A thursday mix ...

The colours of autumn on Farrah

Phew ... nothing like a moment on mother earth to replenish for the journey

Hale and hearty Farrah ...

'Oh .. A B C D E F G '.. Milana singing the sign

Daisy and Cosmos up close to each other and with a little calf

A chat about a hat between Daisy and Farrah

Scruffy face ... who me?

Just having a moments rest ...


Up we go ...

Wet sand is a bit tricky to dust off ...

Quack, quack .. whose this little duck?

Quack, quack .. who's this ... ?



It's me!



Jyra was very funny today with her little ducks hat.  At one point she took it off, held it's beak and went up to Magnus saying, 'Quack, quack.'  Magnus looked at the hat, then Jyra, then smiled and inspiration ignited.  'The ducks chasing me', he called .. and soon Jyra was chasing him with her hat held out as the duck, laughing hard and quacking at the same time.  It took only a moment for the other children to joing in and for 'little Jyra' as she's loved and called to lead the way into a very energetic and fun game for all.

We also had a real treat that was promised last week and Monique didn't forget at all ... Steve who comes to visit each week with his gorgeous gang of hard workers had promised he'd take us in to see the new baby piglets.  He and his gang clean the pens each week and so were able to let us in round the back for an up close.  Jyra stood holding my leg, Ted took 20 paces backwards, no way was he going to get closer and Dakota, Monique and Magnus took a breath and bravely went in for a look.  Thanks heaps Steve ~ that was a treat!

Steve, Josh, Lindy and Trevor ...

Ted has some great new mittens that came on and off during the day as he felt the need ... take a look ... aren't they great?

These two little cherubs ... oops, fairies had fun playing together and enjoying each other heaps.

... as did these two and the two below ...

We love making up games ...

We actually managed to visit some animals today; often it is not a priority with this gang! We visited the new little piglets and fed the goats and horses, however these guys just seem to love settling down somewhere and creating little imaginative games with each other. 

So ... a visit to the witches garden was a priority. Here we played in the cubby house making cakes and hanging out the washing. We did have a visit from the horses in the paddock next door and a visit from Pebbles the cat who Dan loves.

Next a play in the very soggy sand pit (the horse arena). Many a sand castle was built and they all ended up with very wet bottoms!

We all had a really nice day and I love how easily Mieka is settling in and that everyone is really embracing her as part of our group.



Loving the farm ...

Wintery wednesday ...

Frankie told me today, 'There's lotsa girls at our house.'  I said, 'Are they Frankie, who are they?'  She replie, 'There's Pepper and Mumma and my sister (Pepper) and my Mumma and Pepper and me and Dadda.'



Who made that noise ...

Well who with a child under 5 in their life hasn't talked about, listened to or laughed about a story about 'what bums do' or 'poo' ... seriously, our bodies and fascinating and funny things indeed.

Young children are eternally fascinated and highly amused  by what has come out of the rear end of which animal.  As they get familiar with the farm, they love figuring it out.  They also find their own bottoms and what they do, very interesting and very amusing.

Today while Frankie, Mika, Kornelius, Oliver and Samson were happily playing a little rumble happened from someones bottom.  Like animals grazing and suddenly aware of a noise, they all stopped lifted their heads and the question was asked, 'Who made that noise?'

The conversation that followed was very funny and went like this ...

'Who made that noise?'

'Not me!'

'Not me!'

'Not me!'

'Must've been Samson.'

'No it wasn't'

'Must have been Kornelius.'

'It wasn't me.'

'My dad's bum makes a noise like that.'

'Was it you danella?'

'Not me.'

'My dad makes a noise like this ... pl.ll.ll..ll..lll.'

'My dad makes a noise like this ...  PL..PL..LLL..LLL...LLL'

'Everyone at my house makes a noise from their bum.'

'My dad's bum makes a noise and it smells too.'

'My sister makes this noise .. pl.ll.ll..PL..PL..PL..ll.ll.ll.'

... and on it went ... very matter of factly with lots interest in what each other had to share about their mums and dads and brothers and sisters ... and of  course with lots of laughter ...

Finally one little voice piped up and said quietly yet very definitely ...

'Only my mum's bum doesn't make a noise at our house.'

... and the following photos are the only ones that could accompany a story like this ...

Frankie and Oliver having a great discussion about who did the poo ..

A little further on, Frankie called out .. 'Hey look, more poo, who did that one?'

Sheep Poo

Horse on the left and sheep on the right, great sign posts of which animal has recently walked on by ..

The rest of the day you can peek in the slide show ..



Nothing is impossible ...

As we walked across the open space between the Farm Cafe, Reception and  the Peppercorn Tree near the chickens on friday morning, Magnus bent down picked something up and looked at it with a delighted face.

He'd just discovered a long handled teaspoon on the ground.   He made one comment with a huge smile, 'Look what I found.'  From the look on his face, it seemed he had quietly discovered a treasure

For the next hour as we played he'd hold it and look at it and turn it over, continuing to play and walk with us, while having this other quiet process going on over the spoon.  He'd come to me at different times and ask if I could put it in my pocket while he climbed or ran or played some game as we went.  He'd then come and get it, hold and look at it and continue on.

Later as we walked near the chicken houses and woodfired oven, Magnus with spoon in, hand turning it and contemplating, suddenly burst out with, 'I know I can dig up the house!'

It was like he'd been quietly wondering all along what wonderful thing he could do with what he'd discovered.

He turned to me and said, 'Nella, I can dig up the house with this!' ... then  noticed the water tank to his left as he said this to me and itching with desire to start burst forth with, 'I can dig this tank up first.'

... and indeed he tried.

On top of the world ...

We welcomed Ella back today after her six weeks away in Switzerland. Ella brought some wonderful photos to show us of her time away. Thanks Ella!

Everyone loved having her back; we did our usual things like having cuddles with the guinea pigs, playing in the witches garden and running along the dragon hill.

There were a few moments that really stood out for me today one being Henri and Archie feeding the calf and the horse grass through the fence in the witches garden. The two boys were so happy and laughing so much when the calf tried to suck on their finger.  They were thinking it was so, so funny that the horse sneezed!

It’s the small things in life!

Another moment was during our time under the acorn tree after our big adventure into space where we went in our rocket ship and landed on a planet and explored. Luke and Eden were busy fixing the rocket ship, ( Eden’s laugh mind you was carrying across to all of us and making us all crack up laughing). Henry, Ella and Archie played 'Ring-around-the-Rosie' for about half an hour at this time.  What I was observing was that they all just really wanted to wrap their arms around each other and have lots of cuddles. It was so beautiful to witness.

While we were under the big tree, everyone went up a path that is a bit like a muddy slide at the moment. Luke got half way up ... that’s where I ask them to stop. He sat there with his elbow resting on his knee and his hand under his chin and said with amazement and contentment 'I can see everything from up here.'  He just looked so happy and like he was on top of the world!



After the rain ... mud

First thing friday morning all Monique wanted to do was find MUD ... and Ted wanted sheep.  Best thing was we found them side by side.

Monique could not have been happier ...

... and while it was sheep Ted wanted to see most, it was MUD he got up close too ...

Other moments in the day ... Dakota looking at 'fairy ponds' ... droplets of water on a nasturtium leaf that collect and move like liquid silver ...

Magnus looking like he was in quiet angelic reverie ...

... and Jyra looking pretty cute in her little duck hat and scarf ...