My weekend

Last weekend on the farm was great fun. We got our hands dirty on the Saturday working with the cattle, including the calves as you can see.


The foggy mornings, eating Mums fine fare, driving around the farm in the ute with Dad, talking with my siblings about work, life, food and hunting was all good for my soul. And i got to bring some of it back with me. One of Mum and Dad's apple trees went silly this year and produced 160kg of apples. So they sent two big boxes with me back to Adelaide to use and give away to my Sem mates.

By the way, i got two votes for my photo in the facebook competition. I didn't take it to win a prize, but to preserve a memory.

Blessings,

Adrian

Going home

I arrived back in Australia 3 weeks ago, but I haven't seen my family yet. So with the long weekend coming up I am going to my parents farm at Edenhope, Victoria.

Going back to the farm connects me the years I spent farming between leaving school and studying at Sem. 'You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy.'

Being on the farm recharges my batteries like nothing else can. I am looking forward to sitting in the same room as my family, driving around the farm looking at the cows and calves, and getting my hands dirty doing whatever it takes. Being a city boy these days I love going home to the farm: there is no traffic noise and the water smells and tastes like water. Not like a shower cleaning product!

I'm looking forward to the weekend.

Enjoy your long weekend (sorry Canucks)

Adrian

As many of you know I love my photography. So, when I saw on facebook that I could enter a photography competition I jumped at the chance. The current theme is vehicles and I entered three photos like this one.

It was taken from the Auckland airport on the way back to Australia. We left LA at 5:30pm Sunday and arrived in NZ at 5:30am Tuesday, just before the sun came up.


I will let you know how I go.

Adrian

Adapting

Many of you will know that when I went to Canada I regularly wrote 'you know you are in Canada when.' Well, moving back home after living overseas for an extended time means that adjustments have to be made and old things look new. So...

You know you are in Australia when:

• You use the wiper controls (mounted on the left side of the steering column) to show other drivers which direction you are turning
• You use the indicator control (found on the right side of the steering column) to put the car into park
  
• The price of petrol (not gas) is $1.55 and diesel $1.82. Canadian $1.47 and $1.72 respectively

Blessings to you all

Adrian

The Hills in Autumn

After church today my mate Paul and I went for a drive in the Adelaide Hills to take in their Autumn beauty and to give my camera a run in the Australian landscape, given that up to now it has lived on a Canadian diet. And what a wonderful afternoon it was. Unlike a lot of South Australia the hills are very green, the vines have dropped their leaves, some of the native flowers are out and the roads are as windy as ever. A vista around every corner. It was a relaxing way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

A typical hills scene: vines and native bush

I think the horse was admiring the sun set also

Adrian xo

I'm back

Well, 36 hours after leaving Marmion I arrived at my unit in North Adelaide on Tuesday morning at 10:30. I was welcomed at the airport by a placard waving crowd of four. I was tired and as promised the first thing I did was have a shower, then the unpacking and the telling of stories began.

I will have more to say later

Love, Adrian XO

The trip back

The first leg of my return to .au is complete. I am sitting in LAX waiting 5.5 hours until my flight to NZ leaves. Catching the plane this morning was a bit hairy. The scheduled leaving time was 12:55pm. We arrived at Toronto half an hour earlier than planned and discovered the flight was due to leave at 11:55. I rushed as much as I could and I was running for the boarding gate heard the final call for Air Canada flight 799. I boarded at 11:45.

Many people have asked me, "what is the first thing will when you get home?" I have given varying answers, but I can now give you the final answer: have a shower!!! After traveling for 32 hours I'm sure my friends will appreciate me not smelling like a gym towel.

Take care

PS: thanks for leaving early this morning Phil.

Adrian xo