Week 2- Farm Life - Live & Learn - Wharton Creek, Australia
Wharton Creek, Australia
Hello my beautiful people, I hope you are all doing well and enjoying reading my blog. I know, many of you are asking for pictures, I will do a blog entry just with pictures at a later point.
I just booked my flight for Perth, leaving Rockhampton on the 17th of December, planning to go up to Broome on the 20th, however it has been booked for the 23rd of December for 14 days, there and back. I am really looking forward to that trip. It means that Chirstmas and New Year this year will be spent on tour! Yay! It will be an adventure!
Monday November 11th: (Rememberance Day)- Busy Day!
I started with my usual routine and did all the laundry I had to do. It was much cooler today and a bit windy. Little Swiss got moved to the chicken place, not WITH the chicken, he is in a different pen, but with a roof and a blanket as he already has a cold and with the rain and storms he could catch pneumonia which will most likely cause death.
We got a call saying that drillers were coming, so I had to go and prepare the cabin for them, cleaning, making beds, bringing some food etc. I went to mop the floor and of course the bucket is metal and the poddies think its their food!!! So they followed me but I scared them away with the mop head! Muahaha! But after mopping, I couldnt leave with the bucket and everything, so I left the bucket there and walked back to the house, again with my mop head friend!
Since we had them coming, I had to fill the wood cupboard. I went to chop some wood and I am quite proud of myself as I was able to fill a whole wheel barrow full of it. No one was there to see it but me, but I actually had fun. Once the cupboard was full, I went to chop some more for fun but I got the axe stuck in a piece of wood! So waited for Carrie to take it out haha!
This afternoon, the clouds were getting really dark in the distance and no one told me that I should be doing anything differently like tying up the little ones and feeding them, feeding the big ones early, nothing. In my first week I was told that I fed them too early so I thought to myself: "apparently they are time sensitive and its important to keep the time routine", so I didnt think a storm would change that. It started to rain, thunder and lightening. Carrie brought the big poddies in, and I asked her if I should tie the little ones and she replied: "do whatever you want" - well excuse me but the care of the poddies is not up to me to decide since I dont know much about it at all, if anything really! So, I asked Rachel (the 19 year old one, the one who helps Carrie) if she could help me. She sighed, so I told her she didnt have to. She came out, and we tried tying the little ones but they wouldnt come as the big ones were there and wanted to stay with them so she said to leave it and we came back in. She told me that I should have done it before it started to rain but I told her I didnt know I had to. She replied with saying " well its common sense really" to that I said, "well next time I know to do it early", but what I should have said "its not common sense to someone who never worked with cattle before!!!", that comment of hers just ****** me off just a little! She also said, that there is no point in going in the rain and getting sick, but if you are dressed appropriately then you wont get sick!!!
So, after that, I was left with feeding the poddies in the rain, thunder and lightening in a metal fenced area! I had to attach the little ones and feed them. I dont mind the rain so much, its more about being surrounded by metal and having lightening above my head that mattered most! If it was for MY common sense, I would not have fed them at all until the next morning! Then I had to go feed Little Swiss who is in a metal shed, metal roof!!! I mean seriously, you live on a farm that gets a fair bit of lightening, would you not think of building with other things than metal? Like make a paddie for the poddies in brick with a wooden door or something, make a shed with wood and some rubber or something. I mean even the roof of the house is all metal, everything screams: "light me up!".
After dinner, we got a call saying the drillers will be coming next week as they would not be able to drive across the creek let alone there is no work to be done while its raining so the cooking challenge will come next week, in my third week.
Tuesday November 12th: Happy Birthday Lala for your 26th birthday!!!
Today, I slept in until 7am and did the poddies AFTER my breakfast, it was nice to sleep in. I do prefer however feeding them before my breakfast, so its back to 6am tomorrow. I did quite a bit of laundry and weeding the garden. I had to start the fire on again for tonight's roast. Netsa lighted it up and put some carosene in it (she did told me you are not supposed to!), it stank and after she left and I opened the thing to see if need more wood, lots and lots of smoke came out. I managed earlier on to keep doors and windows closed because the flies are particularly bad today but I had no choice to open them to let the smoke escape! Now, its finally burning the wood, but oh my did it stink!!! I am always a bit afraid to burn stuff in that oven as you cannot adjust the temperature and I am not sure HOW it should be cooked!
