  Piece by piece, we unpack our old life and see how it fits with our new life.  Already we find that some loved items simply don’t fit into this (smaller) house.  We knew this would be the case.  Part … Continue reading Boxes, Birds and Wood Fires