PossumCorner

And the goats are stunning, love the two tri-colour ones, have to be full brothers or father-son. Just beautiful.

Attention seeking. Works and he knows it.

Not wrong sg. The chicken of apathy is coming home to roost.

Are you sure they are mozzies? I have a severe allergy to sandfly bites - the tiny black ones that can appear in clouds of thousands of an evening when temperature/humidity are right for them. Just one of the ponies is also allergic to them and comes out in awful lumps like hives all over. (Yet most other people/animals don't even feel them biting).

Here's and add-on. I don't know whether they are wrecked (yet) but OH shore one of the ewes with them. She needed crutching, was getting a bit overgrown around the rear, so a risk of fly-strike. He found they coped with that, so continued and did a full shear. i'd say they have now well paid for themselves. But someone on a fb group said they had used the Kmart pet clippers to do a full shear of a llama - so I'll see how they go with an alpaca this weekend.

Not terrible - the colour of the light is beautiful (despite the stinking hot dusty reason for it). Plus it's an unusual behaviour documented.

That's so disappointing @Shar290 - and such a usual story. Are you on facebook, there are some Maremma groups that offer some advice and support for new owners. That is the reason we don't consider a Maremma for our own poultry and foxes continual saga - so many people start a young one off, and they end up fantastic. But the bit inbetween seems like the 'terrible twos' that some/most toddlers go through. One friend lost over 100 chickens in a night when the 18 month guard dog went on a spree. Another's dogs are wonderful with general poultry but always hunt and kill the Guinea Fowl. I can only agree with Asal about not leaving a pup alone in a situation where it is free to carry through with a bad decision - setting up for failure. 3-4 months is still really a baby - maybe don't give the chickens any free range time until she is a few months older and steadier. Good luck with her - and a photo or two of the new pup here is pretty much mandatory, as well as her name.

Tks both, interesting - the dogs fairly predictable, I guess we all see our dogs rolling on their backs with goof expressions and four paws up. No surprises there. But the horses were more of a first, their very expressive faces and emotions less often seen from that angle.

The $37 Kmart cordless clippers did a good all over clip on Rheneas. It was maybe a bit close, but in 10 days or so his coat is re-growing and looks okay. Timing was good to save him from coping with the heat-wave in full coat.

Coffeesplurt. Like, they'd change anything?

Puppy Bars are good, in FTG Vic. But if you google welder handyman canberra (or wherever nearest large town) you'd find one of those no-job-too-small people, even some in the Grey Army franchise are very reasonable if it's just an angle grinder and re-weld job.

Spicks and specks of colour are always good. Who had rain where it hasn't been seen for yonks? We just had a quick storm of 10 mil. Haven't had fires here, but the smell of wet ashes in the air from the smoke is amazing.

Something Foxie-cross cross Kelpie-cross. With legs. Reminds me of a dol dog from way back, what was Riley Riley Long Legs?? (Aside from black).

Really hay from asparagus? Is that a thing - or is it another plant (like the "Asparagus Fern" that is a weed in the Dandenongs). Kangaroos here still have a limited pick of dry grass - but they just look over it, the heat has been exhausting them. This is the lamb I had to pull, first time I've had to, so amazed she survived. She is now about 4-5 months, fiercely independent of her mum and twin brother, and I think can escape any fence known to man-kind. So when a new bale was dropped off ($150: hay is eye-watering prices this year eh) she declares it hers and nobody elses'.

Very sorry BJ. Rest in peace Jester and Nash.

New Year's Day - the Highland Gather at Maryborough, Vic. Couldn't help thinking of Gillybob. "In the land of kilted men". (Where is @gillybob )??

At the very other end of the spectrum, one Christmas gift was an Anko (Kmart) cordless pet clipper, they are $37, and have had a very good report from horse owners with an unexpected good result on coat trimming including a full body clip by some people. @sheena for the mostly 'rear-end only' use we are looking at, they might (or might not) be handy. Have not tried them on Rheneas yet.

I can live happily with that. Have said for years that they should be totally banned and have had their day - just like wild animal use in the circus. But it was relatively easy to legislate re the circus - smaller target, less public pressure in support. Fireworks are a big-money industry, ACT/Northern Territory all hand in glove with supply and dirty money, and more votes to be lost from the pro-fireworks masses - don't think it will happen, big money and votes talk.

Just so sorry Stellnme, beautiful little boy, too young, so unfair.

Yes - I'm grateful we don't have the big or aggressive ones - bears, honey badgers, leopards etc. Our area is free of dingoes and wild dogs so not too much to complain about.

The blue wren reminds me of our little Dorper sheepie - Rose is always shouting at something or somebody. My poor chooks are under siege the last week or two, as if heat-stress isn't hard enough on them. The goanna stomped off empty-handed, the eagles catch a gosling or chicken occasionally, they are always on watch. And this bloody fox!!! It must live very close-by, tests every pen at night, I can get up at 3.00am and see it busily doing the rounds. And it makes a raid or two in broad daylight to see if any birds are out for their free range time. Having to keep them locked in more and more. Don't always know immediately if one is missing, have around 100 chooks n chicks between 14 odd smaller and larger pens, so don't do a headcount every day, then it is "hang on, where is the blue Silkie - oh".

Lovely thanks Scottsmum, we need our George fix now and then.

Tks - and yours are where? Coming. Okay, looking forward.

Sad news Taliecat, truly sorry to hear - but glad you were there for him when he needed you. I was wondering last week how you and yours were going - was buying hay for my lot at your old road.

Another gem. And great series as always.