Ok, so I guess I have a little explaining to do why I havent posted in ages... Well mostly its been because I have been pretty busy and thanks to a tiny little thing called 'writer's block'. I dont remember a lot of the stuff that has happened since I last posted, so I guess I will start with Yesterday and see where I go from there :).
Yesterday... Hmmm well we went back to Cudgewa to get a beast to kill for our meat, I think the butcher is coming out tomorrow but I'm not sure. Anyway when we got there I found out that we would be spending the day there getting cows in, sorting all the older calves out of the herd to sell them. I didnt think we would be there all day so I forgot to take a hat. It was a really hot day yesterday, it got upto 35 C although it felt more out side under the sun running around cows, in other words I got sunburned on my face and arms *ouch*. Later in the afternoon the stock agent came out to have a look at the calves we had sorted, they were pretty good calves, they had been left alone for about a year on lots of grass and some were still on their mothers and the others were calves we raised from poddies, so they were nicely fat, lol some of them were pretty cute :) (sorry no pics, I didnt take the camera). While we waited for the agent to get there (he is pretty well known for being at least an hour late) we sat around in the old dairy and talked about the idea of turning it back into a dairy. Its a dream but you never know it might come true one day :).
Last Friday Ayala finally convinced me to go to work with her. It was fun but I don't think I am quite cut out to be a teacher's aide, lol. I do have some photos of that but I'm not going to up load them right now. I'll try to remember for my next post.
Sarah gets back from the Gold Coast this afternoon. She left on Wednesday last week so she has been gone 6 days. Its been a little weird not having her here, it will be great to have her back.
Well I think that is just about all the news for now. I'll try to post soon.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Crazy Thoughts
Ok I wanted to write a crazy post just for fun, lol, I am in a bit of a weird mood :D!
Have you ever sat in front of a clock and watched the second hand tic away and thought that every time it passes the 12 that another minute of your life just passed and you wont get it back... personally I get dizzy watching it go around and around in circles, lol.
Carrying on the theme of weird thoughts: I was thinking the other day (sometimes that can be dangerous;) and I came up with this weird question, Is cold colder than hot is hot? I have yet to find an answer to this but I did think of a way to figure out how to get a solution, you find out normal body temperature then go to freezing point then go from body temperature to boiling point. Like I said it was a weird thought and I am no scientist, lol!
Now I get to go completely loopy and burst out in song!
Spring times' coming
On the heels of a winter wind
Balmy breezes will blow across your garden again.
As long as earth and Heaven remain,
God promises the seasons will change.
Spring times' coming
Ok bad song ("Its already spring" *whispers loudly* "dont tell Winter!")!
Now what else can I do to complete the effect that I am out of my mind and you need to stop reading my blog and go do some house work... hmm... Did anyone notice I am bored? Its Sunday afternoon, Dad, my brother and our friend (who came to help) are out in the paddock raking, baling and wrapping the silage, Sarah is watching The Waltons somewhere, Ayala is writing in her blog (Oh by the way, check it out at ---), and Mum is asleep. I'm tired and basically exhausted and this post doesnt really need comments, lol and I think thats where I will end this post :)
Have you ever sat in front of a clock and watched the second hand tic away and thought that every time it passes the 12 that another minute of your life just passed and you wont get it back... personally I get dizzy watching it go around and around in circles, lol.
Carrying on the theme of weird thoughts: I was thinking the other day (sometimes that can be dangerous;) and I came up with this weird question, Is cold colder than hot is hot? I have yet to find an answer to this but I did think of a way to figure out how to get a solution, you find out normal body temperature then go to freezing point then go from body temperature to boiling point. Like I said it was a weird thought and I am no scientist, lol!
Now I get to go completely loopy and burst out in song!
Spring times' coming
On the heels of a winter wind
Balmy breezes will blow across your garden again.
As long as earth and Heaven remain,
God promises the seasons will change.
Spring times' coming
Ok bad song ("Its already spring" *whispers loudly* "dont tell Winter!")!
Now what else can I do to complete the effect that I am out of my mind and you need to stop reading my blog and go do some house work... hmm... Did anyone notice I am bored? Its Sunday afternoon, Dad, my brother and our friend (who came to help) are out in the paddock raking, baling and wrapping the silage, Sarah is watching The Waltons somewhere, Ayala is writing in her blog (Oh by the way, check it out at ---), and Mum is asleep. I'm tired and basically exhausted and this post doesnt really need comments, lol and I think thats where I will end this post :)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
A little help that I thought you might need :)
OK, new rules!
