Which came first?

"Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to."

Alfred A. Montapert

We have been indulging various hens as they have gone broody in some sort of weird tag team game - a squadron of loonies pecking away at humans and generally being bad tempered and uncooperative. Finally though, after three weeks of persistent broodiness, one of our Barneys has come good with their 2nd generation. Kym thinks there are two babies, we've photographed one.

The evil eye from mum, and an adorable chick

Hopefully the local hawks will turn a blind eye for a few weeks, and also hopefully us newbie humans can provide all that is needed to ensure survival - we're certainly not going to do the 24/7 care we did last time, too stressful!

It's a lovely time of year for other reasons, we've been doing lots of socialising via BBQs and beach runs, and of course it's not a proper January without the obligatory sunflower pic - don't they just make you smile!

Giant sun-seeking monsters

Thank you to all the well wishers who have contacted us about Anthony's bung foot - he's off the crutches and hobbling about in a moon boot - for at least another four weeks the experts tell us.

That should be very interesting for both the start of the school year and also for Mitchell's formal graduation as an officer in the Army Reserve on Feb 3rd in Canberra.

Take care and once again, please lace up your boots!