RIP Irwin as terrorism strikes Clear Mountain

Sad bit first...

After 8 weeks, the neighbours gardner and dog found Irwin while driving down our shared, very long and steep driveway. Actually, the dog noticed him first (or smelled him first). Peter, God bless, went and found him. He had fallen into a deep hole, kinda like a cave about 8 foot deep, and broken his neck during the fall. When I went down and checked on him, he had obviously died instantly, there was no sign of struggling or anything. The ground above the hole was incredible steep and had lots of ruts in it caused by rain over the years, covered by dense grass. It looks like he'd tripped in a rut and fallen to his death. It was incredibly steep above the hole.

We went down there today to try and fence it off and MOTH declare it too unsafe. Guinness had also found him, with a few piles of relatively fresh poo sitting just above where he lay. So, we are confident the risk to the other two is minimal (as long as Guinness is as smart as he makes out).

The support and help from our local community was amazing. Through a couple of Facebook and poster campaigns and signs on local roads, there were quite literally thousands of people looking for him. I received more than 500(!) personal messages, many from strangers, on Facebook when we had found him. In fact even today, I had a man at the hardware store (who I didn't know from a bar of soap) give me his condolences over Irwin. Irwin went missing on 30 November.

RIP Iwrin.

Now, onto the other comings and goings on the mountain. The Terrorist (some call her Bella) has quite simply taken over our lives (cats and dogs included). Who'd thought something so small (1.2kg when we got her, now 3.5kg at 16 weeks) could cause so much havoc! But, we wouldn't have it any other way - she is simply adorable!

Bella helping me garden today - she would dig like a madman and then eat the worms - ew!

Last weekend Bella tried her hand (or should I say jaws) at electrical work (was plugged in)

No trying to kill (sorry - play) with Max the cat

Cleaning Roman's jowels and teeth - again, ew!

House training is 90% there and she is learning some basic commands. Just need to teach her not to touch cane toads or snakes (not sure how to do this but am keen for suggestions). I'm thinking screaming like a banshee might stop her initially and then the fear of hearing another banshee might put her off...

Anyway...

We have also had a new addition to Upsidedownimal Farm. Meet Caruso...

He turned one on 31 January and arrived just days before we found Irwin. Guinness was brave enough to pop into the horse float and travel 2 hours to go meet and bring home Caruso so he wouldn't be too scared alone in the float. They have quickly become BFFs and are inseparable.

Caruso will grow to be much bigger than Guinness so he's very happy to be the boss - for now.

Over the past few months, MOTH has progressed from making chutneys and cider to cheese - yummy cheeses, fresh cheeses and now - smelly cheeses. He has even surrendered the bar fridge from the shed to convert it into a cheese cave (blah blah blah keep cheese at the right temperature) but I know there's Stilton in there so Mum's the word.

Today's freshly made Haloumi and some ready to eat on the plate - it was yummy!

Guess who I got a cuddle from on Australia Day whilst at the neighbours place for a BBQ?

Now called Vege Burger and a little bigger than he used to be

Last weekend we were all battened down for Cyclone Marcia, which ended up being pretty much a non event at our place, except for more than 500mm of rain in two days. Slight landslide (nothing too major and the Great Gabion Wall of C stood up to its reputation).

Rain pouring into the driveway drains

Bella was very keen to help MOTH digging the drains in the lawn (to manage the run off).

The rain was pretty intense and the animals were starting to climb the walls. The donkeys got a little creative with interior decorating their stall...

Lucky for them, the farrier had been only the weekend before so their feet looked fabulous deerrrrlllling...

Guinness has a bit of a crush on Peter the farrier

It's still early days but I think Caruso already likes him too

And yesterday MOTH and I, along with femme mini MOTH (now a learner driver) headed to the vets with all 5 inside animals for their annual vaccinations and checkups. Only took one and a half hours for the consult and it all went off without a hitch. The vet was stoked to see such an integrated "herd" of animals who all get on.

Just remember peeps - what doesn't kills you makes you stronger (except for bears - bears will kill you!)

More comings and goings @ Clear Mountain

I was watching TV on Friday night and flicked through my Facebook account. There was a post from a friend saying that she had just witnessed a bloke pull up outside her apartment at Redcliffe and let a dog out of the car and drive away. I was horrified. My friend rushed down to the busy road to find a very scared boxer trying not to get run over. She took him back up to apartment but knew she would have to take him to the pound in the morning. He was a sweet thing, very friendly and old.

I saw the photo of him and immediately asked MOTH if we could foster him. Surprisingly he said yes. She took him to the pound and he has no microchip and they were more than happy for me to take him as they well bulging at the seams with animals.

So long story short... Meet Jeff the Boxer.

He has fit in really well with the cats, dogues, chooker moles and donkeys. You should have seen Max's face when 3 red dogs walked into the house - who knew… cats can count! We went to the vet for a checkup and we agreed he is about 8 years old. Need a few more tests on his heart tomorrow but he is otherwise in good health, albeit very skinny (won't take long to fix that).

On the goings front, SirLoin has left our farm but he didn't make it to the butcher (I had to call and cancel). One of our neighbours has seriously fallen in love with him and so I agreed to sell him. He will have a long and happy life with his new BFF, Devon.

