Let Me Show You Around The Farm...

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be able to do this... And then my brother in law came home today in a helicopter. He has to fly back to the coast in a few days, and it must have been my lucky day, as he offered to take me for a flight. I've NEVER been in a helicopter before, and I thought that petting a dolphin was as good as this last month could get. I was wrong. This was just so much fun!

So if you have never been here before, then sit back, pretend you are up there with me, and take a look at the southern end of our property. And if you are already well versed in the lay out of our property, then enjoy these pictures from the air.

This first one is just me being so excited that I felt the need to photograph my perspective. That's everyone out front waving at me. In the background is the in-laws shed and the Hut (where our nanny stayed).

Okay, this time we are officially off the ground. I have no idea where exactly this is, but I imagine it would be heading just west of our house (as the crow flies ironically enough). Centre is a small dam. It all looks so flat, but at least it's green!

This time we have done a full sweep and are heading in an easterly direction again. It's quite hard to take a straight photo when your left arm is flapping about in the wind of a 2-seater helicopter. (Just in case you thought we were so high up that I actually captured the rounding edge of the planet). We are mostly sheep, and also some cattle out here. I didn't see too many of either on this flight - though in all fairness, the property is quite large compared to a city block. I did see a few kangaroos however. This is pretty much a standard photo of how the whole property would look from the air though.

I love this photo. Top right is the driveway out to the mailbox. From the part where it goes straight (just above the cluster of trees - top right of centre) to the mailbox (which you can't see in this photo) is about 1.5km. The building on the left is one of our shearers quarters. On the right (other side of the road from the shearers quarters) behind the trees is the shearing shed. These are the ones at the southern end of the property for anyone who has been here. The road bottom centre takes you to our house, another 1.5km away.

Top centre of this photo is the shearing shed. The majority of the photo is of the yards. They could use a good shower of rain (also ironically enough, given that 75% of Queensland is currently in flood). Technically we are in the 25%, even though we are completely surrounded by water. These yards are quite large. And there is a reason they are circular like this. It has to do with the way you move livestock through them. One day I will explain this better.

 This is my favourite photo of the day. On the left is our little house, with the shed behind it. Just in front of our house here, it looks like two patches of sand either side of grass. This is where we have extended our backyard, and the grass has only grown in the middle section as of yet. I have promised to have my kids christened when the lawn covers those two sandy areas. Stay tuned. On the right is my parents in law. Quite close. Some might say 'scarily close'... but luckily they are both lovely people, and it is also (conveniently) a safe walking distance for my children to get to on their daily visit. Wonderful. When CP and I first married, our house was there (smaller than it is today), but there were no trees on the right side of our house at all. (OK, maybe just the one). CP planted almost every tree between our place and his parents, and it has revolutionised my life.

I jokingly told my mother in law today that this will be a great photo for realestate.com . In the event of selling... anyone???? No... probably not too funny... especially coming from the daughter in law.

Anyway. That's us from the air.

What a day!

PS: To everyone affected by the floods of QLD, I am thinking of you and sending my very best thoughts and best wishes. Please make donations to support our Queenslanders in need!