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

Out Back in the Veggie Patch

There is a mad rush to the fruit trees by the chooks first thing in the morning when we let them out.  I think they like the dampness under the trees and the little bugs that live there within!

 And the veggies?

They are doing well. 

So far this year it hasn't been too hot, just a day or so then cool again, so the plants are lapping up the conditions. On hot days over 30C (86F) we pull the shade over and leave it off in the cool.

The lettuces are nearly finished, so I have planted some rock melon seedlings in this bed.  They are a bit sad looking but hopefully they will take off.

The wire on top of the bed is to keep the birds off, and I hang old curtains over the seedlings until they are established.

 The capsicums are starting to flower and produce...

 I planted a some watermelon seeds about six weeks ago and finally they have popped up.

 I bought some burpless cucumber seedlings, 

these will come in handy for all the juices we are now drinking :)

 Grosse Lisses

 Sweet Potatoes are going mad in this weather, 

I think I should have planted them in a bigger bed.

Kale is still growing even though it is a winter plant.

We are having this in our mean green juice.

 Potatoes...

Tiny Toms

Oxhearts are getting very tall.

and  producing well

 Queensland Blue Pumpkin

Qld Blue and Yellow skinned pumpkins

Butternuts...

Zucchini's finally taking off, they have been really slow this year.  A bit sluggish like the weather J

Making good use of old baths J

 Left side view...

Right side view...

Six weeks ago I switched to a plant based diet, after watching Fork over Knives 

and 

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead

And boy did that wake me up!

Next I am watching Food Matters. 

I found there was nowhere to watch this one online so I have bought myself a copy.

I am feeling fantastic with oodles of energy J  

I have removed dairy and meat from my diet as my cholesterol was slightly up in a recent blood test. I am to have another test next month.

My weight has dropped by three kilos (6.61lbs) and my whole body feels better for it.

So with my diet change I figure I need to keep my garden growing. I have problems buying organic produce, because of where we live, so that means I need to grow my own. How lovely it is to go out and pick from my own garden, and to know there are NO pesticides used J

Are you a meat eater or a veggie lover? And do you juice?

xTania

Around Here

Some spring babies

These are baby Swallows J

And they were getting a bit hot up there...

The plug in the picture is the outside telephone bell.  It has been disconnected as it interferes with our phone line and kicks the internet off. You would think the birds could find a better place to built their nest. Gets very hot up there!

They ended up jumping out the nest to escape the heat...and hubby kept putting them back when it became cooler J 

Then they learnt to fly...

These swallows come back year after year...

We have had another lizard visitor, this time a goanna...

Caught him heading toward the chook house, and chased him away.

 Goanna's will eat eggs and baby chicks!

This one is not as big as they get, they can get quite huge...

Here are some pics I posted of another goanna that made his home here a couple of years ago.

Baby chicks, we have six newbies...

Chicken treat J

Hubby dug up the dirt around the chook house...

They thought it was Christmas time!!

Lazy daug....

Sleeping in the sun...

Hanging some pictures J

Lay out on the floor...

 Using newspaper trace the frames, marking where the nail will go, cut out, then arrange on the wall. Bang a nail in where marked.

Not perfect, but close enough J 

Sorry for my lack of posts, I hope to get back on track soon J

I have taken lots of photos, but haven't been able to find the time to download any lately, life has been really busy.  Hubby has been around the place a lot so when that happens, I get busier...

What is happening in your neck of the woods? Have you been busier than normal?

See you soon,

xTania