Friday, April 28, 2006

A Fulfilling Life


A guest post ? Help! What can I write ?
Something deep and meaningful ? - or funny or witty ? Nah, that's not me.
Maybe just give you all a glimpse into my life.

Reading Jelly's blog and those of many of you, her blogger friends, has become part of my daily life. I've even been tempted to become a "blogger" myself but the 'calling' has not yet been strong enough.

I have a simple but fulfilling life on the farm.

Caring for the farm animals - cows and calves, alpacas and chooks as well as the cat and the dog - takes some of my time.

Development of our wildlife corridor (planting hundreds of trees) and garden maintenance keep me active and fulfilled. (Fatty's koala, now in one of the smaller trees which we planted, is actually two. I saw her very tiny joey today.)

Preparing for visitors who come to share our beautiful environment takes a few more hours of some days.

Periodic visits to the "big smoke" to visit family and occasional 'jaunts' to Canada and the USA to visit friends take me away for a while and broaden the horizons.

... and then there are the days like today when I get called to return to the classroom. After 40 years of teaching I still get a thrill out of working with kids.

Every day I have the enjoyment of seeing the beautiful Australian bush, the farm animals, the native flowers, wallabies, koalas, bettongs, possums, colourful birds .... and at night the stars are ever so bright and sometimes the dingoes howl.
However, my greatest enjoyment comes from sharing our little piece of paradise with family and friends.
"Family Weekends" have seen 30-40 of my extended family visiting - and now the grandchildren are old enough to enjoy staying with "Jellyma". What more could a doting grandma want ?

Watch out, Jelly ! I'm coming down to 'kidnap' Laura and Ben again !

16 comments:

Mackey said...

Hi JellyMa!! Nice to "meet" you!!!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing. I'm going to have to look up those critters on the internet.

Alice said...

Thank you, JellyMa, for a little insight into your life. We always feel so refreshed when Jelly tells of her visits to your farm, especially when she includes photos. It seems like an idyllic life you have created for yourselves there and I hope you continue to enjoy it for many years to come.

cmhl said...

ohhh! post more pictures!!!

Heather said...

Hi Jellyma! I enjoyed your post!

DB said...

Hi Jellyma! Be careful, it's easy to get hooked on blogging.

You have a most beatiful place

Susan Tidwell said...

Welcome to blogging! It sounds like you would be a great blogger but when would you find the time with all you are already doing? Love the description of your farm, a great life indeed.

manababies said...

What a full life you lead! And how neat that you're the guest blogger. :)

doubleknot said...

Hello JellyMa - you make a great guest host. So neat you saw the little joey. Like your pictures and want more.

TUFFENUF said...

Hi Jelly's mum! we all really know you already, we have heard about you from your lovely daughter. Post more photos of the farm, we love that!

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Hi, JellyMa....I feel like I already know you...Jelly has said so many nice things about you.

I enjoyed your post and that delightful picture of the koala. But, when you called it Fatty's koala, that's what gave you away and then the "Jellyma" and kidnapping the kids, sinched it.

I am with the other bloggers...we want more pictures of your lovely farm. Jelly has told us so much about it and we all have sticky beaks.

I am simply amazed at your blogging skills...you have already even posted pictures.

Michelle said...

Hi JellyMa
Thanks for your post. You could just start a blog with photos of your fantastic farm!!

John Cowart said...

Dr. jelly made a good choice in asking you to guest blog... Since everybody else already knows (or just won't ask)What is a chook? I've never heard of that one before.

Jellyhead said...

Thanks everyone. I've enjoyed my guest blogging, though there have been some frustrations learning how to do everything.
John, "chooks" are what you call chickens. "Chickens" to us are just little, newly hatched chooks.
(Chicks to you)- but then "chicks" in Oz are also young women, greatly admired at beaches, pubs or swimming pools by young men.
Jellyma

Kerri said...

Hi Jellyma. It wasn't much of a mystery guessing who you are :) So nice to 'meet' you and learn a little more about you. I've loved reading Jelly's descriptions of you. She writes so beautifully. Sounds like a wonderful corner of the world you live in. Love your photos!! I'm fascinated to learn you were a teacher. I too love working with the kids (elementary).

Val said...

Jellyma,
you are a natural when it comes to blogging! I loved your post, wish I had read it sooner. Hope Jelly passes on my comments to you.