foundations

Last week, just before dawn, I snuck out of our country apartment.  I left my bestie and our daughters sleeping.  We'd travelled up that familiar freeway the night before and the purpose of my trip was drawing closer.  Today was the day the builders lay our concrete slab.  I'd kind of ear-marked this event as one of those pinnacle moments that I knew it would all start feeling "real" and also a moment that I knew I wanted to be present to see it all happen before my eye.  So with half a dozen boys, me and my camera and a chilly autumn morning, the crane, the cement truck and the level set, work began.

The sun rose in the East as each truck load came and went delivering cement. It was a magical crisp morning and in a few hours, the footings and the hydronic heating were all covered with the concrete left to set.

The foundations are laid.  For what will be our home.


13 acres family
xx

bricks & water

We've come up this weekend to check out the progress at the block. A marvellous day, the first few days of Autumn, and not a cloud in the sky.  Here at night it's already beginning to get fresh...blanket weather, which is welcome given the humid heat of late in Melbourne.

It's been a few weeks since I've been and during that time, I knew that the brickies were starting and that a pump had been ordered.  Lo and behold we turn up and there are the beginnings of brick footings and the pump is actually connected and trenched.  It actually looks like a building site.   There is bore access on our land, which means a good, regular supply of water which shouldn't ever run out.  It's been tested and it will be perfect for irrigation and even drinking if need be.   We also have the power cables in the shed waiting for the sparky to fit some lights and switches.  Very exciting times.

The Kangaroos however were looking a little stern as to why we interrupted their siesta.


The 13 acres family
xx

snake and a go-cart

Sunday the 10th of February welcomed in the Chinese New Year for 2013 - The Year of the Snake.  I can't help but feel a little omen that yesterday, on our Lot 13, on 13 acres of land we stumbled across our first snake - did he want to wish us a Happy Chinese New Year?  Not sure, he kinda didn't stay around long enough....  Actually I scared the poor thing who was having an innocent little kip in the shed. And yes he scared me, but not as much as I thought I would be scared of snakes*.  It was a brown snake - the nasty ones.  The kids were over the moon to get a glimpse at the snake and my dearest beloved channeled his inner Bear Grylls ensuring that in fact the snake did not remain in the shed.

We'd come to show my mum the house progress and she had brought with her a handmade go-cart made by a friend of hers.  The kids were bursting with excitement to try it out.

Somehow though the snake was getting all the attention.


13 Acres Family
xx



Don't forget to enter my STIHL giveaway

*spiders however I am petrified of 

getting prepared with STIHL

This is a sponsored post. 

As exciting as the prospect is of building our future home on acreage is, we are mindful of being aware of new dangers.  Being surrounded by gorgeous hills, valleys, bushland and natural habitat is wonderful yet the reality is we need to be aware of the potential hazards this can cause. 

When planning our home, our move and our new lifestyle to come, being firesafe and doing all that we can to minimise the damage to our property in the event of a bushfire is paramount. 

Careful planning is taking place regarding the landscaping, especially the garden beds and trees surrounding the house.   Keeping the structure free from plants so that if they catch on fire they do not ignite the buildings is an effective planning strategy.   Mulch around the home is also highly flammable whereas rocks and pebbles are recommended for their fire resistance. 

My husband was very keen to keep the grass low and purchased a ride on mower and STIHL brush cutter to ensure that the property is kept tidy as fire in grass above 10cm can travel through very quickly.   It was also interesting to discover that fire is mainly carried by undergrowth including grasses, leaf litter and shrubs, not trees (as I thought).  

Sadly Victoria has already been impacted by many bush fires this Summer and this season is also the worst time for storms and floods as we are currently witnessing in parts of Queensland.  

STIHL have a wide variety of products to ensure that your property is fire safe. 

Please check out their website

And for more information on what to do in the event of an emergency the SES guidelines are a great resource. 

The kind people at STIHL sent us all a pair of gardening gloves to  help us get stuck into preparing our property and making it fire safe.  STIHL also have a pair of adult gloves for one reader.  Follow along and leave a comment below to enter.  Entries close midnight 11th February 2013 and is open to all Australian and New Zealand residents.  

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this just in....

It's days like these that I simply love technology.  From 300km away, I can feel that I am almost there....these shots sent by either the builder or my beloved are the very beginnings of our home.  And now that I've uploaded them, and downloaded them, they are free for all to see.  See, today I love technology.

The house has begun....

The 13 Acres Family
xx

The Shed...

The Shed is finished.  It's been finished for a while, but I've only just got around to getting all the images together to post.  It's so exciting having somewhere to potter around in when we visit our little patch of dirt.  Of course, it took no time to fill it.  Friends of ours were selling off some farm equipment so we were fortunate to get the beautiful old Massey Ferguson.

My feelings about this land have changed too over time. I've always loved it,  although for so long it was left untouched.   Now she's taking my heart one beat at a time.  Each time I visit another little slice of me is left there until the day I call it home.

13 acres family
xx