DECEMBER 29
Mike had a tour of the farm with Rod and they shifted sheep. I helped Jane pack away the Christmas decorations and dismantle the tree.
DECEMBER 30
Had an enjoyable day with Rod and Jane learning about the comings and goings of the farm and working with Rod about shifting sheep further down the track.
DECEMBER 31
Last day of 2012 and boy is it hot!!!!
Mike and Rod were out fixing pipes and shifting sheep. Rod busy getting ready for holiday and because it is the first time he has had farm sitters a little concerned but we seem to have hit it off from the start so that has reassured him.
Had a run through with watering systems but still none the wiser. Oh well I am sure when left to our own devises we will work it out.
NEW YEARS DAY 2013
JANUARY 1
The holiday makers finally left about 10.30 and we spent a lazy day as Mike had worked out in the sun yesterday. Another very hot day but at least the nights a little cooler.
JANUARY 2
Into Lockhart today and dumped the household rubbish at the recycling station and then bought some groceries.
JANUARY 3 - 6
Stayed inside, too hot outside to go or do anything. Jane had shown me a large cupboard full of jigsaws so out they came one by one and I managed to do several. The garden is watered early in the morning. Sunday we were invited over the road for a meal. Met the neighbours Colin and Alison and Graham and Debbie. We had a great evening.
We have been inundated with Rutherglen bugs (canola bugs) and they love the lights. So lights off for 4 nights, they came through everything and fly spray was only 50% kill, not pleasant to have around and they ate us alive.
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| Tons of little Buggers |
JANUARY 7
Off to Wagga, too hot but lovely in the shopping centre and a bonus found a lovely patchwork shop.
JANUARY 8
Ghastly day, extremely Strong winds and we received our first fire warnings over the phone. We went around the outside of the house and organised hoses in strategic places in case the need arose and decided where to put van and truck.
It was a very oppressive day and the wind was fierce, only good thing was it blew the wretched bugs away.
Got up about 1.30am and wound up the awning as Mike was concerned about the brackets pulling out. By this time a big drop in temp.
JANUARY 9
Cold this morning, had to wear a jacket to water the garden, still windy and we enjoyed 25.
JANUARY 10
Rod offered us the Commodore as too hot to travel around on the bike. Went off to Gundagai to find the Dog on the Tucker Box and discovered more. In 1866 a wooden bridge was built to cross the Murrumbidgee, quite a feat and it is still standing.
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| Rail bridge (nearest) and Road Bridge |
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Lois, Dad, Dave, Mum & Mabel
Mostly made of bronze!! |
At the information centre there was an amazing sculpture of marble all done by hand. An Italian who went to NSW and became a stonemason did the marble sculpture.
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Rusconi's Marble Masterpiece
Made from 20,948 individual pieces of NSW marble |
We travelled out of Gundegai to find the infamous Dog on a Tuckerbox and eventually found him at a large roadhouse stopover. Expecting to see some large dog we found this small statue but very well constructed.
From Gundagai we travelled the back way to Junee, the valleys were fantastic.
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| The proverbial "Dog On THe Tuckerbox" |
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| Any guesses why this town is called "The Rock" |
JANUARY 14
I cleaned the house and the van today as Jane and Rod are due home tomorrow.Not sure when as there are major fires around Coonabarabram and they will have to detour. While Jane was away I made myself busy with the sewing machine and made Jane an apron.
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| Apron made for Jane |
JANUARY 15
Went to Wagga shopping and home mid arvo. Rod and Jane home about 10.30pm as had to do a 100k detour. Very tired but pleased to be home.
We had 2 Willie Wagtails hatch and now have to keep the cat away. At least Amey will be pleased they have hatched.
JANUARY 16
Rod's twin brother arrived with his 2 sons. I got stuck into the garden and Jane washed. Mike and Rod out on the farm checking on what we had been up to and deciding to sell fat lambs. Mike and Rod drafted the lambs and sent them off to market.
JANUARY 17
Early rise this morning, Mike and Rod walked lambs down to the other farm about 6am and were home about 10am,another very hot day. Rod took Sandy and Gilbert out to shift sheep and gave Gilbert a ride on the tractor.
JANUARY 18
Family off to Melbourne for the weekend, another scorcher of a day and even the air cons are battling. Winds are a major problem and no wonder there are so many fires with this extreme heat (Sydney 45), everything is tinder dry.
JANUARY 21
Went to Lockhart shopping and got caught in an electrical storm (on the bike), by the time we arrived home the farm had had 14mls in about 10 mins. Lockhart hold an annual competion for Farm Art, the winning entry for each year is purchased by the town and put on display. See below.
