One of the first jobs this week was moving the chickens into one of our temporary greenhouse coops.
To anyone looking, it probably looked like we’d simply shifted a chicken pen from one place to another, but in reality they had just started their next gardening project. Over the coming weeks they’ll scratch through the old beds, happily searching for bugs, worms and weed seeds while naturally fertilising the soil and preparing it for spring planting. We love working this way because it allows the animals to express their natural behaviours while saving us hours of work and reducing the need for machinery or chemical inputs.
Those temporary construction fences have become one of the most valuable tools we own. Over the years we’ve discovered they allow us to manage the land in a way that’s flexible, practical and gentle on the surrounding ecology. We use them to rotate animals through different paddocks, rest areas that need time to regenerate, protect young trees and prepare future garden beds. This week they found yet another purpose as they became the framework for Luni’s secluded whelping area.
Building a Safe Beginning
As with so many projects around Wildhorse Homestead, we began by looking at what we already had before buying anything new. A collection of old pillows that were destined for landfill became the foundation for a large, soft bed, while a clean painting drop sheet provided a durable, washable cover. After a little time behind the sewing machine, everything came together into a comfortable space where Luni could relax before the puppies arrive. Koko, however, was convinced that quality control was entirely her responsibility. She stayed close throughout the sewing process and was more than happy to help test the finished bed, curling up beside Luni as though they’d already decided the nursery belonged to both of them.
Watching the two girls resting together was one of those simple moments that reminds us why we love this life so much. It also reminded us that preparing for puppies isn’t really about making a bed or building a whelping area. It’s about creating an environment where they can begin life feeling safe, calm and secure. Over the coming weeks we’ll be sharing every stage of this journey, from the birth itself through to carefully selecting families who understand the unique role livestock guardian dogs play. For us, being ethical custodians of this remarkable breed means thinking far beyond the excitement of puppies. It means making decisions that will give each one the very best chance of living a long, purposeful and fulfilling working life.
While the nursery slowly came together…
Another project reached completion in the workshop. De Wet put the finishing touches on a beautiful rustic bookcase that began life as an old hardwood pallet. Looking at it now, it’s hard to imagine the timber was once carrying freight. Instead of becoming waste, it has been transformed into a piece of furniture that tells an entirely new story. Projects like this are exactly why we started Wildhorse Woodworx. We love proving that quality materials don’t lose their value simply because they’ve already lived one life. Sometimes all they need is someone willing to see what they could become.
The kitchen was just as busy this week. Another batch of our homemade dog treats made its way into the oven, ready to restock the shelves at Mooloo Mountain Produce and, of course, reward our own four enthusiastic taste testers. Watching all four dogs patiently line up to offer De Wet their paw before receiving their treat is one of those little rituals that never seems to lose its charm. No matter how many times we see it, it still makes us smile.
This week has also marked the quiet beginning of something deeply personal for me.
Over the past six years, many of you have followed different parts of my healing journey after treatment for throat and lung cancer. While I’m incredibly grateful for where I am today, healing didn’t end when the treatment finished. Living with the long-term effects has taught me that recovery is rarely about finding one miracle solution. Instead, it’s been built from many small daily rituals that work together over time. Massage, gentle movement, red light therapy, hydrogen oxygen therapy, carefully selected herbal teas and consistent heat have all become important parts of that process.
One thing I could never quite find was a neck wrap that comfortably moulded around my neck and shoulders without slipping out of place or creating pressure where I didn’t want it. Eventually I stopped searching and decided to make one myself. Over time the design evolved into the Lemon Myrtle Hot & Cold Pack that I now use almost every day. It isn’t a medical treatment, nor is it intended to replace professional care, but it has become one of the simple comforts that genuinely helps me manage the stiffness and discomfort that remain part of everyday life.
This week we’re quietly preparing to share them with you through our Madeit Australia store and at Mooloo Mountain Produce. More importantly, we’ll also be releasing a short DIY tutorial showing exactly how to make one yourself. If you already have an old cotton sheet tucked away in a cupboard or discover one at your local op shop, you may already have everything you need. If you’d like to add Australian lemon myrtle, we’ll happily supply it, but if you prefer to grow your own herbs or use what you already have, we’d be just as delighted. Sharing knowledge has always been just as important to us as creating products, and we’d much rather someone have access to something that helps them than feel they have to buy it from us.
To celebrate the launch
We’d also love to give one away. Rather than running a traditional competition, we’ll be inviting people to read my story and then share their own. From those stories, we’ll choose one person to receive a Lemon Myrtle Hot & Cold Pack, no matter where they live in the world. Our hope isn’t simply to send someone a handmade product. It’s to remind them that they’re not walking their journey alone. Sometimes being heard is every bit as healing as the comfort itself.
Amongst all these preparations, winter continued to quietly remind us to slow down and notice the beauty around us. The coral tree is glowing brilliant red against the eucalyptus, our tiny cayenne pepper plant is absolutely covered in fruit waiting to ripen, and each morning the mist drifts gently across the dam while the ducks enthusiastically compete with the fish for breakfast. Over at Rocky Creek Escape, another lovely guest left us a perfect 10 out of 10 review, a gentle reminder that the care we pour into this place is creating special memories for others as well.
As we reflected on the week, one lesson kept returning to us. Almost everything worth growing begins long before anyone else sees the results. Healthy soil is prepared before seeds are planted. Puppies are loved before they’re born. Healing begins with small daily habits. Furniture is rescued before it becomes rubbish. A meaningful life is built through quiet, consistent choices that don’t always seem significant in the moment.
Perhaps that’s why we’ve come to appreciate slow progress so much. One day you simply look around and realise that all those ordinary decisions have quietly become the life you once imagined.
We’d Love to Hear From You.
As always, we’d love to hear your story.
What’s something you’ve prepared for that turned out to be well worth the effort?
Or perhaps you’ve repurposed something that found a wonderful second life.
Leave a comment below—we genuinely enjoy reading every one, and your stories have become one of our favourite parts of this Wildhorse journey.
