Merry Christmas

From our house to yours...

Merry Christmas

Happy New Year!! 

xTania

Hot, hot, hot!

This is what the heat feels like atm!!

Not looking good for Christmas this year...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-18/heatwave-expected-to-hit-one-third-of-australia-over-christmas/5163348

It reached 46C (114.8F) yesterday, 

it was supposed to be 42C (107.6F)...

By 9.30am today it was 40C (104F), 

Its going to be a couple of long days...

They have forecast 44C for tomorrow, but it is looking like the temperature may rise as high as 

47 - 48C (116.8 -118F)

I hope not!!

We just have to stay home and take care of the animals and garden in these temps!

Stay safe, cool or warm, depending on where you are J

xTania

Snippets of December

Beautiful sky

Healthy green juice

Unusual visitor

Australian Budgerigar 

Baking

Lovely

Pickings

Yellow

 A little rain

 Another unusual visitor,

Maybe a Kingfisher?

Different bird of the sky

That time of year again

Some family history

Our chooks

making themselves at home

 Construction...

an enclosed cage for a friends motorbike trailer

Country drives

 Yum!

Gifted apricots

 Corella's

munching on our Acacia seed pods

Last nights brilliant sunset

I am not getting much time to blog at the moment during this Christmas season.  

Christmas is at our place again this year so we are having our normal cleanup and preparations. I have family arriving so time will be filled with enjoying our special time together J

We are in the middle of a heat wave at the moment with high temperatures all week.

Monday 39C (102.2F)

Tuesday 39C 

Wednesday 42C (107.6)

Thursday 43C (109.4F)

Friday 44C (111.2F)

Saturday 34C (93.2F)

Hopefully it is cooler for Christmas day, nothing worse than a scorching hot Christmas! It is hard to get things done in this heat, and hopefully the garden can survive J

xTania

Waiting for the Train

Waiting...

Mt Brown

 Flinder's Ranges

 In the distance I hear the familiar rumble...

Off go the bells...

 This is one of the trains that hubby drives...

4000 ton...

 Hubby...

 1796 metres (1 mile) in length...

 On his way home from Broken Hill...

It is going to be a warm one here today 35C (95F).  

Our heat is dry and not humid in this part of Australia.

In case you didn't see the link yesterday Harry, this is what can be found in our area.  Although I don't live in these places this is what surrounds us.  And believe it or not I have not seen most of this yet. Sad I know...

These are our "mountains" 

I hope you are able to view them over there J

This morning we have been for a 4 km walk through the sand hills.  We need to go early to beat the heat and the flies. Saw a couple of kangaroos (I didn't have a camera), and the birds were in fine song.  A lovely start to the day and week ahead J

What do you have planned for the week?

xTania

Lots of horsie pics - Quorn Gymkana

A couple of weeks ago we went to see our Grandson ride in the Quorn gymkana. 

 Quorn is a pretty little town nestled in the Flinder's Ranges. My eldest and youngest daughters live there.  From here it is approximately a twenty minute drive through the hills.

Gymkana's bring back memories for me as I used to do this when I was younger, and it was so much fun! 

The day was hot with the temperature set to reach 42C (107.6F)! We prepared ourselves well with sunscreen, hat and some shade to sit under to enjoy the show J 

Blake and his horse...

 Getting instructions for the bending race

Ready?

Go!!

Blake is still a learner but is doing well.

 And here he is...our handsome boy J

 It was exciting to watch the older riders do their stuff...

My daughter, number 19 waiting for her first ride in nine years.

 Lining up

 She did well but will need a lot more practice J

 Blake needed some help from his Dad in the next race...

Race down and get the pole and return them to the drum...

More big people fun!

Love it!

  Blake with Dad and Mum getting ready for a medley event.

Get in the sack...

and go, go, go!

He joined up with this young cowgirl...

She had to dismount and pick up the billy of water,

Get back on, spilling as little water as possible.

Then gallop back to the start, 

dismount still being careful not to  

spill any...

Then back down to the end, dismount and pick up an apple in her mouth. 

 I remember doing this in my younger days except the apple was in a bucket of water and that was hard to bite into!

Back on with apple in mouth and gallop to finish!

They finished second!

 And Blake couldn't wait to get his prize, some money in an envelope J

A great day was enjoyed by all, and Blake had his grandparents and great grandparents watching which made it extra special J

I love horses and wish that I had one today. Do you like horses?  

I think you either love them or hate them!  

xTania