tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91499705471120241112024-03-14T06:50:49.650+10:00Ubobo TravellersHaving completed a world cruise in 2010, I am now back home and must content myself travelling the world with Blogger. Join me as I adjust to living in retirement in rural Queensland.hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-3652167638500768142011-07-23T12:36:00.001+10:002011-07-23T12:37:06.000+10:00Farm Friendly Friday #8<span style="font-size: large;">Happiness</span><br />
<em>Happiness is being where you want to be and doing what you want to be doing. As such, happiness requires nothing more than an adjustment in your attitude. </em>~ Ralph Marston “The Daily Motivator”<br />
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How true....<br />
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I began my Friday in a terrible state. I was woken by a rat making noises in the corner of the bedroom! Ahhhh! Worse was to come. On investigation there were not one but two rats setting up home in the bottom drawer of my bureau. More and louder AHHHHS! Hobo 1 to the rescue and with broom in hand he hastened their departure from the house.<br />
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How did they get in you may ask? We are having renovations done. Our old wooden soldier settler’s house built back in the 1920s is having its front and side verandahs replaced - and not before time as you can see. A good paint job was hiding a multitude of sins!<br />
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It has the dogs confused!<br />
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A gap had been left under the doors by the removal of the floor boards. As usually happens in the country, the builder was held up for three days waiting for the new flooring to arrive. With our cold wintery nights, Mr & Mrs Rat had accepted our warm open-house invitation and moved in. YUK! <br />
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With rats gone I inspected the damage...not much but the contents of every drawer would need to be washed- messy blighters! Oh well here was my day mapped out for me. Washing! Not my favourite activity.<br />
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Breakfast brought a further surprise. Not only had our uninvited guests set up house, they’d had a midnight feast as well. Each pear in a bowl of pears sitting on the kitchen counter, had been tested before the best had been selected and consumed. More and louder YUKS!<br />
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At this point Ralph’s words came to mind. “This just requires a change of attitude,” I told myself and from this point a beautiful, happy day unfolded.<br />
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Between loads of washing, I washed and trimmed the pears, and made a delicious bowl of poached pears for dinner. Yummy!<br />
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In the process I discovered some wilted celery in the fridge and with the addition of an onion and half a parsnip made a lovely bowl of celery soup for our lunch. More and Louder Yummies!<br />
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Motivated I went on to prepare a dish for main course to accompany our pears - <em>Open Roast Chicken with Orange Juice and Apples</em>. The recipe is from one of my favourite recipe books, “<em>Reader’s Digest One Dish Meals the Easy Way</em>”.<br />
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When Hobo 1 decided at lunch he need to make a quick trip to Gladstone, I was free to go with him. I knitted up another coat hanger cover on the way in and out; met our granddaughter quite by accident in the car park and had a quick chat with her while we drove to the post office to collect the mail and arrived home to a delicious dinner ready for us in the slow cooker.<br />
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To end the day I curled up in bed and continued my tour of Tuscany with Frances Mayer, author of “<em>Bella Tuscany</em>”. Last night I visited the Greek ruins in Sicily, was reminded of sipping <em>limoncello</em> on our world tour and visioned myself eating “<em>almond cake and thick lemon pie topped with roasted local almonds</em>” whilst gazing out on the deep, blue waters of the Mediterranean.<br />
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Who cares about rats? It’s just a matter of attitude.hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-29391997329473762852011-06-25T13:39:00.000+10:002011-06-25T13:39:19.505+10:00Peaceful DovesWhat fickle weather we are having in Central Queensland - two very heavy frosts on Thursday and Friday morning followed by warm afternoons. Today no frost but it's been cold all day and is now overcast and showery. Although it has developed into a cold, miserable day the reward has been a house yard alive with birds.<br />
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One group of visitors was a little flock of peaceful doves who dropped in around midday with their feathers all fluffed up against the wind. <br />
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They fed on grass seeds at the bottom of our front steps. <br />
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And then were gone... A very pleasant, but brief interlude.<br />
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Visit <a href="http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/">Camera Critters</a> for more critters from around the world.hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-58461850551842248642011-06-24T20:41:00.000+10:002011-06-24T20:41:05.518+10:00Friday on the Farm #7Activity today has revolved around organising a pen of heifers ready for sale on Monday.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZNgbIlapD4pJBwyKzLhj6UBcNZaJ-9Ft5NxaPXNxJXl9hUyIcdpbwpS1nBsJZ_WgWJgVVswf_h3BgQlxrmtm7vwL2ob7YIlW8Urn4pONXAmq79nY3ZBdC1qBnKVLHBtDLKPul_z5bbs/s1600/DSCN9863.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZNgbIlapD4pJBwyKzLhj6UBcNZaJ-9Ft5NxaPXNxJXl9hUyIcdpbwpS1nBsJZ_WgWJgVVswf_h3BgQlxrmtm7vwL2ob7YIlW8Urn4pONXAmq79nY3ZBdC1qBnKVLHBtDLKPul_z5bbs/s400/DSCN9863.1.JPG" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White NLIS tag clipped to her right ear</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The day began with a heavy frost just as it has for most of the week - the paddocks covered in a white veil and the cattle broadside to the morning sun for maximum warmth.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrCE1iLOhw8RZT3OOr64TI3CDNehC-Jx8xjPzGY_4ncf_Qzkdq8UaycuvgeJjZBsMt7ea8ktJzVzdjnACtIQe8CzXB4mh-KkRW7WjH8NBXM0K5MdzR5EVk6WwzgJtvRPSC5DreZCAoC0/s1600/DSCN9788.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirrCE1iLOhw8RZT3OOr64TI3CDNehC-Jx8xjPzGY_4ncf_Qzkdq8UaycuvgeJjZBsMt7ea8ktJzVzdjnACtIQe8CzXB4mh-KkRW7WjH8NBXM0K5MdzR5EVk6WwzgJtvRPSC5DreZCAoC0/s400/DSCN9788.1.JPG" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Young bull soaking up the sun</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The water troughs were frozen over and it took twice as long to dress with all the extra layers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOa05HmviG6BKQhYK_movoTeDIaZEEP7uhTXNp2hpt1DU5HVGWFfCCQb_ihMmrImGSSKDDH-34dG8wgjcRQ7cw06anazGKh0o5lbyoYEzhG_5qHRGDxHKwhcT68NsPtcAzGiLHQoBGkfo/s1600/DSCN9801.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOa05HmviG6BKQhYK_movoTeDIaZEEP7uhTXNp2hpt1DU5HVGWFfCCQb_ihMmrImGSSKDDH-34dG8wgjcRQ7cw06anazGKh0o5lbyoYEzhG_5qHRGDxHKwhcT68NsPtcAzGiLHQoBGkfo/s400/DSCN9801.1.JPG" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice sculptures on the water trough</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Before we began, I went up into the town for my daily check of the Discovery Centre, an accommodation facility run by local volunteers. I’m the janitor this week and the barnyard has been enjoying the bucket of wet scraps brought home each day. However they still want to line up for their daily billy of grain at the end of the day. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEPFj9mLqudEIWjr3yajtsDaMgIQpH44hkVTq_9DxqjGJQpXB7hGbg94q8EZFWpaIxPgDphtGY5dpMdHYvMP2b9ysCifzmCa8qK2TgbYby8-_bwiP_WARMCB663Go5WzztGoLX4GkNL0/s1600/DSCN9857.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEPFj9mLqudEIWjr3yajtsDaMgIQpH44hkVTq_9DxqjGJQpXB7hGbg94q8EZFWpaIxPgDphtGY5dpMdHYvMP2b9ysCifzmCa8qK2TgbYby8-_bwiP_WARMCB663Go5WzztGoLX4GkNL0/s400/DSCN9857.1.JPG" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where's our grain?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Just as the old pony has arrived for his slab of hay now the frosts are upon us. He is retired to the back paddock and ignored us all summer but winter has him back playing friends again! Poor old fellow is showing his age. He’s over thirty years old now. We bought him as a seven year old and he was my “stock” horse for many years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tsDrDZvdfT62LSlrGGrk7lirIviqt3ddQSeTHIDqqJ9mGglqZScHkiTrpNQxn9KJ2gXzGljBeF_avZr9xXBtv22KphrkhqUnDkEnavjjCzWW_GAAuEdZke7FhWJOMxJh2qN8uni8VOo/s1600/DSCN9834.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tsDrDZvdfT62LSlrGGrk7lirIviqt3ddQSeTHIDqqJ9mGglqZScHkiTrpNQxn9KJ2gXzGljBeF_avZr9xXBtv22KphrkhqUnDkEnavjjCzWW_GAAuEdZke7FhWJOMxJh2qN8uni8VOo/s400/DSCN9834.1.JPG" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pony</td></tr>
</tbody></table>For lunch, I made a quick but tasty coleslaw - just some cabbage, grated carrot and apple with a sprinkling of chopped pecan nuts all moistened with mayonnaise; fried some thin slices of steak and popped them both between a couple of slices of toast “Just what the doctor ordered,” as we say.<br />
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Now we’re off to check that all the cattle have their NLIS ear tags. These tags are small round buttons fitted with a microchip that allows it to be read with electronic readers. They are clipped onto the ear of each animal when they are calves and permanently identify and trace their movements from birth to slaughter. All cattle on the farm have to have one. A white one says you have bred the animal and it has stayed on your farm till sale; an orange one identifies the animal as one you have purchased. All the information is gathered from the tags and stored in the NLIS central data base. <br />
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I find it amazing what Information and communication technologies are allowing us to do today. <br />
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When I was a principal, I was one of the guiding coalition of principals who drove the implementation of OneSchool in Queensland. OneSchool is a technology program designed and developed by Education Queensland to provide a consistent information management system for all our schools- a common system for managing student records, curriculum and learning plans, resources, finance and performance. It is a powerful program that allows access to data any time, anywhere, by anyone who needs the information - “A single point of truth”.<br />
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I found it interesting that when the OneSchool concept was first presented at a conference in 2006, a speaker from NLIS explained the power of their system and the benefits to the beef industry of this gathering of “single point of truth” data.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVuSpLX9jn4wea-vEt2bcXLbZ8yZWtrHl2xkBp75m2z5hBwwq8IIpQDqF0yF7UUXqEAaJgDYSSKLnH-opBy4nV2CmohTeFzAMyHLu6FLJy15RT2sUEk3pYaikEEZkhUGgrIo17DIsc7T8/s1600/DSCN9881.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240px" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVuSpLX9jn4wea-vEt2bcXLbZ8yZWtrHl2xkBp75m2z5hBwwq8IIpQDqF0yF7UUXqEAaJgDYSSKLnH-opBy4nV2CmohTeFzAMyHLu6FLJy15RT2sUEk3pYaikEEZkhUGgrIo17DIsc7T8/s320/DSCN9881.1.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where will this little fellow's life journey take him?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Be sure to visit other Farm Friendly Friday writers.<a href="http://www.deborahjeansdandelionhouse.com/">http://www.deborahjeansdandelionhouse.com/</a>hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-62026655188232295882011-06-13T21:12:00.000+10:002011-06-13T21:12:16.344+10:00Monday's Moment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA0hyphenhyphenwROoaVqvUUXLLwOtmawkj5q_InN81wVkafbJI0W1VZktaky9HqBiXpMOzqMfV03qZED0GgyRjE2qCU7Of-48wti7T5D3b5ckoAdaAAIraOrPoF51tJvnck09stZKytIHfQJ_R8s8/s1600/DSCN9392.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA0hyphenhyphenwROoaVqvUUXLLwOtmawkj5q_InN81wVkafbJI0W1VZktaky9HqBiXpMOzqMfV03qZED0GgyRjE2qCU7Of-48wti7T5D3b5ckoAdaAAIraOrPoF51tJvnck09stZKytIHfQJ_R8s8/s400/DSCN9392.1.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div>Our district was opened up under the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act of 1917. Every discharged member of the armed forces was entitled to apply for a grant of land and support to build a home. <br />