If you are really really really stuck you are allowed to Google the question, I thought I would make it hard for you guys but Mum thinks I made it WAY to hard not allowing you to Google anything.
If you are really really really stuck you are allowed to Google the question, I thought I would make it hard for you guys but Mum thinks I made it WAY to hard not allowing you to Google anything.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
A few Aussie Questions and a lot more!
OK I decided that I would put a quiz up. To whom ever gets the most questions correct, I shall send a prize (right now the prize is a mystery to me as well but I will mention it when I say who won). And if more than one person gets all of them right I will figure out another 5 or ten questions :). Oh and NO GOOGLE or any other search engine's allowed until after you have submitted your comment.
2o questions
1. Name Australia's highest mountain.
2. What is the name of the World's largest monolith? (clue. I can see if from my house)
3. What does this road sign mean?
4. What is the name of Australia's largest engineering feat?
5. What very famous festival, based on a very famous poem, that takes place in my area early in Autumn?
6. What is the name of the poem and the name of the author of the poem mentioned in the above
question? (clue. I have mentioned this festival in my blog a few times, but no peaking!)
7. What is the only thing in Australia punishable by capitol punishment?
8. What are Australia's emblems?
9. How many stars are on our flag?
10. What are the names of the capital cities of each state in Australia?
11. What is Australia's largest dairy exporter? (clue. I am part of it, its name has something to do with the Murray River)
12. Where is most of Australia's fruit grown?
13. On what animal's back did Australia use to ride? (clue. This is a well known poem)
14. Name Australia's most infamous Bush Ranger
15. What is the name of the movie that many non-Aussies associate with Australians? (this one should be easy, it isnt the man from snowy river)
16. What is, my side of the mountains(I have to say this because on the other side of
the mountains they think its something else), name for the Man From Snowy River?
17. What is the name of the famous Australian, who died when a sting ray peirced his heart?
18. Name Australia's longest river system.
19. What is the name of the lake in the middle of Australia, renouned for its bird life (when it has water in it)?
20. Name the Flemington of the bush.
Have fun!!! I know I will, when I read the answers!
My entry to the Elyne Mitchell Rural Women's Writing Award, now that its all over I can show you :)
Ours
by Katherine McFarland
Sitting beside the calf pen in the warm May sunshine with Djaq, my Kelpie cross German Coolie cattle dog sitting in my lap, makes me feel content and safe. There aren’t many warm sunny days in May so I figure I might as well enjoy this one.
Djaq starts squirming and licking my hands. I smile at her as she looks up at me with her weird amber eyes. She is a truly beautiful dog, her coat always gives me a mental picture of someone stirring a big pot of caramel sauce and randomly dropping chocolate chips into it. It is coming up a year that we have had her now. I sometimes wonder what we ever did without her, she can be a pain a lot of the time but over all she is a good dog. I remember the morning we were given her, it was a cold, wet, foggy morning....
There were shouts of “Josh is here!!” from my younger brother Daniel. The caravan door slams, probably Dan in a big hurry.
I take a sip of my packet mocha coffee as I peer out the fogged up windows of the caboose.
Josh is a twelve year old boy whom my oldest sister, Ayala, tutors. He is also a friend of my brother. And seeing as though we don’t get many, any visitors are very welcome.
I step out of the caboose, and onto the crate we use instead of a step. “Hey Josh.” I call as I lead the way between the three caravans that we now call home.
There is a mumbled “Hi” in return.
The ‘kids caravan’ door opens with a loud creak; that sounds like the door is about to break off, it never does so I just ignore it. Ayala is waiting, school work already laid out on the table. I find a place to sit and be a good example by reading a thick book.
A little while later, Mum puts her head in the door “Kath can you go and feed the calves please? And don’t forget to give the youngest one colostrum, ok?”
“Yup I’ll be there in a minute.” I say putting the book down and following her outside.
The caravans are parked in a shed at the end of the dairy yard, so there isn’t far to go.
I shove my feet into a pair of too-big gumboots and head out of our shed.
In the dairy pit, I grab two green calf feeders and pull the lid off a test bucket. The colostrum is thick and a dark yellow colour, for some reason I have to fight to keep my stomach in the right place for a split second before lifting the bucket to pour some of the gross stuff into the feeder. I am thankful that only one calf is young enough to have to drink that! I fill the other feeder with normal white milk.
As I carry the two feeders out to the cattle-yards-turned-calf-pen, I try to keep my hands clear of the colostrum, it never works; I always seem to splash myself.
