Tuesday, 9/18

A tour of Kim's farm

Kim has a week off from her job as a nurse for a hospital transport service, the first time in months that she's had any real vacation time, which is quite fortunate for us. She generously offered to help us get our LC ready for our trip by letting us use her tools and guiding us around her town of Armidale to the proper shops for supplies. 'Generous' should be Kim's middle name. She also has a wonderful sense of humor, is an absolute font of knowledge on all aspects of Australian flora and fauna, and a relentless kidder, taking ribbing as well as she gives it. We've gotten on famously!

Kim fixed us a nice 'brekky' of bacon, similar to Canadian bacon, and eggs from her chickens. After a leisurely cup of coffee she showed us around her property. Her farm sits in an area of NSW called the Tablelands, a fairly dry area at about 3200 feet of elevation west of the Great Dividing Range, which separates the humid lowlands along the Pacific Coast and the drier interior of NSW. As the name suggests, the Tablelands is relatively flat compared to the other areas of NSW we've traveled in so far, but there are small hills and shallow valleys. The occasional rock outcroppings and eucalyptus trees are grayish green and now with the shortage of rainfall the grasses are mostly tan.

Chorley Farm

First we went out and fed the 'chooks' and Possum. When Kim had talked about the 'chook yard' the night before I thought she said chalk yard, and I couldn't figure out what she was talking about, since chook is pronounced more like chuck. Well, the chooks are six lovely Isa Brown chickens that ran up to greet us when we entered their yard and pecked through the leftovers she had dumped on the ground.

The chooks

Then she walked over to a shady part of the chook yard and called out to Possum, an orphan Rock Wallaby about three feet tall that shyly 'walked' up to her and took a piece of bread from her hands. By the way, kangaroos and wallabies move either by hopping, which is quite graceful, or pentapedally, using their four legs and tail which looks like a man using a crutch and seems awkward.

Snack for Possum

There's a large solar electric panel on the roof of the tool shed that produces more power in a year's time than the farm uses, resulting in a profit that will pay off the installation in several years.

Next we took a walk through a small grove of native Australian trees that was planted in memory of her son Thomas. 'Tommo' died of cancer at the age of 15 in 2001, an incomprehensible loss of a much loved magnificent young man possessed of promise and talent.

More shopping

With Kim showing the way we went a variety of stores, buying a new car battery, particle board for a bed for the LC, and fabric for curtains and screens for the windows. And even more importantly, we went to the RTA and finally got our vehicle ownership papers transferred into our name with Kim's assistance . Since we don't have a permanent NSW address we needed a voucher of reference verifying that Kim had known us for at least a year, and that her house would be the address for the car. When asked how long we've known each other it's a recurring joke when we answer 'two years and ten minutes'. A fortuitous ten minutes at the Bennett's two years ago indeed.

Feeding the sheep

Before dinnertime we fed the sheep. It's Beau's favorite time of day. After grabbing some hay and a bucket of feed we walked over to the sheep paddock, Beau running around in circles, barking and dancing in anticipation. The herd of around eight ewes, one ram, and ten lambs is protected by tall, wary, and slightly menacing alpaca, Bess. I think part of Beau's excitement is taunting Bess from outside the fence. Kim said that alpacas can kill dogs, and when Beau slipped under the gate and ran through the field, I was a little worried. Bess started to chase him off and Beau ran back under the gate. I think it's a game that has been played many times before.

     Kim spread the hay on the ground, then told me to pour the oats into the feed tray. The herd rushed over to me, pushing and shoving to get at the grain, bumping me out of the way. It felt like a rugby scrum.

Bess keeps a watchful eye

Get the Yank!

Please sir, may I have some more?

We got back to the house in time for wine and appetizers and a delicious meal of ground lamb tacos and pea soup.

Matchstick poker

Somehow we started talking about card games and I discovered that Jake didn't know how to play poker. He found a deck of cards and a box of matchsticks, which we divided up among Jake, Diana and me. I made out a list of the order of winning hands.

     Jake is a natural. With his taciturn nature and quick mind he soon figured out not only what makes a good poker hand, but also when and how to bluff. A little beginner's luck didn't hurt either. Playing straight, draw and seven card stud Jake had two full houses without the benefit of wild cards. Diana lasted about an hour before she lost all her matchsticks, then Jake and I played on for another hour or so, the balance of sticks shifting back and forth, both of us down to one matchstick at times. We finally ended with a game of showdown to see who would win the grand prize of a Tim Tam cookie. We ended the night showing each other some card tricks, then went to bed.