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Many British soldier arrived in the Boyne Valley under the scheme only to find the climate against them, water in short supply and the country a far cry from the land they called "Home". A few stayed a life time and their descendants still live in the valley today. Most left - disallusioned and disappointed in their dream. This is the site of the home of one such family. I wandered over the area and wondered what was their story.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUiJioJNyFHaTAl5_NjUrrT8eRZBxiu2xKfj3fyi0vAx1C04aXRlIiRgB-hgw9cOCGoGWTix6pvco78fjKVyWI1QI7KeNP_6-9B3j-Y30lcwt22EkKvo-TK83dN3jRIn0atIIpsj-50I/s1600/DSCN9389.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUiJioJNyFHaTAl5_NjUrrT8eRZBxiu2xKfj3fyi0vAx1C04aXRlIiRgB-hgw9cOCGoGWTix6pvco78fjKVyWI1QI7KeNP_6-9B3j-Y30lcwt22EkKvo-TK83dN3jRIn0atIIpsj-50I/s400/DSCN9389.1.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I thought of the workmanship that went into standing this yard post that stands so strong through all the passing years; fighting a battle against nature to mark the place where a man once stood and pondered his next move.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHuDaWRIKMHCjcsR6gGUpXkhuGjelg4vHrXSYNZ-_g_bKBK0f3yldWIpwL2FLs1k0gYdQKEkVwo9QK7mQ5yrmkN8mej29daeQVUJtK1ujoI2H639nKkSYSr-FOD8tz0xhydIfBiYNHmk/s1600/DSCN9398.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqHuDaWRIKMHCjcsR6gGUpXkhuGjelg4vHrXSYNZ-_g_bKBK0f3yldWIpwL2FLs1k0gYdQKEkVwo9QK7mQ5yrmkN8mej29daeQVUJtK1ujoI2H639nKkSYSr-FOD8tz0xhydIfBiYNHmk/s400/DSCN9398.1.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Thought of the woman who stood on the verandah of her little two roomed home that rested on these blocks. What did she think about as she looked out across the same paddock I walk across today?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgRdk98F6s987OLuYTJH3GL2jXE0tHArxv53ya0SLHsDXLiuqqy-6aPMI0o6x9l0qU30A2JWFlW9rZSPPT7BctWz4yDulCV8FwGXAeGh9PmQGMh3D010YH1I4tqu0TnmLRQ-amHZW3Yw/s1600/DSCN9394.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgRdk98F6s987OLuYTJH3GL2jXE0tHArxv53ya0SLHsDXLiuqqy-6aPMI0o6x9l0qU30A2JWFlW9rZSPPT7BctWz4yDulCV8FwGXAeGh9PmQGMh3D010YH1I4tqu0TnmLRQ-amHZW3Yw/s400/DSCN9394.1.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div>Wondered who carted the water? And how was it carted up the steep bank from the creek to the tank that once stood on these tall post to give them both a shower. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-ds4lj64CFZJAU6_L4DzufB-bIu1FhyphenhyphenSWrjbJfsMJ99ZkCVap0wFBFudkGPpyUDqO2OnoSgv2E-NOFd-9e8ihM8wwoC_jDvErukkt1z0Yg5VCKmXfOQqxly7d3rvNGtVqV75ORbsjMs/s1600/DSCN9400.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-ds4lj64CFZJAU6_L4DzufB-bIu1FhyphenhyphenSWrjbJfsMJ99ZkCVap0wFBFudkGPpyUDqO2OnoSgv2E-NOFd-9e8ihM8wwoC_jDvErukkt1z0Yg5VCKmXfOQqxly7d3rvNGtVqV75ORbsjMs/s400/DSCN9400.1.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div>And tried to envisage the gate that stood between these posts. Was it the entrance to their house yard? Was it a garden gate? What did they grow? Did an old horse pull their sulky? <br />
So many questions. Will they ever be answered? Is it a research project I should undertake?...<br />
And then I saw it...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhAWvyoJe1J5wzajUpkbj5X4lqJP_kd6j3APdwmzUDbv6If-sDh2k-jzq1_lncZmvOWICaDIFwFcJQNoecS1s8Uw3OyKV6yxXphDd8wfxtTYSL1jTkCfrtpFwdR8KuucM21tw7ujZr_8/s1600/DSCN9407.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhAWvyoJe1J5wzajUpkbj5X4lqJP_kd6j3APdwmzUDbv6If-sDh2k-jzq1_lncZmvOWICaDIFwFcJQNoecS1s8Uw3OyKV6yxXphDd8wfxtTYSL1jTkCfrtpFwdR8KuucM21tw7ujZr_8/s400/DSCN9407.1.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div>...this tiny little white flower between the gate posts. So pure, so perfect on its delicate little stem. It was my camera lens that discovered its companion. My dreaming ended as I rejoiced in the beauty presented to me to brighten my Monday - a moment to remember.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKR3eAR-uaCl6GVgEcHJWdLulpuSVM4WOl5bz93EdXXHdxrTT0Ek47tauHR0jpNf_IOcGBokj8WzLC04QEfW_Mq34RRtmHeRY71eHdky746RbP5xnjHQcrxsXxgw-qgLC8fFlxYmSGJE/s1600/DSCN9413.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCKR3eAR-uaCl6GVgEcHJWdLulpuSVM4WOl5bz93EdXXHdxrTT0Ek47tauHR0jpNf_IOcGBokj8WzLC04QEfW_Mq34RRtmHeRY71eHdky746RbP5xnjHQcrxsXxgw-qgLC8fFlxYmSGJE/s400/DSCN9413.1.jpg" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div>hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-46789908615147123122011-06-10T22:03:00.001+10:002011-06-10T22:13:22.552+10:00Friday on the Farm #6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It was a cold chilly day on the farm this Friday.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gwhcXQQWIcAcVCRIveOMywYZxYqCvLXZdKmScWvoyCPcw0oFsRmNubbNNJLHKx0BXQo2GXN0eeIz00L2KcYkz7o86uXrEcfQoivoFik7Df9JdslynRw8cxzQrzaLuI2Cz81osdiRPsU/s1600/DSCN9278.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-gwhcXQQWIcAcVCRIveOMywYZxYqCvLXZdKmScWvoyCPcw0oFsRmNubbNNJLHKx0BXQo2GXN0eeIz00L2KcYkz7o86uXrEcfQoivoFik7Df9JdslynRw8cxzQrzaLuI2Cz81osdiRPsU/s400/DSCN9278.1.jpg" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
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It began with a panic. I have three light sussex hens but when I came to let them out of the chook house this morning there were only two.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7A8UA0UJOSk003DhxpgValP-DBY1Nnnya5tprMeLFTL4vGeaq2mKj5LWkacKRh6u6ZzI_PCgcIbPtynt8PREQrIOPXJGXTXuHfd9MhVtDrJUCE8K2BFtQRB7-BP6C2zM8guPTJE40x0c/s1600/DSCN9147.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7A8UA0UJOSk003DhxpgValP-DBY1Nnnya5tprMeLFTL4vGeaq2mKj5LWkacKRh6u6ZzI_PCgcIbPtynt8PREQrIOPXJGXTXuHfd9MhVtDrJUCE8K2BFtQRB7-BP6C2zM8guPTJE40x0c/s400/DSCN9147.1.jpg" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
A search around the yard found the third safely tucked up under a low set water tank on a nest of eleven eggs. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_sV50tmLOO8FLoRCIWD7zZYfTkeYzUuGWTgVsaNfSF2S-ZU4ckuo_NiXnbtQBHL3pic69eU8ser2pgsjSw_sK6kIic2xdCDFD1KlV5iVwn3puJjokdCGkE5-S28nfDygmKUIZpM01Vzw/s1600/DSCN9174.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_sV50tmLOO8FLoRCIWD7zZYfTkeYzUuGWTgVsaNfSF2S-ZU4ckuo_NiXnbtQBHL3pic69eU8ser2pgsjSw_sK6kIic2xdCDFD1KlV5iVwn3puJjokdCGkE5-S28nfDygmKUIZpM01Vzw/s400/DSCN9174.1.jpg" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
Over morning tea we discovered that each hand on our bunch of bananas had twelve bananas on it. Is this the case for all bananas?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZ5QoHB0L8o6-R_l327MCOdsNiQG7YL53LvyUIKm9kFsYh6ZocmBlbveLXT1nX8ET6O0xZK7Qfx3T2lGheXhjdkNfBViNrJN38lWBaRpnNFEOdiBfaSFgAjEad9cXIwYQOyEfx_f2dWY/s1600/DSCN9183.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZ5QoHB0L8o6-R_l327MCOdsNiQG7YL53LvyUIKm9kFsYh6ZocmBlbveLXT1nX8ET6O0xZK7Qfx3T2lGheXhjdkNfBViNrJN38lWBaRpnNFEOdiBfaSFgAjEad9cXIwYQOyEfx_f2dWY/s400/DSCN9183.1.jpg" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
Then it was a trip to a farm further up the valley to pick up a cow that had been missing for nine months. She’d apparently been running there all the time and the farmer hadn’t known who owned her until he rang the Stock Squad. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKy4qOCwqI4JUEBqisjS0mWQM5VGrF6dToK1qx10uWkcGyKev3joHUzNT2CSOMg8AAXBMWjAB07_bIu7BzN32QrW5hvuNvYibZE2qhLJ4RLhJsBSAi1Ti4gFNVOgpKMTpt28GYi6Ky8Oo/s1600/DSCN9267.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKy4qOCwqI4JUEBqisjS0mWQM5VGrF6dToK1qx10uWkcGyKev3joHUzNT2CSOMg8AAXBMWjAB07_bIu7BzN32QrW5hvuNvYibZE2qhLJ4RLhJsBSAi1Ti4gFNVOgpKMTpt28GYi6Ky8Oo/s400/DSCN9267.1.jpg" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
I was so cold at midday; I went out to soak up what little sunlight there was. I was entertained by the antics of my pup Mopsy giving herself an adrenalin rush playing chicken with the cattle as they came in for their midday drink. The calves on the other side of the fence were equally entertaining.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmj_iAJKTVcumY8HeKHTPWNsuRjO8cB5cd-NRrqXbKiBAyeBUrlKs4b_7oD4mGU9-ZdRBpjHBRkq6_RUp4SSWshy6x298W6PgVxrH6taay-KjjHHf4LpwlztNbIYjt1OyV_UDtHtnHwHI/s1600/10th+June.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmj_iAJKTVcumY8HeKHTPWNsuRjO8cB5cd-NRrqXbKiBAyeBUrlKs4b_7oD4mGU9-ZdRBpjHBRkq6_RUp4SSWshy6x298W6PgVxrH6taay-KjjHHf4LpwlztNbIYjt1OyV_UDtHtnHwHI/s400/10th+June.1.jpg" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The ducks were all looking very wary when I snapped them in the cattle yards. Two of these big babies had been caught and dressed yesterday and they were a bit nervous about my intentions today.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMlHI9VfMoTe5M08vDrJD4EMBHcNZ5TybdtJeIZdt6LOqxH_aNv3JYvazRdEp800-NzJ_bDalcVVBF3LwULcm5QIG2WVTANFn-32ZbCIJswygKFk8g5Eu2l6v_72gU_T8IROr_wyVbq0/s1600/DSCN9277.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMlHI9VfMoTe5M08vDrJD4EMBHcNZ5TybdtJeIZdt6LOqxH_aNv3JYvazRdEp800-NzJ_bDalcVVBF3LwULcm5QIG2WVTANFn-32ZbCIJswygKFk8g5Eu2l6v_72gU_T8IROr_wyVbq0/s400/DSCN9277.1.jpg" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
This afternoon I cooked. First I put on a fruit cake. While it cooked I made some boiled custard from the extra eggs we found this morning and popped on a big pot of pea and ham soup. Then I prepared one of the ducks. I used my Stephanie Alexander Cook’s Companion to guide me and made a French-style roast. <br />
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We finished the day around the kitchen table in a nice warm kitchen with pea and ham soup, roast duck, bananas and custard - all but the ham hock coming from our own farm. <br />
A very satisfying feeling.<br />
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Be sure to visit <a href="http://www.deborahjeansdandelionhouse.com/">Farm Friendzy Friday</a> for more farm happening around the world.hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-18556955495815559662011-06-08T21:35:00.000+10:002011-06-08T21:35:11.613+10:00Wordless Wednesday #1 Love is in the Air<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCutnRnM7FXahAArj0J224dWwZG1z8sGTZ3Mq3gVFpFMzMA6Sm0aoHBQF9Lp7NcXtIJ94InmxLOQY3umpKmaFc_jEhzOPmUjl1hWv9K08Gjls2QoPVubHEOr2birL8wPMkEqp37qTBTQ/s1600/DSCN8950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCutnRnM7FXahAArj0J224dWwZG1z8sGTZ3Mq3gVFpFMzMA6Sm0aoHBQF9Lp7NcXtIJ94InmxLOQY3umpKmaFc_jEhzOPmUjl1hWv9K08Gjls2QoPVubHEOr2birL8wPMkEqp37qTBTQ/s400/DSCN8950.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTJ6pAsN2SaY8lj7tY9wqai-DRgtO2F5fQ4m9aoBlMrxvNWJFTeHASLJ5q1dyngPlGfX1cQ-ZwimOHD4cJ4y_8zRY8P64Z9CRKArB2ZE7bzpuzdf4UguDUIeDO6C1Qlqd_YCz-kGKg3Ig/s1600/DSCN9039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTJ6pAsN2SaY8lj7tY9wqai-DRgtO2F5fQ4m9aoBlMrxvNWJFTeHASLJ5q1dyngPlGfX1cQ-ZwimOHD4cJ4y_8zRY8P64Z9CRKArB2ZE7bzpuzdf4UguDUIeDO6C1Qlqd_YCz-kGKg3Ig/s400/DSCN9039.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlneJ-DxxlYaj8wG0wZ1i8VPxEdo4btiLCzTi5TbCxWH9blMHof5DDJ0wWE_PsGc5f71USQ58Yaf__Ts2FUWeelm6c0vx1vZjMdTpnAwR6Wv4D6PjtGZt4kY2XcXg_QcRIemT2efFpK0/s1600/DSCN9110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlneJ-DxxlYaj8wG0wZ1i8VPxEdo4btiLCzTi5TbCxWH9blMHof5DDJ0wWE_PsGc5f71USQ58Yaf__Ts2FUWeelm6c0vx1vZjMdTpnAwR6Wv4D6PjtGZt4kY2XcXg_QcRIemT2efFpK0/s400/DSCN9110.JPG" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqN6Yk8uD_C2HJLxz3L8l20kGtNT9rOYTy-pwdHwB6aL8vh2cGSJXe9gBhPONsivKv2bzmtOzJRcU33X9fADBZVwBLc88pSZ32xpFHkJmlaHXv_Hyg7DMnt2UJRmPgzditUYrPsWaU9Wo/s1600/Test+run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqN6Yk8uD_C2HJLxz3L8l20kGtNT9rOYTy-pwdHwB6aL8vh2cGSJXe9gBhPONsivKv2bzmtOzJRcU33X9fADBZVwBLc88pSZ32xpFHkJmlaHXv_Hyg7DMnt2UJRmPgzditUYrPsWaU9Wo/s400/Test+run.jpg" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div>hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-14256181948470745772011-06-04T11:12:00.003+10:002011-06-04T11:48:28.896+10:00Friday On the Farm #5<span style="font-size: large;">Irrigation and other Happenings</span><br />
A busy day - too busy to find time to post. So here’s Friday on the Farm on Saturday!!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEo4Ftt-fiLrcpDgUufnLTaayG-UPqIJ2j1Tepd9z6OD7VQNB4VkvDGos552qAjCet3SJH8SKDEpVnuKdNsPWRBKZ-UsK_Q2MAEWLh4FQsVyCalcmW_aKivecI6t06RCXvs0eVpCJeT0/s1600/Starting+the+Day+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEo4Ftt-fiLrcpDgUufnLTaayG-UPqIJ2j1Tepd9z6OD7VQNB4VkvDGos552qAjCet3SJH8SKDEpVnuKdNsPWRBKZ-UsK_Q2MAEWLh4FQsVyCalcmW_aKivecI6t06RCXvs0eVpCJeT0/s400/Starting+the+Day+3.jpg" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
The day began shrouded in fog as we began to lay out the next irrigation run on a new bed of lucerne we’ve just planted. I call the task my “Purposeful Walking Program”. With two shifts a day I get a good work out morning and night.<br />
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It’s very rewarding to see the little heads filled with promise popping out between the clods of soil.<br />
