A Snake On A Tuesday And A Big Sapphire Ring

I have always thought that discretion is the better part of valour when it comes to dealing with snakes.  Obviously living on The Farm I do have encounters with them and have always maintained a live and let live policy.  They can go their merry way and I will go mine and everyone's happy.  Unfortunately this theory fell apart rather spectacularly yesterday.

I was the only "grown up" on The Farm,  The Farmer and our staff were all busy shifting harvest equipment to another property.  Farmgirl was asleep in her room and I was being a domestic goddess in the kitchen.  Then I looked out the window.  There was a large snake in our courtyard trying to make it's way up the brickwall towards a window.  Farmgirl's bedroom window.  Farmgirl's open bedroom window.  The same bedroom Farmgirl was napping in.  I tried to contact The Farmer on his phone and it was out of range.  I then decided that I would have to investigate further.  I grabbed a long piece of poly pipe by the door and got close enough to the snake to realise two things.  One - it was not a friendly python type snake.  Two - it was getting very close to the window.  I very gingerly tried to shoo it out of the courtyard.  It did not want to be shooed.  It was showing a strong predilection to get in the window.

Now I am not an overly brave girl when it comes to snakes.  At about this point the poly pipe was oscillating about a foot because I was shaking so much.  My vocab sounded remarkably like the first scene in "Four Weddings and a Funeral".  However as it edged closer to the window my inner lioness came out.  It was near my baby.  I had the poly pipe.  There was only one way it could possibly end.  And end it did, for the snake at least.

Pink Rubber Snake - The Only Type I want Near My Kids

I am not a huge fan of disposing of snakes unless they are a  direct danger to my family.  This one was.  Interestingly the law in Australia states this is the only time it is legal to do so.  We also have no one living anywhere near us who does the bagging and relocation of snakes.  Trust me, if we did I would have been calling them. Stat.

In much more pleasant news, how exciting about Prince Williams engagement to Kate Middleton.  I am so glad they are using Princess Diana's stunning ring.  I also think Kate has lots of style.  I particularly admired her when they were broken up and she popped on a brave face and was seen out and about in London looking super stylish.

I hope everyone enjoyed their Wednesday.

Snake Update

A very quick update on the snake situation.  It's official.  They are everywhere.  Yesterday everyone on the farm  saw at least one. Which means lots were sighted.  I am not "chillaxed" about this.

I went back to the chook pen to see if the one I thought might be dead was still there.  It was gone...This means it is very undead.  And still out there.  Waiting somewhere near my chook pen.

I have therefore decided that these are now the required footwear for chook feeding and egg collecting.

Snake Protection Boots - in a Monochrome Print

Orange Cake and A Sluggish Snake

Today has been a busy day at the Farmhouse so far.  The Farmchildren and I have had a big week so we decided to just hang out at home today. Or "chillax" as Farmboy said.  Well that was the plan anyway.

After doing general house jobs I decided we would make a cake.  I decided to make an Orange Cake from my brand new CWA Cake Cookbook.  It is a great book - the CWA have published it to fundraise for rural health care.  They have compiled the best cake recipes from their members.  Given that these are country ladies, and they have had to put their name and where they live on recipes to be published nationally, I figured I could not go wrong.

Yummy CWA Cake Recipe

After a quick pantry inventory I realised we lacked eggs.  This was not a worry as we have chooks.  The kids and I went down to the chook pen to dispose of the kitchen scraps and grab some eggs.  We did that and were heading back when we saw a HUGE snake (I think it was a dugite)  laying in the sun.  It wasn't moving which may have been because it was dead, or may have been because it was cold and it hadn't warmed up yet.  Trust me when I tell you I didn't get close enough to find out.

I couldn't take a photo as I had forgotten my camera and had the kids with me (and because I am a great big chicken and wouldn't have got close enough anyway).  So try and imagine it was a bit like this.  Only not pink.

It must have been the day for snakes as the Farmer saw one on his way out to the paddock and apparently the men who work for us were very entertained by the antics of a small carpet python.  Small carpet pythons, or large ones for that matter, are harmless.  They are still disturbingly snake-like though.

