Welcome to Bear Grills, our new Jack Russell puppy. Here he is about to board his first plane. And yes, he’s very adorable.

Boy 9 is performing with legendary horsemen the Double Dan’s in Waga Wagga tonight. He’s been attending one of their horsemanship clinics in the big indoor arena on the Churles Sturt University campus, they took a shine to him and brought out their miniature horse “Please” and got him to do some tricks in today’s session – inviting him back to join them in tonight’s performance. He even went out and purchased a white polo shirt to match the Dan’s.

Schools back. Liberation. Making ketchup and chocolate chip icecream from scratch. While doing my day job.

We recently added 4 new horses to our stable. These ones were comparatively inexpensive and require no care or vetinary visits. We got them at an auction just before Christmas put on by Mulwaree High School in Gouburn at the South Hill Gallery in Goulburn, located in a spectacular homestead on a hill overlooking the city. They’re beautifully made in the schools metalwork studio and sit wonderfully with the landscape.

I’ve mentioned before my love of Heidi Swanston’s food blog 101 Cookbooks, she inspired me to make some toasted muesli and I freelanced a bit adding wattle seeds and passionfruit syrup to the honey/maple/canola oil mix and will add dried cranberries and figs after it’s baked.

We had a visit from our farrier John Gorman and  horse dentist Lucy O’shaughnessy today so the horses got a pedicure and their teeth done all in the space of the day. Our stock horse AJ lay down in the sun afterwards and had a rest – I would have too. So cute.

Husband borrowed a jack-hammer to get through the rock on the farm to erect a new clothesline. Timely as the summer winds are here, the dryer (unethical and costly) is on the blink and we have a tsunami of washing. Equitana next weekend (a horse expo that is Easter Show meets Disneyland for horse lovers). And made this banana bread over the weekend from my most favorite food blog in the world, wholefood writer Heidi Swanson from 101 Cookbooks – using wholeground organic flour. How pious.

My London spinner friend Gigi from Londonhandspun pointed out that my yarn addiction is quite acceptable (and in fact saving me money) and is (quite astutely of her) “cheaper than champagne”. Like her thinking. Gigi is very clever and spins nettles, linen, recycled plastic and hemp as well as wool.

My latest obsession is shawls. I’m working on these at the moment, all found on the excellent global site for similarly afflicted wool addicts, Ravelry.

My favourite designer, Canadian Lisa Mutch comes up with beautiful and simple patterns. I’m doing Nimbus and Askew.

Love this last one, think I’ll do it again once I’ve finished the first one. It’s the Blackcurrant Shawl by Finnish designer, Veera Valimaki.

Ignoring pressing world issues such as the disintegration of News Limited I’ve become knitting obsessed during the winter, and like a squirrel have been gathering wool and knitting scarves, bed throws and shawls. Latest is shawls from fingering weight yarn and bulky weight squares for bed throws.

And we have a new arena, sand arrives soon!