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I enjoy the changing moods of the mountains that rim our valley...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2H7y84OtyTfmCIMmIlCYZ2fKrGaAD8W_DDajxPVSO9i0iNg_GXNAQ3nbANPrwE0dZqSTZjlLXy2PJtsAbAy4Ha-gIFmw_ZsOCI9jS5fMEwi_W4lApmKitBY3IVvFBdTW0jBjLv50mfk/s1600/Birds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2H7y84OtyTfmCIMmIlCYZ2fKrGaAD8W_DDajxPVSO9i0iNg_GXNAQ3nbANPrwE0dZqSTZjlLXy2PJtsAbAy4Ha-gIFmw_ZsOCI9jS5fMEwi_W4lApmKitBY3IVvFBdTW0jBjLv50mfk/s400/Birds.jpg" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
And the many birds that grace us with their presence – brolgas, magpies, bustards, wood ducks and various raptors are all regular daily visitors.<br />
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Back home to feed up the weaners and bulls in the yard and then to enjoy a late breakfast on the verandah in the sun.<br />
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Mid morning while I’m in the middle of washing and Hobo1 is mopping the floors Number 1 granddaughter arrives with her three little ones. The busyness grinds to sudden halt while we sit and chat and give the boys their traditional ride on the quad bikes. I’m sure they don’t come to visit grandma but just to have a “buggy” ride each week!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8UsVSMbnxjpaDsKOGNvwamY-J2hYc9UfUtFMbvuv7TIkCNMdL8F4va0yoS5birs6GB52u14Is2PEnnLGxHf09Tz5DROmsX9CVxtLYC4dIlOYThjV2B4treKI83MqbZL1cqTZRpkb4js/s1600/Layni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8UsVSMbnxjpaDsKOGNvwamY-J2hYc9UfUtFMbvuv7TIkCNMdL8F4va0yoS5birs6GB52u14Is2PEnnLGxHf09Tz5DROmsX9CVxtLYC4dIlOYThjV2B4treKI83MqbZL1cqTZRpkb4js/s400/Layni.jpg" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFHzbMrlYJg2IPc1kVBkeBEgYbiKO3DJW0PQwkZAmEn9iWErIqlpL5sO54-gwXDlUBE2370vG8xYq1IuSVvglcYBSc84M7s8bgo9JFzR8p-JwMsVmWUgGAXSGxyW5BwP_VAzwXjsVaME/s1600/Buggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFHzbMrlYJg2IPc1kVBkeBEgYbiKO3DJW0PQwkZAmEn9iWErIqlpL5sO54-gwXDlUBE2370vG8xYq1IuSVvglcYBSc84M7s8bgo9JFzR8p-JwMsVmWUgGAXSGxyW5BwP_VAzwXjsVaME/s400/Buggy.jpg" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
Just had time to rush up and do a couple of voluntary jobs on a local project in Ubobo when the family left. Then back to pull the washing off the line to be folded later before it was off to move the pipes again before sunset.<br />
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Some where in the middle of all this we were entertained by a stand-off between this praying mantis... <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYobtnjo4AXReDjAs7iKVM0DaHH6aQw-BIk-cAUVWeJD-o2Hkh5cvWZgCyr6QbGx6CMeTddZ32wawrg_fKwHU7F8W_SdwQ7tp0xRFhCdvkp1-8Lr1rvQL52W835yAy85UndPGSICD61Ew/s1600/Mantis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYobtnjo4AXReDjAs7iKVM0DaHH6aQw-BIk-cAUVWeJD-o2Hkh5cvWZgCyr6QbGx6CMeTddZ32wawrg_fKwHU7F8W_SdwQ7tp0xRFhCdvkp1-8Lr1rvQL52W835yAy85UndPGSICD61Ew/s400/Mantis.jpg" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
...and this Willy Wagtail. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgByVrLlX_apDiwaM86e2DNtBPNc7UcNwVNOTFvNo0MxxgN-lmhBKkZ-OZxvWbfGz6AyinbUnlDiZDyGksmjSJ93xoHTIkAEylq5OXCsiqWaB1L5LdfJRBton4Z1OjDhqriQbwFRsCOjAk/s1600/Willy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgByVrLlX_apDiwaM86e2DNtBPNc7UcNwVNOTFvNo0MxxgN-lmhBKkZ-OZxvWbfGz6AyinbUnlDiZDyGksmjSJ93xoHTIkAEylq5OXCsiqWaB1L5LdfJRBton4Z1OjDhqriQbwFRsCOjAk/s400/Willy.jpg" t8="true" width="400px" /></a></div>The willy knocked the mantis off the verandah rail onto the floor. The mantis raised his front legs, spread his wings wide and bluffed the little willy with his ENORMOUS size. The willy made several attempts to catch the mantis but all time the insect moved to remain square on to the bird with his bold defensive pose. I was glued to the spot motionless and without a camera just watching the mini drama unfold. The mantis won and the willy went off to hunt smaller fry. A very entertaining few moments.<br />
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Don't forget to visit other Farm Friendly people at <a href="http://www.deborahjeansdandelionhouse.com/">Deborah Jean's</a>hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-60499154433897532222011-05-15T21:01:00.000+10:002011-05-15T21:01:38.358+10:00Autumn<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The week that was…</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What beautiful autumn days we’ve enjoyed this week.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2hm-tuY94KLlaAZWbhRYe92Z6FTCL9hyuiOzLQDsreJuD4slAm17RxTCN5eZh5YpF611kXVzsOdr9SrJ4pID8AbMZU70s9OXMh99bFuQ46akwUll_uFwWrV4ODW49_bjbE3tzoBsOng/s1600/Autumn1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2hm-tuY94KLlaAZWbhRYe92Z6FTCL9hyuiOzLQDsreJuD4slAm17RxTCN5eZh5YpF611kXVzsOdr9SrJ4pID8AbMZU70s9OXMh99bFuQ46akwUll_uFwWrV4ODW49_bjbE3tzoBsOng/s640/Autumn1.jpg" width="426px" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Creeks, crystal clear and clean; </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Weather, warm and balmy with clear blue skies. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The fullness of this unusual 2011 summer is drawing to a close.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicenv6TjxMdTu_TaOa5Uyi45U_ily76K19tSrwR5P02ax1aqfGAQAdRm_umOhOE6h8g94-iAGw1BIpQu5DMUoexqt0X-I2jnBjTgMLii2t7TrdMotO_8ljcI4LdphqJ6lHnlJzHq4mOsU/s1600/Autumn+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicenv6TjxMdTu_TaOa5Uyi45U_ily76K19tSrwR5P02ax1aqfGAQAdRm_umOhOE6h8g94-iAGw1BIpQu5DMUoexqt0X-I2jnBjTgMLii2t7TrdMotO_8ljcI4LdphqJ6lHnlJzHq4mOsU/s400/Autumn+2.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last bottlebrush blooms for birds and butterflies,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">grasses in seed for wrens, finches and other grass birds,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnh-YOe8wVn66NMrFJ_5m3qmcb6ZJZK4JY0QlHSYYQYlce1kpt8fEZ4j5DtJ_1UCPLvMu8qOPfR6eAl40FEW-FJrYzK3be5JBjv3yU8ZGO0CsqF8MjCeo8Lp3PrGaYx1oEKJ6xcyQKWjA/s1600/Autumn+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnh-YOe8wVn66NMrFJ_5m3qmcb6ZJZK4JY0QlHSYYQYlce1kpt8fEZ4j5DtJ_1UCPLvMu8qOPfR6eAl40FEW-FJrYzK3be5JBjv3yU8ZGO0CsqF8MjCeo8Lp3PrGaYx1oEKJ6xcyQKWjA/s640/Autumn+3.jpg" width="425px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cattle ready for market</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And neighbour’s young bulls maturing into beautiful looking animals </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first frosts of the season arrived – light but still cold enough to bring the winter woollies out.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUpxDSswWcPEu77YZU4rRVqU4AUN_PIgC7DG63ZB7ZRnbJLuDL1JSetW56jykHkVVINQ52aXzwK6ZZLV4O6bDQ6MRp5aCRTFpCloHTQ6X1miFysMFJQnuMybQRpuX-N-b9qDaXRa5_bw/s1600/Autumn4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUpxDSswWcPEu77YZU4rRVqU4AUN_PIgC7DG63ZB7ZRnbJLuDL1JSetW56jykHkVVINQ52aXzwK6ZZLV4O6bDQ6MRp5aCRTFpCloHTQ6X1miFysMFJQnuMybQRpuX-N-b9qDaXRa5_bw/s640/Autumn4.jpg" width="426px" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It sent the dog crazy, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">confused the chooks,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and had the galahs, cockatoos, magpies and peewees seeking out the highest branches of an old dead gum... </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZzsKwKpBIJRADgfqdvBzD2twsgyobkks90THGDTCcOl793f-UXyTIGJQN0WdhWQdYcrS5P6lI4V5zOxNmzXkCC-3bJOPmw-TE4etfU0qtEtjO8onEamxeKNP5mHXIyrg6hutCOII35U/s1600/DSCN7618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZzsKwKpBIJRADgfqdvBzD2twsgyobkks90THGDTCcOl793f-UXyTIGJQN0WdhWQdYcrS5P6lI4V5zOxNmzXkCC-3bJOPmw-TE4etfU0qtEtjO8onEamxeKNP5mHXIyrg6hutCOII35U/s400/DSCN7618.JPG" width="400px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">…to catch the first rays of sunlight that found their way over the mountain so early morning ablutions could begin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Late autumn is a my season…jam making, gardening, harvesting vegetables, cattle ready for market, poultry a-plenty… </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">…a time when I come alive and sing:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>"This is the day that the Lord has made.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Let us rejoice and be glad in it."</em></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-84329273330394016712011-05-11T20:37:00.002+10:002011-05-11T20:53:16.870+10:00Riddler Creek Reflections<span style="font-size: large;">Watery Wednesday #1</span><br />
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The first frost of the year arrived this morning so we began the day with a leisurely breakfast on the front verandah in the morning sun. Then it was off to complete a fencing job we’d begun last week. <br />
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We had been having difficulty getting the cattle to cross Riddler Creek. These cows have been born and bred in drought. They are using the new experience of a swift flowing stream across the middle of their paddock as an excuse not to bring their calves to the side where they can be taken to the yards for handling. <br />
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This morning it was different. With the promise of fresh hay, we were able to bribe all but six pairs across. The fencing job was put to one side while we led the herd of seventy cows, most with a calf at foot, into a neighbouring paddock where there is no creek to cause concern to our overcautious mothers. Hobo 1 drove the utility filled with hay stopping from time to time to drop out an appetizer. I followed behind keeping the line moving forward until all were safely inside the new paddock. The reward – six bales of fresh farm hay for morning tea! Great if you’re a cow!<br />
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We call this method of mustering “using the straw dog.” It was very successful in drought times but not so effective in times of plenty. It’s also easier on our ageing bodies which don’t bounce like they used to do when we were younger and mustered on horse back. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>And how to get the remaining six? <br />
That’s tomorrow’s problem.<br />
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Visit <a href="http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/">Watery Wednesday</a> to see others watery images.<br />
Visit <a href="http://boynevalleydiscoverycentre.blogspot.com/">Boyne Valley Discovery</a> to see what else I do with my time.hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-26075176864208815282011-04-22T21:40:00.000+10:002011-04-22T21:40:29.824+10:00Easter Holidays on the FarmIt’s Easter Holiday time here in Queensland and all the grandchildren are enjoying the week’s break away from school. Six of them have come out to the farm for five days. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbi85oNkR-2LxYC3KU1NDFeBxkX_usxUC7jeC82hH0LFE9k9LWnVtZ2qLFWOoPC2Cv6E-9Y6K4nkw85ZcD16lnNejQBjS2APQF1I_s0Pz4s1-eo0BUk22OnZiIiqhZbwjN0Y7Tdbzmo4/s1600/Kyle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbi85oNkR-2LxYC3KU1NDFeBxkX_usxUC7jeC82hH0LFE9k9LWnVtZ2qLFWOoPC2Cv6E-9Y6K4nkw85ZcD16lnNejQBjS2APQF1I_s0Pz4s1-eo0BUk22OnZiIiqhZbwjN0Y7Tdbzmo4/s320/Kyle.jpg" width="256px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creator of the Holiday Plan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>17 year old G1 has organised his four cousins to come and give us a hand to catch up on a few jobs that he felt needed doing. He has a nine year old sister and has brought her along too. The five boys, 13year old twins, their 16 year old brother, a 14 year old cousin and G1 are all “batching” in a little cottage we have on the farm. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqA-sxU8jeRUuiNm0z9QERwo4LseZ-iwBwRUmYETvrX2gON54hkSoSivRTy2KM-6g11Qy_OZ23auX5L8L74PWxoagg0afTe45wUYm_zMiu2VE1EudH0YnJkZOCHVnY8_C0GG1mdHAFSA/s1600/DSCN6531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwqA-sxU8jeRUuiNm0z9QERwo4LseZ-iwBwRUmYETvrX2gON54hkSoSivRTy2KM-6g11Qy_OZ23auX5L8L74PWxoagg0afTe45wUYm_zMiu2VE1EudH0YnJkZOCHVnY8_C0GG1mdHAFSA/s320/DSCN6531.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">G2 returning to the cottage with eggs for breakfast</td></tr>
</tbody></table>G1 has spent most holidays with us as his parents both work. When he was smaller he would arrive with an esky full of ingredients and his recipe book. He’s always loved to cook and each day he’d cook one meal for us. Sometimes we’d get breakfast in bed; other times it would be lunch that he prepared and his speciality was meat balls. But these holidays he’s graduated to cooking all the meals for “the boys”. His sister is staying with us much to her disappointment. I think she’d rather be part of the new adventure over in the cottage. I’m rather envious myself. Last night they enjoyed a pork roast and tonight it’s Swedish meatballs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguv-Bql2L3JW0v5Nft-FlKxvxWxSzTSuzUAuanPZRIebU_hL_ZTezssrQzvBaltOcemWommZJeKoDt7YJm8CEmiIfJMN57oKVhPR5SMueYn6s3b8ShApI-HMtVD4Po1LenIslCQxvk8oU/s1600/DSCN6461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguv-Bql2L3JW0v5Nft-FlKxvxWxSzTSuzUAuanPZRIebU_hL_ZTezssrQzvBaltOcemWommZJeKoDt7YJm8CEmiIfJMN57oKVhPR5SMueYn6s3b8ShApI-HMtVD4Po1LenIslCQxvk8oU/s320/DSCN6461.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dawn reflections in a rain puddle</td></tr>
