How about the serenity...

Well it's been ages since I last posted but that's mainly because we moved to our block and have had trouble getting the NextG wireless modem to play with our new MacBooks.





We are loving our new life but it's not without it's challenges. The veggie garden that I eagerly began the second day we were here has been abandoned until we build better fences because of the number of wallabies that invade our property at night. It seems the little buggers eat everything they can see. Then crap everywhere. I'm thinking about wallaby stew right now.





The grass in our lower paddocks is quite high now and we have arranged for a local farmer to bring his cattle in soon to eat it down so it's not a fire hazard. In return he's going to help me with my fencing. Right now they are munching down the grass at Peg's house next door. Here's a pic of the Black Angus he has.

We are also looking at getting a goat or two to tether on our weeds and possibly for milking, however it's a big commitment to milk twice a day so it might be pushing things just now. Though we are getting a rooster and some chooks so it's likely we won't have any more lazy mornings ;-)

New pics of the block

Yesterday our friend Jill from Kingston went to have a look over our block for us (Thanks Jill!). The report was the cabin was wide open and there was stuff everywhere. Arrggh, panic stations, ring the agent, he said he would go and lock up and take pictures. Anyway, actually the stuff everywhere was alot less stuff than was there before so it looked neat and tidy to us and yes the cabin was open but everything is still in there along with some extra things that I'm sure we can either use or freecycle. So in the end it was all ok... whew ;-)

Here's some of the new images:

All ours

Well as my darling wife Rebecca would say "It's a s**t load of land" and it's all ours now. We can't wait to pop that cork and bring in the new year.

Exciting News

We are booked to leave for Tassie on December 30!

Before then, we are going to finish the work on this house and put it on the market. We are already packing things ready for the move.

We're really excited!

First permaculture design

Well, I've been doing some dreaming about our block and this is what I have so far. I've just realised I haven't put in a greenhouse/potting shed so that would likely go between the house and chook tractor for daily checking. However, as I said, this is all just dreaming at this stage.

New Horizons

This is the view up the property from the gate (which is at the top of a steep driveway). You can see the old tree and the forests on the perimeter

This is the view across the property from the gate

My favourite - this is the view from the site where we will plant the house, which will hopefully be made from straw bales we grow ourselves.

Another view from the house site

Or new views.

We have returned from a very busy and very productive time in Tasmania. We have bought new land, secured a PO Box; enrolled Georgia in school (school in Tassie starts in Kinder, at the age of 4); opened a local bank account; found our builder; met the local GP; met the mayor and his dep; made ourselves known in the local establishments (there aren't that many!); found the laundromat and the hardware store and I have got work lined up, for if and when I want it!

So now we have a few things to do. We need to plan the house for building, which should commence in January 09. We've been in touch with the builder. We're discussing plans and things now, and knowing the lay of our land, it is easier to work things out in terms of position, north facing-ness (!), views etc. I have a lovely big scrapbook of our ideas. It's fun and exciting.

We also have to plan our accommodation. On site there is a temporary accommodation, which we will renovate to become the guest cabin. It looks terrible now, but after we have refurbished and clad it with timber or something on the outside, it will be comfortable. It will be small though, and I am not sure how I will cope with living in a 2 room cabin, coming from an 8 room house... but there will be 23 acres of land surrounding me, and the build will be in the pipeline. Our office will be in an old bus. It's huge. How strange, but soon it should be quite funky.

The land is 23 acres. It slopes. It has the feel of rolling hills about it, like all the area around Geeveston. On the boundaries of our land are rainforests. We will own approximately 6 acres of forest. It's beautiful. There is a creek on the border of one of the corners of the top end of the property. There is a 125 year old blackwood in the centre of the land, which will be for the children's cubby house. The 'cabin' is powered with a generator and there is a water tank for the water supply. We'll be looking into powering the place, probably off the grid, with renewable energy.

I can't wait to plant the veges and get some animals. I will get some chickens first. And a dog, but I'm not sure which type. It's exciting. We're really encouraged about our decision; the people we have met so far are very fond of Geeveston and they congratulate us on our decision.

Update!

Well. Things are working out nicely for our move to Tasmania. We sold our investment property easily and very nicely indeed. I have tendered my resignation at work, effective at the end of the year. Now we need to get our house ready to sell, and find some land in Tasmania. Both those should be happening shortly!

Monte is renovating the bathroom as I write this. He is very busy getting everything done.

Our home is a bustle of excitement. Even Georgia is eager to move to fresher pastures. She is very excited. Matthew doesn't know what is going on, but he is very happy just the same! He's walking more and more.

Recently the weather in Adelaide was quite warm, with temperatures in the 30s. It felt so hot. Now it is cool, wet and windy. I am looking forward to a cooler summer in Tassie. The average summer temperature there is just 21 degrees. That sounds lovely! I think the sun has a real bite to it there, but 21 has got to be better than 40+.

Going out to tea tonight to celebrate the sale of the house. I want to get a bottle of Moet but Monte doesn't like champagne.