A slice of heaven belongs to me!

Dreams do come true. All you have to do is be willing to take a plunge and stare change in the face! Who knows if it will all work out? A university educated woman out in the sticks? Will we earn enough to survive? Can I cope with living more than 5 minutes from the local supermarket (on foot!!)?, Can I handle the snakes and spiders and being so far from my family?

Well you will never know if you don't have a go! and why not do it why we don't have kids?.. we have no excuses!

and so here we are... officially farm owners! Well... not really a farm as such, but one hell of a farm compared to what we live in now.

The front of our new home. You can see the shadows of the trees
behind me.

This is looking out of the front lounge room window, towards
where the previous photo was taken from.

The house will require a lot of work... both inside and out .... but for starters we need a pressue pump for the water! We got the keys on Friday, only to find that after a long day of moving, we were unable to shower! The house water is currently gravity fed only.. and clearly not enough gravity to get shower pressure!

Our wonderful long driveway!

On the right hand side of the photo above you can see a large blue gum plantation that borders our property. This will be harvested in 4 - 5 years or so for timber products. Whether they even do this, re-plant the land or put it up for sale is yet to be known as the managed investment schemes suffered greatly during the global financial crisis and this provider is one that failed.

The first time we went for a walk down the driveway with our little jack russell terrier... it was a lovely warm sunny afternoon and we happened to stumble upon a snake. Luckily I heard and saw it first! So we grabbed the dog in time to make sure she didn't spot it and get bitten!

Based on my research it may have been a copperhead snake (the aussie type!). We have three common snakes around here according to our neighbours, the red bellied black snake, the copperhead and the tiger snake. Wonderful!

A copperhead with similar colouring to the snake that

I saw (not the actual snake).

Objective number one in garden - get the grass down to keep snakes out! (or at least allow them to be seen if they are in traffic areas!) The property has been 'let go' to say the least and really needs some clearing before summer gets here. This will require investment in some form of ride on mower or tractor & slasher based on the size and length of our driveway! Either that or a deal with the neighbour of some sort!

The mystery berry!

If anyone can identify the hedge above it would be greatly appreciated. The berries seem dry at the moment and the bush is not prickly enough to be something like a blackberry? It is in my garden and I can see it from the kitchen.... (shown on the left hand side of the photo below).

And now... the view from my kitchen window. Who wouldn't mind

washing the pots and pans whilst staring at that?

Other pretty items I have around the house garden.

From the image above (clockwise from top left) I think that the first image is that of a maple tree leaf. That is from the front garden of the house. The second image may be that of a native banksia. I would love it if someone was able to tell me what variety! The third image is some kind of protea (I think!) and maybe the 4th picture is that of another kind of banksia!

I would love it if someone could tell me exactly what any of the above pictures are! It will help me to plan my garden! I could be totally off with my current gusses.. so corrections are welcome!

A picture paints a thousand words.... so I hope that my selection above has give you a taste of my slice of heaven!

We are currently commuting 4 hours each way on the weekends to move our things down to our new home. We will be relocating for good in 18 days and I am counting down each and every one. 

This time next week we will be farm owners!

This time next week, all going well, we will be the proud owners of 18.5 acres in south western victoria. A bit of a childhood dream come true sort of story..... well it is for me anyway!

I've always loved the idea of moving to a farm... having my horse out the back and not being able to see the neighbours.. but until now it has seemed a far fetched dream rather than anything remotely possible. Especially when you spend over 4 years at University, your career is based in an office and a computer is your only tool of the trade

So...... the deposit has been paid, the packing is well under way and reality has surely set in. We are moving again... and for only two people we sure have a lot of stuff! It all becomes a bit overwhelming when the easy stuff is all packed up and you only have odds and ends left that don't seem to want to fit into any box you have available.

At least hubby seems to be quite relaxed about it all! I am not sure if it is because the whole size of the task has not yet sunk in yet, or because he moved so many times as a child it all seems second nature? What ever it is... I know he has never had to worry about the stress of making sure the keys are handed in on the rental house on time, that stuff moves down to the house in an orderly manner... or that the rental house is clean and the carpets done!

the stresses of the move, the first home purchase, being so far way from mum... all the worry that I have is beaten down by the absolute thrill and excitement that I WILL OWN A FARM! I am sure that it will be heaven on earth.... and I just cannot wait to get there!