On going battles.

Battle 1.So... in the Second Great Vermin War we have had to resort to Chemical Weapons. Our unwelcome residents have been multiplying and there appear to be at least three different families living in the ceiling now. The other day I went to close up the 'chook' pen and saw at least eight of the little blighters scarpering away from the 'chooks' grain feeder. The 'chook' shed is like an all inclusive holiday resort for these rats and they are loving it. We have ordered a new feeder that remains sealed until a 'chook' stands on the feeding perch and then the lid opens for them so that will put and end to this rodent Shangri-La.We have set out four poison baits carefully sealed inside boxes with openings that are possum proof. I saw three different possums outside last night.The baits have been out for two days and it does appear that the ceiling activity has lessened. Something drastic had to be done or else we would have been overrun.Battle 2.So...since our pig out at 'Blackbird' in Brisbane when I felt my stomach was going to burst I have resolved, again, to try and lose some weight and have for over a week now been walking down the hill to the Frogknot Gate and then back up again to the house each day. Already I am feeling fitter and on each trip I have been collecting a white quartz rock which I will use to make something later. Suggestions on a postcard please.

Shopping Possum.

Queensland police have now issued an arrest warrant in the name of Pauly Possum in regards to ongoing thefts which now exceed $2 in combined value and vandalism at Carseldine Bunnings store.https://www.facebook.com/douglas.m.gee/videos/10213107782482235/

New Year Days.

Things can only get better!

so...the dawning of the New Year was not so good for us.We woke on New Years Day to find that Amé was dead in her festive box.On New Years Eve she got off the eggs, that she had been sitting on for nearly a month, quite a few times and appeared to have given up on them. Hen eggs take 21 days to hatch but Guinea Fowl eggs take 28 days so she had already sat a week extra. The eggs were due to hatch on New Years Day give or take a day or two because of Arke abandoning them after two days.There was no sign of them hatching and on New Years Eve we chased Amé back in for the night hoping that we would find signs of hatching in the morning...it was not to be.We buried Amé in our 'chook' cemetery and Will took the eggs and one by one broke them open to see what was inside. The first 7 still had yolks but the seventh had a chick in it and it was still moving though bundled up in it's egg sac. It looked pretty close to being ready to hatch too. He brought it in and we put it somewhere warm but it sadly died too. We have four still intact and we think one at least has a chick in it so we are keeping them warm in the hope that it will survive though the chances now are very slim.After the false start with Arke we were thinking that we might end up disappointed come New Year but we did not expect the outcome to be so bad. Poor Amé, she had survived the fox attack next door and was a feisty thing, always on her toes and ready to run. Her body was crawling with mites. We feel so bad that we chased her back in there the night before too.To top it all Will and I both had stomach pains all day and we have no idea where that came from and I had to pay a $250 speeding fine after being caught last month by an unmarked police camera car at the side of the road. Doh!Surely things can only get better.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from Frogknot. It is with mixed feelings that I move into 2018 as I feel like I am leaving my Dad back in 2017 but life goes on and you just have to keep on facing forward and taking each day as it comes.May 2018 be full of joy, good health, love and laughter for you and yours.