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</div>His crew has been a great help. Today they’ve completed the mowing of our very large house yard and farmyard surrounds; ploughed a paddock; relocated irrigation pipes that have become buried in grass and vines with the excellent wet season we’ve had; burnt the offending grass and a crop of hay that was ruined when we received 60 mm of rain in a storm that was followed by two days of mizzle; fixed the creek fences washed down with flooding yet again and been able to find time to help me move furniture around the office of a local community project I support as a volunteer. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUeRnAgW4NWI5INhIs-_nk_S4IQlFB2HCUxTwcTR1k_nNWN8tyOtBq1Xy4ZKnlGQiveBX5o2VjcMXAu2UI3fBfkSQOqQmuiwSbAaOgB_mQD1XVQBXOk7bVb05rYchBYY5n7oHO_kjqA-o/s1600/DSCN6501-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUeRnAgW4NWI5INhIs-_nk_S4IQlFB2HCUxTwcTR1k_nNWN8tyOtBq1Xy4ZKnlGQiveBX5o2VjcMXAu2UI3fBfkSQOqQmuiwSbAaOgB_mQD1XVQBXOk7bVb05rYchBYY5n7oHO_kjqA-o/s320/DSCN6501-1.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Afternoon reward for a good day's work</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">They have had great fun swimming in the creeks when it was hot during the middle of the day and riding on the quad bikes in the late afternoon as the galahs came down to drink in the puddles at the front gate. I think everyone should sleep well tonight.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMqVVk4ZyolcVo0qrFlXiF-DcgEgxJR6gnt-rJcTTVm-C8UV6lGs8LrypXaDiOpqTczniqqWc5D5WhjIj6Hcdq1O53aOmqI8YI5wA4DWeN8rdSBQh-DmqXgv9KRzhzya2RY7KMEjuQxw/s1600/DSCN6516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMqVVk4ZyolcVo0qrFlXiF-DcgEgxJR6gnt-rJcTTVm-C8UV6lGs8LrypXaDiOpqTczniqqWc5D5WhjIj6Hcdq1O53aOmqI8YI5wA4DWeN8rdSBQh-DmqXgv9KRzhzya2RY7KMEjuQxw/s320/DSCN6516.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-jr4tV3rHPmWLsx-zb3L2BlP5WGc3OKPvjlnSzJ_2NXACMsVn55R1829adxrlXGBIdjrokbCEbRSMxSwpnR2oJ68XqYWyvlS0pKrlEtwHzAIc70Bc4e4XMYqwg7wZj1vo15Z0_9GFJ0/s1600/DSCN6517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-jr4tV3rHPmWLsx-zb3L2BlP5WGc3OKPvjlnSzJ_2NXACMsVn55R1829adxrlXGBIdjrokbCEbRSMxSwpnR2oJ68XqYWyvlS0pKrlEtwHzAIc70Bc4e4XMYqwg7wZj1vo15Z0_9GFJ0/s320/DSCN6517.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It is just great seeing them all together, negotiating roles, allocating jobs, keeping tabs on each other to make sure nobody is shirking responsibilities anymore than anybody else and generally just enjoying each others company and being “grown up”!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBNuCvSuTFTwWORsi4fa4WRxqvM7DcE438ZVOq8HD8gZYOqNCWSZikrwv9AudgmBjO6yzHhyphenhyphendpZTtAAGfdFtNI1zPQsBks2As_eo4I6nge5d5jZc4tkRaS2Dsuhih-Ltvok944iMsJig/s1600/DSCN6504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBNuCvSuTFTwWORsi4fa4WRxqvM7DcE438ZVOq8HD8gZYOqNCWSZikrwv9AudgmBjO6yzHhyphenhyphendpZTtAAGfdFtNI1zPQsBks2As_eo4I6nge5d5jZc4tkRaS2Dsuhih-Ltvok944iMsJig/s320/DSCN6504.JPG" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day Done!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I didn’t believe it would happen but I have to give credit to G1 and G2 for pulling their random thoughts together so successfully. Good on you boys! Love you all…and Missy Moo as well!<br />
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Visit Verde farm to link up with other <a href="http://www.verdefarm.com/"><span style="color: #cc3300;">Friday on the Farm friends</span></a>hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-78317353403360861562011-04-13T13:53:00.149+10:002011-04-13T20:48:12.179+10:00Friday on the Farm #3I am very behind but I have the afternoon free today as I wait for a fruit cake to cook so I'll try to catch up.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljyETNudxk72aM2483pn2L8uoaT8-xKkStGMEY8h9kXXLEYWD09MxTMGILGWcSlxKpQMOUNstrqVuGkRmBabXcjcgVKVaCrMj1PW3fcbs7IPKJALupyyrbntp7qLDk_EQuRPfPs9S2hg/s1600/DSCN6074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljyETNudxk72aM2483pn2L8uoaT8-xKkStGMEY8h9kXXLEYWD09MxTMGILGWcSlxKpQMOUNstrqVuGkRmBabXcjcgVKVaCrMj1PW3fcbs7IPKJALupyyrbntp7qLDk_EQuRPfPs9S2hg/s320/DSCN6074.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pineapple fruit cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Friday on the farm??? Well, Friday was spent getting over Thursday!<br />
<br />
Thursday morning Hobo1 suggested we drive to our property at Benaraby (an hours drive away) to pick up the calf cradle ready for the branding job on the weekend. "Just a quick trip down and back," I think were his precise words. <br />
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I hadn't been out of the house since a major operation left me with a tummy that hurt as it jiggled around with every move I made. A drive in the farm ute didn't sound too inviting. Still I thought if I packed myself up with a pillow I could take the trip... and I was getting a bit stir crazy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEk73k3dGH8thLKR_wAADHyadbTRRu_moqUAfgcfvApY_avJDtGvkRuobuTwubWISPJCPpTCdfDuXEGynVIUCrNgzzfzqPHq1AOuDBlc6t75xb9_GlJswzJpMsjUNsrFwfdbmzx0K0Xr8/s1600/DSCN3991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEk73k3dGH8thLKR_wAADHyadbTRRu_moqUAfgcfvApY_avJDtGvkRuobuTwubWISPJCPpTCdfDuXEGynVIUCrNgzzfzqPHq1AOuDBlc6t75xb9_GlJswzJpMsjUNsrFwfdbmzx0K0Xr8/s320/DSCN3991.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Following the Straw Dog</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So by 8:00am we were on the road with a few bales of hay to throw out to the cows - "<em>straw dogs</em>" we call them. The cows follow us anywhere for hay and we don't need to use dogs to muster. So a few bales of hay always go with us to keep the cows interested in following the ute.<br />
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We hadn't visited this particular paddock since we fixed the fences after the January floods. This was our first surprise - you couldn't find a track anywhere. Every weed and vine known to man I am sure, was growing in gay abandon on the river flat.<br />
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(Author note: I thought I had the afternoon to myself but visitors arrived, favourite visitors, my granddaughter and her three little darlings. So here I am back again much later in the day. Where was I up to? Oh, Yes...)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ltlQ_dWiMgoXzMNYYXEQI8_5u47ILAwMYoQUk-WApRJ2n908XTQYLdGGSb5i82OS19Rq2S_CRNbc8w3lfL_OtHURmvebgeJFoJ8hEAD_9yWs2jGip9nOQ-ly5W3WoVIDEq-5XxbUGNg/s1600/DSCN5924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ltlQ_dWiMgoXzMNYYXEQI8_5u47ILAwMYoQUk-WApRJ2n908XTQYLdGGSb5i82OS19Rq2S_CRNbc8w3lfL_OtHURmvebgeJFoJ8hEAD_9yWs2jGip9nOQ-ly5W3WoVIDEq-5XxbUGNg/s320/DSCN5924.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Darling 2 with his Mum</td></tr>
</tbody></table>As we wended our way along tracks that were buried under weeds we found the cows or rather they found us. We fed and counted them, noted new calves and found we were a cow short. I offered to follow the mob down to the water and see if an extra one was waiting there while Hobo 1 brought the car around to pick me up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSjfeT_ZJF_sc4NK_RWjQx9GmiuedY2L_2Xc8XV8wpaYCDjUK1PAQY5gOMX-pGBdU0TRBmxYyX4fVubQ72ATv-HsR7H88nxWhNR68_puN9W7qh3yreEKpHT91IisNuPMU8XaRha8aMds/s1600/DSCN4002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSjfeT_ZJF_sc4NK_RWjQx9GmiuedY2L_2Xc8XV8wpaYCDjUK1PAQY5gOMX-pGBdU0TRBmxYyX4fVubQ72ATv-HsR7H88nxWhNR68_puN9W7qh3yreEKpHT91IisNuPMU8XaRha8aMds/s320/DSCN4002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cows and calves on the water</td></tr>
</tbody></table>He seemed to take a long time. Then I spotted him back where we started and thought I must have misunderstood the arrangements. So I walked back to him. "Don't hurry," he called. "We're going no where. I've put the car into the old well."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPlx0qmU3NkBZlorn9sV90c5Mn7WIr-r6Vh_9EziRfv5KSlFFcWiCWBbvd25dnBfslUcBdP6l0oDukSS85ie85ahRjMwx3OHAiJl_uDKN9Zk0MYFgs_slwM-Tew20luVsvvxIalj71uDY/s1600/DSCN4006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPlx0qmU3NkBZlorn9sV90c5Mn7WIr-r6Vh_9EziRfv5KSlFFcWiCWBbvd25dnBfslUcBdP6l0oDukSS85ie85ahRjMwx3OHAiJl_uDKN9Zk0MYFgs_slwM-Tew20luVsvvxIalj71uDY/s320/DSCN4006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Trying to find his way through the forest of weeds, he'd miscalculated and the front wheels of the ute had dropped into an old abandonded well. No way were we going to get out of this predicament without another vehicle to pull us out.<br />
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Our son lives on this property and his children drive an old four wheel drive Nissan up to the front gate to catch the school bus. We decided to walk up and see if the keys were in it. But that involved a 2 km walk through hills and an overgrown paddock.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherFD1H6rqkJ08VlWc24_68oE6KJCLPbhutrwGuAe8jORp8Gzct_JsSo-D38tZ2iAjyIbu26bx9thg5Eg89dk1zTMHtbn_8Axn1fBtWXDdYDql9Eu_8F0b-L6_1wV2-pYBfgIzv_8MUM0/s1600/DSCN4013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherFD1H6rqkJ08VlWc24_68oE6KJCLPbhutrwGuAe8jORp8Gzct_JsSo-D38tZ2iAjyIbu26bx9thg5Eg89dk1zTMHtbn_8Axn1fBtWXDdYDql9Eu_8F0b-L6_1wV2-pYBfgIzv_8MUM0/s320/DSCN4013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Son's garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Fortunately we decided to call into the house for a drink and luckily found one of the grandchildren at home on a study break. He saved us the extra walk by jumping on a pushbike and riding up to the gate and bringing <em>Nissie</em> back. <br />
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Down at the well we tried to tow the ute out but found it had dropped over a post and was stuck on it. Another trip up to the house located a chainsaw and with some difficulty balancing over the well, Hobo 1 cut the top off the post. But now <em>Nissie</em> wouldn't work. Her battery was flat. A second balancing act lifted the battery from our ute and it was taken back to Nissie to get her started. Then her battery was re-fitted and finally we were able to jerk the ute free.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thank goodness for our grandson. He saved me a lot of clambering in and out of vehicles. I only had to direct traffic and provide a communication link between the drivers.</div><br />
Our quick trip??? Well it took us eight hours! But we did get the cradle and were able to set it up on Friday ready for the arrival of the family on Saturday to help with mustering, dipping and the branding of the calves. But that's a story for another day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGf1_aa_VOpdY5MHO4PSgZzZWCle8JacydJ1g8Q8EE7oCImY7-48ovmCqyfsSVQFeVoJ7PFGbzrFROrOtsaEvEYD9zD6LURhjRLLhxZdT4zw4xsrCGdOrn6mbd_RHXQp_n5e0k5cgR7s/s1600/DSCN5849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGf1_aa_VOpdY5MHO4PSgZzZWCle8JacydJ1g8Q8EE7oCImY7-48ovmCqyfsSVQFeVoJ7PFGbzrFROrOtsaEvEYD9zD6LURhjRLLhxZdT4zw4xsrCGdOrn6mbd_RHXQp_n5e0k5cgR7s/s320/DSCN5849.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the branding.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Visit Verde farm to link up with other <a href="http://www.verdefarm.com/">Friday on the Farm friends</a></div>hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-88168499531126150032011-04-01T18:43:00.014+10:002011-04-01T19:40:19.369+10:00Friday on the Farm <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EOZ5TiMJV10/TZWG5oemprI/AAAAAAAAAw0/7ulYrP1bwjo/s1600/DSCN3325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EOZ5TiMJV10/TZWG5oemprI/AAAAAAAAAw0/7ulYrP1bwjo/s320/DSCN3325.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosellas on the bush</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Rosella Jam</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Today I made Rosella Jam and I'm rather pleased with myself. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I've recently had an operation. Hence the lack of blog entries for the past couple of weeks. Now I'm facing four weeks of restricted duties. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">My rosella bushes were loaded in fruit and rain over the last week had brought on a new crop of flowers and the promise of more pickings to come. So yesterday I picked the first crop and prepared the fruit. Didn't find those tasks too challenging.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIOtqcKWKUYzJc84JvenuHXEKXP0i5t9GU5XgJmZs_SmJIasmRP68WhqquS3kG1sHyUGL-pO8bBP06-rTaA6NNmZPEZvxspzkJs9P_DEYzmCcB6Z_YWs72U3V1Jwqmf73-D1idxDncQc/s1600/DSCN3578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVIOtqcKWKUYzJc84JvenuHXEKXP0i5t9GU5XgJmZs_SmJIasmRP68WhqquS3kG1sHyUGL-pO8bBP06-rTaA6NNmZPEZvxspzkJs9P_DEYzmCcB6Z_YWs72U3V1Jwqmf73-D1idxDncQc/s400/DSCN3578.