In search of the ordinary

Jembella Farm blog has had a short spell while we've faced some small hurdles in the last few weeks.
Brian's hip replacement surgery finally happened last week, so it's been all go for me here on the farm.  Daily trips to see Brian in Calvary Wakefield Hospital in the City will end tomorrow as he returns home. We shall really appreciate getting our lives back to normal. I long for ordinary days bordering on the mundane.
The animals have all behaved themselves and Daisy has finally become used to me milking her without "the Boss" here. She tried all sorts of tricks on me, but in the end I won with the help of a gentle prodding with a big stick and lowering the register of my voice to "hup hup hup" with meaning!
One evening last week whilst doing the milking I heard a car arriving and the dogs barking a greeting to an unknown visitor.  The visitor heard me at the dairy and walked across the paddock to join me while I finished cleaning up.
The next evening when it was time for Daisy to come in for milking she balked at the entrance, sniffed the ground, turned around and walked out. She could smell the stranger from the previous night and would not come in. A merry dance and chase through the mud, with plenty of stick waving and "hup hup hup" in my deepest voice finally won out and in she went.

Three hens have gone broody and every time I hoist them out of the boxes they squawk and fuss with their feathers all standing on end. I'm tempted to let them sit on some eggs and hatch out some chicks but while Brian is convalescing, I know that I'll have to be the one to do all the caring of the chicks once they hatch. Do I really need to add another chore to the long list of chores that need to be done every day?

The sawn firewood was getting a bit low and I thought I might need to regulate the use-age for our heating and cooking. No need to worry, these two characters had a lovely big pile of ready to burn wood all cut up for us within a couple of hours. Brian's son Michael and his mate Travis happily came to the rescue. Thanks chaps!!

Along the road on the next property is where the   Barossa Balloons
launch their hot air balloons early some mornings. Our property is directly under the flight path & I can never resist running outside to watch them when I hear the whooshing sound of the flame lifting the balloon higher. This balloon was particularly huge with an equally huge basket packed with passengers. It looked like it was having trouble maintaining enough height and I expected it to land amongst our cows, just as my own balloon adventure ended some years ago in Queensland. Those pilots are incredible at their craft and the wonder of the majestic balloons quietly drifting above never ceases to enthrall me. I snapped this picture from our kitchen door.
I can't end this post without expressing our gratitude to the many wonderful friends who have offered their help during the past month. What an amazing community we live in. So proud and humbled to be a Barossan. Sincere thanks to you all.... you know who you are.