Its been a long long time....

I'm alive, not that I think anyone reads or even knows this blog is here anymore its been doormant soooo long.

A lot has happened over the last 8-9 months. Too much to go into in one post.

One thing thats been truly wonderful is my house is finally finally after all this time, almost fully sorted and decluttered. I'll have to take some photos and upload next week, I am computerless at home at present so only on the computer at work til I get the laptop back, which has been a blessing really.

Other really exciting news, well for me anyway, is we finally uilt a chook run! Our 7 chooks have been 100% free range 9as in no run or pen) for the last 18 months if not longer and they now have a new home and they seem happy for it, our grass is growing once again and I am now planning restructuring a very large vegie patch!

Heres a pic of the chook run.


It needs a new pic, we have water and feeders hanging inside and a few fly traps and there is now a gate by the large post in the middle to get in and out easier.

I am a hopeless blogger

I think partly because I keep too many blogs, because I get busy and different things take different preference at different times in my life.

Anyway... I'm back, its been 4 months since my last blog post....

LOTS has happened in that time.

The biggest news is i took a shopfront for my business, so am now located at 81 Poath Rd Murrumbena, 3163 for any melbournites who ever want to pop by for a visit! I took the lease early march and spent a lot of the next few weeks renovating the place then shopping and moving in! Its still not finished but is great to finally seperate home and work. I LOVE that work is left at work and when I come home I am just 'me' not worker me. The kids like it more too I think! I'll have to get some photos and post them in here soon.

Personally lots has happened, I finally finally gave up smoking, 100% for good. Its been around 2 months now and I feel so much better for it!

I finally had my hip operation last week, it was found I had torn the ligements across the hip joint, or so i think thats what he said post op when the surgeon visited me! I see him tomorrow for a check up so will find out more then. hopefully this will mean I can start gettigng active again in a few weeks time.

Pet wise we have grown our menagerie by 2 more chooks so we are back at 7 again now. The girls are all still laying well , most giving us an egg every day. the 2 new are only 12 weeks or so old now so are living in the over sized rabbit hutch until they are bigger and can start mixing with the other girls.

We lost one of our guinea pigs a few weeks ago, poor thing, it was the one we adopted a year or so ago form the animal shelter, we knew she ws old when we got her but really no idea how old so no idea how or why she died. At first I was concerned it was neglect as with me growing the business, the hubby has been doing more round the house and taking over what was my role here as he isnt working much at all, but then found out that indeed piggy was still being fed regularly so prob just old age.

Garden wise, its in dire dire need of attention!

Houe wise, ah yep same as garden!

But life is good and I want to try post back here a bit more often.

blah - not again

The kids came in crying this morning... a fox had been AGAIN!

I'm quite deflated really. We have just spent time redoing thir home, putting in new perches etc. 5 of our 6 chooks have taken to perching up high in a shelf near the back door since the last fox attack, the dog sleeps at the feet of this cupboard. they are smart really. But one liked to go into its home so we made sure she was lockled safely each night and since fixing the house had started taking the others in.

Last night we had friends for a bbq, I retired early as was tired from new years. they were sitting right next to the chook house but for some reason Joey (the hubby) still didnt shut it when he went to bed. I'm annoyed but also know he certainly didnt mean it and I know he feels terrible this morning.

We need to work on building their run asap, as much as free ranging is fun for them having the run will mean they are ALWAYS safe.... hopefully.

Foxes in suburbia

Yes foxes are found in suburbia everywhere. Aparently they say there is 1 fox minimum per sq km in melbourne suburbia and urban areas. So many people living in the city/suburbs feel 'safe; from foxes and don't realise the risk.
We unfortunatly learnt the hard way 7 or so months ago when we forgot to lock the chooks up one night and we lost 1 (Marg) we were very thankful it was just the one, the fox had access to all 6!

So we have been much more vigilant with locking the chooks up every night, though it is the hubby's job, its mine to let them out in the morning. (the chook shed/house is behind the garage shed, if we leave it til after dark its pitch dark down there and to be honest I am a bit scaredy cat and hate going down there after dark so thats why it is his job for night and mine for morning)