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seed pods covered in boiling water and soaked overnight </td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghP3v9zZ_g92q99O-RMD17KT_kNSZdwChWxLCRx4fCUAzT0XQgY9IGljEjY-MbINEJzKa8Z2OBuvB-LzlPM4gGdEZn_wK6gm6Q5D4GXFE5MPdf1ASB5y8B39_kDiuP59bBKhenvM84rRM/s1600/DSCN3577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghP3v9zZ_g92q99O-RMD17KT_kNSZdwChWxLCRx4fCUAzT0XQgY9IGljEjY-MbINEJzKa8Z2OBuvB-LzlPM4gGdEZn_wK6gm6Q5D4GXFE5MPdf1ASB5y8B39_kDiuP59bBKhenvM84rRM/s320/DSCN3577.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Husks washed and prepared</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This morning I placed the husks in a saucepan and poured in the water from the bowl of seed pods. To this I should have added some lemon juice but I didn't have any lemon. However I did have some little bush limes a friend had given me so they came to the rescue. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Wx02IDEUNP2VZc-kavwvUCHdnYzzmrxbSukZIyXr0N4wYS7sTNZG_Wc1XiCg0b3aamNOo4eGh6_OpIn7pAS6BnUyhlkNyT2aS0MoZP43LNc2s6Qj22F5iwejvjcqLfvcTqd33_n9FGI/s1600/DSCN3586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Wx02IDEUNP2VZc-kavwvUCHdnYzzmrxbSukZIyXr0N4wYS7sTNZG_Wc1XiCg0b3aamNOo4eGh6_OpIn7pAS6BnUyhlkNyT2aS0MoZP43LNc2s6Qj22F5iwejvjcqLfvcTqd33_n9FGI/s320/DSCN3586.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add water from the seed pods to the husks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dHSQ4Y_56bCIU3R9FNUiALUzQz4y-mfEET-7Xa2D6-_geKQVK-4fqwBWNMHItfJvvgLvAakvDheUGXBFGWqYrr2_fIEud9DDqbM65FnKARHj1pFrhgvbco62w4-1_aW17ey_1YmhXCE/s1600/DSCN3593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dHSQ4Y_56bCIU3R9FNUiALUzQz4y-mfEET-7Xa2D6-_geKQVK-4fqwBWNMHItfJvvgLvAakvDheUGXBFGWqYrr2_fIEud9DDqbM65FnKARHj1pFrhgvbco62w4-1_aW17ey_1YmhXCE/s320/DSCN3593.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Bush Limes</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I popped the sauspan on the stove and prepared my bottles while the fruit softened and reduced. This took about twenty minutes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIAA3mQAeOruU7wbFO9RA9UPlBaszh76dUmhKhF98olNDi-zL-GpbY9jf4CmzbKpnHqAl21a_N0xGFnv_MFWVuFqBIqOYR2y5XDaZpQwwn-KnnWmw8otERfBRko5PU-jmfJJz5kluqHE/s1600/DSCN3594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIAA3mQAeOruU7wbFO9RA9UPlBaszh76dUmhKhF98olNDi-zL-GpbY9jf4CmzbKpnHqAl21a_N0xGFnv_MFWVuFqBIqOYR2y5XDaZpQwwn-KnnWmw8otERfBRko5PU-jmfJJz5kluqHE/s320/DSCN3594.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This much fruit...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOTcI5jwEmDtcnBaA__RAu_oQGC8kS266Ol_6mQpcxT8nDNL3AqK4yhpOkHegD-kQyQGdSfD7wqYog7v5G9M0ZnDl-qiTTOMP7SWiwtAr67Fwu4uxG8Sv3CIhPaElXy6uLIEbVh9Bkac/s1600/DSCN3596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMOTcI5jwEmDtcnBaA__RAu_oQGC8kS266Ol_6mQpcxT8nDNL3AqK4yhpOkHegD-kQyQGdSfD7wqYog7v5G9M0ZnDl-qiTTOMP7SWiwtAr67Fwu4uxG8Sv3CIhPaElXy6uLIEbVh9Bkac/s320/DSCN3596.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reduces to this much pulp after 20 minutes</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Then I measured the fruit plup and found I had three and a half cups of fruit. This indicated how much sugar needed to be added. </div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9R_wU_keKi9aKbcdNzSJ2li2AQOF4JUJuFO_elQwxjY7_auhMV8j681e2xcC_Gy_asSnTvRal6rKpqjU3kFitsYFXlimkk8xpwetT3guj2xl9v0NrPcLmBh8LvoopwAnTKGpYCrV6yk0/s1600/DSCN3601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9R_wU_keKi9aKbcdNzSJ2li2AQOF4JUJuFO_elQwxjY7_auhMV8j681e2xcC_Gy_asSnTvRal6rKpqjU3kFitsYFXlimkk8xpwetT3guj2xl9v0NrPcLmBh8LvoopwAnTKGpYCrV6yk0/s320/DSCN3601.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1 cup of sugar for each cup of fruit pulp</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I popped the jars in the oven to warm while the pulp and sugar boiled for another 20 minutes and began to jelly.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLCdlHyTWIMp3AE6pfQVYBdV7lmzcjjzhykRJzWUljgP90bEllT2s0RaCWy_luRR_UyiwWtyLm08XkL0T4oCwhrHtFqsHJm44MA8tlj_bIq2kvYKDiEfy6eQ6F-UM00vlV3LKglxmNMc/s1600/DSCN3603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLCdlHyTWIMp3AE6pfQVYBdV7lmzcjjzhykRJzWUljgP90bEllT2s0RaCWy_luRR_UyiwWtyLm08XkL0T4oCwhrHtFqsHJm44MA8tlj_bIq2kvYKDiEfy6eQ6F-UM00vlV3LKglxmNMc/s320/DSCN3603.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> The pink froth that forms on top needs to be spooned off</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">At this point I added a teaspoon of butter to help reduce the pink froth that forms on top of the mixture. After removing this it was time to take the hot jars from the oven and to fill them with the jam. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Voila! This was the result.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhWjqvfPY5YHi-Fo7juml3YBO2LrjNAaPIY-lJ6TVa83rnhR77RoqXGNSwBm4UVZoy5MjurZitRUrIDreYAyZIkvlaJQZLIh9AysR4nGjo3Rsi0g6IG361FO0sfladd4dy4iVn5OMlQw/s1600/DSCN3608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhWjqvfPY5YHi-Fo7juml3YBO2LrjNAaPIY-lJ6TVa83rnhR77RoqXGNSwBm4UVZoy5MjurZitRUrIDreYAyZIkvlaJQZLIh9AysR4nGjo3Rsi0g6IG361FO0sfladd4dy4iVn5OMlQw/s320/DSCN3608.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">That's why I'm feeling quite happy with myself tonight. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">To join more farm friends visit <a href="http://www.verdefarm.com/2011/03/farm-friend-friday-and-farmgirl-friday.html">Verde Farm</a> and <a href="http://www.deborahjeansdandelionhouse.com/">Dandelion House</a></div>hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-37258206129186959232011-03-14T21:30:00.000+10:002011-03-14T21:30:46.790+10:00A Flutter of ButterfliesToday it was out of bed early, a quick breakfast and gone. We had cattle ready for sale and they were to be sorted and loaded by 9:00am. Except for the rain that meant we had to work in wet clothes and ankle-deep in mud, all went without a hitch and soon Hobo 1 was loaded and on his way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjE6b1Oq1wzdmOLw45qMj_ILRzspuQ-XifxhtCfQeHH7Z0Z1HiNwPHshKkhQ386hc00atX9K6TB6aVupJRt15OaNG86UQdcTuwECuAJtqBOVvTjiPhDALmM1HMXTh2wY3YHN9cGbXouA/s1600/DSCN2761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbjE6b1Oq1wzdmOLw45qMj_ILRzspuQ-XifxhtCfQeHH7Z0Z1HiNwPHshKkhQ386hc00atX9K6TB6aVupJRt15OaNG86UQdcTuwECuAJtqBOVvTjiPhDALmM1HMXTh2wY3YHN9cGbXouA/s320/DSCN2761.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A magpie feasting on grubs buried in the mud </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
Back home, I welcomed a warm bath before facing the washing. <br />
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It was funny weather. Showery or intermittent showers as the weather bureau would say. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglofbfn8CFB2-lH-IoXRbUWNWMIEccY0sbiKUaoZgKX0m_Fz_f31C9OP2rHteqa82keFySxcThzSx4FMjp5kHRMY7ne9IvoDGzpnF9ZGI_XqSiEavopBUI0ZY4SlTAM-Dl9f5vPe84970/s1600/DSCN2772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglofbfn8CFB2-lH-IoXRbUWNWMIEccY0sbiKUaoZgKX0m_Fz_f31C9OP2rHteqa82keFySxcThzSx4FMjp5kHRMY7ne9IvoDGzpnF9ZGI_XqSiEavopBUI0ZY4SlTAM-Dl9f5vPe84970/s320/DSCN2772.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raindrops on the water trough</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
The skies would almost clear, sun would break through and everything would glitter and sparkle momentarily then back to grey skies and rain. The clothes would have to be hung on the verandah yet again if they were to dry. And that’s when it happened -my <em>Monday Moment</em>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5fbaQCOBD7rY7ovADgmUr-XexJmy_MxjZUaiSdcr1SUpvNAGZ_X6moUkV7ObLFxkSvPK3Z3AZjlGxCzs2SAsUF8Yvv_sJa-S3ziCV4rC6ZXD0HeDTpxBiNqvO4JPi9c3KT2O10e3Fno/s1600/DSCN2810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5fbaQCOBD7rY7ovADgmUr-XexJmy_MxjZUaiSdcr1SUpvNAGZ_X6moUkV7ObLFxkSvPK3Z3AZjlGxCzs2SAsUF8Yvv_sJa-S3ziCV4rC6ZXD0HeDTpxBiNqvO4JPi9c3KT2O10e3Fno/s320/DSCN2810.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My front garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
By the last load of washing I had worked my way around to the front verandah just as the sun broke through. What a sight! The flower garden was alive with a flutter of butterflies - yellow, white, brown, black, multicoloured flashes in a feeding frenzy making the most of this brief break in the weather. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmndH88Ja3UmC8-B0Pb5cTg3gJD6aS3xYgd0U8t0e6nz9EFSGBmvnhfDgM7ZpyRp3iNmEnI-uT9DV5b7FubI1Vk60-Dtfc7jivyXfH_YRKv2zLoltIkei5nGOKAyZvTv59Xy0wG3CodGk/s1600/DSCN2816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmndH88Ja3UmC8-B0Pb5cTg3gJD6aS3xYgd0U8t0e6nz9EFSGBmvnhfDgM7ZpyRp3iNmEnI-uT9DV5b7FubI1Vk60-Dtfc7jivyXfH_YRKv2zLoltIkei5nGOKAyZvTv59Xy0wG3CodGk/s320/DSCN2816.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butterflies...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-EBaFdNjlN0i0_zHnHKVIe3fzkaRn9TMhlI8zqt2lpWe9JU9nVyQ7IRf6fJw5gQyReaZgXbJRP4tOOpIVHgONy9wQHua_RwO2-f5jgIWJYHSzGhJWaEJWgkRwo5XDxYl4gw-ExfoN4w/s1600/DSCN2830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-EBaFdNjlN0i0_zHnHKVIe3fzkaRn9TMhlI8zqt2lpWe9JU9nVyQ7IRf6fJw5gQyReaZgXbJRP4tOOpIVHgONy9wQHua_RwO2-f5jgIWJYHSzGhJWaEJWgkRwo5XDxYl4gw-ExfoN4w/s320/DSCN2830.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...Everywhere</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Such a pretty sight.<br />
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My day was that much better for having enjoyed this moment.hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-78238703560551920472011-03-12T08:19:00.027+10:002011-03-12T13:35:34.730+10:00Friday on the Farm #1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><strong>Three Classics From a Two Year Old</strong><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The great-grandchildren have been visiting the farm. One, an inquisitive two year old, is only still when he’s asleep. He’s with me where ever I go chattering about everything he sees and questioning constantly as he tries to make links in his understanding of the world. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_Nu1lEB9O6QOGIDiaZq7xm0I12UWILuoaG7rctzFTYEWgZSL1Nzo9gVFRLeAWzRTfw_5go7hkDQjYHZV2omclFUHZAU0EZ1KxxzNO4m0goKNky2tqNtJrGEnBRKE0-9_l__cQvkakkI/s1600/DSCN2615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_Nu1lEB9O6QOGIDiaZq7xm0I12UWILuoaG7rctzFTYEWgZSL1Nzo9gVFRLeAWzRTfw_5go7hkDQjYHZV2omclFUHZAU0EZ1KxxzNO4m0goKNky2tqNtJrGEnBRKE0-9_l__cQvkakkI/s320/DSCN2615.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prickles</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWBzKCMVYSKNZyEt08ahK3tQ8hmoC1EFjcYQO8fu2Hx4KYzzDwaT3MUphx83UviLggrbjGBghnLCJAkpwyFujeWndc7UiHPxCgP_216qTK-70NhrDXCftNgRwr8Fw6r7Z6b8Bg5JrKyM/s1600/DSCN2474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWBzKCMVYSKNZyEt08ahK3tQ8hmoC1EFjcYQO8fu2Hx4KYzzDwaT3MUphx83UviLggrbjGBghnLCJAkpwyFujeWndc7UiHPxCgP_216qTK-70NhrDXCftNgRwr8Fw6r7Z6b8Bg5JrKyM/s320/DSCN2474.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma! Look, a beetle!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">1st Classic</span></strong><br />
Coming out of the barn he is confronted by a mob of weaners watching him through the fence. One among the group of red Santas is creamy. I try to hurry him along to follow me but he stands transfixed. I follow his gaze to the calves. Eventually he speaks, “A goat.” It’s a statement but said with that wavering pitch pattern that indicates, “I know it can’t be. But what is it if it’s not?” <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTjBZHCtqGMnNt6EedH-BA3T_U8VVoCcGye1vWg3tSzVXDxI9sqH4pN22r7dRJTpA6gTTmB-q-M4ecEnR53Z6Tu4w6kK4IUP5s9sTreZp2Os-EGizfAQuzUThw1QqXB9ft6t2ObeOTAo/s1600/DSCN8591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTjBZHCtqGMnNt6EedH-BA3T_U8VVoCcGye1vWg3tSzVXDxI9sqH4pN22r7dRJTpA6gTTmB-q-M4ecEnR53Z6Tu4w6kK4IUP5s9sTreZp2Os-EGizfAQuzUThw1QqXB9ft6t2ObeOTAo/s320/DSCN8591.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Goat</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">2nd Classic</span></strong><br />
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The chook pen backs on to the bull paddock and the chooks and bulls share the shade of a big gum tree on the fence line. The bull is standing motionless with just his jaw moving as he chews his cud. Mr 2 years old’s voice from under the gumtree, becomes a blur in the background as I hurry around feeding the various cages. He catches my attention with this question as he runs back to me, “Is he real?”<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89ebyZB3lbM0HlwQ6kXwrnIzP9ua2KeNQqrRgMlDoF9M3zdpvVrU6ZTir31F7OnGo2Xzt0tRlvD8LMrFuEzgSjWZ9im1Eb5kuYj6g6IOVvvjkaaeR2JwC1vibyg2YlZo50BWeicLdM9s/s1600/DSCF0252a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89ebyZB3lbM0HlwQ6kXwrnIzP9ua2KeNQqrRgMlDoF9M3zdpvVrU6ZTir31F7OnGo2Xzt0tRlvD8LMrFuEzgSjWZ9im1Eb5kuYj6g6IOVvvjkaaeR2JwC1vibyg2YlZo50BWeicLdM9s/s320/DSCF0252a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On My 10th Birthday</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>3rd Classic</strong></span><br />
