Cow Paddocks Patchwork

Family Bits at "Nickavilla" Quilpie

Yes as mentioned in the following post our trip to Quilpie was great and the kids had a wonderful time at "Nickavilla" with Nanna & Grandad - not to mention the chooks, chickens, guinea fowl, doves plus the biggest smooch of a dog "matey". So here are a few snaps including Mum's gorgeous garden that she has made from the red dirt up in just 3 years!!!!! There was only a couple of plants in the garden and no lawn whatsoever - she is amazing! I just wish her green thumb was hereditary!

OK now these aren't quite in order as how it all happened but hopefully you'll understand.

So obviously this is Mum's garden at Nickavilla

This is travelling out of Quilpie towards Nickavilla on the River Road where there is a large clay pan.

This is the Bulloo River Xing just out the front of Nickavilla on the Reserve. And yes the cattle did look really good - especially considering they too are/were very very dry - as you will see!

This on "Nickavilla"

This is looking down the street in Quilpie after the sprinklers had been on!

This is again the River Road just out of Quilpie heading north

And since we left my parent's have had between 20mm to 40mm across the property, the channels and creeks have come down and flooded out and there is good feed in the creeks already!

Mum came in for a week and we did lots in the garden and cut kits, took the kids to the pool, cut fabric, had clover club - more of that soon etc etc etc and then I took her back as far as Morven to meet Dad on Friday with some goodies for the Quilpie ladies. Then Saturday was kid stuff, packing for Injune and heading up there on Sunday. Home again Monday!

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

Just a quick bit of "Toomba" tails/tales?

Just a little bit for the family. Hols have come to an end, we had a great time with the kids and seemed to be pretty busy with visits for them to Grandma and Fards at Chinchilla, movies, eating goodies, staying up late etc etc.

 Plus we all went to the Wallumbilla Encouragement Campdraft and the kids had a ball on some loaned horses - thankyou to the Irwins, Wathen and Nixons! They each went home with a ribbon and so were absolutely rapt. It was such a well run day with plenty of time for the kids to have a practice run and under the supervision of Mr Robert Ryan from Wandoan - who was just wonderful with the kids, they learnt a bit about campdrafting, the safety and having fun.

Jeff had a couple of runs and went really well getting nearly around second peg,  although didn't get his horse to work in the camp as much as he had liked even with some assistance from the fellas on the gate - "puttin some spit on it" - the beast that is -  kicking dust at it and yelling at it - Yes they wanted to see Jeff & Lynx do a bit of work!!!! And after a long long time of very little horse riding on a mare that hasn't been ridden in years and was just run in the week of the draft "Jessie" and I got around the 2nd peg and towards the gate but alas it would not be "bent" at flat gallop. But we had a ball! I had forgotten just how much fun it was!  Yes I know for those of you not caught up in campdrafting there is a whole new language to learn - funny how you don't notice it until you go to type it! Wait til we "blade a bullock" round!!!!!!!!!!

Lots of things coming up, bull sales have finally eased, selling cattle as it won't rain - yes I know continuing saga, pony club on the weekend, school and no doubt homework - arghhhh, cooking for school catering, clover club, shop visits, tutoring in Quilpie this month and visiting parents!

And while we are fortunate to have one pony on trial - we are STILL looking for another kids horse.

- Anybody? Anybody? !!!!!!!!

So inbetween this I am kitting up BOM's, cutting out Little H's quilt, trying to keep the garden alive and housework, bookwork etc etc. Just the usual really. Plus a horse sale on Friday! And I would love to go to a garden day on Thursday but we will see if I can squeeze that one in!

But stitch when you can where you can I think will be my new motto!

Talk soon

Julie

Family Bits

Yes I haven't let family know much of late with everything happening - so here goes. Bull Sales, bull sales, catering with the school, Dad coming in from "Nickavilla" chasing bulls, pony club/campdraft school for the kids, looking for/at kids' horses - AND NO still don't have one!!!!

Riding my horse - well just a little and she sold yesterday!!!!! To a family from St George. Had 34 points of rain but not enough and too late for the oats. Trucking cattle this week to the sale and some more hopefully to the feedlot shortly. Very busy with the shop, clover club, mail orders etc - so thankyou!

Bookings for next year coming in thick and fast (more on this later), plus the usual, housework, bookwork etc etc. Getting very very dry again so can't see us going to far on the school hols.

