Blog for Monday 4th September 2023

Yahee! I was up before four o’clock and I think even bright eyed and bushy tailed, nog al! What a wonderful way to start the day!

I fed my feline and made my coffee before going up to my studio to have my Quiet Time.

This morning Paddy was up bright and early too and he lit the fire as it was definitely a chilly morning. I think when I checked at six o’clock it had only just registered on 4̊ C and bless the fire as it was making things a lot warmer again.

Tamryn was up by six o’clock and she and Paddy left to cross the river before half past six to deposit Tamryn into her little car with all her goods and chattels, as she was heading back home (Terrigal, NSW) for a meeting later in the morning.

This morning arrived wrapped in layers of mist and when Paddy and Tamryn crossed the river they took a few photos of the wisps of mist still hovering over the water in places. Such a tranquil scene.

The river crossing

Although I had a showered in the morning, I put my ‘jamas on again until I was ready to leave to go and teach at school at lunchtime. That way I do not arrive at school all crumpled and creased.

At midday I sat outside and let the chooks out for them to walk around and for them to see if there was anything delicious outside their henhouse to devour. Whilst I was watching them, a lone guinea fowl was cheeky enough to muscle in and swipe a few bits of lettuce from the chooks while they watched on all startled-like!

Cocky Ollie watching the guinea fowl with unbelieving eyes!

Cocky Ollie flexing and flapping his feathers to impress other feathered friends!

Then it was time for me to leave the farm and get to school. Yikes! Not far from our farm there was a very large and fat brown snake (very dead) on the road. So, the slitheries are doing what they do best - slithering! Hibernation is over by the looks of things. Oh Rats!

I had to stop in at the Post Office to pick up a parcel – a gift for Kerry’ from us, which I will take to South Africa with me when I fly out next month.

I had a marvelous day at school – like most days I spend there. Today was a very good day as the kids were absolutely angelic (well as close to as is possible!) and they listened well, laughed and in general had fun, but learned the lesson well too.

I did an exercise with them which worked out far better than I had anticipated. It was to show the influence of peer pressure (this was for the older class – years 4, 5 &6) and how it can influence us for better or for worse. This was an add on to the lesson of being a peacemaker.

Each child got a piece of paper and as I walked around the class holding out the bottle filled with Smarties,, they had to write the number of Smarties they thought (without letting anyone see what number they wrote down) were in the bottle. Then I split the class into two and in their group setting, they had to come up with a common number again for the Smarties in the bottle. I then made them separate again, and on their own again, they had to write down their final guess.

In most cases the group setting made them alter their initial guess, showing how peer pressure can influence us for good or bad. But in the second group the one little guy had crumpled up his paper and when I asked him what his final guess was, he said he would rather not say. I pressed him to share as I said there is not right or wrong answer as this was just an exercise, he then shared his guess – and would you know it - his was the closest to the number of Smarties in the bottle! His group was way, way below his guess and he had thought because the majority in his group had low numbers, he then assumed that he was wrong! That was such a wonderful example of how sometimes you have to believe in yourself and not be swayed by the majority! When I told him that his was the closest guess after all, I watched a little boy grow in stature and the smile on his face was a wonder to behold!

Yes! Today was another good day in my life for sure!

On my way home I passed that poor brown snake, now merely a thin smear across the road. I may add here that I did not grieve! (Sorry, to all snake lovers!)

Ken had left the ute’ on the other side of the river for me to cross, so I was soon back home.

Ken was still sleeping, and Paddy was relaxing when I got back up to the top shed where I was greeted on the drive by one overexcited little Jack Russell named Raafie!

Today Paddy did more and more fencing, and Ken finished carting all the bales – there were twenty-one – of silage to our side of the river and then to the bottom shed area. Wonderful!

For our supper we had the leftovers from our braai/barbeque last night – steak and chops, plus buttered potatoes but this time served with the remaining veggies – peas and corn and pumpkin too.

We all retired to our respective beds nice and early.

I was smiling as I snuggled down under our duvet with ne little puppy at my feet. UYes, I truly love my life here!

What lesson did I learn today? To be more child like and grab life with both hands and just enjoy every minute of it!

What am I grateful for today? The time spent with children.

My saying for today is …