Monday 23 June 2014

6 weeks!

We're on the countdown!!! Yippee!

We've been told the current mountain house residents move out on the 1st August - which means moving day is getting closer!

As it's such a blustery, windy, squall-y day out today, I've been inside with the biggest pot of tea you've ever seen, my Grass Roots magazines, homesteading books & blogs, and my imagination. Here's some things I'd like to do in the new place:

  • Honey
I've been told a swarm of bees regularly returns to the old shed. I don't know if they're native or feral. I know NOTHING about bee keeping. But the whole idea has my imagination going wild!



  • Vegetables & Fruit
We've got visions of using recycled windows to make mini green houses, upcycled brick pallets as fences and to grow herbs and strawberries in. There's already established mandarins, oranges, lemon, lime, grape fruit, pumpkins and tomatoes. Im having visions of berries, zucchinis, beans, peas, spinach, beetroot, caulis.... *oh my*

  • Chickens
There's already 8 Isa Brown hens and a very handsome rooster of unknown breeding in residence, and whom we will inherit upon moving in. Free range eggs!!! Baby chicks! Meat...???? (Don't know if I could bring myself to... you know...)


  • Yabbies
Already in residence in the dam!

  • Goat
Firstly for weed control. But maybe milk? Meat? (Again.... *cringe*)

  • Rabbits
Already in residence, and kept in check by fox family (Also already in residence!). Wouldn't want to mess with the population too much as it might encourage Mr & Mrs Fox to look further afield to feed their babies (ie, our chickens!). However, maybe we can trap(?)/shoot(?)/lure humanely into a pot(?) one every now and again...?



  • Interior decorating
Think open wood fire, patchwork quilts, crochet throws, eclectic recycled furniture, bunting, vintage greens, miss-matched tea cups and dinnerware, huge plaited rugs, and the smell of freshly baked bread. Mmmmmm....

  • An outdoorsy life style for my kids
Digging, swinging, treehouses, sunflower tepee, bonfires, damper, bushwalks, worm farms, strawberry binges, picnics, ponies....

Tuesday 10 June 2014

The beginning.

So I've started this blog. For lots of reasons.

Firstly, our family has relocated interstate away from our family and friends, with our 2 girls, 2 mongrel dogs, old ex-racehorse and pet rat. At first we moved into this crappy old red-brick box (Nothing against red bricks or boxes per say...) sight unseen, because we didn't know the area, didn't know anyone here, and I was 38 weeks pregnant with my 2nd baby so we couldn't fly down to hunt for real estate. So we basically just took anything that would let us have pets, and near a train station.

And "anything"'s exactly what we got.

Not wanting to sound ungrateful or anything, but every time I have to clean this house, with its multi-coloured "every shade of off-white" walls, its "we-got-a-great-deal-on-a-bulk-lot-of-mixed-tiles!" bathroom, and its "Bluetack-should-hold-that-right-on!" appliances, I feel severely ripped off. Also when they take $1700 a month off us for the privilege.

But it's temporary! We've got a little something in the works... a house. A small but cosy house surrounded by trees in the shadow of a mountain. A house with potential. A house which will be rented, but which will allow us to have the farm/homestead lifestyle we've dreamed of, but will probably never afford to own outright.


I want to document our new life for my girls. I want to connect with something - anything - because moving to a new area and knowing no one is isolating, especially with a 3 week old baby (she's 10months now!). I want to connect with the earth. I want to put down roots. To create. To grow things. To slow down. I want nature, and homegrown foods, and community. But I know it'll probably come with its share of chaos, tears, and hilarity.

Well, It'll all be here.