Who's a happy boy then?

Ardie, our Mongrel Socks No. 1 shed dog, got lucky today. He had an early morning visit from his little mate Mazzy and her big sister Ruby. Play time! It was one flat out hour for Ardie, he made up for it spending the rest of the day sleeping.

Mongrel Lover

Our little Mongrel Ardie has been getting some extra special attention from his little mate Emma. At the house of Mongrel Socks all creatures great and small are much appreciated. We love living and working in the bush, always a surprise at who's come to visit. Our only domesticated animal is Ardie. Actually named intitial's R.D. short for "ranga dog". He's great company in the shed, and he just plain loves us. As we do him. Wee Emma is visiting from Darwin - (the land of no socks), she enjoyed Ardie's warm cuddles because she was feeling the cold a bit while she was here. Nothing like soft, fluffy, hot water bottle Ardie to take the chill off. He lapped it up, exhausted after every visit. It's a dogs life!

Sweating in the workshop

Yay, summer is here! We've been enjoying some beautiful weather, all the better for drying our Pure Wool Mongrel Socks. The warmer weather has not only lifted our spirits, it has brought it has got all the wildlife, who call our place home, out and on the move. Nothing is quite so nice as mosying down to the workshop and nodding a good morning to Mr Echidna who's also out for a stroll, and probably looking for a feed. The reptiles are on the move too. We haven't come across any Mr Snakey's but they're definately around too. My personal favorites, Mr and Mrs Blue Tongue Lizard, are certainly making the most of the warmer weather. Yep, it's mating season, and they're making hay while the sun shines. They have no shame, there's nothing private about their private lives. Here's today's love-lizards, getting it all going on just out side the workshop today. Even Ardie, our little mongrel shed dog, couldn't disturb these two.

In to it!

Back from sunny Darwin, having had a fantastic trip. We did the lot....swimming at waterfalls and billabongs, chugging a few tasty beers, bqq's with real Territorians, getting eaten by mossies (no fun there) never a dull moment. The NT has a charm all of its own, and while Tassie is home and the only place I'll ever want to live, the territory is a taste of a different type. The people seem some how more real than thier southern city cousins, no time is wasted in that hot energy sapping climate, there's no beating around the bush, no fuss or bother, the people seem real, what you see is what you get. That in it's self is so refreshing.
We arrived home with a bang. From 34 degree's to 7 degree's in one day, wow, we felt the cold. We discovered Tassie in our absense, had been having days of torrential rain, our rainwater tanks overflowed and flooded the sock shed. We didn't lose too much but it has been truely a pain to clean up. Ah well, time to book another holiday I'd say.
With all the cold and crappy weather business has been busy, and we are really thankful we left the very capable Owen and Michelle holding the fort. They did a fine job and we thank them.
They also looked after our little mongrel Ardie, who had his own holiday with them and thier 2 dogs. Lucky aren't we to have such good friends? Anyway best get back in to it, and do some work for a change. My socks are calling my name!

No shoe is safe!

Oh happy day! We have a new family member. A little mongrel called Ardie. After spending the last few years dog free, and missing the joy and love that a little mate can bring, we took ourselves to the Dogs Home to find a new friend. It took 6 or 7 visits to find him, followed by a home visit to check us out, and then he was ours. He's about 10 months old, so not quite a puppy but still very puppy like. A soft, shaggy and so very loving little mongrel. We have been lucky to find he's not got many bad habits-but the one he does have is he loves to eat shoes. Oh dear! We've lost a few pairs, chewed beyond redeem, and some we just can find anywhere, although their fate is sealed I think.
He has even taken to spiriting away socks, living in the house of the sock it's not surprising, I suppose. So now armed with a huge shoe storage box (with a lid), and a whole lot of new chew toy's, I think we'll be right. We are so loving the company he brings, he's a lovely little distraction in our sock making day. And very best of all I've been out walking nearly everday, which is very good for me too.