I let myself into the pen and hook the two feeders on the fence. The older calf is right there trying to suck my elbow, but I stick my fingers in his mouth and guide him to the teat. The younger calf on the other hand has retreated to the end of the pen, most likely he will give me a run around before I can catch him, I take a closer look then correct myself, its’ a heifer. Great, a heifer with an attitude!
I close in slowly, trying to corner her so I have a better chance of grabbing her. She sees me and tries to bolt out into the open, but its’ too late, I grab her ear and swing my leg over her neck to stop any further escapes. With her head firmly between my knees, I put my milky fingers in her mouth and hope that she knows how to suck and I won’t have to teach her. Her mouth moves around my fingers for a second before I feel a feeble suction, then it gets stronger. I say a prayer of thanks before half dragging her and half leading her to the other side of the pen and to her feeder.
She sucks pretty strongly but the older calf is still finished first. I am still standing over her with her head between my knees, the other calf butts the back of my thighs and tries to suck my knees, and I swat at him and laugh.
I unhook the feeders but the heifer refuses to let go of her teat, she is sucking air but she doesn’t really care. I twist it away from her and make a dash for the gate.
Back inside the dairy again I give the feeders a hose out and my hands a rinse under the hot tap. My Mum, Dad and sister are just washing up as I walk through.
I wash my hands again at the back of the caboose with soap and warm water, the calf slobber leaves a slimy film over my hands and you need soap to get rid of it. There isn’t much I can do about my jeans and jacket; I am going to be just getting dirtier later on, so I might as well leave them on.
The caravan door creaks again. It is wonderful and warm inside. My brother and Josh are still working on their times tables. I sit back with my book again. It isn’t long before my brother goes outside, it isn’t really his lesson so he is allowed.
A car pulls up at the front of the dairy, I glance up and say “Probably your Dad.” He nods and keeps working.
A minute or so later, my sister steps into the caravan and hands Josh something then cuddles a very small cute puppy to her chest, there were a few cries of “Its’ so cute!” from around the table. From what I can see of it, it is dappled brown all over, and even though its nose is buried in its paws its amber eyes were peering around the small cramped space.
I glance at Josh to find he is also cuddling a puppy, but it is more black, red and brown; and, unlike the puppy Sarah is holding, Josh’s pup is squirming to get down, to explore.
“What kind of dog is it?” is the first question asked.
“She is a Kelpie German Coolie cross. She is a she. And she is ours.”
“Ours?” I ask raising my eye brows. Mum and Dad had never let us have a pup before; we already had a dog and they always said no to another.
“Ours.” Sarah answers with a grin “Dad says we are going to train her to be a cattle dog.”
“Yeah,” Josh pipes up “That’s why we got this one. Dad says we are gunna make a real good cow dog out of him.”
The next question “Does she have a name?”
Sarah grins again “Nope, that’s our job.”
Josh pipes up again “We’re gunna call this one Bundy.”
“Like as in the beer?”
“Yup, see ‘is colour?”
I have to admit he does look like a bottle of beer. But we have to find a name for ours. How could we do that? She looks almost un-name able! How could you name a dog that was so cute anything?
“I think we should call her Plaster.” My brother says, referring to her one white leg.
I shake my head “No way! She is too nice to be called Plaster! We have to find something better.”
After a while of cuddling we take the puppies outside for a run around in the now clean dairy yard.
We call her Pup for a while but she needs a real name. My brother is still adamant about calling her Plaster. And it is getting rather annoying when he tries to make her come to that name.
“Come on Plaster, come!” But she wasn’t listening. Bundy was much more interesting.
“Well Plaster sure isn’t going to be her name!” Sarah, who is sitting beside me, comments “What other names can we think of?”
I shrug “I don’t know, but we need to think of something soon.”
“Hmm.” Sarah thinks out loud “What about... Honey?”
“No... I don’t think it really suits her.”
“Yeah I guess... well what about...” there is a pause “Djaq, you know like as in Robin Hood?”
“Yeah that suits her. I wonder if she will come to it.” So we try it. To our utter amazement she turns and looks at us.
“Well!” I turn and look at Sarah “She has a name!”
I finally bring my thoughts back to the present. I glance at my watch, lunch time. Djaq is asleep in my lap. I push her off and stand up.
“Come on dog, time to go home.”
by Katherine McFarland
Sitting beside the calf pen in the warm May sunshine with Djaq, my Kelpie cross German Coolie cattle dog sitting in my lap, makes me feel content and safe. There aren’t many warm sunny days in May so I figure I might as well enjoy this one.
