January 2006

Visiting family - especially the new additions. Joshua Peake was born in August 2005. It still seems strange that my younger sister has a child, but I do enjoy the fact!

Back to home and...a car!

Dad got me a car while I was away. He spoke of it as "your jalopy", so seeing this vehicle parked by the drive on our arrival back home after my graduation was rather breath-taking!
I will be paying him for the car when I get a job with a decent income! Meanwhile, the car has made it possible to get temporary work. Thanks, Dad!!!

The Fence

Can you play a tune on these?




Not quite the clothes for fencing...

Graduation Bonus

A trophy, a fuel/oil can, a kitchen clock, and a rain vest - all for getting the top prize in Sheep Theory! Of all the prizes, this was the one I had hopes of achieving. Hurrah!
My final exam score was the top mark (out of both sheep and dairy): 91%. My fieldtrip assignments were mostly in the high 80’s, with the exception of the last one, which was 92. My first farm discussion report received 76, but the other three were 91, 91, & 92. The assignments from my two weeks of work experience scored 93 and 97. My Weeds & Grasses Collection gained 80, and my Project Book (Glenburn Farm Report) earned 86.75. I really earned that prize. I thank the Lord for giving me understanding and something of a way with written words.

Graduation: December 16, 2005

Three cheers! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!
I was awarded the Taratahi Certificate in Agriculture with Merit. Merit is awarded to those whose overall score is above 70%.
I achieved 471/600 for the fourth term skills test. Not quite the overall scores I would have liked to achieve, but with some very good individual scores, such as the Sheep Practical section, in which I gained 93/100.

"The Veterans"

Dick Tredwell and I with our completed fence. We called our team "The Veterans". We did a great job (the prizewinners were even better). We completed the fence in 3 hours 50 minutes, and that included digging three post holes. A huge improvement on the beginning of the year, when it took me 3 hours to dig one post hole!

Taratahi Fencing Competition.
In teams of two, we had to build a 32m four-wire electric fence from scratch. There were 8 or 9 teams competing. The date on the photo is incorrect. The competition was on December 10, 2005.

Work with a view.

"Education" (the name of the paddock). Don't work here if you have a problem with heights!

Glenburn Station buildings from "Education" paddock, where I was mustering (on foot) the cows out from among the sheep.

A sunny day at Taratahi Ag. My room is straight ahead on the end of the block.

Skills Test results

My results for Term 3 Skills Test were mostly a big improvement. My low scores in Tech 3 and Tech 1 were mostly a matter of speed - or a lack of it - and I'd never nailed together a mitre joint before (Tech 3), let alone four of them to make a box/frame; most of my marks were for measuring and sawing the pieces.

T3 = 34 (Rather a come-down from the previous term's 75.)
T2 = 79 (That's the first time I've completed the wirework, but my Tex Brown knot wasn't actually a Tex Brown, so the tutor couldn't mark it.)
T1 = 64 (First time I've put a line post in completely by myself, but I didn't finish nailing all three battens.)
Sheep = 89 !!! (Top girl in this, and only three boys were higher: 94, 91, & 91!!!)
Lectures = 84
Ag. = 75 (Second equal in this with two others; top was 94)

Total: 425/600

Doggy update

Bess, the 2-year-old heading dog I bought in July this year, is shaping up well. These pictures were taken at home during my 2-week break from study at Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre. To see them in proper sequence, start at the night picture of the campus hostel and work upwards. Sometimes the responsibilities of dog ownership (such as exercising in foul weather) can be irksome, but the joys far outweigh these. And getting a leg hug from an adoring dog is really quite heart-warming!

The doghouse - actually, it's the woodshed, but what difference? It's only for the holidays, and she can't complain of lack of room!

The lead attaching Bess to the post is just long enough for her to go around one of the trees on the left...but she hasn't figured out how to go back again!

Now the other side... How about a profile shot this time?

Like my coat? Shiny, eh! You should see me on the move with all the muscles rippling underneath...

Portrait time...

Waiting for that word "release"...

The "in-behind" position. Either side will do, and behind me out of my line of sight (until I turn my head) is even better. Sometimes Bess changes sides a little too close to me, banging her shoulder on my legs.

Want to blow the whistle?

I'm a silent (usually) heading dog - but sometimes I whisper...

Haha! Whoops! The hug slipped!

How about a leg hug?

The mutual admiration society...

Waiting patiently, right where I left her. Good dog!

A dark, wet evening in the hostel quad. Follow the path of light on the left to get to the dining room/lounge - but please go around that very soggy grass.