Just a pic or two... Having Happy Hols - 200 Postings!

Feeding a baby calf (Brian)

Yearlings. Feeding Out Time. Not as hard as I thought :)

Ebony and friends

Camera - RUN!

Bumbles baby! Jersey/Dexter mix

... Pretty Blonde

Gotland Pelt and Mixed Breeds - waiting to meet the Shearer! 

Goldfish pond. Bliss for certain Smaller E'Bs! The children love this place!

Beautiful Bumble, with the most delicious fuzzy ears. Jersey Cross. Matriarch of the Herd.

Pretty!

A very cute bull calf - micro sized dexter. He is very small!

Amos, sleeping peacefully in the sun porch. The slate floor warms up nicely.

YAY!!!! My 200th post!
Thanks for your support... I cant believe Ive got here :)

Spent the start of the school hols visiting a friends farm out of town. Its been so nice to get away and do things that are different! The wind was very brisk, and its caused a few sore ears but we can deal with those.  I even had orders for more woolly hats :) There is so much to do and see, and we are  fortunate we can come out again real soon thanks to Anna.. We have big plans for her garden ...
Amos is a sweetheart, we loved being with him. He has two fur-brothers  too - big white cats, brothers called Harley and Riley... Mr 12 has made friends with a horse or 12, and  Miss A is getting very good at bottle feeding the calves... Gord found himself a pile of goldfish to protect, and is about to catch some eels. He is having a most successful week, he caught us a salmon yesterday, so dinner was delish!!!

Being back in town was a bit of an anticlimax. We are missing the peacefulness. The mooing of the calves, the smell (ughhhh!!!) of baleage. No, sorry, dont miss that! Ya cant make me! :)
It has been beautiful weather though and weve made the best of it. I have thirty tomatoes in their pots as of today, and a dozen more berry bushes organized into theirs. Roll on market day!
Spent the afternoon chatting to a dear friend about sage gargle for sore throats, making soap and munching on black currant muffins smothered in Honey yoghurt. All natural. Yum! We have a recipe for more soap that just might end up in Christmas parcels.... Almost finished the christmas shopping even!!! uhhhhhh so organized at the moment, it amazes me.

Am off tomorrow in search of  some Honey from the farm. Activated Manuka. Awesome Goodness.
Hope youre in good spirits, this weather is awesome for us Gardeners, us Caregivers,  and  those of us who just dislike the long winter days.

Love to you
E BUTTERFLY
XXXXXXXXX

School Holidays, Illness... Sometimes Life gets in the way!

The realities of life have hit home over the past two weeks. Im sorry but I havent been at my best, and so my blog, and my Garden, (and the housework!) have suffered.
Long story short, Illness... School Holidays, and lots of frustrating events have been at the top of our list.
My nearly-16 yr old has just had two major surgeries, coming through eventually, with a lot of ongoing work to do. Septic Arthritus - very unpleasant and painful for him. Very worrying for his parents/caregivers... But hes strong and is doing very well. So proud of him, and so glad his Dad cares for him as well as he has done... Without his Dad to tend to him and cheer him on, he would have not made such a successful recovery. Sometimes Boys need their Dads, eh?

We sat at home after visiting at the hospital, full of the flu, and then ... Tummy bugs. Yeah. Ask me how I love them... Not at all!
BUT the upshot is, we are finally over these school holidays... and we are all feeling better.

And! The weather has been perfect, though weve not enjoyed it much, having to be close to indoors. Not a sign of frost (she says knowing itll happen now!?) I even have broccoli tucking its wee heads up. Yum!! Still have tomatoes, in fact, theyre STILL FLOWERING... hear that? HERE in the cool mountain/temperate zone, we have FLOWERING TOMATOES... AWESOME!!!!! (Ok, Im excited) The grapes havent come to much, but my grape cuttings are good and strong. I have some grapes from someone in Blenheim, and Ive decided to see if I can grow them from seed... Theyre very seedy, but the taste is a real sweet zing!

Just a Shout-Out before I forget -
Im so glad we have such a wonderful bunch of people - nurses, doctors, specialists, physiotherapists, the lot - at Christchurch hospital.
Thank You!
All of you, for taking such good care of our lad, but the caring work you do is so thorough and awesome! Im so grateful. It has been a step out of my usual comfort zone knowing I cant be the one to care for one of my own. Thats what Im supposed to do as a Mom right? Scary when you have to let go ... and let someone else pick up where you cannot help! These people just care with thought and foresight.