Djaq starts squirming and licking my hands. I smile at her as she looks up at me with her weird amber eyes. She is a truly beautiful dog, her coat always gives me a mental picture of someone stirring a big pot of caramel sauce and randomly dropping chocolate chips into it. It is coming up a year that we have had her now. I sometimes wonder what we ever did without her, she can be a pain a lot of the time but over all she is a good dog. I remember the morning we were given her, it was a cold, wet, foggy morning....
There were shouts of “Josh is here!!” from my younger brother Daniel. The caravan door slams, probably Dan in a big hurry.
I take a sip of my packet mocha coffee as I peer out the fogged up windows of the caboose.
Josh is a twelve year old boy whom my oldest sister, Ayala, tutors. He is also a friend of my brother. And seeing as though we don’t get many, any visitors are very welcome.
I step out of the caboose, and onto the crate we use instead of a step. “Hey Josh.” I call as I lead the way between the three caravans that we now call home.
There is a mumbled “Hi” in return.
The ‘kids caravan’ door opens with a loud creak; that sounds like the door is about to break off, it never does so I just ignore it. Ayala is waiting, school work already laid out on the table. I find a place to sit and be a good example by reading a thick book.
A little while later, Mum puts her head in the door “Kath can you go and feed the calves please? And don’t forget to give the youngest one colostrum, ok?”
“Yup I’ll be there in a minute.” I say putting the book down and following her outside.
The caravans are parked in a shed at the end of the dairy yard, so there isn’t far to go.
I shove my feet into a pair of too-big gumboots and head out of our shed.
In the dairy pit, I grab two green calf feeders and pull the lid off a test bucket. The colostrum is thick and a dark yellow colour, for some reason I have to fight to keep my stomach in the right place for a split second before lifting the bucket to pour some of the gross stuff into the feeder. I am thankful that only one calf is young enough to have to drink that! I fill the other feeder with normal white milk.
As I carry the two feeders out to the cattle-yards-turned-calf-pen, I try to keep my hands clear of the colostrum, it never works; I always seem to splash myself.
I let myself into the pen and hook the two feeders on the fence. The older calf is right there trying to suck my elbow, but I stick my fingers in his mouth and guide him to the teat. The younger calf on the other hand has retreated to the end of the pen, most likely he will give me a run around before I can catch him, I take a closer look then correct myself, its’ a heifer. Great, a heifer with an attitude!
I close in slowly, trying to corner her so I have a better chance of grabbing her. She sees me and tries to bolt out into the open, but its’ too late, I grab her ear and swing my leg over her neck to stop any further escapes. With her head firmly between my knees, I put my milky fingers in her mouth and hope that she knows how to suck and I won’t have to teach her. Her mouth moves around my fingers for a second before I feel a feeble suction, then it gets stronger. I say a prayer of thanks before half dragging her and half leading her to the other side of the pen and to her feeder.
She sucks pretty strongly but the older calf is still finished first. I am still standing over her with her head between my knees, the other calf butts the back of my thighs and tries to suck my knees, and I swat at him and laugh.
I unhook the feeders but the heifer refuses to let go of her teat, she is sucking air but she doesn’t really care. I twist it away from her and make a dash for the gate.
Back inside the dairy again I give the feeders a hose out and my hands a rinse under the hot tap. My Mum, Dad and sister are just washing up as I walk through.
I wash my hands again at the back of the caboose with soap and warm water, the calf slobber leaves a slimy film over my hands and you need soap to get rid of it. There isn’t much I can do about my jeans and jacket; I am going to be just getting dirtier later on, so I might as well leave them on.
The caravan door creaks again. It is wonderful and warm inside. My brother and Josh are still working on their times tables. I sit back with my book again. It isn’t long before my brother goes outside, it isn’t really his lesson so he is allowed.
A car pulls up at the front of the dairy, I glance up and say “Probably your Dad.” He nods and keeps working.
A minute or so later, my sister steps into the caravan and hands Josh something then cuddles a very small cute puppy to her chest, there were a few cries of “Its’ so cute!” from around the table. From what I can see of it, it is dappled brown all over, and even though its nose is buried in its paws its amber eyes were peering around the small cramped space.
I glance at Josh to find he is also cuddling a puppy, but it is more black, red and brown; and, unlike the puppy Sarah is holding, Josh’s pup is squirming to get down, to explore.
“What kind of dog is it?” is the first question asked.
“She is a Kelpie German Coolie cross. She is a she. And she is ours.”
“Ours?” I ask raising my eye brows. Mum and Dad had never let us have a pup before; we already had a dog and they always said no to another.
“Ours.” Sarah answers with a grin “Dad says we are going to train her to be a cattle dog.”
“Yeah,” Josh pipes up “That’s why we got this one. Dad says we are gunna make a real good cow dog out of him.”
