Another month home is nearly at an end, and while much work has been done, there doesn't really seem to be much to actually show for it. And, unfortunately, none of what has been done directly relates to the development of the train theme of Whistlestop. I've been clearing and tidying up the area around our cottage, both as a bushfire-safety measure and to make the place look generally nicer. I am realising now what an absolutely huge job it is to get our property looking tidy and attractive, although I get real enjoyment from doing this. Suffice to say though, that it is going to be way harder, and take way more time than I imagined, before we can consider that we've got this aspect somewhat under control. That doesn't necessarily mean that the Trainbarn or Miniature Railway have to wait for all the landscaping to be completed, but it does mean that it's certainly not going to happen as quickly as I'd hoped.
Here's a photo taken just in front of the cottage of a small garden area that I've just created around a rocky outcrop (former mower-munchies!!). I thought I'd take my mother's advice and use one of my 15" gauge mining skips as a flower planter!!
This 'garden' may not look like much yet, but it was a terribly overgrown area (African Lovegrass) before being cleared, and looked awful, so this is really a major improvement!! It will be extended in due course to take in most of the rocky outcrops.
Most of the tea-tree in the background of the photo will also be removed to open up other areas of really nice granite outcrops and gum trees. I have realised that if I was already building the Trainbarn or Miniature Railway (elsewhere on the property) this landscaping around our cottage would never get done, so it's probably best that I'm doing it now! It doesn't have to be totally finished before moving on to train-things, but needs to be a lot more under control than it is now.
Soon everything will start growing again after the winter hybernation, and then it will be Mowing Time!!