Have been remiss in letting the Garden grow weedy and yuk. I guess time will tell if I can motivate myself back into it. I really feel like I just want to let it lawn over. I wont. But I feel like I lack the energy at the moment to get organized... I just need to get properly over the bugs first, I think.

So, there we go.
Im STILL here, just a bit bashed about. We are resilient, we battle on.
My Littles are amazing people... And I love them so for the way they follow me wherever I go...Their serious thoughts about situations make me smile, frown, and have me sometimes in tears, with laughter or sadness... but theyre still awesome wee people!

Take care,
Keep warm, safe, dry, healthy...
You, and Yours,
Love,
E BUTTERFLY
XXXXXXXXX

More of The Same - WHITE OUT!

White Trampoline!



My poor Garden :(





The Birds Tree - Pretty White!!



My Favourite Snow Princess!

Making Snow People

Blaise recovering after being pelted with snowballs

Wanting to take some inside...

Gord At Snow

River Side

Have had a lazy day. Inside, in the Warm. Thanks to our new heatpump. It has been a nice time for the kids, we took a walk to the end of the street, but didnt venture further, the snow was up to my calves, so for the little tacker, walking was difficult. She only lost her boot once, but fell down a hole and slipped over several times...
The Boys... Well. Lets just say, I almost had to ban Snowball fights, Oww, that one hurt, He got me in the Eye, I cant breathe cos he hit me... etc... It was too much to think that they would be all sweetness and light, and find their own Snowmen to build. However - They did.build.snowmen.

Fifty Families in CHCH without power tonight. I wish I knew where, I would love to have them here in our house so they dont have to bear with the night to come... Fingers Xed that our power network copes, they seem to think the new lines will do so admirably!

It has been made very clear to me, how dangerous a large black out would be. How would we keep warm, and the current trend is... Rip out the fire places, and place large ELECTRIC heating units in. ... So it is up to the individual to have alternative power sources to keep warm with, in case of power cuts... I endeavour to do so, but have not done so yet, due to cost... An LPG Heater is not a good option, it is dangerous to leave this kind of heating going for any length of time... So Im not sure what I would do, given we no longer have places to make fires. The alternative might be to stand around a fireplace outside???
Lots to think about!

So, after a day of snow, some fun, pussy cats snoozing beside the heater and making *comfort food* (in this house, Porridge with Brown Sugar, and Soup) ... We are doin' fine. I even braved walking to find bread tonight but the BP was out. The guy was most apologetic... So, I got in the car and drove to the Stupidmarket. They were closing... and I was very fortunate to get all the reduced bread as there wasnt a lot of people around... just us silly ones... We couldve survived without bread, but I dont make bread yet. I mean to try, I just havent *note to self... Learn to make your own bread!* Also, get jumper leads. Poor girl next to me, in a car with her girlfriends, couldnt start her car. I couldve helped, if I had of had Jumper Leads... Note, get them. It is nice to be able to help someone else... Ya know, Not ONE of the people there helped. Not one! Im  disgusted by that. Since when do we think its ok to NOT help someone in need, (especially in the snow when its pouring with rain!) then bitch to others about people who do not help us? ... Yes it happens... It should not. grr. Vent over...

So for now, I say, cos this is my soap box...
Long Live The Snowman ...

My thoughts are with the Farmers who have stock to care for.
And the people who have Houses with Holes/Roof issues/Heating issues...

Hope to see the Sun again Soon!
EB
XX

UPDATE on SNOW!!

I almost expect to see Santa...
Hehehe. You know how it feels when you crunch in hard pressed snow...?
Or walking outside while it snows - yanno, the flakes whizz past you, cover you, make you giggle?
Because it is SPECIAL MAGIC!
SNOW IS MAGIC!!! (only cos it happens so irregularly here in the city!)


So uhh...Hear that inane adult giggle outside?
You might live in our street... cos we LOVE snow... proper white thick, free falling snow!!! And I giggled like an idiot when I saw it... I went out and took photos... and it makes me feel very very childish, that young-at-heart kinda Good-Stuff-feeling.


Oophs Heres the Garden...



The Trees next to my bedroom...



Winter Wonderland...