The next question “Does she have a name?”
Sarah grins again “Nope, that’s our job.”
Josh pipes up again “We’re gunna call this one Bundy.”
“Like as in the beer?”
“Yup, see ‘is colour?”
I have to admit he does look like a bottle of beer. But we have to find a name for ours. How could we do that? She looks almost un-name able! How could you name a dog that was so cute anything?
“I think we should call her Plaster.” My brother says, referring to her one white leg.
I shake my head “No way! She is too nice to be called Plaster! We have to find something better.”
After a while of cuddling we take the puppies outside for a run around in the now clean dairy yard.
We call her Pup for a while but she needs a real name. My brother is still adamant about calling her Plaster. And it is getting rather annoying when he tries to make her come to that name.
“Come on Plaster, come!” But she wasn’t listening. Bundy was much more interesting.
“Well Plaster sure isn’t going to be her name!” Sarah, who is sitting beside me, comments “What other names can we think of?”
I shrug “I don’t know, but we need to think of something soon.”
“Hmm.” Sarah thinks out loud “What about... Honey?”
“No... I don’t think it really suits her.”
“Yeah I guess... well what about...” there is a pause “Djaq, you know like as in Robin Hood?”
“Yeah that suits her. I wonder if she will come to it.” So we try it. To our utter amazement she turns and looks at us.
“Well!” I turn and look at Sarah “She has a name!”
I finally bring my thoughts back to the present. I glance at my watch, lunch time. Djaq is asleep in my lap. I push her off and stand up.
“Come on dog, time to go home.”
(By the way, this is my writing so if you want to copy it please ask me first!!!!)
Ok last thing before I sign off on my 100th post
The picture of my shotlisted award from the Eylne Mithchell Award Presentaion
Bonus Question: Name the birds on the Elyne Mitchell banner :) (BTW you dont have to but you can if you want)
Monday, October 19, 2009
99 and still counting :)
Well amazingly I have made it too 99 posts! Whoo! Ok so maybe I'm slightly off my rocker, but who cares, I'm happy!! I'm at 99 and still no ideas what to do for my 100th post... Ideas are still very welcome :D. I'm thinking maybe I'll upload some photos... hmm I really have no ideas!!!!
Ok I think I will make a list of all the things my friends have done then go through it crossing them off one by one :).
Well I guess that's it for number 99, and anyway I have to go feed the calves :P.
Till 100!
Ok I think I will make a list of all the things my friends have done then go through it crossing them off one by one :).
Well I guess that's it for number 99, and anyway I have to go feed the calves :P.
Till 100!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Elyne Mitchell Rural Women's Writing Award Presentation
Ok for the news some of you might have been waiting for :) no I didn't win the "Award". But I did win something...
But I guess I should start from the start, lol and keep you all in suspense!
We had a wonderful day yesterday, at midday we went to pick Rachel up from in town, because I invited her to come with us, we went to the op-shop and found some really nice CDs, there were a few singing ones but the ones I really like is the one with a Cello playing hymns and another one with a violin playing hymns, both of them are really beautiful :).
We came home and while listening to the violin CD I read my book. I had a shower and got dressed up, Ayala insisted on putting make up on me :P (I really dislike make up, I used to say it made me feel sickish, which it did, but I looked at myself in the mirror after she had finished with me and I didn't really like the way I looked, anyway that's off the subject), which I endured.
We left it late to leave and the sun was just setting as we came into the Corryong valley, it was pretty magnificent with all the clouds turned gold and sunlight coming through here and there. I had grabbed the violin CD as we went out the door so it was amazing to be listening to Morning Has Broken being played on the violin and watching the sun go down, my idea of a very beautiful scene :). I also had some private thoughts which makes it a bittersweet memory.
There was a $10 entry fee for all the people who weren't contestants and everyone was given a raffle ticket for the door prize (it was just a couple of copies of the shortlisted stories, some jams and chutneys and things). I looked at my number, 45, and though 'oh great! It isn't even one of my favorite numbers!' and thought no more of it.
They had pictures and a short biography of each of the shortlisted contestants up on the wall, lol I took one look at them and thought 'I haven't got a hope!' because there were two girls who were 22 or 23 and they were both in university and doing creative writing course thingys! I was the only local person in the Emerging category.
After all the speeches had been made about thanking the supporters and one lady got up and sang a poem that Banjo Patterson had written, then Eylne Mitchell's daughter, Honor, got up and gave a speech about her Mum and writing and all that, she would be an amazing person to sit down with for 2 hours and talk to her :)!