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The bullocks are being yarded for sale. One in the mob has a huge set of horns. I take the boys hands and lead them down the lane to where the bullocks are penned. They stand leaning through the rail for a closer look at this spectacle. A deep voice drifts up from around my knees, “I think he’s a <a href="http://www.gruffalo.com/">Gruffalo</a>” <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7V8xtKZZQaYqFsKrARVoICunbrx9s8-l1e0A63ro7Vm0JWd6rrORxN0G0c8pOKDjESrPur9A3chM8_c2Lo14chVheyAUjbua2BQPaVRHbsVmtmgJdw97TJb-eA6r_DwepoCeozuSP7U/s1600/DSCN2605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7V8xtKZZQaYqFsKrARVoICunbrx9s8-l1e0A63ro7Vm0JWd6rrORxN0G0c8pOKDjESrPur9A3chM8_c2Lo14chVheyAUjbua2BQPaVRHbsVmtmgJdw97TJb-eA6r_DwepoCeozuSP7U/s320/DSCN2605.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Gruffalo</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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Visit <a href="http://www.verdefarm.com/2011/03/farm-friend-friday-6-thank-you-tess.html">Verde Farm</a> to link with other farm friends.<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-84460690978929134622011-03-10T23:11:00.000+10:002011-03-10T23:11:19.586+10:00Thursday's ThoughtsI meant to do my blog today but things got in the way - important things.<br />
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Great-grandchildren...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Dw9klv_DWxVliCrd4mkDuT22eFl-iqNLn8kKaILNAFjXHBnARjb5F-r-wIE6BYWjvqdV90IPzf3_hxZKF7mmUX8QpOFexk3OR0PUi0OtoGgKH49-MsgzQUoibkCc7dt7bBypZHzAIsU/s1600/DSCN2463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Dw9klv_DWxVliCrd4mkDuT22eFl-iqNLn8kKaILNAFjXHBnARjb5F-r-wIE6BYWjvqdV90IPzf3_hxZKF7mmUX8QpOFexk3OR0PUi0OtoGgKH49-MsgzQUoibkCc7dt7bBypZHzAIsU/s320/DSCN2463.JPG" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing with Miss Mopsy <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWOfkKQ5c_10CXZFtRzJCJOJYQ4hgHobvQGDRePMWFKoKuoVJnWgbOZO_5fJ3i3GaOeLHeaHfhMlsFLlgWc1xrCUEsOUDGMRklekUim9_I5uteAA_1nxXkRliJxDvi3C7l14tGD7XHkRw/s1600/DSCN2510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWOfkKQ5c_10CXZFtRzJCJOJYQ4hgHobvQGDRePMWFKoKuoVJnWgbOZO_5fJ3i3GaOeLHeaHfhMlsFLlgWc1xrCUEsOUDGMRklekUim9_I5uteAA_1nxXkRliJxDvi3C7l14tGD7XHkRw/s320/DSCN2510.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching Shrek<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvq4SwHQ4nqrOt269uwWvyber5WXW-_dPlICm1DHwCcZ6f_G_UqMkTnKJuUVo9IN7Gg1R0MICU_OIjOGqB9oOjt9Ho5Lzez4r1ZILnr8-8km4sPrSxxLJ5dkpF91xhyphenhyphenzi7leBExiBsrA/s1600/DSCN2530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvq4SwHQ4nqrOt269uwWvyber5WXW-_dPlICm1DHwCcZ6f_G_UqMkTnKJuUVo9IN7Gg1R0MICU_OIjOGqB9oOjt9Ho5Lzez4r1ZILnr8-8km4sPrSxxLJ5dkpF91xhyphenhyphenzi7leBExiBsrA/s320/DSCN2530.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having fun with the boys<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Cattle work...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnplu1KyLih7WR9Obu5g-wmBYnFprfvBvim6W2WBZQjStNlBcv62bM6LapjVaqGeTunsxSWZ7uteZ3cYR81CbjH8iPxyE-htO4BuKj9aD7lPgF8BJFcFd2bjRFq9Rypb8kcX_NdzzqCwI/s1600/DSCF0241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnplu1KyLih7WR9Obu5g-wmBYnFprfvBvim6W2WBZQjStNlBcv62bM6LapjVaqGeTunsxSWZ7uteZ3cYR81CbjH8iPxyE-htO4BuKj9aD7lPgF8BJFcFd2bjRFq9Rypb8kcX_NdzzqCwI/s320/DSCF0241.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bullocks for sale</td></tr>
</tbody></table> And the celebration of eighty-three years of living...<br />
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An old mate died and was buried today and a huge gathering of family and friends came to support his wife of 65 years, his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren in their sadness. They also came to celebrate the life of a good man who was not afraid to let the truth get in the way of a good story. He will be sadly missed by those who knew him.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>Rest in Peace Rusty</em></span> .hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-70077457066505971482011-03-09T16:52:00.000+10:002011-03-09T16:52:39.835+10:00Wednesday's Weekly #9International Women’s Day was yesterday, 8th March. Our local QCWA (Queensland Country Women’s Association) members shared lunch at our treasurer’s house and watched a DVD of East Timor. Each year we have a “Country of Study” and this year it is East Timor. So a Timorese theme in dress and food was taken and an afternoon of friendship was enjoyed by members. Kisses for our International Officer for coming up with the idea. Also to fellow blogger <a href="http://yvettesramblings.blogspot.com/">Ramblings</a> who brightened my day today by providing a link to Aretha Franklin’s video clip “Sisters”.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2V0Tsnm2KgZv4OZQnHB3tlElxupa0UiMR0-WpRLETz0rAlFMt-LO7CY5kQ4HE-U_rABHBV8hccmaeMAUJFghvOk1LENKFNBScdBm4Xt_2NFhzA_-PoCCNEi-3kS4arEONnzFpqCTLsE/s1600/29+Sept+09+023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2V0Tsnm2KgZv4OZQnHB3tlElxupa0UiMR0-WpRLETz0rAlFMt-LO7CY5kQ4HE-U_rABHBV8hccmaeMAUJFghvOk1LENKFNBScdBm4Xt_2NFhzA_-PoCCNEi-3kS4arEONnzFpqCTLsE/s320/29+Sept+09+023.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Especially for You</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Second round of kisses go to those family members and friends who are still geographically and emotionally close enough to join together in celebrating the alignment of three family birthdays – a 70th, 40th and 18th. Most had to travel 75 km to do it and a happy family gathering of four generations of the family was the result. Brother S, caught here with his son, has a severely scarred face thanks to skin cancer so I love this photographic accident that caught him blowing out the candles.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpugjZlBvebzAidFtAqkc9op6otsyFsxemnyjSbbmQ9-58-DK5wOXYjBK-lA_ftYYM0AHMti_AgW5SiXO2ncox3kcsFOqUcPkFtYQfo2TgH7UtZkeUmOACQH9bgaSHPT2B5x_PPd9z-k/s1600/DSCN2363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpugjZlBvebzAidFtAqkc9op6otsyFsxemnyjSbbmQ9-58-DK5wOXYjBK-lA_ftYYM0AHMti_AgW5SiXO2ncox3kcsFOqUcPkFtYQfo2TgH7UtZkeUmOACQH9bgaSHPT2B5x_PPd9z-k/s320/DSCN2363.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Birthday Birthday Boys</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My last round is for all those small creatures that have brightened my world this week. Miss Molly, my pup, who entertained me playing in the puddles; a tiny spider that I didn’t even see until I downloaded, hiding under a Bachelor Button leaf; cotton bush seeds being caught on the breeze; a little wren that paused long enough to allow me a photograph; the wasps busily tending their nest who, once they realized I was watching, all turned to face the camera daring me to come any closer and the poor mulberries. They shouldn’t be seen until October. But the weather is so topsy- turvy at the moment they are confused and putting out fruit while they drop their leaves for autumn. Crazy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfA8nvAr4AjWkBdPnW9lhkPUqBjeV0SqzY-gfEqq_NNnLwpJS7bF_OaXlTSGg1nRJOB8w5wvwxazn_UFur-VXE313pmYAJu2QlzHLgs8BgRLBwky81GoGklM0mPA3QgFvqYisWD5jJ4O8/s1600/Small+things.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfA8nvAr4AjWkBdPnW9lhkPUqBjeV0SqzY-gfEqq_NNnLwpJS7bF_OaXlTSGg1nRJOB8w5wvwxazn_UFur-VXE313pmYAJu2QlzHLgs8BgRLBwky81GoGklM0mPA3QgFvqYisWD5jJ4O8/s320/Small+things.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Things</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>And my wish? I wish the birthday girl from Townsville could have been here to join our celebrations. Our hearts went out to her and although absent she was very much included in the celebrations. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvFiP-H7yo9__-z3SbSdqApZESZakT3frNzQf7GgTINTt90setvPiCcSrzCT6tGegaH3fLHLLUPQ_hWZmrXjCLBkk4o-WL66GxK8OPK4uxPtd3pmRomkjA5Zw5yyVBHU076mxXepPo2A/s1600/DSCF0084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvFiP-H7yo9__-z3SbSdqApZESZakT3frNzQf7GgTINTt90setvPiCcSrzCT6tGegaH3fLHLLUPQ_hWZmrXjCLBkk4o-WL66GxK8OPK4uxPtd3pmRomkjA5Zw5yyVBHU076mxXepPo2A/s320/DSCF0084.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Birthday Shanny</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Whew! Caught up...got a little behind there for a while...been a busy week.hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-56975281474911071622011-03-09T14:22:00.000+10:002011-03-09T14:22:38.229+10:00Tuesday's Tasting #1In 1996 <a href="http://www.stephaniealexander.com.au/">Stephanie Alexander</a> released "The Cook’s Companion- The complex book of ingredients and recipes for the Australian kitchen". It was given to me in 1998 and has been my constant companion in the kitchen ever since. It bears the inscription:<br />
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<em>Congratulations on your semi-retirement. </em><br />
<em>Thank you for your wonderful teaching of our children …</em> <br />
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<em>As they say in the classics- Good cookin’ good lookin’! </em><br />
<em>Thanks on behalf of Yr 3 families ‘98</em><br />
<em>Bernadette </em><br />
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Bernadette was a young mum who had been a year seven student of mine years before. Her name on the bottom makes this book extra special. In my ‘semi-retirement’ I became principal of the small one teacher school I had attended as a child and remained teaching there for another 12 years.<br />
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And so to Tuesday’s Tasting…from The Cook’s Companion (1996) p474 I give you <em>Carrot and Orange</em> which is a most refreshing dish on a hot summer’s day.<br />
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<em>Simply combine grated carrot, orange segments and coriander leaves.</em><br />
<em>Dress with olive oil and orange juice.</em><br />
<em>Serve.</em><br />
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I’ve just had it with ham for a cold lunch and previously served it as a side salad at a BBQ, also with grilled beef, sausages, chicken and duck… versatile, simple and tasty.hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-64202753976302166822011-03-09T07:24:00.000+10:002011-03-09T07:24:08.078+10:00Monday's Magic Moment 1#<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I experienced that Special Moment on Monday. You know, that special moment when waves of satisfaction roll over you as you step back and look at a job well done- that moment when you can say, “Finished. Now enjoy.”</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUe0iqyIaLMdJcKYShDcTcD_SRAA0OGFiKTyJSRsSIIYmKVMw0AoTvfYNn8C58IyKwiIo8Kdm9hecUhSoHcP9SEw3arVgf74212F2BwooZ3kDLJuoQB3X8hku5dH_qtBX6xEUM3raPtWM/s1600/29+Sept+09+024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUe0iqyIaLMdJcKYShDcTcD_SRAA0OGFiKTyJSRsSIIYmKVMw0AoTvfYNn8C58IyKwiIo8Kdm9hecUhSoHcP9SEw3arVgf74212F2BwooZ3kDLJuoQB3X8hku5dH_qtBX6xEUM3raPtWM/s320/29+Sept+09+024.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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March 7th has been a special day in our family for seventy years now. It’s the day brother S was born. Then it became his son’s birth date and finally our second granddaughter popped into the world on that date as well. <br />
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However Monday, 7th March 2011, was a bigger day than usual. There was an extra special alignment this year with a 70th, 40th and 18th birthday to celebrate with friends and family.<br />
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Hobo1 and I organised the traditional Aussie BBQ to honour the occasion. I spent the morning in the kitchen removing frozen food from the freezer, preparing salads, buttering buns and making desserts while Hobo 1 made the final preparations at the venue, the <a href="http://www.boynevalley.org.au/">Discovery Centre</a> up in Ubobo. <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Then at 1:54pm it happened – that special moment! The cooking done; the present wrapped and the venue ready. FINISHED… with time to spare! Even had time for a rest -“The icing on the cake” as they say.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-92213284894956064722011-03-06T20:48:00.002+10:002011-03-06T20:55:04.771+10:00Sunday Reflections #1The highlight of my week was guiding a group of bushwalkers on a pre-walk down a creek on our farm. Three clubs are coming to stay at the<a href="http://www.boynevalley.org.au/"> Discovery Centre</a> (BVCDC) and the organisers wanted to explore a few possible walks. We enjoyed morning at the rocks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvSyf__z7jzzCC8qz-hzikGH1SW3LK_rqNibOpOvRmKPVd8Cjub1c99WiHHj97GcSSDH0wYdkZXZc3GheosZFL9hfPXlcXOwcCRQ3_nKBihrZ0ZfY7uaCwIJQZVbIl_gw7lo-qI4SeFg/s1600/DSCN2103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvSyf__z7jzzCC8qz-hzikGH1SW3LK_rqNibOpOvRmKPVd8Cjub1c99WiHHj97GcSSDH0wYdkZXZc3GheosZFL9hfPXlcXOwcCRQ3_nKBihrZ0ZfY7uaCwIJQZVbIl_gw7lo-qI4SeFg/s320/DSCN2103.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Rocks</td></tr>
