A good man

With the very sad passing of Hubby's Grandad early last week, we've spent most of our time planning our trip to and from his beloved farm in Machine Creek around work and health commitments.  It's been a very big week!  We packed up the car, organised a sitter for The Boo and headed off on our road trip; a good seven hour drive either way.

Hubby had been meaning to take me to Machine Creek since we met six years ago, but like most things, we didn't really ever manage to fit it into our plans.  Hubby and his family spent a huge amount of their holidays with Grandad on his farm learning to ride bikes, feed and milk cows, dehorn bulls and generally get up to mischief.  I've heard many great stories about the fun times he and his siblings had out there.  So when we finally had the opportunity to see the place for myself I was excited!

And let me tell you, the farm lived up to its reputation!  I was given the grand tour of the paddocks on the trusty quad bike by Hubby.  He took me over the creek, through the milking shed and through some really amazing land.  There were old sheds full of equipment, a run down original workers cottage affectionately known as "Gran's place", paddocks with awesome names like "Bonanza", and hills and grass as far as the eye could see.  It really is an amazing place.


Grandad's funeral was beautiful.  It was a true tribute to the good man he was in life, and the church was full with the people he'd shared that life with.  Amazingly there were even people lining the verandahs of the church just to be present for his final send off.  His coffin was lain with memories from the farm; pieces of bougainvillaea tree, small old farming paraphernalia and photos, lots and lots of photos.  In life, I had only the chance to meet with Grandad a handful of times, but through the stories told by the people we both call our family, I felt like I truly was getting to know him.


Being able to spent that time on the farm with Hubby is priceless to me.  It is a memory we were able to share together.  A piece of his life I know that was so dear to him.  There really is something special about country life.  The calming, fresh air, the endless clear blue skies, the smell of hay and cows and dirt.  A feeling of closeness with God. And something truly relaxing indeed.  


So, we may have had to say goodbye to Grandad, but through our time on the farm we both now have some amazing memories of the man that owned the land, spent his life and love on making it as beautiful as it was, and we are truly grateful.