It’s been wet here. Really wet. We knew it was going to be when the squadron of heron (our personal harbinger of deluge) touched down in the macrocarpa trees, but even then we didn’t suspect the magnitude of this omen. At the height of it, our full-to-overflowing, plastic duck pond floated around the chicken coop and our suburb was issued with the “don’t use your dishwasher/shower/washing machine/flush your loo” decree. No, no photos of the Homestead underwater exist; we were too busy tending the menagerie, drying the washing and hunkering down in front of the woodburner.
Which made, when the sun finally did show its face, sorting the latest firewood delivery topmost on the to-do list.
In the paddock, Misses Geraldine and Leia have been trying to put a brave face on it but there’s no disguising the fact that they loath precipitation. Breakfast in bed has been the order of late – and hangdog has been the demeanour. Things did brighten a little when the bleat of a baby was heard. Could it be, Geraldine was seen to ponder, that the stork has arrived whilst she was drearily dozing? Despite the rain, she checked all the usual places these happy events occur; she even got Leia to stand up to ascertain she wasn’t hiding anything but it turned out to be a false alarm brought about by the Ezekiel Tigerlily’s weekend visitor.
That little Maisy then arrived for a paddock playdate caused a great deal of goatie chuntering and disapproval, but did much to get the girls moving again.
There’s nothing like a little indignant outrage to get the blood flowing again.
Union Homestead 
How very unpleasant all that rain must have been leave alone not being able to put any water into your sewage system. Hope life is back to normal now.
The water has dropped and we’re all back to as normal as we get 😊
Flooding in the Christchurch area made it into the Canadian papers (in a small way, but still), and I’d heard/seen more details of it through my enthusiasm for Country Calendar, and hoped you’d not had to climb onto your roof at any point. Looks like you all survived, and the wood stayed dry. A log splitter! Now there’s a handy homestead device. A friend who heats with wood has one, and wouldn’t live without it now. Remind me who Maisie is? I keep losing track of all the kids…
Pleased to hear you have found a way to continue viewing Country Calendar as I think I remember this being threatened (Ahhhh! The theme tune is now firmly lodged in my brain and I’ll be humming it all day).
No need to get the ladder out thank goodness but the mud is of epic proportions.
The log splitter was hired – The Bean Counter’s back needs to be fit and well for the heap of driving he has coming up.
As for Maisy: don’t beat yourself up as she is a fleeting visitor; a lamb being babysat by Nextdoor.
sadly no Country Calendar for me – I get glimpses through the teasers on Facebook and that is it. Tell BC to bring a small cushion or something for his lumbar when you fly – that flight from Down Under to Up Here is looong for a bad back, and I found a rolled up jacket did not cut it for several hours like that. The old Flanders and Swann ditty comes to mind for your muddy situation..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjnOj9O16_I&list=RDAjnOj9O16_I#t=0
Sums up the situation perfectly with one small difference: our blood certainly doesn’t require cooling 😊
I admire the good humoured tone of your post. Confronted with epic mud, I would be more than usually grumpy.
With your pristine lawns and gorgeous garden, grumpy would be totally justified. Here things are a little more….rustic😊
But very busy and interesting in every sense of that word.
Oh sucks 😊
We heard about your awful flooding too! What a stoical lot you are! I am very pleased things are much improved – a little sunshine makes all the difference! I had a giggle when I read your account of Geraldine and the mystery bleat!
Poor Geraldine – it was just so confusing for her😊
🙂
Hi, Nothing like a lamb to brighten up the day. I have been gazing at photos on Facebook of two of my nieces soaking up sunshine Up North – one in Southern Europe where I swear she wore bikinis 24/7 and the other in Canada which is a tad cooler. Your photos of warmly clad family members reminded me that Victoria isn’t the only place experiencing wintry conditions. Bring on spring, I say.
Hear hear 😊