Blue Tongue Lizard

Brad took this photo. Isn't it a great photo! Blue tongue lizards are pretty common around these parts, although its a little surprising to see one at this time of year, its almost winter (although the weather is still fairly nice.... fingers crossed we get a nice and wet winter though)!

Here is a recent family photo, with our little boy's blackwood tree - one year on after it was planted.

Our boy is one!

2 days ago our little man turned one. We are having a little party for him on sunday.



Sorry, I realise the photo is not that good, he is at that come over and try and grab the camera stage, so nice photos are hard to get. Usually its a close up of the eyes or something like that!!! He is a big boy, scooting around on his bottom. He is starting to stand up now, especially holding onto me. Hopefully he will walk soon, but he hasn't been in much of a hurry to do things yet. Content with what he has at the time.

We haven't taken his 'tree' photo yet. If you don't know, we planted a tree for both the kids when they were born, and have been taking a photo around their birthday each year. Hopefully we will do that soon (the weather was not great today - and I forgot the day before that...)

More time in the garden

Things have been very busy here. I have set up a pretty serious vegy garden, hopefully not more than I can handle - about 13m x 4m wide (but I will need to extend it still). I have been digging it all over and adding assorted manures, wood ash and whatever else. I have been reading up on the requirements of the individual plants I am planting and preparing the soil specifically. I know this probably all sounds like the normal and right way to do it, but its not how I have normally do it! I have normally just thrown a few seeds in, here and there, and watched what happened.

But that was in my reckless days!!! I am taking the feeding the family task more seriously now, and want to make sure there are enough of each plant, and that they grow well. Alas, my soil is probably not ready for that responsibility yet...

So I spend some of our building days out in the garden with the kids while Brad is using the generator and sawing up timber etc etc. Then I try and help him whenever I can. Its been hard, long days, and it seems like nothing much is being achieved.... Somewhat overwhelming, as the mountain of work never seems to get less, and yet the time is flying.... All going 'well', we will be homeless in a month.... probably living in a caravan!!! One and a half people can't build a home in a month, and work to earn a living to pay for the building materials, and look after 2 young children.

It will be interesting, to say the least!!! We wont have electricity (or limited electricity), and possibily no plumbed water (we do own buckets!). Please hope and pray that we will have the combustion stove operational.... Hmmm, I guess it will be character building!!! And COLD.

Lets just hope for some good productive days in our future!!!! Fingers crossed!!