37 Black Swans: Life on the hill and in town

We Spring is sprung at our place...this week anyway..
Snow down to 700 metres tomorrow though.

We have been planting out Bur Oak acorns over the past few weekends...and more to go in this weekend. John's dream of establishing an edible forest garden has begun...we hope to plant about 200 or so.

Just have to wait 20 years for them to reach maturity!!
They are slow growing...30cm each year

Fingers crossed they will grow.. Ground is nice and moist and the air is warming up a bit.

The daffodil display below the house is delightful..

The grass is so green

During the week...John harvests and processes Chelidonium from our garden at the shop

Love the Spring skies

John also does a Scilla harvest and process

We live in the most glorious rainbow country

Jess has her 30th birthday...and manages to celebrate with the boys..Aaron is held up at work and doesn't get home until late...hazards of the job

Lucy and Paul send updates of how they are managing their first weeks with Bailey

I take a drive after work to Gardners Bay to 'visit' Jane and Ali's place.

Less than 10 minute drive from Cygnet...so exciting

I bring some of the Spring inside...we have patches of daffodils all over the paddocks..planted by former owners...such a delightful sight to see them flower...John and Thomas have transplanted some bulbs from the horse paddock to below the house to further enhance the display.

Tom and I zip into Hobart to do some pre-Hong Kong shopping ...and I coerce him into a haircut..
Very handsome I reckon...and he did get a milkshake and muffin to make up for it!

More Oak planting. Even though we are planting in our newly fenced garden, john is not taking any chances...so we are making cages for the Oaks. We have seen tracks in the area...they may be Quoll or Bandicoots..but just in case there is a pademelon or possum about we are taking precautions.

Love that sky

I take the opportunity to walk home from Cygnet on the weekend..
Accompanied by Rainbows

Hannah flys to Moree to attend the 30th celebrations for Jess at the Moree Races

Wish I could have been there..

Gorgeous one of Jess and her boys

I finally get around to sewing multiple badges Tom collected at Jamboree onto his scout blanket.
Takes me all Sunday afternoon...but they look great

I am keen to try to capture the Aurora Australis on camera.

On Sunday, I suspect activity when there is a 'city light' glow that comes and goes in the south..

After reading up on camera settings...I take a few shots and am amazed at what I see.

So exciting...Can't wait for another clear night to see another one...and to refine my photographing technique.

Our school Principal loses her aged father this week. Max Thomas was a stalwart of the Cygnet Community.The Thomas family have been in the area for generations...and Anne is one of 7 in her family. Was so lovely to see the high scholl students form a guard of honour.

John and I spend a number of hours at the Scout hall on Monday and Thursday night, sorting and pricing books for the Garage Sale on 18th Sept. A huge job...but very enjoyable

We are very exited to see the Prunus blossom in our back garden at the shop.

We spend many hours making and packing creams to build up our stock levels.
Our Taiwan customer has begun ordering again now their summer holidays are over.
We have also had alot of interest from some customers in Melbourne who are sending quantities of our products to China.
We have a visit from Rose from China...she is lovely and very keen to learn more about our products

John makes up a Puv Stomachicus cum Belladonna powder..Invoving mixing, drying and sieving...before bottling and labelling.

Ta da..take a look at our fabulous new gate post. Rohan, our neighbour who is agisting his thoroughbred mares on our place, is repaying us 'in kind'. He has an excavator and has replaced our rotten post with a new log cut from a fallen tree on our place.

You cannot image the impact this has on our lives! So easy to open an close a gate that used to require the lift and drag technique...wonderful. I smile every time I get out to open/close the gate.

It will well and truly outlast us

The gorgeous Rodelinda...one of 4 mares still on our place.
Four mares have been transferred to their home paddock as they are about to foal.
Was taking to Ronny, Rohan's dad. He said they strap a moniter under the horses head that will send an alarm if the horse lies down for an extended time...Ronny said they then know to 'jump' as the foal is being born. They are breeding racehorses...so foals are very valuable.