We spent most of the day today down in our bush gully hiding from the howling gale that was trying to blow our house away. It is so sheltered down there that when the sun was out, the kids were getting too hot for shirts.
Hubby went exploring last time he was down there and found a flattish spot near the boundary of our property. It was were a slip came down a couple of years ago and has been colonised by Tobacco weed (don't know it's correct name, but it's horribly stinky - like diesel). So we wanted to start clearing it off and we plan to use the spot for summer picnics. A flat, grassy, sunny space, the rocky bottom stream just there, cool bush to retreat into if it gets too hot, and lots of trees to climb and nooks to explore for the kids.
After we had cut down a huge pile of weeds, we lit a little fire and cooked some fried toast for the kids. And they loved it. Nothing tastes as good as food cooked over an open fire - especially seasoned with hunger.
We found interesting fungi to look at and teach about poisonous things. And we let a little jumping spider crawl over our hands. The kids climbed and played and played and played.
Then they nicked off with the camera and took a hundred photos of interesting things; the sky, close-ups of hands and butts and pictures of the ground!
And we made nests and curled up for pretend naps.
I'm hoping that days like these will form lasting memories for my kids.
Admiring my nine fluffy yellow ducklings. And laughing at how they ALL want to swim in the old frying pan filled with water at once.
Worrying about Griselda's growing lump. It looks yucky, but she seems happy. My brother (who happens to be a HUMAN doctor) thinks it might be a basal cell carcinoma. I guess we'll just continue to give her a happy life - and I might look around for a vet who knows something about chooks.
Being teased by the weather Gods. Looks threatening, but do you think it'll rain properly? Nope. A drizzle here, a few drops there, then I know my hopes will be dashed again. Oh well, I'll just go cool off in the bush again.