The other evening, as the sun began to dip into the west & turned it's scorching heat into golden streams of mystical light, we headed down the back of the farm to do a little surveying for what is endearingly labelled 'Lake Renata'!
It will not really be a lake, but we are hoping a small patch of this wide, brown land will become a large dam to support not just our animals, but our gardens as well. I've written before about the difficulties we've had with our water supply. Not that we've ever run out completely in the dams (it is currently very close though). God has always seen us through. It's just been so very disappointing to have to let the gardens die & to be unable to pump from dams because of the low level of their water. Our hope & dream is that this dam will hold enough to give us the ability to not be so affected by the rough summers we can have here.
The reason for it's 'name' is that Dave told the guys at work that I said we had to work out a better water supply or move. On the record I did not say that, although someone else did...
I may have thought it though :) We made the mistake of going to Port Macquarie for Christmas & while it was a wonderful break away, I found it particularly difficult to return home (actually we all found it difficult) after all the beauty & greenness & perfect temperatures.
When one of Dave's workmates then dubbed the dam 'Lake Renata' & it's kinda stuck!
I heard that this has been the hottest, driest summer here since 1908. I'm not sure how accurate it is, but everyone is agreeing that it's been extreenly difficult. Even today I heard a local farmer talking about carting water for stock, so we certainly are not alone in our challenges (in fact we are truly blessed to not have to cart for stock).
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| Eli |
Of course there is never a dull moment, even on a peaceful walk around the farm. 7 year old boys provide endless entertainment!
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| Jud |
We have never surveyed anything before, so it was rather hit & miss ! We were more after the slope running west to east, but we decided to try it out on the north-south slope as well (this is the big one seen in the below picture). Where we are hoping to locate the dam is in the valley of 3 hills. In fact a neighbour told us years ago we should put a dam there. The lane behind that paddock is known to become a flooded torrent with very little rain! We are praying that this will be a good place to catch the run-off!
No matter what the weather, I am forever grateful for the wide, open spaces here at Sunnyside. We are so blessed with the beauty of the sky that stretches endlessly from horizon to horizon. We are so blessed to be surrounded by enormous paddocks (that make our farm look like a teeny, tiny patch of dirt). I could not imagine having neighbours that I could see or hear any more!
I would feel terribly sorry for them if we did, in typical country kid fashion, our children are LOUD!
And then before we knew it the sun dipped behind the hill & it was too dark to complete the job ( but don't worry, Dave & I finished it the next morning while the children went & picked unripe apples at a wild apple tree nearby ~ the goats appreciated these gifts)!
So now we are waiting for the excavator to come & do his work!
It's been far too hot for him to consider spending so many hours working his machinery, but he has assured us that as soon as it cools sufficiently he will come!
Have a wonderful day friends
Blessings
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