Rod and Jane home from Melbourne and we sat up and watched the tennis, saw the men's epic game.
JANUARY 23
Mike and Rod drafted off more fat lambs and loaded for market. I went with Mike out to back farm to take some cull lambs and to check rest of stock.
JANUARY 24
Mike and Rod went off to the market to see the lambs sold and Rod came home with the biggest smile, a $105 av smile.
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| Proud producer with his stock |
JANUARY 25 - 30
Starting to think about a Snowy Mountain bike trip but the fires are blazing through Dinner Plains, Bright and the highways are closed. Have decided to stay at the farm hoping the fires will go out but unless we have rain there isn't much chance of travelling the Great Alpine Road.
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| Parked at the farm in Milbrulong |
JANUARY 31
Weather a trifle cooler (or so we thought) so decided to head off to Adelong, Tumut and Tumbarumba for a drive through the mountains. It was a magic experience and the country so rugged.
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Ruins of old Goldmine
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Tumut had several huge wood chipping mills which in turn produce particle board.
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| Wood chips for pulp mill |
Between Tumut and Batlow there are major apple orchards many covered with netting protecting the trees from hail and snow or to discourage the birds.
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| Covered orchards |
There were signs on the road warning us of wombats, got excited hoping to see one and we actually saw 6 large wombats but unfortunately they were dead but very big solid animals.
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| Tumbarumba Town |
At Tumbarumba we took the wrong turn and headed south to Jingelic, saw a sign to Holbrook and took that road.
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| Some towns have strange claims to fame |
Some 450k later we arrived back at the farm hot, exhausted and could hardly remove our bodies from the bike. Too far for us!!!! There was a wonderful reception when we arrived home, Jane, Rod and Amey all rushed out to welcome us home.
FEBRUARY 1
Amey is now on count down to return to school. Jane busy getting clothes ready for her last year at high school.
FEBRUARY 2
Family off to Melbourne and we said our goodbyes to Amey.
FEBRUARY 4
Amey's 18 birthday so all the family have dinner out in Melbourne.
FEBRUARY 5
Amey to boarding school and Jane and Rod to Ballarat to visit a friend.
FEBRUARY 6
Jane and Rod home, aren't they lucky to have us there to keep watch over the dogs and fire patrol.
FEBRUARY 8
Mike and Rod off to a ram sale and returned with 2 White Suffolk rams.
FEBRUARY 9
Rod and Jane off to a 21st some 11/2 hours away. They dressed up as country and western ( Jane is like me not keen on dress ups). Home about 4am, glad we didn't wait up for them!!!
FEBRUARY 11
2 of Rod's sisters came for lunch, Penny and Fiona. Fiona had had a knee op so staying for awhile with Penny ( p married to J's brother Hume)
FEBRUARY 12
A school friend of Jane's (Brigid arrived for lunch, she was taking her daughter Hannah back to Uni in Canberra. )
FEBRUARY 13
A major decision has been made and we have decided to leave this very hospitable place and head out again. Packing time!!!!
We are still unable to travel to Myrtleford and do the Alpine Highway as roads still closed. Change of plans we will now head south to Moama-Echuca and Bendigo.
Mike went out and helped draft lambs and Rod took 4 off to the butcher to be slaughtered for home consumption.
Jane cooked us a lovely farewell dinner, they have really spoilt us so much and we are sad to leave but we will return!!!!
FEBRUARY 14
ST VALENTINES DAY
Our farewell day and Jane and Rod came to over to say goodbye they left 2 hours later (All very reluctant to leave).
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| Two special people, Jane & Rod |
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| View from Van |
We left about 12 and headed to Urana and on to Jerilderie. Had lunch by the lake, a lovely spot- Ned Kelly thought so too.
From Jerilderie we headed to Conargo where we spent the night at the sports ground, quite a good spot and free.
FEBRUARY 15
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELLE
Look out Moama-Echuca here we come. Between Conargo and Deniliquin quite a large irrigation area so lots of rice planted. We spotted a small plane seeding rice paddocks.
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| Look carefully, left middle, small plane seeding rice. |
From Denni to Moama everything so dry apart from the rice paddocks.
We found a lovely caravan park on the edge of the Murray,really a holiday resort with permanents and holiday cabins. Only room for 8 vans and we were it.
This weekend is Riverboat Music festival so by 6pm cars and trailers with huge speed boats were pouring in to the park.
There are lots of permanent mobile homes and caravans here but people are not allowed to stay more than 180 days consecutively.
Lovely spot with the Murray flowing past also a lovely swimming pool. Yes I have been in, even have new bathers. It is the only way to keep cool!!!!