When Marita, one of the organisers, got up to announce the raffle, I was joking to Dan and comparing what numbers we had, he had number 44 and I already said I got 45. Marita called out a number, 45 (LOL) and I turned to Dan, who had suddenly started staring at me and was about to say "Haha, its you!" when I realised that I was the one holding 45 and was more like "EEK its ME!" I just never win those things and I was so shocked and it was so hilarious that I just started laughing.
We were all awarded a certificate for being shortlisted so that was the second time I had to walk up to the stage thingy, I got to shake hands with the mayor :D (which isn't the greatest of honors because she is friends with my grandmothers, lol)!! And as we all left the stage Honor stopped me and talked to me, because I was the local!
And after some more speeches, photos, talking and congratulations from people I have never met before, that was basically it and after Sarah and I helped in the kitchen we went home :).
I would upload the picture of my award but its on the other computer and there is some trouble with the connection so I cant right now :P. But I will as soon as I find a memory stick.
Well I have to go, till next time!
P.S. 2 posts to go!!!
But I guess I should start from the start, lol and keep you all in suspense!
We had a wonderful day yesterday, at midday we went to pick Rachel up from in town, because I invited her to come with us, we went to the op-shop and found some really nice CDs, there were a few singing ones but the ones I really like is the one with a Cello playing hymns and another one with a violin playing hymns, both of them are really beautiful :).
We came home and while listening to the violin CD I read my book. I had a shower and got dressed up, Ayala insisted on putting make up on me :P (I really dislike make up, I used to say it made me feel sickish, which it did, but I looked at myself in the mirror after she had finished with me and I didn't really like the way I looked, anyway that's off the subject), which I endured.
We left it late to leave and the sun was just setting as we came into the Corryong valley, it was pretty magnificent with all the clouds turned gold and sunlight coming through here and there. I had grabbed the violin CD as we went out the door so it was amazing to be listening to Morning Has Broken being played on the violin and watching the sun go down, my idea of a very beautiful scene :). I also had some private thoughts which makes it a bittersweet memory.
There was a $10 entry fee for all the people who weren't contestants and everyone was given a raffle ticket for the door prize (it was just a couple of copies of the shortlisted stories, some jams and chutneys and things). I looked at my number, 45, and though 'oh great! It isn't even one of my favorite numbers!' and thought no more of it.
They had pictures and a short biography of each of the shortlisted contestants up on the wall, lol I took one look at them and thought 'I haven't got a hope!' because there were two girls who were 22 or 23 and they were both in university and doing creative writing course thingys! I was the only local person in the Emerging category.
After all the speeches had been made about thanking the supporters and one lady got up and sang a poem that Banjo Patterson had written, then Eylne Mitchell's daughter, Honor, got up and gave a speech about her Mum and writing and all that, she would be an amazing person to sit down with for 2 hours and talk to her :)!
When Marita, one of the organisers, got up to announce the raffle, I was joking to Dan and comparing what numbers we had, he had number 44 and I already said I got 45. Marita called out a number, 45 (LOL) and I turned to Dan, who had suddenly started staring at me and was about to say "Haha, its you!" when I realised that I was the one holding 45 and was more like "EEK its ME!" I just never win those things and I was so shocked and it was so hilarious that I just started laughing.
We were all awarded a certificate for being shortlisted so that was the second time I had to walk up to the stage thingy, I got to shake hands with the mayor :D (which isn't the greatest of honors because she is friends with my grandmothers, lol)!! And as we all left the stage Honor stopped me and talked to me, because I was the local!
And after some more speeches, photos, talking and congratulations from people I have never met before, that was basically it and after Sarah and I helped in the kitchen we went home :).
I would upload the picture of my award but its on the other computer and there is some trouble with the connection so I cant right now :P. But I will as soon as I find a memory stick.
Well I have to go, till next time!
P.S. 2 posts to go!!!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Post 97 and just thoughts...
Yup 97... Only three to go until three digits :D!
Its been raining here a lot lately. Been kept inside not doing much, it can get boring and I could have made it to 100 already, but like I said I haven't been doing much.
Yesterday I was looking for ideas for a dress I wanted to make and I came across Anne of Green Gables costumes on the Internet and that gave me the idea of looking for the middle movie to see if I could get a better view of the dress but unfortunately I didn't find it because it is still back at our old house in storage :P but in my search I happened upon an old video with Inspector Gadget on it! I hadn't seen that movie in years, it is a bit corny but its still pretty funny :).
I ended up settling on a pattern we already have for my dress. I am in the process of making it now. I am not far into it yet I am just cutting all the bits out but I guess that's always the hardest part isn't it?