I cooked some delicious lamb roast with roasted potatoes, I should have done more potatoes as they were delicious. I also did some gravy, actually learned how to do it! Once the lamb is cook, you take it out of the dish and pop it in the oven to keep it warm (if need be), you pour the fat into a container and either pop the baking plate in the over to keep warm if need be or you take it, sprinkle some flour, enough to cover it, pour some water, mix it, put it on some heat and bring it to a slight boil while you keep spooning it, just for like 2-5mn on hot, then you take it off and its ready to be served! They really enjoyed the meal, I dont really like the taste of lamb, I still ate but will skip it next time I think or just eat a little bit of it!
Wednesday November 13th: - Car wash !!!
Today, I went back to my routine getting up at 6am. Fed the poddies, cleaned the house and had breakfast. Today was mail day, yay! I saw some wonderful birds called "Borges" (something like that!) and I looked to my left and there must have been 30 kangaroos standing on their 2 legs all looking at me! It was awesome, took some pics but then they hopped away! Beautiful. There is one spot that I really love on the drive and always stop there for a bit and this time took some self- timer pictures! Fun! Id like to go back there on one morning and go for a little hike up the hill as it looks so peaceful and beautiful! Since, I am so bored in the mornings some time, why not???
This afternoon, the wood chopping did not go in my favour, it was difficult chopping but I only needed small pieces and luckily there were some I had left on the floor the time before so I just picked those up. Tomorrow, I have to drive Netsa over to Jack's place and then we will go to town as they both have doctor's appointments, fun! I never been to the town. Initially, I was supposed to stay home as we had the drillers coming but since they are coming next week, I get to go to town! Ill get out of my farm clothes and wear something decent haha! So, I had to go wash the van, I scrubbed and rinced and scrubbed and rinces and its shiny white now! By the end of tomorrow it will be dirt again! Seriously, why buy a white vehicle in dirt country!
Dinner, well she wanted pork chops so I took out a bag of them from the freezer but there were not enough, so I put them back and took another larger bag out and I showed them to her and said ok. Later, when they were unfrozen, we found out it was bacon!!! So, I am cooking bacon with potatoes and carrots. Its not the usual bacon you find in store, it smells really strong and at this point I dont really like the smell, but I shall see if I like it as food!
When it was cooked she asked to put 3 table spoons and some tomato paste in a basin and mix, except I didnt hear the basin part so I poured in the flour and the paste directly into the stew. I mean it would have to been mixed with water anyways so I didnt think it was a big deal besides mistakes happen!
Netsa: "did you mix it in a basin to make the paste?"
Cristina: "no I put it directly into the stew"
Netsa: "No! No, no no, I TOLD you to mix it in a basin first!!! "(shaking her head)
Cristina: "Sorry, I didnt get that part"
Few minutes pass...
Cristina: "SORRY!"
Netsa: "its ok, now take a basin and mix some flour with some water, THEN pour it slowly bit by bit into the stew while mixing it with a spoon, stop pouring in it when it thickens"
Crisitna: "ok got it!"
Dinner ready! Its not my favourite meal, I dont like eating things with bones in them that you have to pick out.
Later, when the tension was down, I joked about it with her and it was all good. But she needs to CHILL OUT, mistakes are bound to happen, no need to make me feel like ##$#?#$@%#@ when it happens!!! Everyone learns by making mistakes so chill out lady! She was able to joke about it later, but on the moment its a little heated tension. Not really cool for the rookie!
