We have entered our first trees in the annual Hamilton Bonsai show. The trees were made ready over one weekend and a couple of evenings and looked quite good. Adriaan and Poppie came over from Tauranga to judge the show and Peter managed to get a Merit Award with a tree he styled at the show two years ago (jammy bugger!!!)
Spring is certainly in the air. When we’re walking the dogs around the village in the evening there are several spots where the perfume from the wisterias and jasmines make you want to stop and breathe deeply.
We have finally managed to get around to doing something with the topsoil and sand left over from the house. Some of the topsoil has been used to level off the dog run, some to build up the garden around the house and some for the new veggie plots Peter has built.
The rest has been used to level the paddock.
The soil in the dog run has been levelled.
Maxie helped Ann water our crop of plastic bottles in the new veggie plots (we’re also growing lettuce, carrot, radish, cucumber, capsicum, chilli pepper, dwarf beans, peas, parsnip, pumpkin, red, white and spring onions).
We fenced off the newly seeded areas to try and stop busy little paws from digging.
One of the Yellowhammers who decided to join the feast. Maxie and Jaz failed miserably in their new role as scarecrows.
The soil heaps have now gone and we have a flat paddock – yay!
Jaz has been feeling a bit under the weather and started limping again. Ann arranged to take her to an Osteopath at the kennels.
Following a couple of weeks resting with limited walks she is much better and has had her first session of hydrotherapy at Hydropaws – not that she enjoyed it much.
Let me out of here!!!!
Our new neighbours have started to build their house.
Ann went to her first Ag Day with her class at a local rural school – total student population of less than 30! Each child brought their calf, lamb or kid to school, entered it into one of many classes for best pet, best presented animal, best looker, best ….. etc etc etc. The winners were all presented with large trophy’s and there were rosettes galore being handed out!
Peter passed the last Microsoft exam he needed to complete his MCSE qualification. He now plans a break from exams until the new year when he starts a Citrix course (only 3 exams for this one).
Maxie and Jaz thought that their luck was in one evening, as we rounded the corner by the Pub on our evening walk they began to sniff the air excitedly. There was a dead boar in the back of a ute parked outside the pub. Unfortunately for them the two hunting dogs that were also in the ute voiced their objection to Jaz and Maxie trying to sneak off with the boar!
News from Home
Here’s the latest addition to Allison and John’s growing alpaca herd. They went to buy their third breeding female, named Madison, and got Madison’s three week old male cria too. As you can see Madison had recently rolled in the dirt and as for the hay in the hair, they think she was wondering what it’s like to be blonde!
Alex and Michael had their first snow of the year. Don’t worry though – it was returning to a more sensible temperature in the upper 60’s – low 70’s a few days later.
Dave & Ann have now moved into their new home.
Ann also treated herself to a new car – very elegant!