Five Year Anniversary
Today's my five year anniversary of taking possession of my place. My diary entry from 28 November 2003 says "Dry, long grass, the paddock seems smaller, truck noise, leaf damage to trees - not sure it will be very satisfactory."
Fortunately that was an isolated instance of buyer's remorse and it has proved very satisfactory! I'm guessing it's probably more enjoyable and satisyfing to live somewhere that has problems you can work on than somewhere that's perfect to begin with and can only go downhill.
5 year scorecard on the things that need fixed:
Weed Control: A
I wouldn't like to count how many hours I've spent spraying, slashing and pulling weeds, but it's definitely working. The books say it takes 8 years to get on top of bad infestations of Paterson's Curse and Cape Tulip, but you can make huge amounts of progress in just a few years. It's incredibly satisfying to see fewer weeds come up year on year. I earned my childhood spending money by pulling weeds from my mother's lawn, and that has proved great training for my later life.
House: A
It's amazing what paint, carpets and blinds can do to a 30 year old transportable. If I don't count the hideous brown tiles in the bathroom, it's pretty much my dream home.
Rehabilitation of native vegetation along creek: B
Still a long way to go, but a solid effort. I've/you've put in over 3,000 plants over the last four winters, but some of those have gone to nourish kangaroos. Watching these plants grow is my No. 1 favourite activity.
Quality of pasture: C
The poisonous weeds are well under control, but increasing amounts of other weeds are moving in despite having remineralised all the paddocks at considerable expense in 2005. Need to do another soil test next winter and make a plan.
Erosion along firebreaks: D
I've paid an agricultural consultant to tell me what to do, but haven't done it. If there's heavy rain after I have the necessary earthworks done, it'll all wash away and make things worse than before. That's prevented me from doing anything, so instead it's getting worse in small increments. Need to take action soon!
General maintenance: A
Lots and lots of hours mowing, whippersnippering, and clearing firebreaks, mostly in the spring. It's easy and great exercise, just time consuming. Fortunately I have a long attention span for repetitive tasks!
Alpacas and trees (not the ones with leaf damage), October 2008
Grasstree
My favourite rock
A favourite tree
Kangaroo
Long paddock, October 2008
Tree line, planted June 2004, in November 2008. Note the flowers on the bottlebrush between the trees.
The bare strip is the compulsory 3m firebreak along or near each boundary.
Charlie grazing against a cloudy sky, November 2008
2005 tree planting area. A great success! None of these plants were here before.
Asparagus growing near creek
Sheoaks near creek
Horses grazing on hill paddock, November 2008
Which looked like this in October 2008
Wandoo, fenced off and with shrubs planted around it. Check back in another five years.
Wattles planted by, I think, mr_booboo in July 2006
My very favourite part of living here is getting home late at night, or, if I'm already here, just going outside the front door late at night. There's no one around, no lights, just me and the night sky and the dark shapes of the trees in front of the house. It never gets old and I soak it up.
Fortunately that was an isolated instance of buyer's remorse and it has proved very satisfactory! I'm guessing it's probably more enjoyable and satisyfing to live somewhere that has problems you can work on than somewhere that's perfect to begin with and can only go downhill.
5 year scorecard on the things that need fixed:
Weed Control: A
I wouldn't like to count how many hours I've spent spraying, slashing and pulling weeds, but it's definitely working. The books say it takes 8 years to get on top of bad infestations of Paterson's Curse and Cape Tulip, but you can make huge amounts of progress in just a few years. It's incredibly satisfying to see fewer weeds come up year on year. I earned my childhood spending money by pulling weeds from my mother's lawn, and that has proved great training for my later life.
House: A
It's amazing what paint, carpets and blinds can do to a 30 year old transportable. If I don't count the hideous brown tiles in the bathroom, it's pretty much my dream home.
Rehabilitation of native vegetation along creek: B
Still a long way to go, but a solid effort. I've/you've put in over 3,000 plants over the last four winters, but some of those have gone to nourish kangaroos. Watching these plants grow is my No. 1 favourite activity.
Quality of pasture: C
The poisonous weeds are well under control, but increasing amounts of other weeds are moving in despite having remineralised all the paddocks at considerable expense in 2005. Need to do another soil test next winter and make a plan.
Erosion along firebreaks: D
I've paid an agricultural consultant to tell me what to do, but haven't done it. If there's heavy rain after I have the necessary earthworks done, it'll all wash away and make things worse than before. That's prevented me from doing anything, so instead it's getting worse in small increments. Need to take action soon!
General maintenance: A
Lots and lots of hours mowing, whippersnippering, and clearing firebreaks, mostly in the spring. It's easy and great exercise, just time consuming. Fortunately I have a long attention span for repetitive tasks!
Alpacas and trees (not the ones with leaf damage), October 2008
Grasstree
My favourite rock
A favourite tree
Kangaroo
Long paddock, October 2008
Tree line, planted June 2004, in November 2008. Note the flowers on the bottlebrush between the trees.
The bare strip is the compulsory 3m firebreak along or near each boundary.
Charlie grazing against a cloudy sky, November 2008
2005 tree planting area. A great success! None of these plants were here before.
Asparagus growing near creek
Sheoaks near creek
Horses grazing on hill paddock, November 2008
Which looked like this in October 2008
Wandoo, fenced off and with shrubs planted around it. Check back in another five years.
Wattles planted by, I think, mr_booboo in July 2006
My very favourite part of living here is getting home late at night, or, if I'm already here, just going outside the front door late at night. There's no one around, no lights, just me and the night sky and the dark shapes of the trees in front of the house. It never gets old and I soak it up.