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Around The Traps Lately…

My goodness it’s been a few weeks between blog posts. I’ve read in a few places about the concept of tilting. Leaning into those areas of life that are currently demanding more of your time and energy, while temporarily moving away from others. I love the idea as, lets face it, a balanced life is hard to achieve. So I have been tilting towards work and family, and away from the blog. Fingers crossed I can tilt back to the blog over the next few weeks. School holidays are only a week away, so I’m hopeful.

There has been so much happening around the traps lately, and I just know I need to fill you in on all that has been happening. Lots of little things can quickly add up to a big thing.

Around The Traps-1Around The Traps-2

Over the long weekend, we went for a day trip to Junee to visit the licorice and chocolate factory there. On the way the sun came out for the first time in a week, which was so welcome. If you are ever going through Junee definitely check out the licorice factory. You can see the licorice being made, have a go at making a giant freckle (which our kids were impressed with), as well as grab lunch at the cafe and chocolate and licorice treats to take home. The whole factory is in an old flour mill and is very atmospheric. I recommend the chocolate coated raspberry licorice! We listened to an audio book on the way down, and stopped at Cootamundra to see an old steam train shunting (which Toby loved!). The remainder of the weekend was spent relaxing and catching up on bits and pieces around the place. Just what we needed.

Around The Traps-4

I’ve started on a new crochet project. This time it’s a blanket for Meg. Toby has declared my ripple blanket to be his, and Hannah has the globetrotter blanket I made earlier this year, so it is Miss Meg’s turn. I’m making a striped blanket in shades of green and grey, using Cleckheatons superfine merino wool. It is just so beautiful to work with, I’m not sure I will be able to go back to any other wool once I finish this project. Of course, the wool is on the expensive side, so I’m going to have to. When we were visiting my parents recently, I took the opportunity to go to Spotlight and pick up a whole lot of wool for my next project. It’s always good to have a little stash of projects ready to go.

Around The Traps-3

Speaking of visiting the mountains, we popped up there for a much needed (for me at least) visit last weekend. The kids are really starting to get good at travelling for longer periods of time, so we drove with only a 10 minute stop for food and a loo break, and kept on going. Those audio books really help the time to pass! While we were up there, the kids had a lovely time playing with their cousins, Country Boy and I did a little shopping with out kids (very rare), and we went to a reunionof the church which I attended as a child (and where Country Boy and I got married). We caught up with old friends who I used to run around with as a small thing, and we marveled at how we are now the parents, and our children are doing what we used to do. It really was circle of life stuff. We finished off the weekend with a birthday lunch for my 4 year old nephew before driving home in the pouring rain. We had to detour several times on the way home to avoid fallen trees and flooded causeways, and took six hours to get home instead of the usual three and a half to four hours.

Around The Traps-6

The chickens which we got back in February are all grown up. I suspect we have a rooster or two that need to go, but we haven’t got around to actually confirming the suspicion yet. We have put a few chickens down in the orchard over the winter, in the hope that they can keep some insects and pests at bay. Once the weather warms up and the trees begin to set fruit, we will pull them out again, but they appear to be enjoying their holiday. While we are talking animals, if you follow me on Instagram you would have seen that we got a new dog over the weekend, courtesy of a family friend who is moving off farm and can no longer have sheep dogs. Hannah is smitten with her, so fingers crossed Tess (the new dog) settles in quickly.

Around The Traps-1

After four and a half years of living here, we have finally got around to getting our own ute. We used the farm truck, or my FIL’s ute up until now, but having a dual cab certainly makes it a lot easier to fit the family in. Country Boy is pretty happy with it too. Considering how wet and soggy the ground is at the moment, I’m grateful to have a car that will cope with boggy paddocks easily.

Around The Traps-1-3

The pizza oven we have been planning to make since April is still not off the ground. CB has put the form work out for the base slab, but we have had so much rain, that we haven’t really thought about it since. We have got hold of the special cement needed so the oven won’t crack. Hopefully in the school holidays we will be able to get started.

Around The Traps-7

We are also off to Victoria for the first week of the holidays. Country Boy and I have been to Melbourne twice since we have been married, but I haven’t been anywhere else in Victoria since I was 10. The plan is to drive down to Echuca, then meander through to Bendigo and Ballarat. Help a girl out and tell me great places to eat with the family (I suspect we will need lots of hot chocolates to keep the kids warm), and interesting things for the whole family to do. I’m hoping to hit up Bendigo Woolen Mills, but I’m not sure the rest of the family will be so excited! I remember Sovereign Hill being interesting when I was a kid, so I think we might head there for a day. Give me all the advice please!!!

