Wednesday, March 30, 2011

And This Little Pig said Cow-Day-Wednesday + Aussie Wildlife

Hi all, yes I am still in the land of the living, I'm sure you all know what it is like, time gets away from you. You check in and say 'oh must post' and the moment passes. Well today is Cow-Day-Wednesday and I have been more than slack lately, and no I didn't get any shots today...

But a couple of weekends ago I had to feed the bosses dog while he was away, funnily I didn't get any photos the pup, but I know I took a couple when he was young, I will dig it out and show you all at another time.

I digress there are cows on the drive into house, so I thought I must grab a couple of photos to have in reserve, and wouldn't you know it, a couple of photos was all I took.
Now there was also these grand old men standing in the paddock, they stood up posing nicely for their portrait.
Now the real reason I had a camera with me, I have never failed to see kangaroos on the drive in, well on the first morning there were none, I couldn't believe it... but when I drove into the house yard...
On the move.
Before stopping to check where I was, on her toes and ready to go, see how they use their tails for balance.
The next afternoon, there was a small mob of five or six off to my right as I drove in, by the time I had my camera out the head roo, a buck, had decided he was out of there, and took flight. Love this shot.
Another three soon decided to follow, the lead doe, on the left, went first, how do I know this was a doe, well if you look really close you can just see the head of a joey sticking out of her pouch.
Off after their man.
To finally cross the road in front of me, with the young juvenile, bring up the rear.
So there you go, more of a Wildlife Wednesday, than a Cow-Day.

Oh little or no stitching done recently, but I have done a bit of knitting, getting ready for winter. Hope you all have a wonderful day.
LiBBiE in Oz

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

And This Little Pig said Cow-Day-Wednesday

Yes I have been rather slack with my Cow-Day's, but today I took five minutes to have a quick walk up one lane of cattle. Thankfully I picked the right lane and the cattle co-operated.

First there was this calf who was playing hide and seek from behind his mum.
Originally I thought this calf had dreadlocks in her ears.
On zoom it was almost like they had been dipped in bleach... maybe she visited the hairdressers?
We had a bullock day, which is were we line up big mature steers, over 130 of them. They are so big that we only put 5 or 6 on the weighbridge, instead of the usual 10 to 12 steers. They average anything from 650-750 kilos (1430-1500 pounds). Photographed across one of the pens.
This is something you rarely see these days, a dairy cow with a freeze brand. With ear tags now carrying computer chips, and dairies becoming more and more technological. There is no further need for freeze branding.
Pups are doing well and getting into mischief! Mum is 100% better, and it rained tonight, which is becoming greatly needed.

Nite LiBBiE in Oz

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

And This Little Pig said X-Stitch Crazies & Update All Round

First up one of the puppies, a boy, don't you just love the elephant ears.

Photos of the babies taken tonight, just for you all. They all have new homes now, well except Podge.
I promised cross stitch, and I have delivered! I realised, that OMG it was March, and I had only completely one of my Crazies. So this weekend I worked hard at completing two of my LHN Ornaments.

This one is an extra, LHN, JCS Ornaments Issue 2010... Happy Skater.
The companion piece, LHN The Merry Skater.
OK we are in autumn here in Oz, and while it is a little late, or very early for spring cleaning, I think it might be time to get rid of some cobwebs :D

If you only knew how much I hate spiders! I won't even photograph them, I can look and see the wonder and work that goes into their webs, and think what a great photo that would be... but it ain't ever gonna happen.
This is the shot I was really after, and I thought I had missed it.
The other side, I think the cleaning of this may just have to fall to some else, cause I really don't want to know how big the spider is that has decided to take up residence in my reindeer star!
One last photo, from my garden... Red!
Anyhow, night all.

LiBBiE in Oz

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

And This Little Pig said Puppies & Photos

The puppies are getting big, and way more active, they will be six weeks this coming Sunday. That is Podge on the left, I know I am well and truly hooked!

We go get our first needles on Saturday. Can you see the boy practicing his 'OUCH!'
This young galah was wondering round the yard yesterday afternoon.
And while hanging clothes out tonight, I say this guy sitting on the fence.
I thought I was getting pretty lucky, that maybe it was the late afternoon light, that had him sitting so still... but no he was a little bit too still, and a little stiff. I don't know know what happened, there is not a mark on him.
Next post will have cross stitch, I promise... Nite LiBBiE in Oz

Saturday, March 5, 2011

And This Little Pig said Cats and Dogs on the Farm

I decided it was time for the farm cats and dogs to have their own post.

This is Molly our LGD, she is a Maremma, this is the sight that usually greets Mum on her way up to the goats every morning.
She is a big bundle of love, well until you don't belong, and are trying to touch or take an animal that is hers. Or if you are a fox or strange dog, then she becomes all business.
We have six farm cats, that live in the milking bail, feed shed, and hay shed, this is the only ginger cat we have at the moment. And he finds the strangest positions to sleep in... on top of a bag of chaff.
One of the five grey tabby farm cats, taking a rest just off the path outside the feed shed.
Now this is someone I have never told you all about, this is Chobe, my old man, he is a Hungarian Vizsla. And yes he does live with me, but he is a kennel dog, not an inside boy. I should say he is a yard dog, as he spends most of his day out in the yard, only going back to the kennels at night, he has full access to all runs. There are four, and a main yard, so he has four different kennels to sleep in, and he does rotate around them all.

