The interesting thing Carlene had noticed was that Adam wasn’t at all keen on some of the technology which Dean had brought home. She’d heard him say the raised beds were short-sided and what did they need them in Northam for anyway? It didn’t rain as much as it did in the southern part of Western Australia. Dean had responded that it might help harvest the water and Adam had scoffed.
Her youngest son Dave seemed to have other ideas—about fixing the place up, making sure that every part of it was operational, then he wanted to research what was best for Wind Valley Farm.
What was becoming clear was that Sam was stuck in his ways, and didn’t want to change the way he farmed now. What was also apparent was that he would listen, if only half-heartedly, to the two older boys, but he considered that whatever poor Dave had to say wasn’t worth listening to. Why the three boys couldn’t sit down with a beer and talk about what they wanted to achieve was beyond her. The whole situation worried her.
‘Here, Mum.’
Carlene looked up to see Dave carrying two large glasses of lemon cordial. It looked like he’d emptied the ice container into the glass!
‘Thanks, darling.’ She swiped the sweat from her forehead as she straightened up. ‘I do think I need that drink after all.’
‘Come and sit on the verandah for a couple of minutes,’ Dave said. ‘Two minutes break won’t hurt you!’
‘Probably not.’
Together they climbed the stairs and sat on a wooden bench seat. ‘Do you remember helping me paint this chair?’ Carlene asked Dave as she sat down heavily. She didn’t want to admit it, but the heat really was getting to her today.
‘Yeah. I think I started it without you knowing and then we had no choice but to finish it.’
Carlene nodded, a small smile playing at her lips. ‘Yeah, you were always the one who could find trouble.’
‘I’m not sure it was completely my fault. If Grandad hadn’t left an open tin and a paintbrush at the door, it probably would’ve never crossed my mind to find something to paint.’
‘Your grandfather was tidying up my front door and outside window frames. I’m almost sure he didn’t invite you to paint the seat!’
‘No, but I have always liked to help,’ Dave answered, his blue eyes twinkling.
‘Isn’t that the truth?’ she said, giving him a loving squeeze.
‘Have you got much left to do here, Mum?’ Dave asked, changing the subject. ‘It’s really too hot for you to be working in the middle of the day. It may not be fifty, but it’s certainly over forty degrees.’ He frowned, then muttered, ‘Who’d get married in the middle of bloody summer in the wheat belt?’
Elbowing him, she answered, ‘Your brother. And the house has to look beautiful for him and Mandy. Have you and Adam been back into town to try your suits on?’
‘I’ve organised to go tomorrow. Haven’t talked to Adam since last night.’ He shrugged. ‘His car’s been gone all day, but I didn’t hear him leave this morning.’
‘Hmm, I suppose he’s gone to see Tiffany.’ An image of her middle son and his girlfriend came to her—they’d been in the shed with Adam shearing and Tiffany working the board. They’d seemed to work in fluid motion, knowing what each other was doing without having to look. She was sure that match was more suited than Dean and Mandy…
‘Probably.’ Dave interrupted her thoughts.
They silently looked across the large lawn and garden, which Carlene had lovingly planted from runners and seeds thirty years ago when she’d been a new bride and Sam had brought her to the farm which had been his parents’. He’d been the last-born child and his parents were elderly and not living on the farm by the time Carlene and Sam had married.
She looked up at the house, then across the garden with satisfaction. When she’d arrived the whole area had been run-down, paint peeling and no garden to speak of. Now the house was freshly painted and tidy. The garden, well, her friends in the CWA said it could go in the Open Garden scheme, but she didn’t think so. There was still a lot to do before it was that good.
‘Remember how you’d always have parts of the garden roped off when you were trying to get the lawn going?’ Dave asked. ‘If we were in there, woe betide us!’
‘And more often than not, I’d catch you using the ropes for hurdle practice just before sports day,’ Carlene remembered with a laugh.
Dave responded, ‘That’s why I always won the race.’
The multicoloured roses lined the edges of the large garden, with bushes and climbers covering the fence. Tall leafy trees blocked the midday sun from the kitchen and lounge areas of the house. It was a cool sanctuary in the middle of the burning summer heat and would be perfect for Dean’s wedding, she thought.
‘When do all of Mandy’s family get here?’ Dave wanted to know. ‘I’ve mowed all the long grass over at the shearers’ quarters, so they should be able to see if there are any snakes around. Can’t wait to see what the city slickers do if they come across one.’
‘Hopefully they won’t. I’m not sure Anne would cope.’ She thought back to the previous Christmas when Mandy’s family had spent two days over the festive season with them. Anne had worn white pants and sandals. By morning smoko of the first day, the grey dirt had coated her outfit and she’d managed to get grass seeds under her toes. Since then, this would be their first visit back.
‘Do you know what Dad was doing this morning?’ Carlene asked casually. ‘He didn’t come in for lunch.’
Dave gave a disgruntled snort. ‘He’d
