bring you to your knees

The day after Australia Day - and I've been flooded by tears.

The Australian Government is a pack of puppy dogs wagging their coward tails behind the Corporate Greed Arseholes.

I wish the farmers of Australia the best in fighting for their freedom to own a farm, make a home and drink safe water.  God knows the Government is doing nothing to ensure that happens.

Shame on you, Australian Government.

Meet Penelope

This is the sweetest little addition to our family.
Penelope - or Nelly as we are all calling her.

She's a little Cavocker (King Charles Caviller x Cocker Spaniel)

She is a gift to Gretta - as she's now 4 and a half and still has a very big fear of animals. She had a traumatic dog experience when she was a baby and has been eternally petrified of all animals. Even our farm dogs can make her scream in terror.  Well, now she has the adorable Nelly to follow her around and we've got our fingers crossed that this little pot belly girl will help our girl break down some of her barriers so that she doesn't live her life in fear of animals.

By the way... She's very stinkin' cute.

saturday morning this and that...

My 4 year old is writing words. LOTS of them. Many many pages filled with:

skjeornocywiontoksmklfhiewj
jwkoemmriomcmwo
Gretta

KSDfomiojofm

and the such. Proud mama.

We had a lovely quiet Christmas with a few video messages from the states...

happiness and tantrums

and some excellent summertime fun.

The hay has been hauled in by one extremely charming little blonde boy and his daddy (who cleverly hand made a quick hitch on a very old trailer... smarty pants!)

chugging away in a great summer.

expecting some very special friends to arrive on Monday.

and a little four legged new arrival to come shortly for the little miss in the family (with a fear of animals).

We have a shortlist of names:

Penelope (nelly)

Pepper (pepe)

Celeste

Sally 

Manelli

what name gets your vote? 

Happy Days. xx

twenty twelve...

New Years Day, sitting in the sun at Waratah Bay with my dear friend, she asked me to share any reflections I had on 2011.

We shared and laughed, and shouted with rage, and it felt super excellent.

So as I returned home from our most magnificent beach, I wrote down a few reflections and anticipations...

twenty eleven

I am thankful for:

:: my rockin' husband.  our marriage in it's 8th year has taken on such an amazing, wonderful glow, and I'm so in love with him.


:: nurturing, uninhibited, happy friendships


:: downsizing:
a. my arse.
b. our "needs" 


:: realising our Ruby Hills Bath Milk


:: sitting our feet down in our business and community. Feels good.

twenty twelve

I'm looking forward to:

:: improved contentious parenting - with a conscience rather than 80% overdrive.


:: getting even more fit and trim


:: Chooken it up - increasing our chooky numbers and hooking into that market that we are consistently unable to fill. 


:: no more pink house. Cape cod blue with white trim, thank you very much (mom and dad!)


:: marketing Ruby Hills Organics to it's hilt.  sharing our sublime, clean, nourishing produce from this magical place.

There you have it. Probably the most I've ever actually thought about the New Year ever...  Or maybe it was planning my mischevious nights out in my twenties - but we won't get into that! I'm sure that there's much much more that I could add to all of that, but that's what came to mind immediately...

Happy New Year. May Twenty Twelve bring on awakening, joy, prosperity, understanding, love and much more mindful living from people around the world.

Oh yeah - and could the earthquakes ease up on Christchurch?
Please? Enough is enough!
 

love and friendship and sandpits

Mr & Mrs.

we have been to the most exquisite, special wedding last weekend.

seriously - I have never been to such a clever, beautiful wedding, and this stunning couple just emits perfect young love. Sweetest ever.

 

hubby and I got TWENTY FOUR HOURS off the farm, without kids. 

Was lovely. We caught up with old friends, and made some new friends.

We all have this mysterious connection!

who knew rusty ringlock could look so glam!?

the flowers left me breathless.

these fabulously drinkable drinks said, "eat drink and be married"

oh yes. so sweet!

  

the peonys!!!

dance floor lighting.

only a photographer herself would have TWO photographers. It was photograph madness. I can't wait to see what they've come up with!

 

only a true bush wedding ends up with mud and grass on her heels and dress.

and... of course she was still stunning.

in Emma's speech, she mentioned a couple of us gals - that have brought her "country mama" inspiration. I felt full of friendship and sisterhood. 

Tis' true that family is a part of you, but what is really special is that we get to choose our friends. We choose people that inspire us, support us, and make us generally happy and full of life. What's better than that!? 

The last name on the tree is the one that has connected Emma and I - and I'm so glad for it.  Happy Trails to Emma and Matt - galavanting north on an extended working honeymoon. If you cross their path - welcome them with open arms - they're special ones.

...back on the homefront...

we've been attempting calm through all of the end of year breakups, Christmas get-togethers, dinners, bbq's, etc... And we're going pretty well, actually! We FINALLY pulled out a sandbox for the smalls. It was not the complicated expensive exercise we thought it would be.

and is bringing many moments of happiness for 3 little people in the household. Right next to the lower veggie patch, so if one gets hungry - one can snaffle up a few sugar snap peas, and then keep diggin!

and the man with the bobcat paid us a very wonderful visit - so although our backyard will look much like this for the Christmas party - it will be easy to mow, lush green grass before long. Man - it was a total mess. Ditches and holes everywhere, stumps, old concrete - gullies where fences have been removed... 

simple presents for special people have been made, and are still being thought of, lots of gardening - and expectations of wonderful summer produce (come on, basil!!), milking cows, raising chicks, tending chooks, packing eggs, filling orders.