February 2012

I've been waiting for this day to update the blog.  Today is the day we collected our very first piglets.  They're a little over 6 weeks old - 2 males (spotted) and two females (white).  And they've been named - Breakfast, Dinner, Smoko and Supper.  We're raising Dinner for some friends who had already chosen his name before we got them.  The boys will become 'porkers' and the girls 'baconers'.  At least that's the plan.  Today has been one of the hottest days for ages (28 degrees) and they had a rough and exposed ride home in a trailer.  Thankfully they soon settled in, ate, drank and scrapped with each other over a marrow (not dissimilar to the kids, though to be fair, they haven't actually ever come to blows over a marrow).  Fingers crossed they're still there in the morning.  The pig-proofness of their enclosure has yet to be tested...



 

The turkeys continue to grow and show no obvious sign of superior intelligence.  They've been moved to a new residence - formerly the chicken run.  Despite the area being fenced, including a hot wire, they managed to escape from day 1.  Luckily they're unbelievably easy to round up, so we returned them each time.  Now we just leave their gate open so they can come and go as they please.  However it seems they feel obliged to exit the enclosure over the fence, and re-enter through the gate.  Maybe they like the buzz from the electric fence.  When they're out and about they spend alot of time in the wetland. 

 



The Council have been doing some mapping exercises and restoration of wetland areas remaining in Marlborough.  We're expecting a visit from the guy who is coordinating the wetland project in the hope he can give us advice (and as a very long shot - possibly even funds) for managing it.  Once the cattle are gone in a couple of months, we can start to look at fencing and re-planting.  Our wetlands are fed by a natural spring somewhere, and stay wet for pretty much most of the year.  It'd be really great to restore them; a lovely way of honouring this land.

The veg garden, despite mammoth neglect on the weed front, is actually quite productive.  I've never grown such big carrots (eat your heart out Karyn - feel the carrot-envy).  Tomatoes, leeks and corn are OK, beetroot fantastic, beans stunning.  Spuds probably would have been more plentiful with an occasional water.  The courgettes and pumpkins are also thriving (should be some spare for the pigs) and the gourds are prolific.  I'm hoping that those pigs will develop a taste for gourds because I couldn't bring myself to plant just one or two.  The extra seedlings were just too gorgeous to compost and there was space. 

Once I get Lazy Mazy the caravan glammed up (looking like next year at the earliest), we'll take her for a weekend to the Onamalutu Domain.  Less than 2 kms down the road, it's a picnic area and DOC campsite.  Some of the original NZ pine trees (Kahikatea, Rimu, Totara) which the valley is famed for remain and create an utterly beautiful and tranquil zone around the river.  There are some fabulous swimming holes, well-shaded by the giant trees.  It's a really serene and special place, and a favourite day-trip destination for many Marlburians.  The photo shows Billy at the base of one of the huge Kahikatea trees.



Whilst we're all back to work and school now, we have very fond memories of the summer holidays.  Grannie-Annie joined us in January (always a real pleasure) and was subject to the usual harassment - monopoly, cards, cricket, buying more lollies, going to the swimming hole etc, plus a few others, like a trip to the hot pools of Hanmer Springs.  The photo shows her at stunning Karaka Point in the Marlborough Sounds where we scattered some of Dad's ashes 3 years ago.  We've been lucky enough to see orca and dolphins there before.



We are increasingly contented with our little slice of paradise, even if it is scruffy and overgrown.  There's a limit to what we can achieve with limited time and money (and no tractor), and we want to enjoy it without feeling resentful of the time it takes.  I'm hanging out for getting there bit by bit.  The alternative is town-living, and it's hard to imagine we'll ever do that again. 

And finishing on a sleepy note......aaaaaaah