Well I figured it was finally time to get my butt into gear and update my blog. Three weeks have gone by now, but initially there wasn't much to report on and then we were so busy there wasn't any time to report.

Anyway as predicted in my last blog, time has been spent checking and treating cattle in the area. We also shifted some heifers that had 'run out of groceries'. Back home we would probably just say run out of feed or the paddock was chewed out but whatever floats your boat I suppose. Other than that I have been doing odd jobs around the yard and getting ready for harvest. The barn has been thoroughly cleaned out and organised to my liking. As well as the processing shed at the cattle yards. The shop has also got some attention, although the guys seem to just like adding to the mess and chaos there so I constantly seem to be going behind them and re-organising.

The colts have also received a little more work and they are starting to settle down quite nicely. All can now be caught with little fuss involved and have learnt to lead and lunge. They are probably ready to be broken to saddle, but Perry wants to wait until they are 3yo's.

Our birthday weekend was quite a relaxing time and Kristy made a cake for me, which we had on the Friday as that was my 'Australian birthday'. On the Saturday we celebrated my 'Canadian birthday' at the lake with a BBQ supper and treats that Candice had sent over for me. Everyone loved the Tim Tams, Mint Slice and Rocky Road so it was all a big hit!! Saturday we also played Canadian Football with some of Perry and Kristy's friends, which was awesome fun at the time but I neglected to put sunscreen on and ended up horribly burnt, so Sunday was not so much fun. Anyway it was a great weekend overall and we celebrated in style with drinks and fireworks Saturday night!

Harvest is now well and truly underway and is quite a lengthy process. At the moment canola and barley is being combined, and the Lucerne is being cut again for hay. The barley and canola is swathed (cut into rows), then the combines come along behind it to thrash the grain from the stalks. The stalks are then spat out the back and baled for straw. So I have once again become familiar with the inside of a tractor as I have been designated baler.

It isn't too bad though because I have air-con and a radio, unlike I did in the truck. It is also a quite satisfying job as it provides plenty of VP (visual progress) as Perry likes to say. In a day I can do about 140 bales, depending on what time you can start/finish. There have been some heavy dews in the morning, which means you have to wait for the straw to dry out before you can make a start. Then at night time it tends to cool down and the moisture sets in again at around 9pm. It is an interesting thing to see and do though, although I am once again glad that we don't have any farm land. It is handy to be able to grow your own feed, but I'm not sure that all the machinery issues and breakdowns are worth it.

Other than that not much else is really happening. I have become quite lazy in the photography department and am not taking nearly as many pictures as I was. I suppose that comes with settling into a place and taking things for granted. But I am still having heaps of fun so that is the main thing!!