I also did a random walk around my poorly loved garden and found a few surprises. Tomatoes ready to be eaten (I haven't planted tomatoes for about a year), a couple of cute little capsicum, lemons (a little green but someone else has been picking them - me thinks of the animal kind) and some wild guava down at the dam (makes awesome chutney).

Am off now to don the latest fashions in whipper snipper and trim the electric fence line around the paddock. No doubt my two long eared friends will be there to help.

Oh, and my friend's premmie mini foal, Dumbledore, now has his own Facebook page - www.facebook.com/dumble1.

The comings and goings of Clear Mountain

Life has been pretty busy the past few months and my blogging has suffered.

We've had some new editions to the farm like Red Rooster, rescued from the local vet after he was found dumped. He's settled in really well and is quite taken with his 9 new girlfriends. Interestingly they are now wandering further from the house with him looking after them.

Unfortunately it hasn't stopped the chooker moles from laying eggs wherever they want.

On the goings front, the butcher has been booked for SirLoin. I'm no longer posting photos of his face because the backlash is too much. Seriously, some people really think meat comes from a supermarket. He was bought for meat and that's where he's going - into my new chest freezer.

I suppose the lesson to be learnt is make sure the next one is ugly.

He's also done the rounds of the valley this week, introducing himself to all of the neighbours - which hasn't helped with my plans for his destiny. He's currently bunking up with the neighbours Friesian steer for a few weeks until D day because he has no respect for the electric fences at our place.

The donkeys are happy. Am sure they would like a bit more grass at the moment (it's so dry) but with SirLoin taking leave, hopefully the competition will be a little less.

There's been another little miracle arrival - not here but at my friend's place - a miniature colt, 6 weeks premmie. Called Dumbledore, cause he was a Dummy Foal and is (according to the vet nurses) adorable, he's managed to struggle through the first three weeks of his life thus far.

Dumbles, as he's now known, has splints on his legs because his kneecaps haven't formed yet. He obviously has quite a few other internal organs that aren't also 100% functioning but he's such a little trouper. He was only 7kg when born and rides around in the passenger footwell of his mums car.

Anyway, gotta' get cracking - there's lots to do today. Hope you have a great day.

It's a fine line

Well HELLO THERE and sorry it's been so long. To say I've been busy is probably an understatement  (and a conversation for another time). Let's just say that I have finally recognised that sometimes I wear too many hats.

Over the past few days we have had record breaking temperatures here in South East Queensland and Clear Mountain hasn't been missed. There have been major bushfires on nearby islands, and my fire brigade have been actively involved. Similarly, I have been to a couple of fire callouts as well over the past few weeks - seriously who lights a fire on Christmas Eve and then again on Christmas night! [jumps off soapbox]. So I've worn my helmet much more than one would expect at this time of year.

I'm sitting here now watching the serious smoke wash over the mainland from the Stradbroke Island fires, visibility is limited and the smell is very strong. It's everywhere. I was asked to go over there yesterday for a few days but decided not to wear that hat.

Anyway… I have been thinking about how fortunate we are to have the fine line of (dare I say it...) harmony at our home. It's a very very fine line, which can be thrown out of kilter without a warning. I have two cats and two large dogues that all get on and (generally) adore each other. The two cats and two dogs that don't seem to worry about chooker moles (who are closely guarded by two donkeys). Our newest addition, the Miniature Galloway steer, is also discretely guarded by the donkeys, who generally don't like to share - an interesting relationship developing here.

The cow accommodates for the dogs and seems to be more worried about sharing with the chooker moles. Max the cat has also developed an interesting relationship with Guinness, the donkey. BTW - Max thinks he's a dog and I've been able to train him to come, sit and lie down. Hmmm.

This fine line also runs into our gardens. I've installed 600mm chain wire fence as a boundary for all garden beds and the chooker moles can jump it but just don't. I have never seen them in the vege garden but have occasionally seen them in one of the other garden beds. It's a fine line.

Tomorrow I'm going to have to pretty myself up after two weeks of leave and put on another hat - the one that makes me the money (very important hat). Soon I'll put on some other hats that represent various organisations and associations I'm involved with also. Maybe I'll take a couple off - who knows… that's also a fine line.

But as we enter the new year I have a feeling of accomplishment - I've achieved heaps in the past year and even the past two weeks. Can't wait for the rest of 2014 to BRING IT ON!

Whatever you do - don't look into his eyes

Sir Loin of Clear Mountain arrived today and he's not happy. He's been mooing his head off and the donkeys are stealing his hay.

Not a good start but the fence is on and I've had to run a third tape (cause he would have gone under the other two).

Roman is quite taken with him

He's a year old (last week) and will be with us for 6 - 12 months before he moves into the freezer. At the moment he's 94cm tall and weighs only 165kg - has some growing still to do.

Just don't look into his eyes...

Sir Loin of Clear Mountain is coming tomorrow

WARNING: Cute pictures follow

We've finally decided on a suitable breed for a meat cow (ie. with a future in the freezer) and have named it appropriately, Sir Loin.

Finally, he's on his way and will be here tomorrow. 

Plan is to let him help the donkeys graze the property for the next twelve months or so and then it'll be time to trade him in for a smaller one by popping him in the freezer (most people don't want to know the detail of this part).

Much research has dictated that we chose a Miniature Galloway for their beautifully marbled meat. 

Problem is they're very cute...

Hope he likes donkeys...