Painting and Paddocks

It's Saturday and the beginning of a welcome weekend after yet another busy week.  They just keep on coming this time of the year, don't they!

Lets see. The deck posts, chairs and downpipes have been given their second and final coat of paint. 

It was much harder work than the first coat. I don't quite know why, especially as Mr Potts, the emu, wasn't trying to help me paint this time.  (Show Mr Potts a paint brush and suddenly he won't leave me alone.  Ditto spray painting.  Ditto power tools.  'Have. Craving. Must. Investigate' ). 

I'll have to capture his obsession on video one day....

It wasn't until I had nearly finished painting and commented to my daughter that Mr Potts had not been creating his usual brand of havoc that the penny dropped.  'He's being lulled to sleep by the Christmas music!', she told me.

And there, under a tree a few metres away, was Mr Potts, happily tucked up with eyes half closed, peaceful and snoozy, swaying gently in time to the beat of Christmas tunes coming from my ipod deck.

What can I say? This emu truly belongs on Jingle Bells Farm : )

So.  This week:
Deck painted?  Check.
Cast iron chairs and table spray painted? Check.
5 new chicks hatched in the incubator? Check.
Christmas decorations pulled out from storage and waiting to be tackled?  Check.
Schooling done? Check.
Catch up with a bunch of schooling friends? Check.
Supplies ordered and delivered for today's project to set up the horse Paddock Paradise?  Well.....still waiting on the replacement energisers and electric braid to arrive, but the posts are going in today, the insulators, earthing rods and all else will be done and the moment the braid arrives I'll have it up and running. 

Last on my list of things to get done this weekend is tearing down the poultry run and putting up a new area for the ducks and geese to bed at night. 

Wish me luck!

The Paddock Paradise-Finally!

Busyness has struck Jingle Bells, with another major project about to be tackled AND Christmas coming up fast.

I've been waiting for a day of sunshine to complete the second coat of paint  on the verandah posts, trim and chairs, and in the meantime we've been catching up with friends, schooling, and getting a little Christmassy with some party preparations for our annual Christmas Party on the farm.

As for that major project I mentioned, this weekend the horses are getting a big surprise- their Paddock Paradise is finally happening.
The posts have been ordered and due to arrive tomorrow, the electric braid on it's way, and the new paddock set up is marked and ready to be implemented come Saturday. It's going to be an exhausting couple of days replacing the old ringlock and star pickets, but I can't wait to get this project tackled and done.

And Zanda should be content to stay on his own side of the fence line come Monday...

Cheeky!!!!!!!!

Zanda has perfected the art form of unlatching the paddock gate and letting himself out for the occasional romp around the homestead.  It will be interesting watching him try his Houdini act once the fence is electrified : )