Dogs

Hunters frequent the state forest next to our farm. They've been out there for days. They have a machine that makes different animal sounds. Even I can tell the difference between a real animal, and the hunters' machine sounds. And the horses usually pick up the hunters from 2km away. Mainly, they hunt deer with dogs and guns.

Well they are out there today, making their fake bird sounds. I wish they would just get over it, as I saddle up Bess and Tornado. Crownie is a bit stiff through the back, and Sabina is really keen for me to ride Bess.

We ride out. It's a gorgous day and just lovely to be out there. Somewhere in the distance the motorbikes are out, and I stay vigilant. Bess lacks forward. I put it down to her character, and the motorbike noises.

We stop for a break on the side of the road. Sabina enjoys sitting in the shade and eating her snack, while I hold the horse and pony. Tornado seems happy enough, but Bess is disturbed. She keeps gazing in the direction of home and feeling anxious. I find this rather odd, as she is such a placid easy going horse. Either she is really hanging out to go home, or I have an electric seat.

As we mount up, Bess spins around so fast that I almost fall off. Oddly enough, she spins around and wants to run away from home. Strange.

We head towards home. Sabina keeps hanging back and chatting - sometimes to me, sometimes to herself, sometimes to Tornado. Bess remains on edge. Then I see them, two grey shadows ambling hesitantly down the road. Hunting dogs? Strays? They look like two huge greyhounds - each standing taller than Tornado. Their coat looks unkept, and it gives them a wild, somewhat savage look. The one closer to us has his tail tucked under his legs.

When they see us, they hesitate. We are half their prey, and half their masters. They look confused. Sabina is torn out of her childlish fantasy pony ride. "Mama!" I take a more solid grip on my whip. Thank God I brought one, and thank God I brought the one that does damage. I move Bess to shield Sabina. "Go home!", I call out sternly. I wave the whip at them. "Go on! Go home!".

They turn around, take another look at us, then slowly walk back up the track. Sabina's got the hang of it now, and she's fully roaring at them like a ferocious tiger. Thanks to her endless tiger games she's actually got a roar worth reckoning. The dogs, break into a trot.
 
We follow the dogs. I keep a very watchful eye on them. Sabina goes back to ambling 20 metres behind me, but she keeps roaring. From the farm, Pete watches the strange procession. He can't see the dogs - just me, and a screaming Sabina behind me. He thinks that Sabina is just having a bad time, and waves to us with jolity.

Finally, when we're at the state forest gate, and I see the grey shapes slinking along at the bottom of the valley, I breathe a real sigh of relief. We start laughing at our adventure. Deep down I marvel at Bess' trust in me, and Tornado's calmness. What awesome horses we are so lucky to borrow and own. (Thanks Lisa!)

Mushrooming

Sabina and I drive off into the pine plantation next door. A couple of kilometres later we park on the edge of the track, and joyfully jump out, bucket in one hand, knife in the other.

It's been raining a lot recently, and mushrooms have popped up everywhere. Mainly the poisonous ones, but there is also a solid supply of the edible ones.

First we find the "maslaki" and I show Sabina how to recognise them. She collects them into her bucket.

Then we find "rydze". They are plentiful, and growing everywhere, and Sabina is forever fascinated how they hide under the pine needles.

A short time later, with one and a half buckets of mushrooms, we drive back to the ranch.

I clean and fry a few "rydze". Sabina loves them, and asks for more.

Valentines Day

I return from my horse riding, and I am greeted by a chocolate heart in a red wrapper hanging on the door. Hmmm ...

After my chocolate is consumed with delight together with my coffee we head off in the car towards Noojee. Then onwards to Toorongo falls. We park the car and proceed on foot. Sabina runs merrily up the path, stopping every now and then to see the water rushing over the rocks. After about 1km or so we arrive at the falls.


The waterfall is beautiful, especially after the recent rains. The water spreads out at the top and cascades down over the rocks like angel hair. We sit spellbound while Sabina eats a snack.

