There are some weeks on the homestead that seem to carry a little more meaning than others.
Week 37 was one of those weeks.
Father’s Day was my first without Dad, and I knew it was going to be a difficult one. But standing in the garden and harvesting the first beautiful heirloom tomatoes he loved growing brought back those familiar memories in the gentlest way. Sometimes the simplest things have a way of making someone feel close, even when they’re no longer here.
That weekend also took us back to the Gold Coast, leaving our nine very busy Maremma puppies behind. Thankfully, our little Glenwood community stepped in, with Kaylyn puppy sitting and Nadine and Duvan helping to keep everything running smoothly. Knowing the puppies were loved and cared for meant we could make the trip without worrying about what was happening back home.
There were beautiful reminders that life continues too — a rainbow stretching across Palm Beach, and seeing De Wet’s daughter’s artwork displayed at her school’s Art Excellence Showcase.
And then, back on the homestead, another little beginning was taking shape.
We put out a call for fertilised chicken eggs to incubate and were overwhelmed by the generosity of our community. Our very first batch of eggs is now quietly incubating, and we’re crossing our fingers that before too long we’ll have a few new little garden workers scratching around the homestead.
The turmeric harvested the previous week has been drying in the spring sunshine, slowly becoming the most incredible golden powder, while the puppies have been busy discovering what farm life is all about.
They’ve started having individual morning adventures with the big dogs, joining the animal rounds and meeting chickens, alpacas, ducks and fish before returning to their litter completely exhausted.
Even the red king parrot seems to be keeping an eye on proceedings from above.
And apparently, no peaceful morning is complete without a little musical accompaniment — although Loki had his own ideas when De Wet brought out the guitar, deciding that the sheet music was considerably more interesting than the music itself.
Now, in Week 38, the puppies are getting bigger by the day, nudging the 10-kilo mark, and we’ve started working on simple commands like come, sit and paw. With chicken treats involved, the enthusiasm is impressive… even if the attention span is still very much a work in progress.
They’ve also had another car trip to the vet for their check-ups and vaccinations, and somehow nine puppies that once seemed tiny are becoming surprisingly heavy to carry around.
Away from the puppy circus, the homestead is settling into the warmth of spring.
Rocky Creek is low after the dry season, but the creek line remains wonderfully green and lush. Under the shade, with your feet in the cool water, it is one of those quiet places that makes the heat of the day disappear for a while. Our Rocky Creek Escape guests have private access to this beautiful stretch of creek, entirely within our property.
The garden is growing too. A beautiful capsicum is forming, and the white peaches have moved from blossom to tiny fruit. We’re doing our best to protect them from the wildlife and keeping our fingers crossed that we might actually get to harvest some this year!
Meanwhile, the Apothecary has been busy with another batch of our Myrtle & Velvet Luxury Gel-Butter being mixed and poured into jars, ready for Madeit and soon to be available through Woolworths Marketplace.
And, because there is always something drying, growing or being made around here, two beautiful sage sticks are currently hanging in the laundry.
Looking back over these two weeks, there seems to be a common thread running through everything.
Remembering what came before.
Growing something new.
Relying on the people around us.
And accepting that sometimes the most beautiful parts of life come with a little bit of mess and chaos attached.
Which, at Wildhorse Homestead, is probably just as it should be.
If you’d like to follow along with the seasons, the animals, the gardens and all the imperfect little adventures in between, you can also join the Wildhorse Homestead Circle. It’s where we share a little more of what happens behind the scenes here, along with stories, ideas and seasonal inspiration.
Come grow, relax and play with us at Wildhorse Homestead. 🌿
Thanks for spending another week with us.
