Hay?!

The Kyneton Poultry show auction was quite an experience. The reserve price of each bird was displayed on a card on the pen, and registered buyers had one hour to write their best price on the card. It was like bidding on ebay but in real life! So my strategy was the same I use on ebay, wait till the last minutes then put in my best bid. I bid $35 on the Appleyard duck pair and $40 on the Ancona hen pair. Luckily for me there were no other bidders sneaking in at the last minute which always happens on ebay! So now I am the proud owner of Reginald and Beatrix Appleyard Ducks and Sofia and Sienna Ancona Hens. They all seem happy here and I'm eagerly awaiting eggs.

To cosy up their pens today I went to buy some hay from the Kyneton livestock feed drive-through shop. I said I am here for some bales of hay and the response was "what sort of hay?" There is more than one type? "Well it's for the chooks so I want something...ummmm.. comfortable for them to sit on." He said straw...you want straw." So I came home with four square bales of straw and I must say the duck pen is much more cosy...I will tend to the chook pen tomorrow.

The attached photo is one I took today of pretty mushrooms in the yard. They are scatterered all around the place and look to be straight from an Enid Blyton childrens book. I didnt even know they existed in Australia! I'm waiting to see some fairies down the bottom of a garden or perhaps a Magic Wishing Chair! Ahh magical Woodend!

Getting Clucky!!!!!

I am getting clucky...I think I want to get a pet duck(s) too....the poultry show is in the morning and I'm very excited! I am researching chooks at the moment - a toss up between Barneveldor, Gold-laced Wynndotte or if available the stylish Italian "Ancona". Hubby says I should get whichever one costs 3bucks and lays eggs....but I think looks and temprement are the most important factors - just like choosing a hubby!!!! Whilst perusing the extensive Kyneton auction list on chook-geek website "backyardpoultry.com" I saw someone is selling "Appleyard Ducks" - such a lovely name they must be lovely ducks... and a quick google image search shows they are delightful looking ducks...and if you get their wings clipped they can stroll around the garden and look oh so pretty!

Bean Counter

I taught Heidi how to shell the beans, I'm not sure what sort they are, the seeds are a lovely black and purple colour and Heidi was excited to find them inside the brown shrivelled up pods.

Feathering the nest!

Wow we've been in Wonderful Woodend for just over a week...and the rattle of the tram is now a distant memory...screeching brakes have been replaced by screeching cockatoos! Already we have lots of jobs to attend to - picking up Chestnuts, clearing up sticks and pine needles, weeding the garden; along with unpacking and setting up our home. We were going to wait till Spring before introducing some poultry...however whilst digging up the weedy vegie patch I've been thinking it would be nice to have a few feathered friends to gobble up the slugs and weeds and other remaining dregs before the planting of winter crops. So this Saturday I'm off to Kyneton Poultry Club Chook auction to see if there are any potential feathered friends to bring home...I suspect there will be so will take my cage just in case!

Turning Points...

Moments in time when our lives are transformed and turn a different direction. I have vivid memories of sitting in the beer garden at Holgate Brewery in Woodend on the Monday of Melbourne Cup long weekend .... on a glorious sunny day with blue skies...and we wondered aloud why we were living in the bustling city when tranquility was so close...and so attainable. And now, 5 months on, we have just 3 nights left in Melbourne! At the time we didn't realise it was a turning point, but now looking back realise it was!