My job...

On a bad day, my work looks like this...

Fog...

Ice...

and Frost.

But on a good day, my work looks like this...

Thursday was a good day (I went to Cradle Mountain). Today wasn't so great.

Dr Who craftiness...

I completed these couple of tardis themed items for Rob's birthday. It kept me occupied for a couple of crafternoons (Christie, my workmate,'s word) and I'm pretty happy with the way they turned out. The book (based on River Song's journal) is a blank notebook on the inside.

My new chookies...

Well, for quite some time I have wanted chooks and to that end (and also as a way to learn building skills from Dad) I have been hasseling Dad into helping me ( = doing all the hard bits) convert our old play house into a super mansion of a chook house. The chook house itself has been completed for weeks now, but the pen was only erected a couple of Saturdays ago. We used only recycled wood and constuction supplies so the project cost us basically nothing and we used as many power tools and building methods as we could so that I would get some experience in all of them.

The awesomest chookhouse ever (formally the awesomest playhouse ever)

The nest box made out of wood recycled from old pallets.

So on Saturday, we checked out the newspaper for chook ads. We found an ad for Isa Browns and headed out to somewhere near Pipers River to go and get 4 chookies. Meet Sophie, Ruby, Sally, and Penny.

Left to Right: Penny, Sophie, Sally, and Ruby

They are only 22 weeks old so they havent started laying yet and they might not lay until spring. I dont really mind if they never start laying - I'm just loving having them around.

So, two projects officially completed: the frog pond and the chook shed.

Photos from the Frog Pond

The famous frog pond

The famous Green and Golden Frog

Two famous Green and Golden Frogs

Unknown frog species

Of close encounters with snakes...

Yesterday, after leaving the devil compound at Cressy we were driving along when my workmate, Trev, and I both turned to each other and said "Was that a snake?". It turns out it wasnt one snake, but two copperheads mating. Trev is an old hand at snake handling and was concerned that the snakes were absentmindedly moving further and further onto the road while entwined together. We stood watch over the pair for a while to ensure that they weren't run over and when they seperated Trev moved them across safely to opposite ends of the road.

Trev with his makeshift snake handling gear (the bar from across the back of our ute that holds the cover up to prevent puddles).

One snake, two heads.

Camping in Victoria

A couple of weeks ago, Mum, Dad, Rob, and I packed up the two four wheel drives and headed over to the mainland to spend a week travelling around Victoria and trying out Dad's new camper trailer.

One of the places we camped was on the coast and, as we took a stroll along the beach after setting up camp we met this guy also strolling along the beach :)

Healsville

One of the other things we got to do when we were visiting Victoria was spend some time at Healsville Santuary. Working with wildlife, the name Healsville keeps coming up again and again as the santuary has such a good reputation in the industry so I was glad to have a chance to check it out. The thing I noticed most about Healsville is the amount of space given to avaries. Of course, there were the usual amphibians, reptiles, and mammals as well, but I seem to only have taken photos of the birds. I really am turning into a birdbrain.

Brolga

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Black-brested Buzzard

Barn Owl

Lyrebird

The wetlands

Bronzewing

Orange-bellied Parrot