Well gotta go, I expect I should be posting tomorrow :)
Till next time
P.S I still have no idea what to do for my 100 post celebration, so any ideas would be helpful!
Its been raining here a lot lately. Been kept inside not doing much, it can get boring and I could have made it to 100 already, but like I said I haven't been doing much.
Yesterday I was looking for ideas for a dress I wanted to make and I came across Anne of Green Gables costumes on the Internet and that gave me the idea of looking for the middle movie to see if I could get a better view of the dress but unfortunately I didn't find it because it is still back at our old house in storage :P but in my search I happened upon an old video with Inspector Gadget on it! I hadn't seen that movie in years, it is a bit corny but its still pretty funny :).
I ended up settling on a pattern we already have for my dress. I am in the process of making it now. I am not far into it yet I am just cutting all the bits out but I guess that's always the hardest part isn't it?
Well gotta go, I expect I should be posting tomorrow :)
Till next time
P.S I still have no idea what to do for my 100 post celebration, so any ideas would be helpful!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Its Monday morning...
Today is Monday, you know some people say they hate Mondays... Since I don't usually go along with the flow, lol, I disagree :). This morning was a lovely morning and since I had a very restful weekend I am very much looking forward to this week! I got up at 6:30, about half an hour ago to an almost red gold light coming over the top of my curtains (as I occupy the top bunk the sun comes in over the top of my curtains at about 6 to 6:30 every morning, except of course cloudy ones). I got up and had the pleasure of seeing my parents before they went to work at the dairy (one thing I miss about dairy farming is that when you get up your parents aren't there and you wont see them till you go and start your jobs). Then I put a CD on (Sons of Korah, the best thing to wake up with and go to sleep with :O *yawns*, possibly a bad thing :), and now I am sitting here drinking my morning cup of coffee, writing my 76th blog post and listening to beautiful psalms being sung.
Well anyway the other day, think it was Saturday, I decided to post on my other blog so please take a look here. I hope I can keep up with posting on both my blogs :).
Thursday is the Elyne Mitchell Award presentation. I am kinda nervous but not overly so, it would be pretty amazing to get the award but I think I could live without it. I am pretty excited that I get to go at all.
Yesterday one of our cows gave birth to twin boys :D. They are so cute! They are almost identical but one is brown and the other is black :).
Harvest should be starting soon but its a little hard because it keeps raining! My Dad is a little frustrated that we haven't started yet. I don't think we will get a very good number of silage bales this year as the grass is a little sparse, that is good news for me because I will be sitting on top of the pile of bales patching any holes with duct tape and bad news for Dad and the rest of the farm because there wont be as much food for the cows as they need.
Well I need to go, my babies don't like to have their breakfast kept waiting (my Dad usually isn't all that happy about it either :).
Till next time (when ever that is, lol)!
Well anyway the other day, think it was Saturday, I decided to post on my other blog so please take a look here. I hope I can keep up with posting on both my blogs :).
Thursday is the Elyne Mitchell Award presentation. I am kinda nervous but not overly so, it would be pretty amazing to get the award but I think I could live without it. I am pretty excited that I get to go at all.
Yesterday one of our cows gave birth to twin boys :D. They are so cute! They are almost identical but one is brown and the other is black :).
Harvest should be starting soon but its a little hard because it keeps raining! My Dad is a little frustrated that we haven't started yet. I don't think we will get a very good number of silage bales this year as the grass is a little sparse, that is good news for me because I will be sitting on top of the pile of bales patching any holes with duct tape and bad news for Dad and the rest of the farm because there wont be as much food for the cows as they need.
Well I need to go, my babies don't like to have their breakfast kept waiting (my Dad usually isn't all that happy about it either :).
Till next time (when ever that is, lol)!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
A few hymns and some thoughts
Onward Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ the royal Master,
Leads against the foe.
Forward into battle,
See his banor go.
Onward Christian soldiers,
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.
How many times have you stopped and thought what this was about? I've known this song almost all my life, I have fond memories of singing this song amongst others in the car on the way somewhere. We would always sing a hymn (usually more than one, lol) when we were in the car, it became like a habit. But I never really stopped to think about what the words meant. I would always get an mental picture of a whole army of warriors dressed in immaculate red tunics, chain mail with the metal helmets and swords marching along singing "Onward Christian Soldiers" then a (very clean) battle scene, that image changed along with my knowledge it became a parade of priests dressed in their long flowing white robes and the front man carrying a cross. But now I think its time to change, it should be a mental picture of someone kneeling down in prayer with their Bible not far away, unaware of anything else except their God.
