Winter Days

Photos from a Winter afternoon at the park

We've been settling back into 'home' after spending four days camping with our homeschool group in the beautiful, but cold, surrounds of Mount Nimmel Lodge. It was my first experience taking the children 'camping' on my own - though we stayed in a four bunk cabin - with hubby only joining us on the last night. There was a shared camp kitchen, fires morning and night, several packets of marsh mellows shared around, and experiments with the survival skills they have been learning this term at our homeschool group. (Pics on Instagram.)

At first, I was so aware of exactly where my children were within the campgrounds, but gradually they formed their own boundaries and I let go so they could run wild and free with the other children. Cohen overcame several difficulties while out bush and I have noticed a real growth in his maturity since. It reminds me of the confidence I have seen growing in Emerson since she began horseriding lessons.

Upon our homewards return, we discovered that the last of our quails was missing, with only a few feathers and a trail of blood through the chicken wire in evidence. This time at least the cat is not to blame, and I wonder if it could have been a rat? Thankfully, our six chickens are all healthy and still laying four to five eggs a day despite the cooler weather. We really do have such a mild Winter here. In all our years living here we have never known a frost and even now my garden beds are full of ripening tomatoes.

I've let the chickens into the other veggie patch to clean it up, turn it over and fertilise it. I have so many plans for the garden, but it is all a matter of time and money - and I have had other priorities for my money lately - like camping and books. 

Family adventures, plants and books are all good priorities to have though I think!