Narelle Hunter RURAL LIFESTYLE

Sitting on a dear old 'Moreton Bay Fig' that could be over 100 years old, in Sydney one day and on horseback the next! Wish me luck…..I am about to get on a horse to round up the sheep with Howard. I am not a horse rider at all but I do trust ‘Babe’, Emma’s very well behaved polocrosse chestnut. It is a glorious day and my private yoga appointment has postponed so there is no excuse, put your ‘farmer hat’ on girl and get out there and help…ahh!! I will change out of my town clothes and quickly put the washing out on the line from our fantastic weekend in Sydney. Howard attended the school father daughter dinner on Saturday night and the rest of us tagged along for the extra fun. We watched more netball (a great game), had breakfast at Balmoral Beach (amazing), enjoyed the Redfern Markets (award winning – well deserved) and walked around the stunning Sydney Harbour, The Rocks and Centennial Park. Despite booking accommodation on the wron

There are parts of winter I am going to miss. We have had a really fun polocrosse season and watching the big smiles on the girl’s faces as they ride their horses has been a pleasure. I am going to miss the wood fire. It has been a muddy, wet winter and the fire in the house has been burning non-stop. Our back door has a constant trail of muddy boots and damp coats but no one is complaining, the whole district is covered in green crops and ample stock feed. I am going to miss how good a mug of hot chocolate feels in my hands on a frosty morning. I am going to miss scarves, wooly jumpers and winter walks. I have been asking a few locals how they have found winter this year. Was it milder than normal or was it my intention to not complain and enjoy this cold season, that made all the difference for me? What I do know to be true is that perspective is everything. What we think about our life becomes our reality. If I think something is going to be hard, it alwa

Spring is starting to tip toe into the garden and usually I celebrate by packing up many of our winter clothes and putting out some summer things. Today was so lovely and warm that Howard and I took our lunch out onto the back verandah and soaked up the glorious sunlight. Although I am photographing tiny new blossoms and new shoots along the rose bushes, I dare not mention Spring because winter has more to say just yet. Each year when I least expect it, a final cold blast arrives unannounced but this year I am ready. Pretty little pink flowers bravely rise on these divine days and I enjoy every moment of it, but I will also be present with the changing weather and find what is beautiful throughout the month ahead, no matter what  dips and turns the temperature takes us on. Howard is spreading fertilizer on the crops and is very happy with the wonderful rainfall this year. The whole district is green, the sheep are full and the farmers drive around in g

It is a magical morning as the sun appears briefly, before lifting into a soft grey cloud.  The pinks and orange colours spread across the whole sky and catch my eye as I have breakfast with the family. I walk out onto the front verandah and stand in the stillness and notice the green lawn and bare winter branches.  It is so lovely being able to see the full sunrise making its way from the distant horizon to the garden. Shadows and silhouettes fade away, revealing hints of spring.   I think about how fun the weekend was. We went out for lunch with many boarding school families, watched the school netball game on Saturday morning and Howard took the girls to the Bribbaree Pony Club when we arrived home. A beautiful pot of orchids sits in the kitchen reminding me of the great day out we had in Sydney. Howard won them in the raffle and although he wasn’t too excited about the prize, I am reminded of how lovely it is to have flowers in the house. I p