Where do I start?
Let's begin with the humans. The kids are great! Jack is growing like a weed and much taller and smarter than his mother! He has formed a special bond with Herbie the pig and has him rolling on his back for tummy rubs.
Amelia and Charlotte have blitzed their half yearly school reports with 7 × A's each. A tremendous effort considering they spend 2 hours each day travelling to and from school, then come home to feed groom and play with their animals before doing homework... and now Millie with netball training and weekend games in town too... Then there's Jack who thinks homework is only set for dummies... and blitzes his schoolwork like it's a fun park ride... I'm glad that all of them enjoy high school and there's none of the anxiety about academic achievement that I'm sure will crop up in senior years.
Everyone helps out with feeding and caring for the dogs, cats, sheep, pigs, chooks and goat!! They really are farm kids now.
My frozen shoulder is loosening and I feel is approx 90% back to normal. I am doing most chores and sometimes it's still very frustrating to find myself limited, esp with reaching for something or a job that requires strength...but I'm pleased to be getting better and stronger each day with more and more practise and pushing through the pain.
We have had a very busy July with 8 lambs born so far, and 4 piglets. The chooks have also gone back to laying eggs after a few months break. And I said I was hibernating this winter...
The vegie garden has suffered after our last crop of watermelons. We planted carrots baby spinach cauliflower and broccoli which the pigs and chooks have enjoyed but also the kangaroos have discovered and decimated - as well as my flower garden. Don't know why everyone got upset when Rowan the goat found carnations and capsicums so yummy. He was only helping with the pruning and now thanks to the frost and the roos I have nothing left!!
I've been knitting full time- mostly gifts for friends and family, but also, after a 3 yr break, we are back at the local monthly markets to share the love and warmth that makes Nanna Knits so special. Amelia has started knitting and I'm hiding my stash of very expensive yarns!!!
The animals are all going well. Our very first lambs and piglets born has had us all outdoors through a bitterly cold, windy and crispy dry winter. Those of you who know me well - know that I don't cope very well in colder weather and I'd much prefer to fast forward to a sizzling hot summer... but here I am outside talking ewes through their deliveries and checking on everyone every half hour...
I am very pleased to see others doing so well with their Piarki goldens. Eleanor and Cleaver with obedience. Rachael and her Piarki kids in the show ring. Shoko with Royce in the Japanese show rings. Maureen with Hope as a therapy dog, working with children in Singapore. The most rewarding event for me recently with the dogs was to attend the Defence Community Dogs graduation ceremony where a Piarki boy I donated to this program, has graduated as a PTSD service dog and was handed to his new owner, a returned Defence Force Veteran. Both the handler who has loved and trained Harry for the past 10 months, and myself, couldn't be more proud of this achievement and all that it means to both Harry and his new owner. I cried buckets tears of joy for all involved.
Owning a Golden Retriever puppy doesn't mean just doing a bit of puppy school or obedience lessons and you have a well mannered dog... All of these Piarki goldens have been loved and nutured consistently, trained regularly and rewarded daily by being an integral and notably- very spoilt family member.
- Speaking of spoilt- Toffee turns 10 in a few months and slumbers most of the day away-that is...when she's not sneaking off to the dam for a swim. Karma is pissed with me for not allowing her to free roam the farm any more after she shot off to chase roos one too many times and took a sweet 45 mins to return last time.. so now she is in a yard and letting me know this is not her preference... I'm waiting patiently to see if Honey and Porcelana are expecting their first litters... fingers crossed. We are getting the puppy yard ready with positive thoughts.
Enjoy the photos.