This week will be cattle work, tuckshop on Wednesday, Little L's birthday on Friday - yes the september 11 kid! and travelling on Saturday to look at another horse!

So must go - one post to go and helping to draft cattle!

Working My Horse - Yay!!!

This is one for family - just a photo of me (taken by - either Little H or DH - not quite sure) when I was working my horse today. I find it really funny - for the want of a better word , how the family/friends that knew me before my patchwork and textile work think of me with horses/cattle in mind and find it a little strange my involvement with the other. Then there are those that have only met me on the textile side that are surprised to hear of my horse/cattle side!!!

This was reminded to me especially when I visited old friends in Mitchell who initially thought that if I was coming to Mitchell it would have to be with horses or cattle so the whole fabric thing threw them just a little. In saying this though many many women, and I think especially those in the country, are the wearers of many many hats as we all know from mother, musterer, shearer's cook, dinner party hostess, secretary and president of every known community group, book keeper, vet nurse, teacher, fencing contractor, horse trainer, fashion parade model, preg tester, domestic goddess and the list goes on and on. So well done to all ladies - you are a credit to our gender!!!!

So family - it is true I have been back on the horse since a few months ago and I promise, I will make more time for my horses like before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And trust me after trying to ride in DH's saddle today - as in the picture - I won't be swapping mine that is for sure!!!!! Now we just have to find a kids horse.............. the saga continues!

Yes we are probably both a bit out of condition just quietly too! - carrying too much that is!

Windy days and the Flu!

Yes I am not someone that despises Winter but when it is combined with windy days - it is hard to love winter even when you can rug up, sit by the fire and eat yummy tummy warming goodies!

But the school hols has brought with it yukky windy weather, and sick littlies and DH. Yes it has been going on 3 weeks now and with a few visits to doctors, coughing fits causing vomiting, nebulisers, vapourisers, medicines, sleepless nights etc etc - oh the joy of being a mother! DH has had the flu, plus infected tonsils, temps etc and has been completing miserable, pluss little Miss H has had the flu, croup, temps and just when you think she is getting better - down she goes again. Little Mr L has been going along not too bad with some coughs etc but pretty good considering and me - yes well have I have flu but I have been living on Multi vitamins, Echinacea and the strength of being a mother and no-one else is here to do it!!!!!

So another trip to the doctor this week after 2 trips last week - yes as you all know the general 120km round trip or more that many of us do! - The blood tests on the 6 year old were less of a drama than what I stressed about for 2 days and hopefully the results this week will be better than the stress they have caused for the last few days - I can only hope!

So I have 2 littlies feeling very duped out of their hols with no visits much at all to anyone except for a quick visit to Grandma & Fard @ Chinchilla (prior to sickness), a day at the Bunya Mountains and visits to Cathy and Claire.

But all to sick to head to "Nickavilla" or anywhere else. So hopefully things will improve!

The sheep have now "officially" gone from "Nickavilla" after it becoming too difiicult between trying to get staff to help muster, dingoes and the never ending workload they entail. So hopefully this will take the workload off my parents a little.

We are looking for more rain on the oats and hopefully then will get so much feed that we won't know what to do with it - Ha! HA!

Til next time!

Another Week

Yes another week goes by here at "Toomba" and we think it may have forgotten how to rain again already! Our oats could do with another little drink but even though the weather bureau predict 80-90% chance of rain - we get nothing!

So the waiting game again! We have been busy like usual- just  like everybody these days, a couple of workshops away leaving on Friday and coming home Monday plus packing and unpacking takes a big chunk out of the week - But I love it!

Kids have been doing the school thing but now are home with the flu, Jeff has been carting some hay to have in the shed for the next lot of weaning and I have been inbetween doing the fun house jobs!

This week is Condamine Sports training, tuckshop Wednesday, Clover Club Thursday, End of Term activities and saugsage sizzle at School Friday. Then a working bee and the big fundraiser our Athletics Carnival on Saturday, Kids to the optometrist, visiting Cathy, car service, grocery shopping, looking at another horse, baking for the school things etc - and that is all between now and Tuesday!

Pete has his new plane finally home at "Trinidad", Mum & Dad are mustering all this week and selling off all their sheep as they are tired of the continual dog problem and we are gearing up for the hols!

