mini hounds - maxi love...

since just before christmas
our summer holidays have been filled to overflowing with all things puppy...

 

 

oh how quickly they have grown

and found a place in the hearts of everyone here at the creek

boots has taken up the job of watch cat 

when the mini hounds are in their day pen in the orchard

 

...

now at 5 weeks we are starting to talk about how many we can realistically keep

each one is an individual with special qualities 

 

ahhhhck!  I want to keep them ALL!!!!!

 we ARE keeping 2 or three.... or.... shhhhh don't tell farmer phil!

We've been interviewing folk for prospective forever homes for the hounds

(ooooo there are some very lucky puppies -

 I feel happy about the future of those not staying with us)

(can you tell which puppy has been vying for a 'forever home' with me?)

 

 sigma -- aka siggy-stardust aka tiggy-tiggy

 oooooo my heart!

...

2014 - international year of family farming

Most of you who have swung past here regularly know that

I live on a farm...

a family farm.....

and, just like my farming man,
generations of my family have farmed right here in the Bega Valley...



(yup - that's mini me with my daddio and 2 grandfathers - here at sams creek in the 1960s)


so I was choffed to read that 2014 has been declared by the UN as

the International Year of Family Farming

and the timing for me couldn't be more perfect

on Christmas Eve I received notice that I officially passed my MFA
(phew!)

although I'll be keeping on keeping on 'making stuff' in the studio
I promised myself and the family that this year was going to be our year of

Family and Farm

sooooo this New Years day
I'm not issuing my traditional list of things I hope to get up to in 2014
(I'm still trying to get around to learning to bake bread....
something that's been on my 'to-do' lists for over a decade now!!!)
 

rather throughout the year I'll slowly tell you all about
some of the exciting projects that I'm involved in
that also involve
Family and Farm
(and family farming!)

shortly I'll tell you more about

Black Wattle Place Based Education

and

Australian Permaculture Magazine

and

some special creek restoration projects
(and an even more exciting wildlife corridor project
that I hope the family farms will be involved in)

and

other farm/garden happenings

and

oh, ok, you KNOW there will be arty bits....

lots of arty bits...

(you *know* how artists are!)

BUT

this year I'm hoping to spend more time with my fingers in farm dirt
than I do in the digital realm
(hmmmm that sounds suspiciously like a new years resolution...)


Today I'm bringing in the New Year

with a nice long walk around the family farm




Happy New Year ya'll!


...