Chobe is my last show champion, and will be 13 this June, still as active as he was as a puppy, and he survived a snake bite 5 years ago, that really should have been the end of him. But he powers on, with no real signs of slowing down. Don't you wish you were this fit at... lets see the first dog year equals 10 human years, and every year after that equals 7 years... So 7 x 12 = 84 + 10 = 94!
Chobe has never much enjoyed the farms "big dogs", but as long as he is close to me, he is willing to be brave.
Oh Danni, a dewlap on Luis is like one big double chin :D

Nite LiBBiE in Oz

Thursday, March 3, 2011

And This Little Pig said Some Goat Photos

You know my blog is about stitching mainly, but with everything going on, I have had very little time to do so, Mum is off to the Doctors tomorrow and she is feeling much better every day.

Anyway as my profile says, Mum has been breeding Dairy Goats for over 30 years, so I took the opportunity last week to take some more candid photos.

The breeding season is about to start here, so there is a lot of sparring and fighting going on among the does. This Shay Luisa, the upcoming breeding season will her second kidding. Here's hoping this year will be better than last year. Can you believe she had C-section just under four and a half months ago.
Luisa was putting on quite a display. The head butts just make you shudder with the force that they hit.
Shaylarna, is Shay Luisa's younger half sister, this will be her first year breeding. We don't breed our young does until they are 15-18 months, so they kid for the first time around two years of age.
The girls get molasses every morning, and it is a real mob scene, it's all frothy and looks like very big buckets of cappuccino.
This is my Shaylina, she is a very colourful girl, and is recovering from a very nasty case of mastitis, her show career will be over, but she will live on to breed for us.
The girls out for a graze, they are from left to right Shaleah, Sailah, Shaylarna, Ethena (white goat), Shyla, Shaylina, and one of the Saanen goatling it's either Cyerra or Callie. Sorry can't tell from the rear view :D
The boys said, don't forget us. This is Ted, he is usually lovely and snowy white, but... well don't ask... breeding season. Oh and they are rather smelly.
Ted giving a profile shot of his beautiful beard.
Ted's son from our beloved Jenny, this was her last gift to us, his name is Connery S or Sean. He is only six months old, don't you just love his forelock, and the beginning of a beard.
Last but not least a silhouette of the Old Man of the shed, Luis. That is not a beard but a dewlap, a breed feature. We sold Luis three years ago, and part of the deal was that if he was ever offered for sale that we had first right of refusal, image our surprise 12 months ago, when a good friend of ours rang to say he has just brought him, and could we pick him up from a show we were attending. Thankfully he allowed Luis to remain with us :D
Puppy update... they are not happy with me, tonight was worming night, I am definitely not there favourite human :(

Nite LiBBiE in Oz

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

And This Little Pig said Cow-Day-Wednesday + Puppy Photos

First a puppy photo to wet your appetite, and yes it is Podge, taken tonight :D Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth, neither will her paw!
Also an update on Mum, she is doing well her blood pressure is down, but still fluctuating, she has a doctors appointment on Friday morning, my cousin, Mum's niece Lynda is going with her, and we have made her write down a list of things she forgot to tell the doctor last week. Thank you for all your lovely comments regarding her health, she will get better.

Cow-Day-Wednesday are photos taken at home this last weekend. Firstly Alan the Bull has come to visit the girls. He is a Lowline (Angus).
Missy is our 9 year old Jersey, she rears calves, our other calf rearer is Alexis, and I didn't get a chance to photograph her, she is mostly Friesian with a touch of Jersey.
Maxine is a calf we reared, she is roughly three-quarters Jersey, she is approximately 15 months, this will her first calf.
Alan will be visiting Hectavena, but not straight away, she is Missy's last calf, by a friesian bull, named Hector, my youngest sister (who is 30 by the way) named her, Hecta after her father, and only heaven knows where she came up with the rest of her name.
Keeping Hectavena company in the goat paddock far from Alan, is another calf we have reared, she is a little Santa cross, she doesn't have a name apart from The Red Heifer, she won't go in calf to later in the year, probably around September, and she will have to be visited by the AI technician.
Now for the main attraction, photos taken tonight, Evie with the brood.
Chocie boy, all relaxed and chilling out.
Yes it's Podge again, with one of the chocolate boys.
The other black and tan girl, she is going to live with a lovely family in the country. They lost their old girl last year, she was 15 years old, it is a great home, and they are so looking forward to her coming to live this them.
That laid back chocie boy again.
Oh I forgot, I have managed to get in a little stitching... little is the word plus I left my LHN Family Sampler at Mum's, just after I had started stitching it again. I am hoping my cousin's husband can bring it down next week.

Nite LiBBiE in Oz