July 5 - Woodleigh Farm

This morning I work up at 5:30 to go to the bathroom and got the best view of the night sky. The stars were brilliant, and so close I felt like I could touch them. I could see Jupiter so clearly, and it looked so big I thought at first it was a plane. I’ve never seen anything so bright in the sky!

It wasn’t as cold out as I thought it would be, and once the sun came out, it heated up quickly.

We’re called to meals with a dinner bell, and the food is hearty and delicious. Last night we had roast and potatoes and an apple crumble with real whipped cream for dessert. This morning it was bacon and eggs.

We learned how to milk a cow and how to crack a stock whip. The cows were really patient with us. One of the delegates shouted every time she touched the udder. Peter asked her if she played tennis, too.

We got to hold a tiny kangaroo that they are nursing. Her name is Cassidy and she is so cute!!

Between cow milking and whip cracking we had skomo (or a snack). This morning it was biscuits with jam or the most wonderful golden syrup I’ve ever tasted.

Cracking the whip was not as easy as it looked, but I eventually got it. Some of the delegates became quite adept at it.

After lunch we hiked across the horse pasture to the river for some swimming. Along the way we saw many termite mounds, most 4-5 feet high. These aren’t the type of termites that destroy wood. I had seen a large termite mound in the Blue Mountains, but never so many as are in the field here.

We went on a kangaroo and crocodile hunt. They loaded us into an open truck bed with benches that looked reminiscent of the ones used in Jonestown. Peter was driving, and he loved hitting the bumps at great speed. We did see and couple of crocs and many kangaroos. The truck even crossed through the river at one of it’s lower points. When we were headed back at the end of the trip, we were crossing the river again, and just as we were reaching the other side, the truck stopped. I was sitting in the back at the very end. The next thing I knew, the entire bed was lifting from the other side! It looked a lot like the Titanic did when it went down, and everyone was headed toward me! That Peter--he’s a real jokester.