July 2008 News 6 July, 2008
Ooops! I’m late with this post - a whole week late!
AT HOME: Oh, my gosh, we finished our new room! And one busy weekend in June we moved all of the furniture in there, including three tall bookcases, four desks (two huge!), a cupboard, two computers, a little table for Lily’s desk, three mats, several full toy boxes, a few hundred books and games and lots of craft items… Phew!
We’ve now moved on to our entrance area because it’s a cheap fix for us. We have the tiles and paint already, and really want to get our wood stove installed. It looks like the one below. It’s outside the kitchen window, where there will be servery windows. It’s also backed by the laundry and will heat our water sometimes. I’m really looking forward to learning to use the wood stove!
We’ve had visitors for a few weeks now, which is why I’m late with this post - time flies! Our first visitor was a lovely German girl who stayed with us as a WWOOFer. The day after she left, my Mum arrived.
AT WORK: I haven’t done much work this past month. I’ve lined up several articles for Warm Earth magazine which will be published between now and early 2009. I also submitted some of my work to Intuitive Parenting website.
Spiral Garden dontated a doll to the Intuitive Parenting site to auction to raise funds for their upgrade. Business has been a little slower in June, as most retailers are reporting. The Winter items I have in stock are just delightful, so I hope business picks up soon. It’s tax time, so I’m in the middle of another learning curve.
ON THE FARM: I gave in and bought new garden shears and we’ve cleared around about half the orchard trees, some fencelines and the berry and passionfruit trellises. It’s looking so neat! I also sprayed some of the citrus with some Eco Pest Oil, mulched all the trees in Stage One of the orchard, and fertilised the citrus trees with Dynamic Lifter pellets. Since we also mowed and slashed the grass, it’s very civilised looking out there. A lot of lawn, begging to be planted out (in my view!) Hopefully we’ll get onto finishing tidying and treating Stage Two of the orchard once Mum goes, or when the next WWOOFers arrive!
We’ve had mixed success with the fertile eggs, then several losses with the new chicks. We currently have three chicks remaining with their silky-cross mother. Let’s hope she can see these three to adulthood. We have another sliky-cross sitting on only two eggs. The hens have almost ceased laying, and we’re not sure why. It could be the cooler weather. I hope they pick up again soon.
I didn’t end up making Pumpkin Jam (yet) and we’re working our way through the pumpkins in various meals. It’s my favourite vegetable, so I will be sad when we run out!
The vegie garden is going really well - beans are coming again now, broccoli is making heads, cabbages are forming heads, lettuce is going well, rhubarb and asparagus have come back, broad beans and peas are flowering, spinaches are doing well, etc. Overall it’s looking great in the greenhouse and I’m super-keen to expand into a second greenhouse and an outdoor (fenced) garden too.
HOME ED.: The children were unwell for almost all of June, which has slowed down our ’schoolwork’ a little. Early in the month we did have a Clay Play Day here for ATHENS group, with about 60 people attending. It was great fun thanks to the helpful Lyndel. Then we had some sleepovers, which are always exciting and busy…
Two of the girls have continued with their monthly horse riding sessions and they’re loving it!
Our German WWOOFer had lots to share about her home and travels, which is an important part of the WWOOFing experience for us. She also took the time to read to the children, play board games (especially Chess), draw with them and more.
In the middle of the month we went to Innot Hot Springs, which is under an hour from here. It was just lovely to swim in Winter! We all want to go back again soon.
We had a few birthdays in June, and had a card-making session to prepare for those. Every couple of months we make birthday cards to give and send for the coming celebrations. Between us, it doesn’t take too much time to create a unique greeting.
Three of the girls prepared items for the annual Malanda Show… And all three won First Prizes! They were so excited. We went to the show on Saturday, and once again enjoyed seeing the horses, cows and poultry, as well as all the exhibits of art, craft, cooking, produce and plants. Oh, and the rides and junk food were quite popular with most of the family too!
A new term starts soon… Time for planning!
The stove looks like the one Mum used. They are my favourite. My aunty’s apparently was taken out and reinstalled in what used to be my Grandma’s house which I thought was lovely.