Anyway after all the snake palaver the kids and I got back to the kitchen with these.

Yummy Farm Eggs

We then got going on the cake.  First I pureed up an orange.

Then I added eggs, SR flour and sugar.

Then I popped it in the oven and it came out like this

Pre Icing

Post Icing

The cake was super yummy.  I would recommend it.  I am not giving out the recipe as it is copyrighted and I think everyone should buy the book anyway.  It is a gorgeous book and for a great cause.

Ladies Who Lunch

Yay - it's Melbourne Cup Day.  In true Melbourne Cup spirit the Farm Ladies are frocking up and heading out to lunch.  Farmgirl, my mother-in-law and myself have dusted off our hats and are ready to go to the races.

A country Melbourne Cup lunch is a beautiful thing.  The one we are going to today will tick all the boxes.  It is being held in the type of small town that consists of a wheatbin, a railway siding and an old hall.  Lunch will have been prepared by a team of country ladies and hence will be beyond excellent.  Country ladies can cook.  There will be a fashion parade,  a hat competition and lots of sweeps.  The race will be shown on a big screen and you may or may not be able to hear the commentary.  The absolute best thing about a country Melbourne Cup lunch is that all ages from newborns to retired ladies will be in attendance.

Farmgirl and I have put a lot of thought into our outfits.  Standards will be high and we do not want to let the team down.

Farmgirl is going in this ensemble

She likes lots of pink and flowers are always important.  You may notice she has chosen a fascinator and a hat.  She is of the opinion that you should not restrict yourself to one type of headwear on Cup Day.  She can, and will, frequently swap them over.  This is an excellent fashion option if you are three years old.  Once you hit about seven I wouldn't recommend it.  People will either think a. you have tickets on yourself or b. you need to get out more.

I have gone down the slightly less colourful route.

Now I know that black and white is more suitable for Derby Day but we maintain flexibility here in the country when it comes to racing fashion traditions.  You will note I have restricted myself to one type of headwear.  Unlike Farmgirl I am not a fan of the fascinator.  I always feel quite silly in one.  The concept of bits of feathers sticking off my head brings to mind deranged chooks or indeed alien antennae.  I admire other peoples fascinators but whenever I try one on in the David Jones millinery section I just feel vaguely stupid.

I have chosen the sensible wedge heel option.  Stiletto heels in gravel carparks make elegant walking difficult.  I also haven't put a handbag in the photo.  This is because I would love you all to think I took an elegant little black designer number.  Instead I will take something large to store all the requirements of a day out with Farmgirl.  Numerous muesli bars, juice boxes, spare clothes and suncream don't tend to fit in small elegant handbags.  I know, it's a shame.

We are all planning on having a wonderful day.  It will be just like Flemington, only without the horses.

Scary Sunday

Things are back as they should be on the farm  The headers are doing this again.

Headers Harvesting - Yay

This makes the Farmer happy.

My slow cooker improvisation turned out well. It was really yummy. More importantly everyone ate it, which is the only requirement a recipe needs to get a repeat gig in the Farmhouse kitchen.

Here is the finished product.

Slow Cooker Fish Stew

The Farm children had a fantastic day because they went to a Halloween Party.  One of my closest friends grew up in the US and wanted to share some Halloween traditions, so she threw a party.  Everyone had a great day playing games, eating party food and wearing scary costumes.  Farmgirl is very excited as she won a bright pink rubber toy snake.  It would be scary, if it wasn't so pink.

Obviously we at the farm got our best costumes out for the party.  Farmgirl was a super scary baby witch.  Farmboy rocked a zombie outfit like a pro.  I was told by the Farm children in no uncertain terms that all grown ups needed a costume so I channelled Johnny Depp and went as a pirate.

Baby Witch with witchy broom which unfortunately does not fly (we tried, we failed)

Very, Very Scary Zombie

I feel a bit sorry for the Farm children when costumes are required.  I am not crafty. At all.  While other children get gorgeous home made costumes mine get the 100% synthetic jobs from Big W.

Anyway we have all had a wonderful day, synthetic costumes and all.  I hope you are all having great Sundays too.  Wherever you are.