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Taking Stock | January 2016

January really is my favourite month of the year. It is almost as if it doesn’t really count in the year, because we are on holidays, and spend our time reading, creating, and with family. Of course the last few days of January come like a rude shock as we try to get ourselves back into the swing of school and life in general.

Making: fabric dyed with mulberries.
Cooking: mulberry yoghurt cake, chocolate sour cherry tart, and lots of other fruit based dishes.
Drinking: cold drinks.
Reading: The Road To Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson.
Wanting: the extension to be finished (I’m impatient).
Looking: good (if I do say so myself) after finally going to the hair dresser and getting some foils and a cut. I only get there every six months – I always tell myself I will go more often, but I never do!
Taking stock-2Playing: Carcassonne – a new board game that CB got for Christmas.
Deciding: on projects for the year.
Wishing: the holidays would keep going.
Enjoying: time at home.
Liking: taking photos as the sun sets.
Wondering: when we will next get up to the mountains – first term is already looking busy.
Loving: time spent with family over the summer.

Taking stock-6
Pondering: future ideas for our farm.
Considering: what to enter in the local show which is coming up soon.
Buying: school clothes for Toby, and school shoes for all three.
Watching: Grand Designs, and Poldark which I introduced to my sister while she was in Australia.
Hoping: that this is the year our house renovation finally happens – it is looking positive!
Needing: to open up the pickle cupboard and do a stock take of what we need to make (and what we don’t).
Smelling: rain.
Wearing: salt water sandals, shorts, and t shirts – so comfy.
Noticing: the peach and apple trees on the side of the road are laden with fruit. We need to go foraging.
Knowing: that we are in for a rough week when school goes back. I’m expecting meltdown (from the kids and me!).
Thinking: about the year ahead.

Taking stock-7

Admiring: how much better at swimming the kids have got after a week of lessons.
Sorting: the kids books, my clothing, and lots of other things
Getting: new bed linen for the kids.
Bookmarking: lego storage ideas.
Coveting: a 35mm fixed lens for the camera.
Disliking: all the little insects that get into our house – the doors do not seal well.
Opening: parcels delivered in the mail.
Giggling: at funny things the kids do and say.
Feeling: hot.
Snacking: on fresh mulberries and plums.
Helping: the kids.
Hearing: audio books during read and relax.

I’m Taking Stock with Pip.

 

What did you get up to in January?

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  1. Kizzy says

    January 29, 2016 at 3:43 pm

    Hope the return to normality is too hard on you all. Sounds like you had a fab month.

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Jo

I'm a city girl turned farmer's wife, school teacher, ideas woman, and mum to three country kids. Country Life Experiment is all about simple country living, growing and making our own food, and life on our family farm in rural Australia. Join me as I give country living a try. Read more...
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Team work makes the dream work. We were asked rec Team work makes the dream work. 
We were asked recently whether we “make” our kids work on the farm. The answer is “of course not”. Having said that, all three love to help out whenever they can. They all work hard because they want to; because they take pride in working hard and contributing in a meaningful way to our family life; because they love living on our farm and don’t remember life before we moved here. Whether it be planting trees or doing sheep work or feeding animals, they all want to be involved. As a parent, nothing is better than watching them grow in skill and confidence as they work along side you. We’re so glad that we get to spend time with our three, working together.
We’ve had an unexpected addition to the family ☘️🐑. She is a lot easier to look after than the other family members but she does try to escape her yard and head butt people. Poddy lambs are super cute but they tend to think they are a human. Clover the lamb is sure that Meg is her mum. Can’t think why… 🤔🤣
The perfect way to end a long winter weekend: toge The perfect way to end a long winter weekend: together, cooking damper around the remains of the bonfire.
It’s been a tough few weeks on the farm. We got It’s been a tough few weeks on the farm. We got through shearing without a hitch (thankfully 🙏) but we’ve had a run of the flu followed by Covid run through the family since then. The kids and I have tested positive (this is my second time getting it 🦠) though so far C has managed to avoid it. There has been a lot of lying on the couch feeling pretty ordinary. Han had to reschedule her driving test for a 4th time due to Covid, which is disappointing for her because she wants her freedom and for us because it would be so much more convenient if she could drive herself places. Just to add in to the mix, our hot water system has chosen now as a good time to die so we’re on cold showers until we’re all out of iso. This is not meant to be a whinging post but sometimes life just sucks a bit and it’s good to be real. Fortunately, the sight of the fire going with a stack of wood next to it cheers us up. Things will improve soon. Onwards we go…
A picture perfect Autumn afternoon to end the scho A picture perfect Autumn afternoon to end the school holidays. We’ve been busy spending time with friends and family, harvesting the last of the summer produce, as well as a short escape to explore the big smoke. After the craziness of last term it was the break we all needed. It’s back to school for me tomorrow, and the kids are back on Wednesday. Shearing starts soon and so it’s all systems go over the next few weeks.
Covid has made some late changes to our weekend pl Covid has made some late changes to our weekend plans so we are embracing the unexpected and doing not much at home. Plenty of time for hanging out on the dam and enjoy the perfect weather.

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Hi, I’m Jo

City girl turned farmer's wife, school teacher, ideas woman, and mum to three country kids. Country Life Experiment is all about simple country living, growing and making our own food, and life on our family farm in rural Australia. Join me as I give country living a try. Read more...
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