So last night I couldn't sleep. I sufer insomnia on and off. It was 2:30am as I was watching the tv thinking I should probably go to bed and try reading. I heard a few funny noises outside, one was like a cat squealing, then rustling about. I thought at first 'oh cats fighting'
so ignored it for a bit, then after a another minute I heard louder noises and then I heard a chook clucking nearby.
I raced to the window and saw the chook first, fapping about in the driveway... then i saw it.... THE FOX . I hit the window and yelled out. It froze and looked at me.
I raced to the nearby cupboard grabbed the torch and went bursting out the backyard. the fox ran off as I went running into the drive.
The chook was no where to be seen.
My heart was pumping, I raced next door and woke my fther in law so he could come help me check the chook house (was too scared to go on my own) so went and checked and all fine except one chook missing. We hunted round the yard with torches and found her eventually, hiding under a bush. She seemd unharmed so we locked them up for the night. Was then really worried about the bunnies as they live under the deck at night. and my mind kept going back to the squealing noise I heard... bunnies can squeal when terrified or being attacked. Otherwise they make virtually no noise.
I hunted everywhere and realised the bunnies were not going to come out from under the deck and just hoped they were fine.

I hopped into bed by this time it was around 3:30am. I couldnt sleep after all that and kept hearing noises and getting back up to check. Eventually I drifted off around 5am.

The hubby came home form work at 6:30am and I woke then and explained what happened, he had thankfully spotted one bunny on his way in so I felt a little relieve and went back to sleep.

When I got up finally today I went and did a check and asked everyone what animals they had seen so far in the day. Both bunnies had been spotted at some point in the morning happily munching hay out the back....phew.

I went down and checked the chook house and nearby. You could see where the chook had been grabbed and where the fox has tried to drag it over the fence... there was a trail of feathers... thanfully chook must have struggled and got free and then ran to the drive where I heard it. Lucky chook.

We discussed today that we need to make a plan for lock ups for weekends when hubby is working, we cant risk losing them over something as silly as forgetting.

A couple of the chooks taken today.



In happier news! We recently got 2 new kittens. Meet Ablett and Bartel (yes the hubby and son are Geelong fans and are responsible for their names!)

ABLETT


BARTEL


and a photo from today of our dog Tiny. Tiny is getting quite old now, she'd be pushing 15 years old. She is still spritely and in very good health, though a bit deaf and a bit blind.


and while I'm here, some photos of the kids from today.
Tiahna, who is 9... I love this, she talks with her hands all the time.

love this of her too


my 2 tree climbing monsters!
Liam (he's off to school next year, can you believe it!)

and Jaime

and Miss Tiahna pushing her sister round in the wheelbarow. Its a gorgeous day outside so am glad they are out playing. Think I might go join them again!


then lastly this....

look closely. Its my daughters bike up in the fig tree. I'm not impressed. The father in law has thrown it there.... why? well she must have left it in the driveway. thing is she has been looking for it and hasnt found it for the last 2 weeks. I had no idea, thought it had to be around somewhere. What annoys me is a few things.
- he could have asked her to move her bike.
- throwing it in the tree is a grown man having a tanty and setting a bad example.
- not telling us he did it even after he knew we knew her bike was missing is silly games.
Now I know my daughter should also learn to put her things away but I strongly believe this is NOT the right way to teach her. Her reaction to finding it in the tree was 'oh wow look, never knew my bike could fly'

now I have no idea how to get it out, its high and all tangled in small branches!

Buns and Chooks

some recent bun and chook pics.

budgeting

I'm pulling the budget in tighter than ever. I really want to get rid of all our credit card debt. I wont discolse how much it is but lets say its more than most families have, much more :(

So my budget meals this week are going to be:
fried rice with honesy soy wings
lentil/chickpea curry
chicken burgers
sausages in rolls
chow mein
baked beans and tinned spag and eggs on toast
quiche
omelettes
home made pasta and tomato based sauce.


Thank goodness for our chooks. Means we have loads more egg recipes to do.

As of today all 7 chooks are now laying so we get 7 eggs most days now, or will do.

When I met Jack ... a story

One morning, without notice to me, my bun mum popped me in a cage and took me out to the animal shelter.
Once there I was introduced to a rather handsome, and large, bun of no known name.
Since we seemed to get alng OK my mum purchased this new pal for me and boxed him up and took him back to our house.

Once at our house, we were placed in the bathroom together. Now I dont usually hang out in the bathroom so wasn't sure why I was there and suddenly there was this new pal there too. We weren't sure of each other at first so mum popped us in the bath tub so we were forced to be nearer one another.



at first we just walked around the tub and ignored one another. Then my new friend (who is now known as JACK) flopped out next to me so I flopped out too.


Mum thought we were becoming friends so she moved us to the bathrom floor together.
On the floor we wandered around and jack kept stamping his feet at something so in return I showed him how well i could stamp my feet too. this didnt seem to faze him much.
Since jack was all new and exciting mum's kids were hanging about and I think they made Jack feel a bit nervous. After a while mum kicked the kids out and it was then finally that Jack and I could get to know one another a bit better.