Then we continue on to another rapid. Sabina bounces along the path with renewed vigour. The rapid itself is pretty enough, but the platform jutting out into the river is really cool. It sits right over the middle of the river, with a rapid underneath, and it's made out of a metal mesh, so that you can actually see the water gushing below your feet.

We walk down another path back to the car, flicking off the odd leech. We try to avoid telling Sabina about the leeches, but when we do a full body scan at the car we have to fess up that they are not just mosquitos.

Mothers' Day

Mothers' Day was few months ago. I know. In our family, we have a particularly poor photo download and publish process. So I only found these snapshots recently, and thought they were worth sharing.

This year, for Mothers' Day, Sabina took me out horse riding in the state forest. As it was a bit of an "occasion", Crownie had to be plaited up.

We got to Dead Cow, and Sabina was so exhausted, that she needed to stop for a picnic.

This left me holding onto the horses.

Then we rode back home.

And here's a tip from Sabina. "This is a great way to celebrate Mothers' Day."

My Eagles

A pair of wedge tailed eagles live in the state forest. They are within easy flying vicinity of our farm. During the summer we see them quite often, usually at around 2pm, circling above our farm house. They are huge, they are magnificent, they are captivating. I love staring up at the sky, just watching them as they catch thermals and glide forever higher without a single wing flap. Just the other day, I was sitting on the swing in the back yard, and there they were in our own paddock, barely a metre off the ground. I could see them through the trees. It was amazing.

Today a few visitors have come to the farm for a bike ride and a BBQ. The bike ride is all finished, and the BBQ is going strong. I am inside adding some final touches to a couple of salads. The door to the patio opens and a shrill cry follows "Ania, your eagles are here!".

We all run outside, noses pointed to the sky.

The Ride

We've passed the last gate into the state forest. Sabina is on Tornado, and I'm leading them on foot. We chat that Tornado is a good boy, and about the forest and the trees. "There's my house", cries out Sabina when our house comes into view. "And there's Papa", she spots the man standing in front of the house, waving madly. "Hello Papa!". We ride further than last time, and Sabina is very sorry that we need to turn around.

On the way back, I suggest that maybe next time we will take a picnic lunch, and stop to eat, and Papa can join us by bike. Sabina is delighted. When we return home she runs inside and announces "Papa, we will take lunch and you come by bike".

Let's ride

It's Sabina's idea. To ride Tornado. She insists that about three lead ropes need to be attached - two to act as the reins, and one for mama. She grabs the mane and tries to jump on like a red indian. I give her a gentle shove. We're off. "To the gate" she says. "How about through the paddock, to the top of the hill", I suggest. "Yes, to see the Ba's" (the sheep). Tornado powers up the hill, and Sabina sits there, solid as a rock, proud as pie. The "Ba's" are there, their huge rounded horns, and their, well, sheepish faces, staring at us. Sabina is thrilled.

We go through the gates and into the state forest. From the track I point out our house. "There's my house!", comes the little voice, followed by "Tornado is a very good boy". The little girl is very happy, and only my third gentle suggestion about turning back is accepted. At the turn around Sabina jumps off and decides to lead Tornado. She runs forwards a bit, then slows right down. The rope drags on the ground half the time. Sabina is in danger of tripping, and Tornado may well get wrapped in it. What a mess. Even Tornado gets a bit frustrated. I stop the whole show, and do some minor explaining. Just gently. The outcome is that I lead Tornado (with the three lead ropes), and Sabina walks along holding my hand.

Back at the farm, Sabina wants to let him go. She takes him into the paddock, and he's so keen to get back to his horsey friends, he pretty much trots off. Headstall and leadrope still attached. Oops. We catch him and get the gear off. Of course, the said headstall and asoorted lead ropes are now going back into the house, to be applied to indoor horse. Just turn a blind eye to the dirt.