OK must go and start another post and get out and get the washing, water the garden and start tea!

Family Bits

am head

Yes as mentioned in the shop blog bits we have had rain - FINALLY! 332 points on the Miles Show day and now with my parents having around 276 points yesterday at "Nickavilla" Quilpie - we are hoping there is more on the way! My little brother Pete is stuck either in Charleville or Quilpie with his new plane he was trying to get home from the coast - but if it keeps raining he won't be able to land at the home strip at "Trinidad". So hopefully they'll send us the rain and then he can make it  home with it.

DH has finished planting the oats and so would like just a little more rain now to ensure he has a top crop! While is doesn't rain grass we always say it rains optimism - so we are feeling much better with a bit of the pressure off. We have of course sold a fair amount of our breeders so at least there are less mouths chewing on those little bits of green as they stick their heads up.

I have finally had time to take a breath since the Craft In The Country Open Day, catching up on housework, writing thankyou letters, getting back into the garden a little - and now the water is only murky and cloudy instead of being nearly just mud pouring out the end of the hose! The bird bath had to be cleaned out where the sprinkler had been as it had just been full of mud!

The little darlings now apparently have a teacher staying to the end of the year - which is just wonderful - no more instability with teacher changes - YAY!!!!!

Bookwork, orders for the shop, Clover Club here tomorrow in the shop with the lovely ladies sewing and hopefully it will rain this afternoon and tomorrow! After the success in the Latcham household at the show I have 2 keen little ones to enter more next year!

We are being super optimistic now - once we have put the weaners on the oats I will be back in the yards doing the preg testing thing again - isn't a blessing to be the one with the skinniest arms? - I think DH is using his popeye built forearms and biceps to advantage here! But I must admit I do like the cattle work so I don't mind at all really. Just when he laughs when the cows cover me with manure. I just don't like the ones that try and kick my head in over the kick gate!

Need desparately to get back on the horse and give her some work. Just a shame she isn't quiet enough to lead the kids off - oh well. More work more work!!! In my spare time!

Must go - working on a new technique to teach with  a sample quilt to be completed, not to mention some baking!

Stay tuned I have just got into contact with some old friends from school so will have lots and lots to catch up on.

I will try and post some new products from the shop over the next few days.

Still looking for a horse for the little darlings and hopefully getting them to Pony Club very soon.

I am heading off to Theodore next weekend to teach jelly roll & Layer cake quilts and also to Injune the following weekend to teach there with the new "wave" technique! Injune is having their quilt show that weekend also - so don't forget to pop in if you are in the area.

Toomba Antics

Hello again,

life is never dull at Toomba - that is one thing guaranteed! Over the past fortnight we have had the usual country living type stuff. Mustering, watering, windmills not pumping water due to no wind! Then there was the big brown snake in the Jack Russell's kennel to which there is never a man around when you need one!! So I bravely kneeled down about 2 feet from the snake to save the children's crazy dog who was tied up as the snake was half in it's kennel wrapped around its water bowl and standing up about a foot showing how impressive it was!!! Needless to say the dog by this point had aggrevated it enough for it be not to be messed with. So by the time I shut the kids and the dog in the house, got a shovel - no I wouldn't hurt a protected snake - I just wanted to scare it!

It was very very angry by now - so advanced action was needed - the rifle - and no I wasn't going to hurt it just scare it!!!! But of course our gun cabinet has a dead lock and a combination and it would have nearly made a parson swear - I could not get that cabinet open. All the while keeping my cool in front of the little darlings!!!! Needless to say the snake won the battle but I am determined to win the war! I am very cranky with myself for not scaring the snake away but I am determined that I will be able to scare it that it will never return!!! By the time DH returned of course it was nowhere to be found.

So we have been mustering to sell more cattle as (I know you are getting sick of hearing it - I assure you I am sick of looking at it)  there is no grass and it won't rain!!! So I have been preg testing any cow that we sell the calf off of and if she's empty - she's gone!

We also had kid stuff in the middle with the little darlings marching at Anzac Day and singing at the service with the school. Tennis day at the school which was really great and general bits and pieces. This week saw Monday mustering (after nearly giving the kids the day off due to the "Public HOliday" that was on my calender but apparently no-one else knew about) - we mustered, went and picked up NLIS tags, parcels for the shop and then DH took cattle to Roma, Tues delivered cattle to the feedlot while I headed to Roma for the sale, groceries and jobs, today is shop housework and the Open day is looming!!! Have had visitors to the shop, Clover Club next week, meat to pick up on Friday and pack from Ladbrooks for a private butchering job and so on and so forth.

