Another fencing job.....

People often ask me when my beloved is not present, "What's he up to at the moment?"

This time of year it is always fencing......their response is usually, "Gosh he can't have too much left!"

In a previous post, "On a Monday morning" I eluded to us him starting another fence. Fencing on your own is a long and arduous task, lots of walking, I really should have bought him a pedometer before all of this, would have made an interesting stat!

This is a fence in a breeder paddock. The end of it feeds into another new laneway to the yards. Laneways are a cost effective, labour efficient system whereby no pressure on animals means happy cows and calves.

It wasn't that long ago the original paddock took 5 of us to muster, with this fence finished 2 could do it.

The vision is to keep our operation simple; to make it easy for the cattle, which means easier for us and whomever else gets to help on that day. Fences provides an opportunity to rest country and therefore also beneficial to our environment.....it is what sustains us and it is at the very heart of our operation.

My day job, teaching two boys, doesn't allow much scope for any big projects, so to be a part of this feels like I make some contribution to the business, other than the financial side.

The wide open spaces out here still makes the heart flutter, but today I had to sight the line...funny as I have bad eye-sight!

Posts ready and waiting

What he had done to date.

A little interest being shown from the residents,

apparently this heifer always makes herself known!

A picture tells a thousand words

"What the heck is he up to now!"

At this point both of us were a little frustrated with them standing right on the line!

The boys were obviously busy with their own antics, the joke must have been funny!

Nothing like good old fashioned play....enjoying our backyard.

Hurrying back to us, our job is done!

 

I am pleased to report, the fence is finished, he arrived home around 7, glasses were chinked. Now on to the next fence, to finish a lane way for the steers. I think he can see the end for another year!

It's a Dogs Life.....Duke

It is a longstanding relationship I have with this dog.

He arrived at the age of 1 and a half when Rohan was the same age. Mr brother-in-laws father was a Labrador Retriever breeder and he was loaned to us, to return only to serve bitches at the right time.

He is my dog, Duke barks at everyone else (needless to say it makes him unpopular with the male folk in my life) but he does it just to let me know they are here.

He has survived a dingo attack and has been known to venture to the neighbours for a chat. He is rising 10 and suffering from all of the ailments of old age and the heat (note shaved neck line). Things are a bit brighter for him at the moment, new dog food has eased the arthritis and treatments twice a day for the hot spots and infected ears has cleared it all up. Part of my retirement fund now lies with the Vet but I wouldn't have it any other way.

We all went hiking this week, down the fire break to the creek which feeds into the dam.

The pictures tell the rest of the story....

IT'S A DOGS LIFE

Aahh, that's cooler!

Needless to say a bath was in order when we returned.

Did I say things were brighter, whilst I was away overnight he went roaming and can barely walk....sigh! He is lucky to be alive with having just 1080 baited, maybe this dog is really a cat with 9 lives.