I woke to a beautifully foggy morning, tree tops disappearing into the mist, everything wonderfully still and quiet.
What a lovely way to end a holiday and return to regular life.
Now the sun is shining, the sky is clear and blue, and everywhere I look something is blooming.
I had every intention of writing a post for you yesterday, but my plans were thwarted by the Great Goat Raid of 2012 in which a gaggle of goats got into my garden and decimated it.
This is not to be confused with the Great Chicken Raid of 2012 in which a passel of chickens did exactly the same thing a few weeks ago. Gosh. 🙂 There may have been a few frustrated tears spent and the air might have been tinged a slight blue after some choice words were expressed, but in the end there was nothing for it but to don my big gardening hat and get to work. Planting a garden once is a job in itself, but THREE TIMES in one spring? Sigh. 🙂
Needless to say we are taking steps to turn my garden into a veritable fortress, and Bear is giving me a trip to the nursery to get replacement seedlings, bless him. 🙂 So hopefully one day soon my garden will look like this again.
Aside from these minor catastrophes, I’ve had a fantastic stay-cation on this little Aussie goat farm I love so much. As a travel writer, few things make me happier than packing my suitcase and heading off to explore new places, but every now and then I need a real break, one where I can rest without the pressure of seeing and doing. That’s what I did on this Spring Break and it was marvelous.
I slept in, had long, leisurely breakfasts, read all sorts of interesting books, watched movies, took little day trips to various markets, thrift stores, and garden centers, tried out new recipe ideas that have been simmering away in my imagination, and started sorting through the boxes that were shoved in my wardrobe when I arrived and haven’t been organized since.
I’ve also been learning a new skill: wood-burning. So fun!! It’s like drawing next to a campfire, the intoxicating scent of burnt wood filling the air as I cover bare wood with all sorts of etchings. These are my first attempts at the craft, and I can’t wait to learn more.
Some really good things have happened too. I took on two more writing jobs that are proving to be so much fun: travel stories and a history book. I love the challenge of these projects and it’s great to shake out my rusty vocabulary and put a delectable array of marvy words to good use.
The best news of all is that I received confirmation this weekend that the first phase of my Australian visa has been granted and I am now eligible for Medicare. 🙂 HOORAY! HOORAY!!! I am beyond excited and so grateful. All these months of seemingly endless paperwork have been worth it.
Now, dear ones, I’m going to sit back with my coffee, enjoy this morning sunshine and attempt to get over the dreadful cold that hit me last night.
What are your favorite memories from the last two weeks?
Some wonderful memories over the last two weeks would be in no particular order: Lunching with two girl friends and laughing myself sore, : D the first episode of the new series 2 Greedy Italians (still hungry), the aroma of Orange & Whisky Marmalade bubbling away on the hob. Inventing new Whoopie Pie recipes and a bowl of chicken short soup – comfort in a bow. I’m hoping my next wonderful memory will be when this durge finally takes off. : )
Just reading your first memory made me laugh all over again!! 🙂 Oh girl, I miss you. 🙂 Can’t wait for our next get together. XO
Aargh! Marauding animals! My parents have similar problems from time to time, except that it’s usually cattle. When I was home in the summer they got in and had all of the sweetcorn which was all just about ready to be picked, as well as churning up the lawn and making a heck of a mess. Daft beasts.
Daft is right, @twitter-91303570:disqus !!! I love them but grrrr, they’d make a saint swear sometimes. 🙂
There is nothing like the promise of new plants.
I have really enjoyed just staying home the last two weeks and doing nothing, home is my vacation.
I’m so glad you are having a great staycation too, Ayngelina. 🙂 Hope you get all rested up for your next adventure. 🙂
Congratulations on so many levels Krista!
Thank you so much, Val!!! There is much celebrating in my heart I can tell you. 🙂
beautiful place and sorry about the garden
Thanks so much, @twitter-18318632:disqus 🙂
Oh so sorry about your garden but congratulations on the other great things going on!!
Thank you, @alicia_efh:disqus 🙂 I reckon we have to take the good with the bad, eh? 🙂
grrrrrr those goats. i remember being devastated when my very first window box garden was torn up by marauding squirrels. i have forever since been very very sympathetic to farmers. mother nature can be as formidable a foe as she can be a partner. glad about all the other great news tho! hope the cold gets better quick so you can enjoy the spring.
Ohhh, that would be so frustrating, Paradis!! Thanks for your understanding commiseration. 🙂
Surely those beautiful goats couldn’t do this….!! Glad you’re all rested up and ready to head into spring.
Hard to believe, isn’t it, Jenny? 🙂 They had a marvelous time eating their way through my garden. 🙂
Yaay for the visa!!!! Your staycation sounds fantastic!
Thanks so much, Andrea! 🙂 It was marvelous. 🙂
Brilliant news about your visa. Sad news about your garden. But you can go to the nursery again and pick your replacement seedlings. I love your wood burning efforts – all the best with improving that skill Krista 🙂
Thank you, @wanderingsheila:disqus I am SO excited about the visa. 🙂 Yesterday I got to go to the nursery and it was so much fun finding replacements and some new things to add. 🙂
I guess it all evens out… but the visa thing is definitely awesome!
You’re so right, Hogga. 🙂 I’m THRILLED about the visa! 🙂
Congratulations Krista – on the visa, on your resilience to keep your garden , a garden….despite goats, chickens and all else. Lots of love X X X
Thank you very much, dear @kitchen_butterfly:disqus 🙂 I keep telling myself it’s worth it, and it is. 🙂 XO
I’m sorry about your garden but your farm in Australia sounds so fabulous and it’s beautiful too. Congrats on the new writing jobs! How exciting.
I’m so intrigued by the wood-burning. That looks like so much fun. Happy spring to you!
Happy spring to you too, @ed9b06c3d60e248b460570843178f70f:disqus 🙂 Or should I say Autumn? 🙂 The wood-burning is so much fun, and I may force you into more images of my various attempts at it. 🙂
Oh no – and I thought I had it bad with snails!! Goats and chickens too would just kill me! Your staycation sounds fantastic – I always promise myself one and when the holiday comes…. the lure of travel proves just too strong and I’m off again 🙂
I reckon this staycation is one of the perks of being flat broke. 🙂 It was an unexpected and treasured gift. 🙂
Oh no… your goats have good taste! I must say that would upset me at first but… goats are so cute had I had a herd they would probably get away with anything. I love animals lol
Congrats on your visa. It makes such a difference! Hope your cold is now history and that you are enjoying early Spring in the Southern Hemisphere. cheers.
Heguiberto