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear,
What a privilege to carry
Every thing to God in prayer
Is there trials and temptation,
Is there trouble anywhere,
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Basically self explanatory :).
Take my life, and let it be consecrated,
Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Take my voice, and let me sing always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.
Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.
This is another one of those first songs I ever learnt, singing them in the car.
Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount!
I'm fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.
Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I'm come;
and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor daily
I'm constrained to be! Let thy goodness,
like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart,
O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.
This isn't one of the first hymns I ever heard or learnt but it is my favorite. But I do not like the story behind it. Apparently the man who wrote this fell away from the Lord and died in his sin. It saddens me that he could write this song and in it say "Oh to grace how great a debtor, daily I'm constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above." and not believe the words he wrote!
Amazing Grace,
how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.
The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.
When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.
And the grand old classic. I sometimes wonder if this is the first song people think of when they hear the word Christian... Just a thought.
Will try and put these songs on my playlist as soon as possible.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Just a little quiet ;)
*Sigh*.... It has been a beautiful day. And now I am sitting here in the dining/living room amazed at the serene quiet that has suddenly surrounded the house. My mum went to bed early (not sure why, I think she might be coming down with the same flu that I have, poor Mum), my sisters both went out to the flat, Ayala to finish some Brailling and Sarah (who is also sick-ish) to go to bed. My brother has just appeared from his room to talk to Dad about something about fixing cars and things. And my Dad is sitting in his chair reading the paper, Oh and I am writing this blog post :) lols! I think I am getting better (YAY!), I only have a blocked nose and I cough sometimes :P so not quite better! I cooked dinner tonight (as I seem to be doing most nights now), and amazingly, with the limited amount of vegetables, it turned out quite nicely :). The truck is just arriving... Its 20 minutes to 9 PM. I should be heading to bed but I just want to write some.
Today was the Farmer's Market, Mum had made a heap of soaps to sell, so we had a stall. We made $107 all up, and we had some offers from places that want to sell our soap in their shops :). So all up is was a success. Mum is trying to talk me into growing vegetable seedlings for the next market. I dont know, I know that I could and it wouldn't be that hard and the money would be good, but, and, and... And I'm tired and I am rambling and I forgot to say thanks to my friends who helped me out big time with the Elyne Mitchell thingy magigy, and I cant say thanks to one of them and I am sad about that and I need sleep and I need to attach that photo to that email and I am sick of having so many things to do. I'm going to go sleep, Goodnight!
Today was the Farmer's Market, Mum had made a heap of soaps to sell, so we had a stall. We made $107 all up, and we had some offers from places that want to sell our soap in their shops :). So all up is was a success. Mum is trying to talk me into growing vegetable seedlings for the next market. I dont know, I know that I could and it wouldn't be that hard and the money would be good, but, and, and... And I'm tired and I am rambling and I forgot to say thanks to my friends who helped me out big time with the Elyne Mitchell thingy magigy, and I cant say thanks to one of them and I am sad about that and I need sleep and I need to attach that photo to that email and I am sick of having so many things to do. I'm going to go sleep, Goodnight!
Friday, October 2, 2009
News, news, news!!!!
I have news :). First of all...
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I GOT SHORTLISTED FOR THE ELYNE MITCHELL RURAL WOMEN'S WRITING AWARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I am still like "WOW!!" and it was two days ago that I found out :D! I am sooo happy, ecstatic, excited and just plain amazed that I could have gotten shortlisted out of hundreds of contestants!! 10 people get shortlisted for each category (there are 2 categories) and out of those 10, one is the winner. The standard for judging is pretty high so only very good writers get to be shortlisted. Right now I don't care if I win, because I have won anyways, being shortlisted IS winning! It's one of those things that will look good on a future job resume :).
The whole presentation is on the 15'th of October (on World Rural Women's Day), that is when the winner is announced and all that.
Anyway, other news.
Well I had to go to the dentist on Tuesday (the 29th) and have 2 teeth pulled out :P (actually its a bit of a "YAY!" because that means the last trip to the dentist in a long time!!). And my sister decided it would be a good idea to share her germs with me and I got the flu (nother :P), that is one time I do not like sharing, lols, so I am sitting here with a sore mouth (cos I chewed on something the slightest bit hard) and the flu!!! :(
Ok, on a better (brighter!) note. Monday, because I was bored I decided to start sewing rectangles of fabric together and now all I have to do is sew the binding on the edges and I have a blanket for my Glory Box :) (will try to post pics and instructions soon).
We haven't had Internet for the last 3 days (that explains my absence from the blogging world).
Well I think that is all news for now.
Gotta go! Till next time!! :D
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