Shed Converting

Wow, it's been a long time between posts! Life has just gotten in the way, and now it's time for an update on where we're at for the farm change.
Life in the caravan is losing its novelty, and only because winter is approaching. Our little ceramic heater does a great job of heating the van, but nothing seems to keep the mud out when the rain sets in! And no matter how much stuff I move from the van to the shed (as I find spaces to stash things there), there doesn't seem to be a lot of sitting room...not that we've been indoors during the day much, anyway. There is so much to do.
We've started a veggie patch and though we don't have much there for now, we do have some lettuces, some pak choy, beans, rhubarb and beetroot growing. There is plenty of composting material to feed our veggies, including mountains of collected horse poo. We'll have to give serious thought and action to fencing off an area at the house site for a veggie patch and orchard, so that we can start planting as soon as possible. Nut trees are next on the agenda.

While the kids and I were in NZ Tom was able to continue with putting up some wall frames, pull off the walls and make some window frames. With his new angle grinder he's been able to cut the corrugated iron, and once the windows are in the floors are next. A jack hammer will be required to cut out some chunks of cement and even up the floors a bit. Once that's done we'll require wiring up by an electrician, insulate the walls and then the plastering can begin!

 The bedroom window, looking out to the horse paddock:

We have windows from the local recycler, and have been offered a glass door from dear friends - we won't have to crane our necks too far to see what's going on outside.
What IS going on outside?
We've mowed grass around the shed, the yards and in front of the creek side paddock because of snakes - we just need to see them before we step on them. We've developed a healthy respect and admiration of our reptilian friends and killing them is not an option (apart from also being illegal). Bindi Irwin has definitely impacted my life with her work! We've seen many copperheads and the other day we found a red-bellied black snake sunning itself right up against a fence post. These two are copperheads - pretty, huh?

The horses graze either in the paddock behind the shed or the paddock by the creek (until such a time as the creek is fenced off and troughs installed). We've collected two more horses - a warmblood cross gelding who I have found wonderful to ride (Tom hasn't, but then I know what to ask for and how to get it) and a grey gelding with ringbone who was retired from showjumping and should be fine for some road riding. Three's a herd. Five is a better herd and that's all we will need. Five? No, my maths isn't up the creek with the willow debris...we're getting two more equine lovelies soon. The kids have scored an Australian Pony and a Shetland Pony, coming all the way from just beyond Bendigo, and that will provide so much learning for them - the mare (Oz Pony) requiring more training, and the gelding (the Shettie) complete starting. I'm happy to report that we have become something of a horsing family. Tom is even learning how to trim their feet - saves costs and also enhances his understanding of horses.

We had some big rains while I was away and the erosion that has caused is evidenced in the creek and on our steeper hills. The revegetation of the creek will mitigate a lot of this kind of slippage, as will revegetating the steeper hill sides. The raging creek always fascinates, and the sound of the water rushing under logs and over rocks is soothing.

So, now, we continue with the shed conversion, keep riding the horses, and soon the time will come for Tom to find work. Until then, living on our patch is so satisfying and there are no misgivings about our move. None at all!