The Garden

The garden is starting to look like a garden. The winter flowers are blooming just a little, and the plants are greening up again. I have added new beds and planted new flowers, some of the old plants are not doing as great as i would have liked, mainly due to the slugs. Well I thought I would share some photos.



This first one is taken from the garden seat. You can't see any flowers in this one but the are there.



This next one is a close up of the Mary stature, around the bottom of the stand there is a few pink flowers still blooming.




In the right bed there is also some purple and yellow pansies left. The rest will be floweriong soon I hope!

Baby Calf.

After many weeks of waiting, our cow gave birth to a lovely heifer calf. Now we can have fresh creamy milk again, and enjoy watching this little girl grow.

I went to take her photo, and she stuck her tongue out at me!

World Youth Day, Sydney.

After seven days in Sydney, I back home, tired, but very happy!!!!!!!!

I don't know where to start! so much happened.

I guess I'll start on day one.

Monday,14th.

At 8:00 am, My sister, Sonja, and I left on a bus with the others from this area. All up it took about 8 hours. It was quite boring really. That night we arrived at the college we where staying at. The place was nice, and the chapel was lovely! I was almost locked in for the night while praying in there. Which was amusing really. I don't remember much from that day...

Tuesday,15th.
Sonja and I left early, for Darling Harbour via bus then train. We spent the day in the City. Sonja was handing out broaches for her collage, so i walked around and saw alot of the stalls. I even saw Mother Teressa's relics!!! that was amazing!I was also giving alot of this from all the stalls.
At 2:00 pm we left for the welcoming Mass at Barangaroo.
We walked there with a few people Sonja knew, when we arrived we went to our allotted places. Because I'm such a shorting i couldn't see a thing, so we went and stood on a platform the toilets where on.
After the Mass we caught a train out to a Friends place for the night. It was really great to catch up and see them again.

Wednesday,16th.
I can't remember what we did all day, but i remember we slept in, and it was wonderfully! lol We went into Macarther. But i don't remember why.... lol We didn't go to any WYD stuff that day though. We caught a train into the city that evening, rang our group leader so we could meet up with them, and found out that they were sick, and the group had been quarantined. So after a few phone calls we turned around and went back to our friends place.

Thursday,17th.
Went into the City for Pope Benedict's arrival. I realised as we made our way into the city that my Camera was missing. We still haven't found it. So i have no photos to share with you. :(
The arrival was great! I couldn't see much, so i stood on the back pack... ok, so the muesli bars were a little out of shape after that, but It was worth it to get a glimpse of our Pope. :) I also was able to get a better view from a friend shoulders briefly. lol.
It was truly amazing just being there and hearing Pope Benedict speak. I'm sure it something I'll not forget!

Friday,18th.
My birthday. So we woke up early and caught a train into the city. Then Walked to Mary Mckillops Place, I have always wanted to go there, and so that was really great, When we arrived we had to pay to get in, and have our hands stamped with the word "Exhibition" on the way to Mary Mckillop's Tomb we passed some tents set up selling things. So we went over and had a look. In the end we brought some things for the family, and I brought a pair of rosary beads. After that we went to the Chapel and saw the tomb, touched it and said a prayer.
Next we went down to the Exhibition were we saw Mary's relics, and some of her writings.
For the next few hours we walked around the city, looking at thing that were set up, then we were making our way to Barangaroo for the stations of the cross, we saw a screen set up at Central Quay, and decided to stay there and watch it as we would have a better view and our feet were killing by then. lol.
I loved the way the did the Stations! It was set up really well!!!
Afterwards we caught the train back to our friends house. Where I was given a cake and a present. I really did not expect it! (((Thank you again!)))
It would have to be the best Birthday ever!

Saturday,19th.
Sonja and I went into the city with three friends whom we were staying with. Gerard, and his sisters Elise and Bethany. Sonja and Gerard went to central to hand out more broaches, while The two girls and I went to walk over the Harbour Bridge, and then on to Randwick. We started from North Sydney station, and were among the last to be making to walk so it wasn't really very crowded. As we walked we carried a Australian Flag with us, we made it over the bridge and then we started to fall into a more crowded area. after a while we stopped for lunch at McDonald, and then we were off again. At one stage i had someone ask me for a cuddle, and so i gave him a hug. He was quite a bit bigger then me though.. In fact i didn't even come up to his shoulder. That was funny.
Then Bethany saw a Priest that both her and Elise knew so we went and talked to them while we walked for a bit. We got handed a lot of useless stuff as we walked along and someone threw a booklet over her shoulder and hit someone with it. Oops. Hahah was very funny though.
we were very thankful when we arrived and found our places! And so the night began! We saw the Pope again, and after he left they played music though the speakers till 11:00. Ironically we were sleeping right under them, and the lights. The lights stayed on all night so we didn't get much sleep. Most the people in our group tried to sleep, But Gemma and I stayed up to 2 in the morning talking. We hadn't seen each other for about 6 years, so our excuse was we had alot of catching up to do. I'm afraid we keep a few people awake though... lol It was so much fun though.
Around 11:00 we had three Germans come though saying "Good morning, would you like tea of coffee?" They came back, and I can't remember what they said, but I started talking to them, they offered to take me to get a hot chocolate, and I don't think I'll live it down... lol.
They happened to be sleeping just across from us as well.
Bethany and i also happened to go for a walk and have a look around. Not alot happened there though. We tried doing some dancing but it was rather confusing so we left.
I also met alot of people i had heard of before but never met. So that was really cool, but I met so many i don't remember them all.... lol
And anyway, we tried to sleep, and I did get a Little bit of sleep, so I was ok the next day.