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We marvelled at the size and age of this ironbark and noted the young strangler fig beginning life in its fork.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7d1FzDpjh2zCrMAz80Wxu7o4p4gTPaQUta5-qQCn5mKFaE4TSlf0i1iXiua3ugWU_b0af_nT_U0RVyVxw044HLBSZaU1hDC5GY7su7EQYzQWxt25d0GSyIEQro7hjmj_FFQJWwjnX9SE/s1600/DSCN2111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7d1FzDpjh2zCrMAz80Wxu7o4p4gTPaQUta5-qQCn5mKFaE4TSlf0i1iXiua3ugWU_b0af_nT_U0RVyVxw044HLBSZaU1hDC5GY7su7EQYzQWxt25d0GSyIEQro7hjmj_FFQJWwjnX9SE/s320/DSCN2111.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strangler fig begins life</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXzdtsg6hkdDSMSNU3NlL7QlIevSIZpX2btVftMPf6B6hkyKCz3IXUoockHsrndGuallyLLK6WJeoaOgzYV3R-iQwXMYvXRw6b1DONiZcvMD2uMOcSmol5Vn0rDah9Ebc_nrNKU-Wlns/s1600/DSCN2110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXzdtsg6hkdDSMSNU3NlL7QlIevSIZpX2btVftMPf6B6hkyKCz3IXUoockHsrndGuallyLLK6WJeoaOgzYV3R-iQwXMYvXRw6b1DONiZcvMD2uMOcSmol5Vn0rDah9Ebc_nrNKU-Wlns/s320/DSCN2110.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ironbark </td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We wandered down through the mahogany swamp to Mum's favourite spot. She loved it because an old fig tree provided a deep shade over a lovely swimming hole. When I say old this fig tree is old. Mum began picnicking here back in the 1940s and it was providing a deep shade even then.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqKVpiioweHp4V-wTzMwIHPG5XBsvm7R_BKQEH6K6cuFQZLQb4w8mrVpfT8yGDC2Hvaou5nNUIALUIoy3cW-Oidd9LdWtX6F4XM1KDH7E7EVUuD4LdJKIIcbC3UMDS5_lFuiT2ozYBVw/s1600/Looking+towards+the+Gorge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqKVpiioweHp4V-wTzMwIHPG5XBsvm7R_BKQEH6K6cuFQZLQb4w8mrVpfT8yGDC2Hvaou5nNUIALUIoy3cW-Oidd9LdWtX6F4XM1KDH7E7EVUuD4LdJKIIcbC3UMDS5_lFuiT2ozYBVw/s1600/Looking+towards+the+Gorge.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1952 flood</td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The walk carried me back to my childhood. As kids we left home at breakfast and returned at sundown. We’d pick oranges or mandarins from the orchard, corn from the farm or maybe a watermelon and spend the day wandering the creeks. We’d track animals; build dams; “change” watercourses; catch fish and tadpoles; build rafts and cubby houses; swim and wander free. We knew every deserted house - especially those with mango trees. We didn’t have a mango tree and in mango season we’d walk miles to find a tree where we could bloat ourselves on the fruit which oozed juice that dribbled down our arms and dripped off our elbows. Bliss!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>What fun and adventure these creeks provided. What opportunities for imaginative play. It is a shame children today cannot experience such independence. Our society is so changed. Parents are afraid to let children out of their sight. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-5010818560523520402011-02-25T07:56:00.009+10:002011-02-25T08:10:09.621+10:00Week 7 Nature's Joys<strong>Kisses for:</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHVFpzPJg1Jxa8WdMBXcRUj2-DgIGHDTveAWH5xqGqajBRwG8EipojTPaQAxTJ9HWT3vk-JyzdAgKw5Gi-FiDmvya4M4QJzk9YFC5COlOhLsvfpym63Q5bJEzW7lLZokxz0ALM3gGotg/s1600/DSCN0964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHVFpzPJg1Jxa8WdMBXcRUj2-DgIGHDTveAWH5xqGqajBRwG8EipojTPaQAxTJ9HWT3vk-JyzdAgKw5Gi-FiDmvya4M4QJzk9YFC5COlOhLsvfpym63Q5bJEzW7lLZokxz0ALM3gGotg/s200/DSCN0964.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Torn Ear Returns</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_FdPcNZsVay83NmUKWDb4eS1gsk3r9-m_ql8lw82Q4X10zoNQnKpOCXnzVfEjlD7ddDIyyFvxR4RxsLrFWBkAJilnVooFOwcPMrFlz3yywGwA2UuB9aesdxQ2zgGa-hWvYtZZV6fGJA/s1600/DSCN1714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_FdPcNZsVay83NmUKWDb4eS1gsk3r9-m_ql8lw82Q4X10zoNQnKpOCXnzVfEjlD7ddDIyyFvxR4RxsLrFWBkAJilnVooFOwcPMrFlz3yywGwA2UuB9aesdxQ2zgGa-hWvYtZZV6fGJA/s200/DSCN1714.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Galahs coming in to drink</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliTSe2SXsCnbj6cYW_dQmuCQG2TiQvVs4eR5RH8ifAgNLb4JrEWR4nXhyphenhyphenJAm0xIDByPx_wQthMAk_mZekLQHEGwO4oHrZBXu2B-BbSwC9SET06Mzosizo1A1R7Qt68cdmBj1VuocRcUc/s1600/DSCN1258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliTSe2SXsCnbj6cYW_dQmuCQG2TiQvVs4eR5RH8ifAgNLb4JrEWR4nXhyphenhyphenJAm0xIDByPx_wQthMAk_mZekLQHEGwO4oHrZBXu2B-BbSwC9SET06Mzosizo1A1R7Qt68cdmBj1VuocRcUc/s200/DSCN1258.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newly Emerged Orchard Butterfly </td></tr>
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<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Kangaroos, galahs, butterflies...This week I've had the joy of being able to photograph all three. But the best was being surprised by a brief visit from <em>Torn Ear.</em> She is a female kangaroo who, along with several other females and their joeys, called the bull paddock home for several years during the drought. Each year we'd watch the entertaining show of young joeys developing their hopping skills. As mothers grazed, joeys almost too big to fit in the pouch anymore, would jump in ever increasing circles further and further away from mum. They'd build up speed and race across the paddock, adrenolin pumping and then back to tumble into the security of mum's pouch with legs and tails still protruding. Over and over they'd follow this routine until eventually one morning you'd realize the pouch was a no-go area and the joey was weaned. With the abundance of water and grass since the floods <em>Torn Ear</em> and her band no longer need the security of the homestead. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jpcpcyqaJdjH-Yp1DeORbj73DNFlKaGnQ-C83N8x2gqBjVVPdlKCsaAdO0VJrTq69ArS4PMMmg3S5eEVIaj1_fyWGKWhEhYiKPaz-KgJ8-varpLYar7CbqYPhytyzrPNR2eq1Cj9Fus/s1600/DSCN1010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jpcpcyqaJdjH-Yp1DeORbj73DNFlKaGnQ-C83N8x2gqBjVVPdlKCsaAdO0VJrTq69ArS4PMMmg3S5eEVIaj1_fyWGKWhEhYiKPaz-KgJ8-varpLYar7CbqYPhytyzrPNR2eq1Cj9Fus/s320/DSCN1010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reflections on an Australian Wood Duck</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lo5dmjqdKHjBQV4TBh2hI7Sgnonwwtwp6PY1LAujxCqMhiEnBru29jEwmpBK3vXz7u1pLlOXVoJ1t-3bS-s1rxfcd1MLJVRvruRjPqVrA6Vcp6J9sZtWKA2gWDaotDHPhZLW8ZK8IYs/s1600/DSCN1025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lo5dmjqdKHjBQV4TBh2hI7Sgnonwwtwp6PY1LAujxCqMhiEnBru29jEwmpBK3vXz7u1pLlOXVoJ1t-3bS-s1rxfcd1MLJVRvruRjPqVrA6Vcp6J9sZtWKA2gWDaotDHPhZLW8ZK8IYs/s320/DSCN1025.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch Break</td></tr>
</tbody></table><ul><li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">the male wood duck that drifted around on the river hinting there was a partner nesting nearby but never giving away their secret. At lunch time his drifting added to the peace of the setting and made a pleasant break from flood fencing.</div></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9_7n-P4pIw6wdmzQ7ZqimFBptYe-_0HAuPjO-mP8VuP5yWqjaAVk2VECP6WBF1zmIulRGYAXmMjVJU1h4d6kAPI6eh5zSyEfRl6iFAoNMrRuTzbTk6MBlyGtxz5czIFJi2WZwAKfFuY/s1600/DSCN1117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9_7n-P4pIw6wdmzQ7ZqimFBptYe-_0HAuPjO-mP8VuP5yWqjaAVk2VECP6WBF1zmIulRGYAXmMjVJU1h4d6kAPI6eh5zSyEfRl6iFAoNMrRuTzbTk6MBlyGtxz5czIFJi2WZwAKfFuY/s320/DSCN1117.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's its Story?</td></tr>
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<ul><li><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">the mystery surrounding a piece of wood clinging to a jet black blutack like clay on the bottom of the posthole digger when we finished digging a post hole. How long had it been buried? What was this band of decaying matter three feet underground? Why was it so moist compared to the sandy loam above? We have no answers but it has stimulated me to try and find out. So the internet is getting a work out.</div></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-ZCwsVBv2AnJTmNb4C0iC0yj7nXelgT757FFSEfUiVZbQln4ykHDkfFuufBln_4aUUL08VzFiMI3MLnqCgwBInOo78eUPX4J4gWFfqgWdbRGuOPMvJTNNyrdCVKIgliYx5acrrCoiPw/s1600/DSCN1249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-ZCwsVBv2AnJTmNb4C0iC0yj7nXelgT757FFSEfUiVZbQln4ykHDkfFuufBln_4aUUL08VzFiMI3MLnqCgwBInOo78eUPX4J4gWFfqgWdbRGuOPMvJTNNyrdCVKIgliYx5acrrCoiPw/s320/DSCN1249.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Callistomen Pink Ice</td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>But I wish</strong> we had not waited until the bull had ripped three of my beautiful young callistomen to pieces before we fixed the bull paddock fence and had the house yard safe from his excess testosterone. This is the reason we were digging post holes - to experiment with long stem planting of cuttings taken from the damaged trees. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-28638289556481681482011-02-16T21:57:00.000+10:002011-02-16T21:57:13.574+10:00Three Kisses and a Wish - Week 6 Hot! Hot! Hot!<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pO4tRfEqkFsGkfhCsyBlTgQf2Mdar-yLKRJ0Py45tkG5iXgVw-iTsyrzh1eGHKRrbS7B8LiDItASCSfAnCh-8WEQhkc9iqJDE_2khpiOEExN-C0elf-qIirNY6hfaJwF6DiY71k-MeM/s1600/DSCN0903.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pO4tRfEqkFsGkfhCsyBlTgQf2Mdar-yLKRJ0Py45tkG5iXgVw-iTsyrzh1eGHKRrbS7B8LiDItASCSfAnCh-8WEQhkc9iqJDE_2khpiOEExN-C0elf-qIirNY6hfaJwF6DiY71k-MeM/s320/DSCN0903.JPG" /></a> </div><br />
When you are constantly dripping with perspiration it is often difficult to think positively and find things to celebrate. But this week I begin with kisses for Hobo 1 who helped me win a little battle in my office. I swear the books, papers and other "stuff", too precious to throw out when I retired, were multiplying. We had shuffled things from one flat surface to another, from one box to another, one too many times as we tried to find things or get to the computer so together over two days we sorted, shuffled, discarded, stored and rearranged until I reclaimed my office and found a beautiful space I'd almost forgotten existed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tFmw3kiG-zA/TVuuPZrWbiI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/-uP2JpMGSZw/s1600/DSCN0551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" j6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tFmw3kiG-zA/TVuuPZrWbiI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/-uP2JpMGSZw/s320/DSCN0551.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On Friday we took a grandson to Bundaberg to visit a specialist. We hope this visit clears the way for him to fulfill his dream of entering the airforce. I needed my daily photo for <a href="http://365project.org/ubobohobo/365">Project 365</a> so ducked into the little zoo on the banks of the Burnett River to see what I could see and came eye to eye with an emu. This leads me to my second kiss...<a href="http://365project.org/">Project 365</a>. I am finding this is a great activity to take up in retirement. It gives a purpose to everyday and I am travelling the world again through others' photographs and being inspired to develop my own photographic skills by their wonderful creative skills. And I just love getting comments from people all over the world. Life on a farm can become lonely and the internet has become a favoured link to the outside world for me....Oh and I recommend project 365 to anyone who likes photography.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G68Tt4VnXEo/TVusbPeMygI/AAAAAAAAAm4/Q2wi6cOAA9k/s1600/Red.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G68Tt4VnXEo/TVusbPeMygI/AAAAAAAAAm4/Q2wi6cOAA9k/s320/Red.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This is my third kiss to family and friends for St Valentines Day last Monday...The closest thing to a heart that I could discover here on the farm. <br />
