Time on the farm is limited

The earthquake has changed so many people's lives.  Now it has changed mine.   I think it is in a positive way, but time will tell.   I am now doing some contract communications and community engagement work for a government department, and that takes me to Christchurch two or three days a week.    It looks like it might be 3-4 days per week from now on.   There is so much to do to rebuild the lovely city.  

I'm not going to write about my work, except to say there are a lot of politics, a lot of meetings, and a lot of work to do.   I am privileged to be able to talk to those who have been so badly affected by the quake, and every story is different.    There is so much uncertainty.

It has meant quite a change on the farm however.    I don't have the time to do all the little jobs that I should be doing.   I did have time to bury one of my chooks who died.   We are not sure what caused her death, but we all looked very suspiciously at the very, very large egg which was produced on the morning before her death.    We think it might be responsible and yes, it was a double yoker (and made a nice omlette).   I  bured her under the compost heap.   RIP Chook # 5!

The garden is growing into a jungle, thanks to the wonderful warm weather we have been having.   Even this weekend, Queens Birthday, has been fabulously warm and the green mustard seed plants and lupins I have put into my vege garden for the winter months look like they are going to go to seed!   Not sure if this is the plan, will this mean I will have little mustard plants and lupins forever in the garden?    I am intending to dig the green stuff into the soil towards the end of the garden, but if it keeps growing at this rate, Im going to need a chainsaw to chop it down.

The horses haven't been ridden for ages, and are looking particularly fluffy and happy with themselves.   Cole, always inquisitive, managed to lean over the  freshly stained timber fence today, and now looks something like a zebra.  Im not sure how long it will take for the paint to come out of his coat but it stands out well from the rest of his whiteness.  Must take a photo.....