I made the first move, moving in close I bowed my head submissively to see if I'd get a bit of a smooch and a grooming.
Sure enough I did and I liked it. Jack groomed my head all over, all over my ears and my back too. I just kicked back and enjoyed it.

I was begining to really like Jack i think so we snuggled in together.



After that lovely snuggle I figured I'd repay the favour and do some grooming myself so I set to cleaning Jacks head and ears with much affection.



After being so cozy, mum scooped us both up and moved us! Where were we going???



Oh! Hang on this is MY room!
I had to do some jumping around and thumping just to let Jack know that he was in MY place now! Jack responded by thumping back and chasing me in circles. I think he was trying to HUMP me!!! He didnt succeed though!

Jack was quite fascinated by this new space and through the hard clear stuff were these strange creatures over looking us. Jack wasn't used to them. I'll need to let him know they're OK and that you can play good games in the yard once were eventually let out with them.


After a bit I submitted and dropped my head for a snuggle. I was rewarded with some more ovely licks to my head







I think Jack could feel a presence nearby!




I whispered into Jacks ear that it's only a harmless sticky beak chook!


unfortunatly it kinda spoiled the mood



before long we were back to snuggling again.


and even sharing food!


I think I like jack. He's a very handsome fellow. I've never met a bunny bigger than me before but am sure glad I have now because i think we're going be fabulous friends. How could I not love him, he's just sooo handsome!





Thanks Mum, I won't forget my husbun George but thanks for finding me a new friend now, I 'm much happier now
_________________

eggs

All our new chooks are now laying, not every day but most days.
The kids just love running out after school to collect them and in the mornings when they get up and let the girls out for the day.

Some days we get 6 eggs some days only 3 eggs.
The funny thing is before we probably bought 1 dozen eggs each fortnight, sometimes less only occasionally more yet now we arent yet having excess to give away as suddenly the kids LOVE eggs!
Its agreat after school snack, soft boiled eggs with toast soldiers.

Today after school I was chatting with Jaime (age 5) and asking how her day was. She said ti was great and today at school they had to draw pictures of a chore they did at home. They could only pick one so she picked and drew herself collecting eggs form the chooks :)

and we 'may' be getting more chooks and a big new chook pen and run! People over the park are getting new renters in and they have a few chooks and a big house and run that they are most likely going ot be looking for a new home for.

another month on!

I havent done an update for quite a while again!

I will get back to regular blogging here eventually!

I took a month off work and spent lots of time wiht the kids which was good, also went away to the beach for a week which was also relaxing (or as relaxing as 6 plus kids in a small 3 bedroom house can be!)

I'm still going along with most things.

The chooks are giving us lots of eggs and boy are they yummy! I think 2 are still not yet laying, but the rest are and we get 4 eggs most days. I'm having alittle bit of drama with themlaying where they please at present instead of in their house as they free range from sun rise til sun set!

Our bunnies and guonea pigs are great, all healthy and thriving and all the animals are giving us loads of mulch and manure for the garden. I have been heaping it below the lemon tree and the tree looks healthy now. I'll have to take a photo.

I'm participating in FebFast
http://www.everydayhero.com.au/Susan_Darcy
If you wish to sponsor me you can but please don't feel you have to. I just think its a good idea health wise for me and also to raise funds for youth drug and alcohol users.

The vegie garden is going OK. The lettuce/silverbeet bed has mostly gone to seed so i am hoping to get a fair amount of lettuce seed for future use as the guineas and rabbits love it all.
The tomatoes have been great though the chooks stole a few! I have a few plants I planted later that are just coming in to ripen now and the other ones are nearly ready to pull out.

We've been enjoying plundering the potato patch and feasting on home grown spuds! This is first time I have had success with spuds!

The garden does need a bit of work though. I need to plant more and start preparing the front beds and try to improve he soil. Everything out the front stayed stunted all season, very weird! I need to do a soil test still, I just didnt rush due to holidays and being busy.

I'm still knitting, still only dish cloths though i did knit wrap to use for photo sessions for newborns!

thats it for now. Lots more to update but will do it later :)

so much more relaxed!

ahhhhh


I am sooooo pleased xmas has finally passed!

I have some time off work (ok I still have a little work but nothing like the pre xmas pressure!) and have been potteirng in the garden, spedning time wiht the kids and animals. making plans (like my list) and just feeling oh so much more relaxed!

I must get ut and get more garden photos! I did some more planting this week. Transplanted a heap of silverbeet that I planted from seed a while ago. I also planted more seed of radish, corn, and coriander a day or so ago.