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Doesn't she look innocent? This is Miss Mopsy, my golden retriever puppy. She is going to grow into a loving companion but oh how I wish that she didn't have to lie between me and what ever I'm working on in the garden; that she didn't have to take my shoes into her favourite hole under the house; (We live in a low blocked house and recovery demands crawling in on hands and knees to retrieve said items) and that she'd forget her retriever instincts and not have to have chooks and ducks a flapping and squarking before she is happy! She's learning but ....hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-6019227949819494032011-02-09T16:13:00.000+10:002011-02-09T16:13:47.740+10:00Week 5 - Nature's Challenges<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5eoyc4cVr8VJykAUfVIsT92ySgEHy6l46p6_YgJTtIPCzSuxzTvJhLOZnHrNkzHjtDBHfwhFteOTV4fUsxm2_al644MNx36xDOx9mY4dfrq3nTLTvgAy_ufY8QRb1x4UYYg8zanBJmA/s1600/DSCN9998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5eoyc4cVr8VJykAUfVIsT92ySgEHy6l46p6_YgJTtIPCzSuxzTvJhLOZnHrNkzHjtDBHfwhFteOTV4fUsxm2_al644MNx36xDOx9mY4dfrq3nTLTvgAy_ufY8QRb1x4UYYg8zanBJmA/s200/DSCN9998.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZ55NjvP_YKEm6TxUAKDSM85jz818PGCWCJENf51pBYGhugA7GkVz_KrxGLo7zEsn9yRFAFVD-n3LlULr-aVENEjsvde3pgOcpPd2Q14ZrcfDVdaMZtdr60nHiTyK0A9YHrIn5NIMBk0/s1600/DSCN0133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZ55NjvP_YKEm6TxUAKDSM85jz818PGCWCJENf51pBYGhugA7GkVz_KrxGLo7zEsn9yRFAFVD-n3LlULr-aVENEjsvde3pgOcpPd2Q14ZrcfDVdaMZtdr60nHiTyK0A9YHrIn5NIMBk0/s200/DSCN0133.JPG" width="200" /></a>First kiss this week is for the sound of rain on a tin roof backed by the chorus of frogs. As I snuggled into my pillows, who could believe Queensland was flooded and a category 5 cyclone was threatening? All seemed completely right with the world.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My next kiss is for the peace and tranquility I find on my early morning walks...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjT0s2Yoytmg0C6sw8FmVWTH1lXLySwpCZcK4NlP-q75nR8sDRRJP3E1e2oOoWHJseQ1j0_Zq3wzkVjFkHMeWJZy7D8JlOtdbhK-llvQ8667A7wocRD43Fj3LGIlad60C6YqtlDPeW1E/s1600/DSCN0041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjT0s2Yoytmg0C6sw8FmVWTH1lXLySwpCZcK4NlP-q75nR8sDRRJP3E1e2oOoWHJseQ1j0_Zq3wzkVjFkHMeWJZy7D8JlOtdbhK-llvQ8667A7wocRD43Fj3LGIlad60C6YqtlDPeW1E/s200/DSCN0041.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwxTewGMC9Jd4zd3_pnGXtXYndrbK_i0GOUoHy18P0qZCpFmtPsqWonccw3n5lrvU4075Yj6byfwgk4yni406AE8j6i5gFkypdHrGR5jyCHe6Lz1P-URicDfY21jRuTpQ2D3VEJWhYeQ/s1600/DSCN0020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwxTewGMC9Jd4zd3_pnGXtXYndrbK_i0GOUoHy18P0qZCpFmtPsqWonccw3n5lrvU4075Yj6byfwgk4yni406AE8j6i5gFkypdHrGR5jyCHe6Lz1P-URicDfY21jRuTpQ2D3VEJWhYeQ/s200/DSCN0020.JPG" width="200" /></a>...so these two young escapees gave me quite a start as I rounded the barn. They were on for a game before being returned to their paddock and played hide and seek with me around the gum trees in the yard.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">My last kiss is for our Premier, Anna Bligh and her superb leadership throughout the floods and cyclone crisis. It has been a most challenging beginning to 2011 and she lead the way with compassion and understanding.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpy8u0Kc9ry-xSPuGBVuZAseBDvmUcxLu83fIiqkWFiWSBtA3hUh9ufS6PIMsL3TwBIWjzFqQgH4TW_j87iuYWjI_FH84EDLGQPv7jhoWXyw4oPkKvDUdvNMXNNz1ARXE0wYrMRJFLM1U/s1600/DSCN0105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpy8u0Kc9ry-xSPuGBVuZAseBDvmUcxLu83fIiqkWFiWSBtA3hUh9ufS6PIMsL3TwBIWjzFqQgH4TW_j87iuYWjI_FH84EDLGQPv7jhoWXyw4oPkKvDUdvNMXNNz1ARXE0wYrMRJFLM1U/s320/DSCN0105.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cyclone Yasi crosses North Queensland<br />
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</tbody></table>Fellow Queenslanders must be asking, "What else can the weather throw at us?" <br />
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Our area has escaped the worst of both wind and rain. <br />
The creeks are flowing...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikx7oSczO_2IdJncWKP8KlE7bzO4fby-hjJl49iBkv3xw8M03JdzdxXCLjZhjCVOuDbps5fGrnBjxwE1rNpWX5VWPz43ReBkt8ds3DGja4JRWWcBRJ4NJkIAtoyH2iiyvRW6Bk53nsxg/s1600/DSCN0277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikx7oSczO_2IdJncWKP8KlE7bzO4fby-hjJl49iBkv3xw8M03JdzdxXCLjZhjCVOuDbps5fGrnBjxwE1rNpWX5VWPz43ReBkt8ds3DGja4JRWWcBRJ4NJkIAtoyH2iiyvRW6Bk53nsxg/s320/DSCN0277.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come on in!<br />
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<div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">...cattle glowing,</span></div><div align="left"><br />
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</tbody></table>And the weeds GROWING!!! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDi_pj3fKhnUAsQARkRwPxGGCuAXQQKm_1grBYrXoh9vvu4qPdASDIH7663m7hNhUCSzLHhitf6BiTVU9a2IPjGrfyCZAbZaxXcd_zz25oNsBS8KLC3Li-IKvEqW0NtZ4t9pywuAbspVo/s1600/DSCN0269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDi_pj3fKhnUAsQARkRwPxGGCuAXQQKm_1grBYrXoh9vvu4qPdASDIH7663m7hNhUCSzLHhitf6BiTVU9a2IPjGrfyCZAbZaxXcd_zz25oNsBS8KLC3Li-IKvEqW0NtZ4t9pywuAbspVo/s320/DSCN0269.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant Rat's Tail patrol<br />
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</tbody></table>I wish Hobo 1 could get a break from this hot sultry weather that we've been having while he chases rat's tail grass, noogoora burr, lantana, parthenium...You name it. We've got it!!!hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-17515558018258767782011-01-31T22:02:00.000+10:002011-02-01T10:50:18.465+10:00January draws to a close<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoO1H7cmvaWtxecYo0Biz5lA2oyOMDwkJ4umu_Z6tBz-kCBpFa93TIXEOYR2iacbAmncucALneKhwI-feQGtu97ajy_fT5QTnwOU6ejF7VSrM-nGYEHoklltm5DZxNHsLwBmdxa5mZtM8/s1600/Entry+5+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoO1H7cmvaWtxecYo0Biz5lA2oyOMDwkJ4umu_Z6tBz-kCBpFa93TIXEOYR2iacbAmncucALneKhwI-feQGtu97ajy_fT5QTnwOU6ejF7VSrM-nGYEHoklltm5DZxNHsLwBmdxa5mZtM8/s400/Entry+5+%25283%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's been a week for cooking. Every one is back at work, the grandkids at school and sunny skies above. We do have two cyclones threatening in the Coral Sea - but they are in the future!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First kisses go to my Cherry Guava tree which is laden with fruit... so laden it's turning itself inside out as it branches are dragged downwards by the weight of fruit. On Sunday, I picked 2 kg of fruit and baked a beautiful Guava Crumble for our desert... Drew lots of praise from Hobo 1...Guava ice cream is next.</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Second kisses are for me for making an attack on the garden invaders. I've been procrastinating long enough. So this week I attacked the jungle! I found green tomatoes and burr gherkins amongst the roses and zinnia. With a couple of onions and a few herbs, I turned the fruit into 5 jars of <em>Green Tomato and Cucumber Relish</em> which on a Sao biscuit made a tasty morning tea. (Thank goodness for the Internet...had no idea what I could do with the <a href="http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/Growing-Burr-Gherkins.aspx">Burr Gherkins</a>!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VLQPClKBPmq2GIdGIM2fV93SKhjt2pILMX2hg9KkaakWK6D0E9ZJcm8SkuVw1LaiTGHs7KcCsL7wK-CuVywyY93gcM1HnUizyIC5GCxL7D4QFH8EZ_dy5RQvppfL1hFc1XUYjfD_scg/s1600/Entry+5+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VLQPClKBPmq2GIdGIM2fV93SKhjt2pILMX2hg9KkaakWK6D0E9ZJcm8SkuVw1LaiTGHs7KcCsL7wK-CuVywyY93gcM1HnUizyIC5GCxL7D4QFH8EZ_dy5RQvppfL1hFc1XUYjfD_scg/s400/Entry+5+%25285%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Kisses also for my seven old hens. They keep us in eggs. I saw the brown hen sneak into a hole in the hay so I put on the flash and snapped her in action! But look! There's not one but two hens in there and a third one was waiting outside. It goes without saying. There'd been no eggs in the chook house for several days but I found twelve eggs in this secret nest in the hay! Several of the eggs were immediately used to make a custard for the Guava Crumble.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I wish I could get back into the garden but all this cooking and organising of photos to get my blogs going before January ends has drawn my gardening program to a halt. Are the roses trying to tell me something as they form bridges in the sky? Or are they just advertising my waywardness? ..."Rose hips, black spot, leggy branches...Help us please!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-6167147055405316972011-01-31T21:09:00.000+10:002011-02-01T10:39:49.613+10:00Three Kisses and a Wish - Week 4The school year begins in Queensland this week and I'm not missing the start one bit. That's comforting. After nearly 45 years of helping the children in my care to discover their gifts and talents and grow to be the best person they could be, I am exhausted. I have given all I can give and I'm ready for some "<em>me</em> time".<br />
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Not being tied down with school, I was able to drive into town and share great grandson 1's first day of kindy.<br />
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Kisses to his family and Aunty Bibbi for their love and support. They made this transition so easy for him when it could have been quite challenging. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCr2vyN0V-xECm-lGfg4SjiCUJcIk1BkP2N1qsAk7C4cQLYNr08UHxMDSDdq3ckABG6-2nqs7na7gYceCrKCt60t4Dz_qL3i6RzMo4f3IThegsneYHU2Z5z0lghU76qtbmGZS9_O3J2U/s1600/Entry+4+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCr2vyN0V-xECm-lGfg4SjiCUJcIk1BkP2N1qsAk7C4cQLYNr08UHxMDSDdq3ckABG6-2nqs7na7gYceCrKCt60t4Dz_qL3i6RzMo4f3IThegsneYHU2Z5z0lghU76qtbmGZS9_O3J2U/s400/Entry+4+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Kisses to him for taking the time to pose for me <u>just once</u> in his busy, exciting (dare I say a little scary?) day.<br />
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"Oh, no! Where's his cup? They 've just asked him to hang up his cup and I can't find it! Oooh, I left it on the sink!" Heaps of kisses for a great Dad who went all the way home and got it for him.<br />
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I wonder where the years of education that lie ahead will lead him?hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9149970547112024111.post-84903052674459558792011-01-31T20:25:00.000+10:002011-02-01T10:35:31.746+10:00Looking back cont. - January Week 3The property was water logged - <strong>so</strong> waterlogged my brother-in-law bogged his ute driving in. He called <a href="http://ubobohobos.blogspot.com/2010/05/bali.html">hobo 1 </a>who had lent our 4WD to number 1 daughter to move her "stuff" to her new school. (She's transferred. After 20 years in the same school, its time for a change.) So Hobo 1 drove little brother home and got another ute to do the pulling. This too bogged! Nothing left to do but take the tractor down - a 3/4 hour drive. You guessed it! The tractor bogged. It get's worse...a sightseer who came up to see what was going on, bogged as well. Which brings me to my first kiss for...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-s4iGLwwiQRGT2B5hkhyphenhyphenh3-q0-Cf7Hl2V-0TNZ_mzL_ziVuHPcJ6DTTL2CT50MDJ7k52nlKsitp3SrWrizwr01FH_-LhjPB33gButMwM_NaG-nw7nrQZqFS5eADPpEmGUMZHHjBuvgZ4/s1600/Entry+3+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-s4iGLwwiQRGT2B5hkhyphenhyphenh3-q0-Cf7Hl2V-0TNZ_mzL_ziVuHPcJ6DTTL2CT50MDJ7k52nlKsitp3SrWrizwr01FH_-LhjPB33gButMwM_NaG-nw7nrQZqFS5eADPpEmGUMZHHjBuvgZ4/s400/Entry+3+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>...the support of family and the strong family bonds that bind us together. Number one son arrived next morning with the gear needed to remove a tractor from a bog...and this is after having just finished a night shift!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>While he worked up a sweat I wandered about with my trusty camera and caught this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDeUAhwW8307nVaJrIjoxLOZzmVc5_FL4dGxbB8qLAben4KTeuaoRXaSGQFysFqxIAhFZuBnmQcA21Tu9AjU4WgeYrt_Kpxe4F97CpfjLG3uNLmhDgZLnp7LsV77gB25vfvPILGElT6XM/s1600/Entry+3+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDeUAhwW8307nVaJrIjoxLOZzmVc5_FL4dGxbB8qLAben4KTeuaoRXaSGQFysFqxIAhFZuBnmQcA21Tu9AjU4WgeYrt_Kpxe4F97CpfjLG3uNLmhDgZLnp7LsV77gB25vfvPILGElT6XM/s400/Entry+3+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Kisses number 2 and 3 go to the wonders of creation. Isn't a feather a marvellous creation? Such perfection!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9oIiYFJoiKrSRzTYp9cJR-JpH-1Vk_hF8fFFT0J3I_U-Vaynv49Nko2vQrmOqg36bGHZQmxCUkGzqaPnIqIcvpOGKaqKw_L1PPRjytDufyHvf2MWKYKkjRhSSwR56NSZDE5FsVptS5_Y/s1600/Entry+3+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9oIiYFJoiKrSRzTYp9cJR-JpH-1Vk_hF8fFFT0J3I_U-Vaynv49Nko2vQrmOqg36bGHZQmxCUkGzqaPnIqIcvpOGKaqKw_L1PPRjytDufyHvf2MWKYKkjRhSSwR56NSZDE5FsVptS5_Y/s400/Entry+3+%25284%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">...and this is the dawn that greeted our early morning start.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But my garden, poor thing, is badly needing some TLC. Plants that survived the flooding have grown "like Topsy" in the hot, moist conditions. Others have fallen victim to the damp but that doesn't stop me catching my breathe when I spot beauty such as this. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERCEvUfdDAWa-knX-dtJY8cVrUA5gdHbZPz-3WM-6E3KwKTkI6W01-UTA6L5kpKRRKPxZTZB0jbbVfdGpddmtnPlSFfHStfalI2PWljsSpYlNtqe25lfQ1OTv84ZphYa591f_fP7rhS4/s1600/Spider+Lilly+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERCEvUfdDAWa-knX-dtJY8cVrUA5gdHbZPz-3WM-6E3KwKTkI6W01-UTA6L5kpKRRKPxZTZB0jbbVfdGpddmtnPlSFfHStfalI2PWljsSpYlNtqe25lfQ1OTv84ZphYa591f_fP7rhS4/s320/Spider+Lilly+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I really must find time to reward my spider lily's efforts!</div>hobosfromubobohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11016198089278977400noreply@blogger.com0