Thursday November 14th:
Today, we went to Springsure as Netsa had her doctor's appointment. Its a town thats about the size of Sydenham in Ontario but not as cute! Its not very cute and does not have much character to it I think but it was nice to get out of the house. Its about a 2h30 drive there and back. Was able to get my toothpaste and some indulgence in cranberry juice (health purpose!). They invited us for lunch which was a nice treat. I was craving chicken so I had a chicken sandwich, no chicken here at the house which is too bad as I rather eat chicken!
Back at home and the negative starts....I just got back and Carrie and the 19 year old went at me, get the carrots out of the cold room (the cold room didnt work and it is commmon sense to take things out but I just didnt think about it), clean the cooler- I just left it there for a few minutes and it isnt even ours!, rack the dump stuff tomorrow as you put it on the wrong end and we cant burn stuff, then I tell her I had trouble feeding little swiss, so she takes the bottle, goes and feed him and then comes back and throws the bottle to the floor as to say: "couldnt you have done that yourself!!", just really passive agressive behviour and I feel I am the hot topic in conversations when I am not around. I am a rookie and very naive about things out here, but its not an environment I am familiar with and Id just like for people to understand that. Some do and some dont.
Dinner, just heating up the stew with some extra mash potatoes and carrots which I can do perfectly now. At first, I was happy with all the veggies to cook but now its quickly getting to be the same veggies every single night! Getting a little boring but its ok.
Friday November 15th:
Started the day with the usual routine and I was determined for Little Swiss to drink its' meal. He did with lots of slobber, I honestly think he is not doing well, but what the hell to do I know right? Carrie thinks he is doing well. If an animal cant even get up its not a good sign. He was up today but yesterday he was in terrible shape, I thought he was dead at some point! At some point, you just have to put an animal out of its' misery or else it is cruel, but maybe he is truly ok and will be ok. I hope so.
Today, its mail day, I went over to the dump and forgot to take the rake with me so I had to go back in order to clear the dump a little as I was told off by Carrie yesterday. I cant believe how much goes to waste as nothing is recycled out here because its in the middle of no where. But I think they should stack up the recycling somewhere and once a week or every two weeks, go to town to dump it. I mean even burning it all is so un-ecological, I am not a green tree freak hugger but this puts things into reality. I am not used to throwing everything into the same bin! The only stuff that is seperate is food scraps (except bones) which goes to the chicken and pigs, sometimes the cats depending on what it is.
Dinner: Porkchops stew, same dinner as the bacon but with the actual porkchops. I am not a fan of porkchops so I will see if I like this any better than the bacon stew.
Dessert: I am making MY brownie recipe which I made lots of times, but I never cooked it in a gas oven so not sure how they turn out, I just really really really hope it turns out so I can show off my brownie skills, if they dont turn out, I am doomed! Next, will be my grandpa's chocolate cake which is easy to do or maybe some apple crips.... there are so many apples!
My brownies turned out perfect and were a success, phew!!!
Saturday November 16th: Active morning, lazy afternoon!
This morning I weeded the garden, which feels very unsatisfying as there are so much of it and doing it by hand is really a little useless, I need one of those big scissors to do it but they dont know where they are and I cant find them, so I think Ill just do a full wheel barrow full and stop there everytime, no point in doing more really. If they dont provide me the right tools, well I cant do much about that! After that, I went to chop some wood, successful. Today was a very hot day and everyone just felt like relaxing at the house for the afternoon, some watched TV, some read and some took a nap! For dinner, it was easy I just heated up the dinner and made some veggies on the side. I also discovered that its okay to lay outside for a tan! Will be doing more of that as I do want to get a nice tan!!!
Sunday November 17th: Happy Birthday Ryan!!!
Today is my brother's birthday, turning 33 years old! Wow....getting old there! But still young in the head so all is well!
The day starts off with the usual routine and its cloudy today. Little bit of thunder around 6am. We have so much stew left, Rachel gave me the idea to make a meat pie out of it which is a good idea, I will have to learn how to make the pastry. It doesnt sound complicated but I am sure I will mess it up somehow!!! We shall see if Netsa approves of a meat pie!
Making the pastry was really easy actually, butter, flour and water!It tasted really good too, Ill make this more often!
Have yourself a beautiful week!