Local Knowledge is Helpful

 Today a local man was chatting to David and was telling him about the floods in 1956.  If you look at the power pole you can see the metal band to keep possums from climbing the pole.  The 1956 flood was 2 feet above the band.  Local knowledge is so important as even in that flood our house wouldn't have been flooded - but other houses built since that date would be flooded.  We did not have this information when we built here but we did build on the high ground.

Ducks are making the most of their new playground. This is one end of our road.

The paddocks are still underwater.  All sheep are safe.  We counted them again today just to make sure. Mind you their attitude is what you would say "grumpy"  I went out in the rain this morning to give them hay and they just put their noses in the air and walked off.  And I returned home with gumboots full of water and very wet.



More Rain Tonight

 No matter what the weather these happy faces appear in the dam.   I must plant another couple of water lilies.

 "Yes, Well I'm not very happy.  All this wet wool is very heavy and far too wet for shearing.  I found the best spot to shelter."

This flood has been spreading all day.  More rain is expected tonight.  The sheep are on high ground and safe.

Our Road is Washing Away

Today is not a good day for our road.  The water is rushing down and washing away the gravel surface. Early this morning the Council truck got bogged when putting out the "Road Closed" sign. The sign is now in the flood and likely to wash away any time soon.  The poor sheep are sopping wet and no shearing is possible on Saturday.



After the flood

Some strange items sail down our creek during flooding.  The latest item is this bookcase.  Wonder where it came from??  It may have been dumped rubbish or it may have been in a shed.  We had mostly tree branches to remove and also a collection of bottles and always plastic bags.

Remember  to leave a comment to go into the Tea Cosy drawer

Monday. Having a quiet one........

The sheep are staying close to the house today.  They must be fed up with the mud every time they sit down. Although I can see more threatening clouds the sheep haven't lifted their heads from the grass for most of the day.  Sadly one sheep drowned on Saturday.  I put all the sheep on the high ground but there is always one who thinks he (in this case it was a he) knows better. 

On Saturday I drove as far as Creswick on the way tot he Daylesford Makers Market and that is as far as I went.  I had to turn around and come home.  So I'll be back at Daylesford on the first Saturday next month.  As well as rug  weaving I"m adding  Tea Cosies to my website today and to  Etsy  tonight or tomorrow.  This morning I spent time in the studio taking photos.

Hope those in flood areas are safe and haven't suffered too much damage.  There is always so much cleaning up to do when the water recedes

Another Flood

What an afternoon and night of rain.   The flood is gradually reducing.  Last night all I could see was swirling water when I shone my torch out the back door.  No matter what rain gear I wore I still got wet.

One sheep is stranded across the creek.  I kept him (Broker) on this side of the creek all afternoon.  Think he is a swimmer.  He is safe and as he is a loner I guess not very lonely.  The emergency services workers would have been an intrusion in Broker's life last night.

I won't start commenting on some of the driver behaviour last night. 

Winter Creek

Along the lower edge of our property we are lucky enough to have a small creek named Winter Creek.  This creek is home to native white tail water rats, ducks, fresh water snails, eels, golden perch and lots more wildlife we are yet to find I'm sure 

Previous owners of this land planted Hawthorn trees along the creek and that's how my business became Hawthorne Cottage.

One of the hawthorn trees on the creek

The creek has enjoyed the winter rains

A lichen masterpiece

Now I'm going to put on my gumboots and take a photo of the flooded creek.

This is one end of our road.  The black mark is a rubbish bin someone has dumped in our creek - full of rubbish.

The sun is shining but the wind is icy.

Another tea cosy day.  I'll be at Yarraville market next weekend so I'll be back to should you some more tea cosies soon.