Coming up for Air

That was the title of a George Orwell novel eh?
Fits our state as we sit back at the end of a very pleasant Easter Sunday.
School finished on Thursday after a manic week at the end of a manic term. Chantelle was away at Matamata doing her course, so I was it.
That included ferrying boys to various after school activities, sorting out bikes locked to lamposts at school with lost keys, cooking, cleaning, making sure all got to school on time, and that Eric got to Whangarei on Thursday for an orthodentist appointment to replace a broken brace wire - total travel time 4 hours, time spent in chair less than 10 minutes!
All to be expected really. Last week of term likewise. Kids all trying to complete work so they could meet deadlines to get credits, on top of all their other commitments and trips. My 12 Science class have been making red wine this term. They have to compare its density (and so alcohol content) with that of commercial wine. It was surprisingly good and strong. The grapes came from the principal's small vineyard. I was so impressed by the results that I will increase the size of our own vineyard and have a go at growing more grapes next year so that we can make our own vintage in the future.
We have finally de-stocked. The last 3 sheep went off to a guy a few kms away. We put the last lamb in the freezer. Ate a leg of it tonight - bloody gorgeous - literally as it was quite rare! That is the only part of sheep keeping that I will miss. The rest of it is a pain. Checking twice daily for - dog attacks, escapes, lameness, falling in drains, getting into tree areas, flystrike at certain times of year. They are not really that much hassle, but it is quite liberating having the property sheep free. For one thing I can leave all the gates open.
More than that it now makes sense to plant large numbers of trees all over the place. I have visited a number of really cool properties since we moved to Northland and none of them have been sheep farms! Alright if you like a short field of grass. I like the vertical dimension and have seen some really great treed places. Orchards with patches of garden is the look I am going for. Perhaps some kind of rambling jungle, with clearings where little shacks will sit hidden from the hot sun and from neighbours. Curving paths that wind beneath fruit trees, so that you can have a meal as you walk around the place.

Where were we? To accompany the lamb, there was a very acceptable bottle of Dalmatian wine made by one of William Tailby's neighbours. It had legs stout enough to get up and carry the glass away. Almost strong enough to be a port.

We have a couple of the boys' friends over for the night and now that the post-tea wrestling match has finished, they seem to have settled down to watch the film. Not a great selection tonight - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, followed by some Yank Hollywood offering. The only good thing is that there is no TV advertising, so you get the film in about half the time it would normally take. There have been some great films on Maori TV the last few Sunday nights. "Trouble on the Waewae Express" last week was a great little study of a group of youngsters who live and drive too fast. One of them kills his mate in a crash and then has to live with the repercussions. Half the cast were Maori and half Pakeha, including a Buddha-like Malayan taxi driver, who saves the guilt stricken driver from self-destruction. Lookout for it on C4 if you are in Blighty!

So we are gradually getting our breath back, Chantelle took the boys to the beach for the Easter dawn service. I have tried to have a proper Sabbath, by doing no school or farm work. It was difficult as I ended up doing washing up, cooking, and even some scything, but it was all just playing.

That's all. there is queue for the computer so better log off and let them back on.
Have a good Easter yourselves.