October Food.

October is coming to it's end and that means that so far this year 10 months have passed.

We are still eating mainly from our yard but I did buy 3 bananas to take to the show a couple of weeks ago.  I thought that buying bananas for a snack for us would be better for us all than chips or corndogs.

We are eating Silverbeet, Lettuce, Capsicum, Sweet Potato, Onion, Cabbage, potatoes and the last of the Peas,  Broccoli and Cauliflower.
Fruit from here during October was Oranges, Loquats, Strawberries
Still have a couple of Pumpkin in the cupboard.
Plenty of eggs.
I have sprouts, Kefir and Yoghurt.  All made here by me...

Daughter T made up and brought out a few meals that she wasn't going to eat,  Daughter L brought some Mulberries.  No meat from the son though this month...how rude! haha.  Husband did a couple more roosters...Who needs the shops!

Grass Cutting.

After killing both grass cutting machines it seems funny walking outside and having most of the grass everywhere down to a nearly manageable condition.  How can this be you ask?  C'mon, I know you asked, because you're interested, right.  Let's go with that. lol.

Son shoved a bit of rag into my mower to hold the bit that came apart together and it starts.  Well, he can start it, apparently my pulling power is not what it was and I cannot get it going first time.  Once it's been started I can restart it easy as but that first pull...I need to wait until someone does it for me.  I re-corded the whippersnipper so edges can be done...but the main thing...Husband bought himself a toy.  A massive ride-on.  It has more grunt than anything else here and cuts through thick and wet grass that is higher than my knees.  Brilliant machine.  Yes I too had a little play go at using it and it seems easy enough.  I cannot get it into my head though that it is a better way to mow.  It is quicker, cuts more, the dam area has shortish grass for the first time in 7 months...but sitting on it and riding around it's like...*this is no how you mow the grass*  I think it is because I have started thinking of the mowing as an exercise thing and sitting down and not walking and pushing doesn't seem right.  Hubby and son both love it so I am thinking that I will no longer have to worry about the dam area and the front outside the fence area as one of them will be onto it as soon as it looks long enough to be a fox hiding area or an *careful of snakes* area.

I on the other hand, will use the smaller *proper* mower to do around the house area and feel all virtuous while huffing and puffing and walking around pushing the ruddy thing.  I will think of the chookfood and mulch that I am collecting with a smug smile every time I empty the catcher.   I will whinge and bitch when I need to rake the massive about of grass that HIS! machine has cut and just left lying on the ground...Yep, the great mowing machine doesn't have a catcher, I hate that!  Not really but it sounds dramatic doesn't it. 

It doesn't have a catcher and there is a lot of cut grass that needs picking up but when it dries a bit I will pick it up and throw it into the chookpens.  It wont take long, not worth whinging about and really not worth mentioning.  I mentioned it because that is the sort of person I am...I mention things...

Son got my mower started yesterday and I mowed until I ran out of petrol but it was getting late and instead of refuelling and finishing the job I gave up...I'm hoping I'll be able to start it today otherwise I will need to wait until he, or someone with more muscle than me, comes out.

The race is on though as I want to get all the around the house area done so there can be no comments about me and my puny little mower when he gets home.   And that could be anytime so I have no time for slacking off.  Better go pick up the passionfruit so they don't get chopped up.

I Killed Them Both.

I walked early this morning and after breakfast was still feeling in a *get out there and do it* mood so got he whippersnipper out again.  It wouldn't start so I filled it up with what I think is the right fuel...did a bit but then ran out of stringline stuff.  My hands aren't working well enough to reline it so I decided to mow instead.  There is still heaps of that to do and I wanted a path into the shade area lower than the foot and a half grass everywhere else...Did the path bit and started on some of the foot and a half grass...Not long afterwards there was a bang, another bang, some smoke...I turned the mower off and can see that *something* has come apart.  HoHum, back away with that too.

So I have come in for a coffee before I start clearing out the chook sheds and getting half of the big tank garden ready for some plants.  The snakes will have somewhere to hide until
A.  My hands work better.
B. The son or daughter come out and reline the WS. or
C.  Husband gets home and fixes the mower or relines the whippersnipper for me....

Mostly being a useless old tart has it's dawbacks but really, the gardens do need to be done, stuff does need to be planted so this is probably a good thing.  It will get me doing what needs doing most first and the mowing will get done...another day.

All Mowed Out.

I had a lovely surprise when I arrived home after work on Tuesday and another on Wed...Daughter T had been out and mowed the frontyard for me and then came out again and whippersnippered around the front areas that needed it.  It all looks good so a big thankyou T.
And that is why I am so sore now!   I'm blaming that anyway but the bikerides over the last week will have something to do with it as well.  Nothing a good nights sleep won't fix so I hope I get one tonight.

Anyway, she did such a good job I thought, seeing as I was home all day, that I should do my bit so I started out the back.  It's not finished but after a few hours throughout the day it is looking a lot better and I should be able to get some more done tomorrow.
And I must say...it does smell lovely when I mow over the fallen and hidden Passionfruit.  Such a nice smell.
I have a bag of them inside now waiting for someone to eat them and I will make up some more yoghurt tomorrow to add some to. Divine.

Pulling grass out of the tank-gardens and searching amongst the weeds for strawberries has shown that the Slaters are back in full force.  I have set up leaves so they will all collect in one area then I will pour the hot water over them...That will get rid of a few thousand but it will take awhile to get the numbers down again.  There were a few chooks out there this afternoon but they were more interested in the plants.

We're still eating from the gardens but as things are being pulled nothing is replacing them so that could cause some hunger come Summer time unless I get out there and get some things planted.  Hopefully that will all be able to be done next week but there is so much to do.  I have been slack and let everything get out of hand...again...but a few fine days and a bit of effort should get things somewhat under control.

Are you planting yet?  What sorts of  veg do you plant where you are at this time of year?

What's Happening Here...

We've had no more animal dramas but nothing new or exciting has happened here since the poor cow episode.  We do have a cow somewhere out the back that hasn't stopped mooing since last night.  I have been out and checked on ours and they are all OK but I hope this mooing one is OK too and just in a chatty mood.

Yesterday was spent mowing in the morning, then inside when it got too hot out there but not much was achieved anywhere.  And once again it shows.  How can two people, usually only one, make so much mess! 
I did go for a walk and a ride so the day wasn't a complete loss.

I'm out for the next 2 days but must get the grass down on Thursday as with this warm weather we are bound to get a snake or 2 passing through.  I want to see them before I step on them and I want to know what areas to avoid.   Do you get snakes at your place? 

Oh!  I think we nearly had another fox in the trap.  One night I heard some yipping but it stopped each time I went outside and I wasn't going to go down the back in the dark by myself...but in the morning I went and checked and the trap had been set off but the door hadn't closed properly because of too long grass.  I think I did get one but it managed to get out through the small gap where the grass had stopped full closure.  I got the son to lift it so it could be moved, I mowed the area and reset it...It needs fresh bait in there so will do that this week sometime.

The gardens all need lots done to them to get them ready for something to be planted and will work on that this week too...though it is suposed to rain again...I have decided we have too many chooks but husband will deal with that one day when he is home long enough....not much else happening...

We haven't bought vegetable for the last couple of months.  Have had a few feeds of close to use by date meat from the butcher son so our food bill has been nil again.  I love having nil food bills.  

I had a lovely day down in Nannup on Saturday, went to the markets while there then out to daughters place for lunch.   She made a salad...mmnnn yum?  not quite!
Lots of *pressies* from that daughter and I will let you know what I got soon but for now I need to get ready to leave...I have 15min before I need to be out of here and haven't started yet!