Clean ups, sheep work, eggs and canning

With all the projects on the go we end up with lots of mess around.  Last weekend we had a big clean up, We had stored a lot of stuff near the cool room, so we started there and  moved the cement mixer and other bits and pieces, scrubbed the concrete and then moved the  old rabbit hutch that we use to grow chickens in under the cover. It had previously been out in the yard but was beginning to deteriorate rapidly.

We tidied up the area where the hutch used to be, turned over the soil in the veggie gardens, planted two blueberry bushes, and relocated  other things.

Brian sorted out all the dead batteries and gathered them together out back, the  ones that were still working we gave to the next door neighbours.
The dead ones will be taken to Sydney   one day as we have contacted the  place we purchased from  and they will give us an amount of money per kilogram. They were second hand when we purchased them, and we feel it is far better to recycle them rather than dump them at the tip.

Brian has been constantly  sorting out his shed, the last of the new shelving that we have slowly been buying  has finally arrived . He  put  one set up 2 days ago as he wanted to be able to  set  a batch of eggs going in the incubator.

We hope that we have  timed the eggs well as we  are having our daughter ,son in law and grand kids and friends of theirs with children visit toward the end of the month and they are hoping to be able to see them hatch or at least tiny chickens.
We have been having  some glorious sunrises,

Even though we are still  in winter, the garden is coming to life, the gazanias are bushing up and lush, and jonquils are beginning to bloom,

And every morning the sheep laze around in the early morning  sun as it spreads across the paddocks.

We have  fully meshed the back verandah area, the concreter will be here on Wednesday weather permitting.

I made up a small photo display to hang, it's my Dad and Mum, their wedding photo, the old family home and a more modern photo of my family.

We were lucky to be given a free utility load of mulch from a friend  and we have  completed the three  front gardens that I recently weeded.

Yesterday Brian and I  joined his brother and sister in law and their grandchildren  to help them drench, tag, ring and mark the  sheep on their farm.
Their grandson was chief lamb catcher and we all were allocated jobs to make the day run smoothly.

It a lovely spot and looks particularly pretty at the moment after the  recent rain that we have had.
We had a great but exhausting day, our work was overseen by Rusty the protecting alpacca and Tilly the old blue girl that barely left the seat  in the utility.

We all cleaned ourselves up afterwards and met next door for a bonfire,

At first it just didn't want to burn but eventually we had a great fire to sit around  and chat.

Brian finished off the last of the shelves this morning up in the shed, and  boxed up another small area that he will concrete if there is any left over on Wednesday when our verandah is done.

While  he was doing that I got in and made  a batch of sauce, this time it was Mango/apricot/habanero chilli sauce.

When cooked, I filled and capped my bottles and jars and water bathed them in 2 big pots on the wood  heater/cooker  for 10 minutes.

I have  several bags of habanero chillies frozen in the freezer and as  other ingredients  become available I will slowly produce  an array of chilli based sauces.
It has been another busy week, Brian is celebrating a birthday tomorrow and will spend most of the day helping a friend to erect a farm shed( along with another neighbour)
I hope to have a small celebration tomorrow evening with  those same neighbours and friends.
I hope your week has been  as  good as ours ,
Take care of you and yours,
Cheers
Jane.