Our Carebear Car under Snow Blankets!!

Hey Santa, Wheres ya Sack?

Letter Box with White Top!!

Mr almost-15 was on his way to bed when I heard the gasp... Mum, Mum, come and look, ITS REALLY SNOWING... so here are our updates on the previous post.

My poor, poor garden... My furr-babies are in the Garage, tucked up... And our street is quiet. All you can hear is the whizz of the falling snow, and some idiot giggling :-) *rolls eyes* yeah, thats me.

Uhuh, well Im up late, its Sunday, no school tomorrow thank goodness, cos there is NO way these two boys are going to sleep without another look at the Snow. Just in case it is gone by tomorrow (yeah right, like I needed convincing?)
So its off to dig out my winter-woolies, my hat, my boots and my Snow Board (grin) no, not a snow board...

But to be a Kill-Joy, they tell me its due to rain soon...

Magic, Its a Winter-Wonderland of Magic out there...

Skiing By Yours, dont forget to wave!!

Love

EB

xx

Whats New Pussycat? -- Sunday Snow...

Whats New Pussycat?

What's new pussycat? Woah, Woah
What's new pussycat? Woah, Woah


Pussycat, Pussycat
I've got flowers
And lots of hours
To spend with you.
So go and powder your cute little pussycat nose!


Pussycat, Pussycat
I love you
Yes, I do!

You and your pussycat nose!

What's new pussycat? Woah, Woah

What's new pussycat? Woah, Woah

Pussycat, Pussycat
You're so thrilling
And I'm so willing
To care for you.
So go and make up your cute little pussycat face!


Pussycat, Pussycat
I love you
Yes, I do!
You and your pussycat face!

What's new pussycat?
Woah, Woah
What's new pussycat?
Woah, Woah


Pussycat, Pussycat
You're delicious
And if my wishes
Can all come true
I'll soon be kissing your
sweet little pussycat lips!

Pussycat, Pussycat
I love you
Yes, I do!
You and your pussycat lips!

You and your pussycat eyes!

You and your pussycat nose!

(Tom Jones)

 

Snow!

Slush! Slippy slidey sidewalk...

Our Street!

The new Garden, complete with White Stuff!

It is snowing ~
Oh Yes it Is! Its as cold as a frogs foot, and as wet as the pond the frog lives in.
I like thick chunky snow. The kind that comes along quietly, sits on the ground and banks nicely, then goes away. Not this namby pamby cant-decide kind of snow that is weasely wet and thin on the ground... I shouldnt complain...
There seems to be snow all over the South as I look online at the weather report. Motueka to the North, Dunedin to the South, and all over Christchurch... Even Mr EB in Oxford has it apparently...The ski fields will love it :-)

Of course for the second week of the School Hols, it makes us inside like a bunch of sardines, but that is ok.

We had a great first week. Maybe the snow will decide to move on out after a couple of days...

Then we can get back to the Real Stuff... Outside.

Ive joined a Seed Swap. Im really pleased, Im learning a lot, and I have really found something I enjoy. I spent the afternoon making tiny paper envelopes to put seeds in. Ive just found glue sticking my hoodie to my arm, how creative is that?!
 Also, on OOOOBY, I found other people I can chat with about my favourite subjects - seeds, veggies, gardens, sigh. Happiness is so easily found for some...

I am waiting very patiently for my parcel of seeds to arrive from Kings seeds this week. I have the seed raising mix all ready to go, and Im going to crow now about the success of my indoor capsicums... so just hide your eyes if youre over it :-)
I raised them from seed, first time ever. They went green, grew nicely on my windowsill in my bedroom ... and now have gone a shiny red. Thanks to moving them into the room with the new heatpump...Yay!
I will have to watch them, as Miss 4 LOVES eating capsicums, and they are well within her reach.

Got to love this weather, its time for soup.. veggie is nice, but I love PUMPKIN Soup... That is tomorrows job. It lasts us just a day or two, but its hearty and filling and it keeps us warm... Yum!

Well, not a lot to report just now,
Hanging in there til we see the sun...
Dreaming of Posties with fat Seed Parcels, including our Swapsies.

 

This weekends Movie... Quite fitting title :)



Love to All,

Especially those in The North.
Come Home Soon :-)

Take care,

E BUTTERFLYXXXXXXXXX