Caught up quickly with old friends at the sale and Wendy down the street!!! 

10000 head at the sale yesterday so was a fairly large one!! Considering, we were pretty happy with our prices. Monday next week is already allocated to sending more  - so will see what next week brings. Heading to Morven to meet Mum & Dad next Friday as Dad is bringing Mum in and I am getting her for a week - Yay!!! Much shorter than driving the other side of Quilpie at least!

Phew - so updating the blog and the teaching/visit schedule so stay tuned! So much to do so little time!

A little Rain

Yes we finally did get a little rain - about 70 points in this last lot and with the inch the week ago it has helped a tiny bit. The house yard definately looks better and the house paddock for that matter. But unfortunately I am beating the same old drum saying that we need more - much more. My parents have been fortunate enough to get around 132 points & brother Pete & sister-in-law Wendy were very lucky and received around 3 inches!

So we sold cattle last week at Dalby for a change and unfortunately even though the steers looked really good we weren't overly happy with the prices. Oh the joy! We are offloading more to the feedlot tomorrow so today is mustering, putting the crate back on the truck (after picking up a planter the other day) plus the normal stuff.

Hopefully catch up with friends again before the hols are over and the kids have had a little sleepover stint with grandparents in Chinchilla. The hols are going far too quickly and I'm not looking forward to "back to school" with the daily grind and homework. Just think I only have another 11 years to go!!!!

I'm getting on top of a few projects with the binding and hanging sleeve now complete on my country Bargello, have completed my oriental convergence - now basted to start quilting!, have made the labels for each of these and Little L's Farm Kids Stitchery. And finished of the little Quilt of Love.

So am feeling pretty good about finishing a few things. Have also been very busy starting to get things organised for the open day. The sample bags are soooooo nice - I wan't one. So ladies its not that many sleeps away now!

Here is a little Quilt of Love that little H has done all by herself! They were pre-cut charm squares (which helps alot!) but she has done the lot! We won't look at the back though - and I have been very good and not made her unpick - ok only 2 seams! And now I am not looking only encouraging!!!!!!

But I am very proud at her effort and that she got to this point all in one sitting!

Now for the fun of quilting! And the binding - I think I will let her just machine sew it down - rather than hand sewing.

Little L says he wants to do one now - so we'll see if his enthusiasm lasts the distance!

Don't forget the Kick Arts in Chinchilla on the 2/3rd May - they are very reasonably priced workshops with all materials included - I assure you that you won't find better value. Be quick and register though. And don't forget the kids and grandkids as there are suitable classes for them to fill a morning too!!!!

Horse Sale

Yes I have had many hats on in the past week or so. DH & I went to the Wandoan Horse sale on the Friday and rode a couple of horses for people. The sale unfortunately was not a great one for sellers. We probably should have bought a couple but oh well maybe next time.

Kids have been on DH's horse (on the lead) and still keen but alas a good kid's horse is still not found.

It is extremely dry - I didn't really think it could get much drier before surely it would rain but no. It is truly serious - we are looking for agistment to try and lighten off here even more, the house dam is now the lowest lowest it has ever been and no longer can I sprinkle near the clothes line and expect to use it for good clothes to dry on. The mud from the water just dries on the line and then leaves marks on the clothes if you don't clean it first! I am losing more young or shallow rooted plants each week which is rather heartbreaking and I can see all of the plants struggling as I try and wean them back to a once a week water. The heat has just been beating them too which doesn't help. The cracks in the black soil run so deep that I seem to be watering but nothing is getting wet yet the water is running into the cracks and out down the paddocks!

The neverending bookwork has been another task this week - I wonder if we can send bills for our time to the government for the BAS, and to all of my suppliers who keep sending me incorrect items or invoices?

Anyway Easter is coming up quickly and while my aim was to visit family there is no way we will be able to leave here at the moment with it being so dry. One of the windmills had a little problem the other day and therefore left a paddock with a trough without water so it is just as well we don't go too far.

Til next time we continue to pray for rain!