What’s been happening around your place lately? Have you heard about tilting? Got any tips for what we can do in Victoria?

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Courtney @ Foxwood Forest says

    June 29, 2016 at 4:58 am

    I really appreciate your thoughts on “tilting.” Finding balance is an on-going process (and perhaps not even realistic at times) so the idea of reigning in focus to certain aspects of life when needed makes so much sense.

    Reply
  2. Katie Writes Stuff says

    June 28, 2016 at 12:55 pm

    The Bendigo Woollen Mills are right next to the Bendigo tram depot, so I’m sure some members of your family will be able to entertain themselves looking at historic trams while you venture into the treasure cave of delight that is the BWM bargain room.

    If you can, drop into Maldon. It’s a lovely old town and is full of interesting shops and wonderful places to eat, as well as being one recognised by the National Trust as Victoria’s first Notable Town. There’s a gorgeous old steam train that runs from Maldon to Castlemaine but even if you don’t have time to ride it, you can wander around the yards at Maldon Station and see the trains being shunted around.

    Enjoy your trip!

    Reply
    • Jo@CountryLifeExperiment says

      June 28, 2016 at 2:01 pm

      Oooh Toby would love the steam train

      Reply
  3. Kylie in Ballarat says

    June 27, 2016 at 9:31 pm

    Here in Ballarat we have Winterlude on for the Victorian school holidays (this week and next), which means Sovereign Hill has extra displays, and there is a temporary ice-skating rink near Town Hall (which you will have to book ahead for – last year it was a sell-out).

    As for family-friendly places to eat… Creswick (15 mins Bendigo side of Ballarat) has a good roast place.

    The Chocolate Mill on the Bendigo side of Daylesford is quite good for a hot choccie.

    Also, be SUPER careful of black ice coming between Bendigo and Ballarat (particularly from Castlemaine to Ballarat around Daylesford area).

    Reply
    • Jo@CountryLifeExperiment says

      June 27, 2016 at 9:35 pm

      Oooh -Thanks so much for the info! The Sovereign Hill thing sounds super fun, and I think the kids and I may well have to checkout that chocolate mill… purely educational reasons of course!!

      Reply
  4. Katie says

    June 27, 2016 at 11:45 am

    Looking forward to portraits from Sovereign Hill!

    Reply
    • Jo@CountryLifeExperiment says

      June 27, 2016 at 9:36 pm

      Hmmmm we will have to wait and see about that one! Besides I have one already!

      Reply
  5. Kathy says

    June 27, 2016 at 11:35 am

    Sounds like a great busy time.. Better Homes and Gardens had a whole show on Ballarat on things to do which was on Friday night in Brisbane…you might be able to go to their website and check it out…it looked good because I wanted to go there. Kathy

    Reply
    • Jo @ Countrylifeexperiment says

      June 27, 2016 at 6:45 pm

      Pooh. Thanks for the heads up. Will totally look it up!

      Reply
      • Jo @ Countrylifeexperiment says

        June 27, 2016 at 6:50 pm

        Oops. Damn autocorrect… That should have been oooh

        Reply
  6. Jan says

    June 27, 2016 at 9:52 am

    All the times I have been to Junee and I never knew there was a chocolate and a licorice factory there. Reading about your trip to the mountains made me homesick for my old state, I always loved visiting Springwood and Katoomba. Enjoy your trip to Victoria.

    Reply
    • Jo @ Countrylifeexperiment says

      June 27, 2016 at 6:48 pm

      The factory is on the outskirts of town towards Cootamundra. Check it out!

      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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A lovely, easy Christmas with family, good food, a A lovely, easy Christmas with family, good food, a few presents, an afternoon swim and dinner on the veranda as the sun set. Time to stop and be thankful for the many blessings of the year. I hope you had a lovely Christmas too!
We have been mulling over how to fix up the drivew We have been mulling over how to fix up the driveway and lead up to our house for a while. Currently it’s just a dumping ground for old bits of metal and a big pile of mulch, but C would like to create a turning area and put in a garden. First up though, there’s a huge old stump that needs to go. What better excuse is there to have a fire on Sunday afternoon? C and the kids jumped on the quad bike and trailer, and hauled back a big pile of sticks and logs to help the stump burn. Once the fire was going, marshmallows were found and roasted. No better way to spend time together.
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…

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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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