The whole northern half of the country was declared a drought region and water restrictions were widespread although this didn't affect us as we have a bore. But for the first time, we think, we have had to have town supply water - we only take that if our tank falls to less than one third full. Normally we just use rain collected from the roof - and you could certainly taste the difference!!
The garden started going brown - even the kikuyu grass was affected although that usually manages to stay green all summer.
The pony paddock was the worst affected - the top looked quite dry ...
... but was quite lush when compared to the sheep paddocks.
We were beginning to get a bit worried about our little woolly wonders until we read that they liked sweetcorn husks. This was good news indeed as we had so much sweetcorn and ...
... it had the unexpected benefit that they were instantly tamed. We had meant to tame them when we got them but they didn't know that they would like the sack of sheep nuts we bought them. But after a couple of days of sweetcorn, they came running as soon as we called them.
For some unknown reason, the plants we had planted down the pony paddock drive were thriving, even though we rarely watered them. And we had a new house or two springing up across the road.
Surprise of the month was that Dave finally stopped finding urgent jobs to do and started to think about the deck. Ironically the area was the site of the thickest, lushest grass but I gave it a short haircut in anticipation.
He planned an elaborate system to retain the good top soil from the deck area and use it for the beds that are going all round the house.
The wood arrived but will need to be stored for a while until it dries out. Needless to say Dave meticulously weighed and measured each of the 85 pieces.
And then some holes and some piles appeared.
And then more holes and piles.
Meanwhile I attacked the fruit cage. We were in the unknown position of having so many raspberry canes, it was a complete jungle! And here new canes fruit in the autumn of their first year as we well as in the summer in their second year. Amazing! So we had fruit on the new canes we had planted along the bottom of the cage in spring and which had spread all over the blackcurrant and gooseberry bushes.
And an enormous tangle along the two original rows.
Another new experience was shearing day, although our friends didn't seem all that keen.
It was clear they thought something was up but had trotted into their pen as soon as they were called. And they were now so lovely and cuddly!
But Alan the shearer soon put paid to that. It was very disappointing when he told us that our beautiful quality wool sheep did not have very good wool. He suggested we should have got our lambs from the lavender farm, which we of course we had!
Mo was the last one, and she has gorgeous chocolate coloured wool on the outside - which turned out to be almost black underneath. Alan reckoned that her wool was better and even 'quite stylish'.
All I know is that it is smelly in a sheepy sort of way, full of grass and other bits, and makes up a huge pile. Lets just hope that I can turn it into something lovely.
By the end of the session they had turned into skinny black goats which I did not like very much. The shearer said they would not even recognise each other for a while!
Another big improvement was the new nursery where Dave put some more pallets to good use. At last we could keep things on the level, now we just have to build up our stocks of natives for the winter planting.
We had a visit from my former colleagues, Julie, Nick and Anne, who did not seem to be doing a very good job moving the chooks.
And last but not least, we produced the most amazing beetroot, which was tender despite its huge size!
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