Notes on Andrew Belinda & Benjamin Lattimore

How To Catch A Chicken….not!

Our four little hens needed to be put in the chook house early as we were heading to the coast for the evening. Mum and I sent Dad and Andrew to do the job. It took a little longer than expected. It was quite amusing. I am not sure how two tiny Silkies can cause so much running around, arm flapping and puffing. Andrew and Dad would corner the hens, go to pick them up and they would just fly in their faces. It was really hard not to laugh! Once the job was done Dad and Andrew looked a little worse for wear – red faced and covered in sweat. It was a great giggle! Thanks xo

Our New Visitor!!!

If you were driving through Pine Mountain this afternoon you could have been mistaken that you were watching a bad comedy show. It all began around 4.oopm, I noticed a gentleman on his afternoon walk stop to admire our chickens. At the time I thought this was lovely. But about half an hour later I went to the ladies…… and looked out the window to admire the peaceful view and I saw this huge bird attacking the chickens…. something the not so gentlemanly gentleman must have stopped to watch. So nice of him to knock on the door and let me know. I raced out of the bathroom (still pulling up pants) to save Honda, Buzz, Penny Penny and Woof. Bonnie came running with me and Ben stood on the verandah screaming that something was killing his chickens! I reached the chicken’s gate and realised I had nothing to shoo this horrible bird away. I raced back on the verandah and grabbed the plastic watering can (not sure what I was thinking). I am certain at this point I still had not done up my pants and realised that I could not open the gate, hold my pants up and hold the watering can at the same time. I dropped the watering can, did up the pants and was in the pen thinking…… Mmmm what the hell can I do. I starting banging on the watering can and making ridiculous noises at the bird which at this time I recognised to be a Scrub Turkey. My noise did nothing to deter the horrible bird from standing on Penny Penny (Ben’s screaming made no difference either!). Bonnie stepped up and started barking and darting at the fence and the Scrub Turkey let go of Penny Penny and ran for the other chickens. I managed to grab my phone out of my pocket and take a blurred picture of the HORRIBLE HORRIBLE BIRD! It then took a flying leap over the chickens and into the block next to us. At this time I thought it was gone and tended to the petrified hens, checked Ben was ok and congratulated Bonnie on her heroic actions. After about fifteen minutes the horrible bird was back….. but this time didn’t make it in the pen. Bonnie was off after it, she did the bolt and chased it ….. I don’t know where because I lost Bonnie! It was at this point I became hysterical that I couldn’t find Bonnie. I was running up and down the fence calling Bonnie while ringing Andrew in tears that I had lost the dog. Benjamin was still screaming on the verandah but now there were tears because he was so distraught Bonnie was missing. All I could think of was …….. I hate that BLOODY Scrub Turkey. Finally after about fifteen minutes or so of shouting and running all over, Bonnie appeared and got cuddled up and roused at (all in the space of about two seconds), the chickens got locked up, Ben got cuddles and kisses from myself and Bonnie and I was wondering why the hell did I ring Andrew hysterically in tears for help ….. he can’t help he’s at work fifty minutes away…….hilarious!!!!

Later when we had all recovered from our little adventure I did a little research about our lovely visitor. It’s not so great news….they are protected, you aren’t supposed to trap them or relocate them without a license and chances are it has a nest close by!! Stay tuned for more adventures with our new visitor……

Blurred Bonnie and blurred Scrub Turkey!!

Super Hero Surprises

Much to Ben’s excitement a parcel arrived in the mail for him last week. It was full of Super Hero goodies from his cousins Tom and Maggie. There was also an ‘I love NZ’ shirt in there…… thanks Aunty Tina!! Ben could not rip open the Batman figurine fast enough. It has been everywhere with us. Maggie had drawn and labeled the most gorgeous picture of Ben as a Super Hero. It is spectacular. Thanks so much Uncle Cam, Aunty Tina, Tom and Maggie. We love surprises xoxoxo

Ben Keeping Dad Busy!

Ben jumped out of bed this morning and has not stopped since his feet hit the ground. He is all about making the most of Daddy on the weekends. So far this morning Daddy has made box construction V8 Supercars, played play dough with the digger trucks and now they are in dress ups fighting fires – Ben is Fireman Sam and Daddy is Elvis. I wonder who will need a nap first? MMMm some how I don’t think it will be Ben!!!

Billycarts & Ballerinas

So tell me, what was your favorite childhood toy, and do you still have it? Many of my favorite childhood memories are of my brother and I playing with our favorite toys. Simple classic toys…. not like the ones that are available in most toy shops today. I loved loved loved… my china tea set. It was tan and brown and to me it was the most precious of all my belongings.

I have never lost my love of toys or maybe some would say I have never really grown up. But since having my son Ben I now have an excuse to purchase them. I have tried to purchase toys that are not only great fun but that are good quality and educational. Toys like that aren’t so easy to come by in the shops. I quickly developed an addiction to online shopping!!! But online shopping isn’t the same, you can’t hold it, smell it, squeeze it……. you get the picture.

So when Tam and Phil told us they purchased a ……..TOY SHOP I could hardly contain my excitement!! Their toy shop Billycarts and Ballerinas is no run-of-the-mill toy shop but a divine Toy Shop full to the brim with unique and precious quality toys and books. Tam’s dedication for choosing unique toys is extraordinary. They are toys that will be played with for more than an afternoon…. toys that memories are made of…. toys that will last a lifetime. Billycarts and Ballerinas can be found nestled away in the cozy streets of Toowoomba – 23 Bridge Street. It is absolutely worth the drive to pop in and have a browse. I would guarantee that you can not walk away empty handed.

A trip to Toowoomba makes for a fabulous day out with little ones- a bit of shopping at Billycarts and Ballerinas, a play in Queens Park and lunch at The Chocolate Cottage…….. just delicious!!! We love Billycarts and Ballerinas – THANKS Aunty Tam xo

Just Call Us Country Folk!

As you have probably gathered we are excited about our chickens!! But we quickly learnt just how little we really knew about keeping them. Lucky for us we live in an age of technology and what would we do with out Google. This week I Googled ‘How to pick up a chicken‘ and ‘How to clip chickens wings‘. I was worried I might be hurting the chickens if I didn’t pick it up properly and Honda had worked out how to escape from pen – time to clip those wings! Not only did our wonderful computer give me all the info I needed, I also got a Utube video showing me how! So after watching the thirty five second video of ‘How to clip chickens wings‘, I grabbed the scissors and headed down to the chickens. Andrew and I had it done in a couple of minutes. We looked at each other … a little shocked and laughed that we must me ‘County Folk’ now….. tending to the stock!! I kept the feathers as proof!!!