I am going to fence off two more of the garden beds as the chooks are grabbing the tomatoes the moment they start to turn red at all and thats just not on :)
The rabbits have gutted one garden bed and I have added heaps of their litter waste to it so will do some planting in that soon and then start to prepare the front beds to attempt some sort of winter garden.

I havent grown a winter vegie garden before. Being in Melbourne its always a bit colder so more difficult. This year I am going to try and start a bit earlier in the hope of getting it better established!

On a side note, I have many new plans for my photography bsuiness in the coming new year. I am going to expand into pet photography (so if you are in melb and have a pet you'd like done, send me a message at pets at susandarcy.com.au as I need a few to do for free or cheap to add to the port folio! I am after a variety of pets, not just your standard dogs and cats!)

Also business wise I am really going to push the 'green' message more in the coming year through my business. So if you have a local product or service that falls in any way under the 'green' banner (I'm pretty open) then again send me an email to green at susandarcy.com.au so we can discuss some promo of your product/service!

I think I might go bask in the glorious sunshine now! its so nice to be on holidays!

see they are real :)

here they are finally :)

They are wet n these images too as it was raining and they were wandering in it.

they are the COOLEST animals :)

They are becoming more friendly everyday, they love a scratch along their backs and since i am mum, when I am outside they follow me in the hope food. They roam everywhere too now all day long, we just pop them behind the shed at night, then lock their home up as it gets dark.

Belle (the white one) has taken to clucking at the back door when she wants us (usualy for more food, seriously they have access to food all day long and still want more more more!)

They are laying well too. we get 1-2 eggs most days, where as at their last hoe they only laid 1 egg every few days and Marg (the brown one) wasnt laying at all anymore!

The eggs are soooooo yummy too! The kids didnt eat eggs before, now they love them! Plus they helping feed them, collecting the eggs etc, except my eldest daughter, she is still a bit unsure of them.

Far out!

I think I have to accept i wont be able to keep up wiht blogging land until I have finished all my xmas rush work for my business! I just havent had time to update.

There has been lots going on.

We have the chooks, 2 to start with,m they have been named Belle and Marg. They are fab! They are laying nicely. The brown one hadnt laid any eggs at the past house for quite a while so we are pleased she is nowlaying again for us. They seem quite content though, they have come form living in a an aviary where they didnt get out in the yard mucvh at all to having a huge space that is all theirs! We've left the gate open for them to come out further into the yard but they are funny, they stick their beaks out and look then go scurrying back to their own yard!

am loving the eggs they are sooooo deliscious!

Vegie gardens are booming, picked my first tomatoes this week, jsuta few grape type cherry ones. all the plants have lots of fruit on them now and I put in some more seedlings a week or two ago. Also picking zuchini pretty regularly and ofcourse lettuce has been being picked for a while. My cucmbers have stunted and are going nowhere, might try some seedlings and see if they growe!

I had to fence of one of the garden beds as the rabbits were enjoying it a little too much. it has recovered well and is now thriving.

Christmas! My gosh when did it come round so soon!

I am so disorganised!
We are going easy on the presents for the kids thisyear. Both my girls want digital cameras. I picked up[ a bargain wiht one today and got a 7.1 mp for $115 as it was the shop stock one! Now to hunt for one for the other! I also got them high school musical on ice tickets as they are huge fans of the show. other than that they will get a couple of little stocking fillers and thats it. Liam I have no idea! I had some stuff picked out on laybuy will have to go check what it is. He is right into pirates and anything to do with sport and cars so he is pretty easy.

I hosted our big family xmas do here last week with all the cousins, aunts uncles etc and we do a zkris kringe. i gave some knitted dish clothes i made and a bottle of wine for mine. Would love to make more xmas presents but honestly dont think I have a lot of time left@!

anyway I havent eaten tea and am hungry! Promise to come back some times soon and post photos of the chooks!

bok...bok bok...bok bok....

WE'RE GETTING CHICKENS!!!!!

Finally! woohoo :)

I am like an excited little kid!

My neighbour came over today and a fried of hers is moving and cant take his two chooks with him, they are still quite young and are already laying and it was either find a home or think of killign them! I said dont kill them I'll take them!

So that was all done without a thought of where they would live as we still dont have a home for them!
So then my neighbour remembers she has a large old dogs kennel and it needs a new roof but we bought it over today. (its so large it took 7 men to lift it over the fence!!) it will fit 4-5 maybe even 6 chooks in it. but we will start with just the 2 for now :)

They should be here tomorrow or the next day! Now I have to work madly to repair their new home! Will take pics tomorrow!