simple pleasures of farm joy

Greetings all,
As i enthusiastically chatter to anyone who will listen about my plan to move my family onto a farm . . . most people look blankly at me, especially as we don't plan to be profitable farmers, just sustainable enough to feed ourselves.  Then i explain the happiness of my children running free & their love of animals.  

On the weekend, we went country . . . spending 4 days with my ENTIRE family to celebrate my father's 80th birthday.  The man is held together with stents, pace makers & blood thinners, but he's as sharp as a tack & thoroughly entertaining.  As my parents moved to the country recently, to stay permanently under the watchful eye of my doctor brother (avoiding a nursing home, even with Mum's Alzheimer's) that meant all we Sydney/ Bowral/ Brisbane/ Canberra folks headed for New England NSW.

It was a 4 day party with BBQs, dinners, brunches & farm visits.  While we adults laughed, the collective 14 grandchildren truly went wild.  My entire side of the family (sans my husband) were there, he's so sorry he missed out & i know he'd be wanting one of these tractors.  To say a tractor is cool is an understatement, just ask my children, cruising the farm with their country cousins. 

Our 3rd girl is a huge part of why we want to have farm animals, she has a natural affinity with nature.  It was pure joy to see her running around in gum boots, climbing through woolsheds & holding yards.  I know the teenage 'her' will tell the animals all her secrets.

While she drove ahead in the buggy (yes, she drove, aged 10, with a brave trauma surgeon as her passenger) i mentioned to my nephew, who was carting myself & 3 children in the 4WD, that we'd love to pat a real sheep.  Could i sound more city folkish??

 

I can't get my 4 children to stand & face the camera, looking candid & happy all at the same time, but look at these sheep, they are photography perfection!!  My nephew ran into this flock of Merino sheep & grabbed one to ride in the car . . . to surprise the-sheep-loving-buggy-driver.  We parked next to the buggy & called her over.  Look at the surprise on her face when she realises there is a sheep in the front of the car!! 

THIS totally made her entire weekend & her siblings were bursting with happiness at the surprise we sprung on her too.  The greatest parenting memories are the ones where your children are genuinely happy & loving each other!! 

The moment we got back to the motel, i emailed these images to my husband & she sent messages saying "please please please can we have a sheep, now, i'll look after it" & we both know she would too, just as she's our German Shepherd's number one carer. 

For us, it truly is the simple pleasures.  One brother just bought a water front property in Sydney, another is heading to Europe next week with his family, my brother-in-law is building another shed for his growing business . . . no one is boasting, we're just all successful in our own way & very supportive of each other.  They totally understand my farm life dreams & taking time out on this farm has only cemented it.
Then today, head filled with farm plans . . . i spied the real estate agent i like dealing with, in the area we're looking to buy a farm, at the high school Academic Awards ceremony.  My daughter requested i contain myself, plus he was there for his daughter not real estate gabble.  I kept my focus on her & the awards, i'm so freaking proud of my children.  Love Posie