Sunday, 20th.
Last day there, Gemma and i happened to be the first ones awake as well as the last to get to sleep. So we both got up and went to grab a hot chocolate to warm up. It was so cold!!! I must of thawed out by the time i finished my drink though as i felt a bit warmer. The others started waking up and some of the went to get there own Hot drinks.
Bethany left hers sitting on the ground, when the three Germans I was talking to that night, got up in there sleeping bags and where jumping around in them. One of them got knocked over and landed on the hot chocolate! Well... the Sleeping bag was a bit wet after that! lol Good thing the drink its self wasn't the nicest, and wasn't to missed.
We had the final Mass said, which was very good.
Everyone was getting people to sign bags, or clothes or flags, ect. I had people sign my backpack I even got the Germans to sign it. :)
Then we had to walk back to the train. That was awful! There were people everywhere! we went to the wrong places a few times, but in the end found our train.


Oh and i forgot about the food! It was awful. lol
On Saturday as we walked into randwick we were given a bag with Dinner/tea/supper (whatever you call it) and breakfast in it, just looking at most of it made me feel sick, so that night all i had to eat was a timtam and a slice of Sultana cake, the next morning just the other slice of the cake. Then we didn't get lunch until 5:00 pm. But that was really yummy as we had Chinese. Mmmm.
Well that's it for now.


A photo of just some of the thing I recived while at WYD
Oh and Its all laying on my sleeping bag that i took.



I bit of a close up, if you look closely you can see my Mary McKillop Rosary beads. :)

First Drive on the Road.

Sunday afternoon, We were leaving my Grandmother's Wake. Now this wouldn't be worth writing but for one thing.
I drove on the road for the first time!
I came prepared, not only would I need my licence, and my L plates to display on the front and back of the car like most people, But i also needed a cushion to sit on, The drivers sit is to low for me,(or as most people would say I'm to short to see over the steering wheel) so now my cushion lives in the Ute. I started out all right, but i wasn't good a corners at first...
It was little bit freaky, I'm glad I did it though. It took me about hour (just a little longer) To drive a 45 minuet drive. Poor Dad and Amiee! Dad too over the wheel a few times, and I stalled it at a Intersecting, and was there for about 5 minuets trying to start it. In the end Dad started it for me, and then drove to the side of the road where I'd be out of other cars way. It didn't take long to get it going that time, and nothing really bad happened after that. Other then the me scaring dad each time I drifted to close to the side of the road.
It was dark by the time we arrived home, and I had to drive of our long bumpy driveway, as another car was leaving. When we stopped at the house we found out it was someone delivering flowers.
And so my first drive was over and done with, and I'm still alive to tell the tale.

Much needed update.

Until last Friday nothing much happened that i could write about, But since then a few things have been going on.
So Friday morning came and I went at long last to test for my L plates. For the last 11 months my family and friends have been at me to go and get them. Dad drive me in, and then went to do some shopping while i did the test. I'm not sure how long it took, but I was very pleased to pass! not one wrong question. It made Mum and Dad happy as well. They probably thought it take me another 11 month before i went again. lol
Then Friday night we had a bonfire with a couple of my little brothers friends as it was his birthday the weekend. It was only a small group (well as small as a few large homeschoolers can be ;) )
On Saturday morning, dad took me for a drive so i could practise. I had driven twice before, but both times i almost ran into one or another of our gates. So half way down the paddock he made me stop the car and the start it again. After doing so a few times i got the hang of it, but I need to work on not stalling... lol
I was just driving back when a sibling was in the road, so i yelled out the window for him to move, funnily enough, Mum was walking down to the paddock with our Priest, Father C. When they arrived i found out i had yelled a little to loud, as they heard me. Clearly!
Father C stayed for afternoon tea before he left.
Then on Sunday, My sister and I had a WYD gathering after Mass, We received our WYD jumpers, Binnie's, and backpacks.
Today was a fairly quite one, thankfully.
Tomorrow we will be going to my grandmothers funeral. She died on Thursday morning, Prayers would be most welcome.

We were meant to be having a bonfire tonight, but the rain put a end to that. Now we just hope the sun will come out and dry the wood so that next Friday we can have a fire.

After Mass today, My brother and his friends were talking, and for some reason, Josh started climbing the wall, (outside the church ofcourse!) to where there is a place for a statue, but it was empty, well not anymore. It has a Joshua the Great there. ;)

For all of you who were wondering, we found out the bat is a Gould's long-eared bat.

This is indead a very short, random post. I hope you'l forgive my lack of writing tonight.

Just a bit Batty.

Last night I awoke to the sound of rain drumming on the roof. This morning I looked out my bedroom door, and the veranda was flooded! My poor dog, Pippin was getting a little wet. But he was ok, he had a little mat he was sitting on, it was almost like his own little island.

Yesterday, my Brother Nick came inside to tell me he had found a dead bat. I of cause had to go and see. After making sure it was indeed dead, i couldn't help but study it. I have never seen a bat up close! My brother took a few photos for me, as I was holding it. So here a few Of them.

One of the wings was broken, but you can't really see from this can you?
Don't worry I washed my hands well afterwards.

He looked a bit scary, so much so, It scared my little brothers. Anthony wasn't going near it! he even ran away when I held it out towards him. *chuckles*

The bat was no bigger then a mouse! In fact he looked a lot like a native mouse with wings. I loved the feel of his wings, A bit like a garbage bag that's been stretch only a little more leathery.

Since that happened Chris (another brother) is convinced I'm crazy, Or prehapes a little batty.