The most amazing thing about this bird is the noise it makes. It laughs. Living where I do, it’s something that I take for granted. I had lunch with this friendly little fellow the other day. WE stopped to have our burger and chips by the river. I went off looking at the ducks and when I got back to the car, Bruce had been feeding him tiny bits of chips. I was surprised how tame he was. We did have one bird who would ride around on our hills hoist in the back yard, but he was easily startled and would fly away when disturbed. This is the closest I’ve been to one in the wild.
According to Wikipedia
Kookaburras are terrestrial tree kingfishers of the genus Dacelo native to Australia and New Guinea, which grow to between 28 and 42 centimetres (11 and 17 inches) in length and weigh around 300 grams (10 1⁄2 ounces). The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra,
When we first bought our farm about 30 years ago, it was a run down ex-dairy farm. It is two kilometres of dirt track from a main road. The dairy was no longer functional and it had few fences that would keep an animal enclosed. Much of the land was salt affected and non productive. The agent suggested we run the tractor through the house and start again.
We gathered seed from the few trees around and carefully grew young trees in our first purchase, a glasshouse. We planted rows and rows of trees in an effort to reduce the water table, fix the salt problem and return health to the soil. Keeping the trees alive was a struggle. We fought rabbits, kangaroos, heat, lack of water and salty soils.
Since the covid lock down we have been cleaning up one of the tree rows. It’s a huge job, with a chain saw and fire. We’ve removed lots of dead branches on the ground. It’s become a problem because the rabbits have taken a liking to the shelter and are being very destructive. We cut tree limbs off fences and pruned trees and bushes. Hard work but we can see results starting to happen. AND bonus, we’ve taken the time to enjoy the winter sunshine and the outdoors.
Our favorite spot is in a remote spot that we nearly gave up on when we first started establishing the trees. We finally got some really tough little pine trees to grow where nothing else would. The sound of the wind in the pine needles really changes the ambiance of the little grove of trees.
A neighbour cautiously asked us why we were growing thistles in our vegetable patch. I planted a few artichokes ages ago, knowing next to nothing about the plant. I still know very little about artichokes. I do know they are extremely hardy; they have to be to survive in my garden. And, they self seed. I’ve got to say they share lots of characteristics to the thistles who occasionally pop up in the paddocks who very unwelcome intruders. In fact, apparently, these globe artichokes are an actual variety of thistle. You eat the flower buds.
Obviously, I missed eating some of the flowers and they have gone to seed. I will admit to really liking them on pizzas, when I get one from the pizza shop, but I haven’t had much success in my own kitchen. Any suggestions are welcome.
This single specimen was self seeded. It has just been trimmed back. I have been feasting on a circle of broccoli planted around it. Just one left now. They co-existed very well together.
I love the look of the seeds. They are soft and fluffy. I don’t love the mess they make if you try to clean them up.
The salvia are trying, but they can’t compete here. I think they will have to be moved.
Yesterday was one of those magic days that started off very cold and then the sun slowly warmed the day. It was a perfect day to go and get some farm work underway. Although it is early winter, we did a spot of spring cleaning along one of our fences. It is overdue for replacement, but first it needed some cleaning up around it. The wattle trees have a short life span anyway and needed to be trimmed back. The trees had dropped limbs, making access difficult.
Getting rid of the rubbish was satisfying after a hard day’s work.
and while were we on a roll, a patch of weedy reeds as well
It only takes a few rays of sunshine to trick me into thinking its time to plant. Looking at the product info for my seeds in stock, I come up with this possible short list. I guess it is winter. Maybe a little too late for the hollyhock seeds, although I did see plants for sale yesterday. So I’ll give them a go in the green house.
Look – before and after
Firstly I had to clear a space on the shelves. There are a few pots hardening up, outside. I’m hoping they won’t be a frost tonight. I planted some really old scarlet runner beans. I doubt they’ll come up. I’ll love it if they do. And.. I planted 2 different varieties of peas, also from old seeds. But what’s the alternative, throw them away? I can’t do that. And…I found a packet of different varieties of basil. The packet says they can be planted at any time, I’m impatient, wish they would just sprout up..
I used to believe that toys came to life when you weren’t watching them. All right I’ll be honest I still do. I have proof. I make dolls, maybe you’d call them creatures. For years when I got home from work I’d find them, frozen with guilt. Sometimes they’s meet me at the door, sometimes they’d stray outside, sometimes they would occupy my favorite chair. I’d even caught them mid climb out the window. Yes, caught in the act. Sometimes I’d find them pair off and cuddle up. Othertimes, they might be in inappropriate poses. Enough about that! What’s that story or movie where the toys come to life at night and get up to all sorts of hi-jinx? You’re right there were lots of them. My favorite was Pinocchio. Recently there’s been Toy Story, Fantasia, The Nutcracker and lots more to prove my point.
Rereading my last few posts, I finally put 1 and 1 together. I have a suspect for the degradation of my gum tree. He’s not a reindeer, he’s a rabbit in disguise… and he was hungry when he got here from the North Pole. What do you think?
While I was sorting the fabric, I rediscovered lots of Christmas prints and wondered what Christmas,post COVID, might be like this year. Will we all be free of it? Will the virus be under control or will we still be on this awful roller coaster surfing the waves? I really wasn’t feeling optimistic enough to launch myself into a complex Christmas project. As I was pondering where to start, the little guys behind me suggested I make them another friend, after all it gets pretty lonely living up in an attic studio, the pattern is simple and another reindeer for Christmas might be useful.
So….I followed the usual process. Here comes Reindeer no 4.
I gathered the pattern pieces and… as I make a ‘doll’ it usually starts to take on its own characteristics. Rarely, do I slavishly follow the original pattern. This one though really had a mind of his own. He had just dodged the border controls and escaped from the North Pole. Apparently, Santa’s mob are very concerned about the virus too. Yes, even there. They have it too. There is a lot of dissent about working conditions in the next 6 months. He wasn’t looking forward to Christmas 2020, in fact, it was already taking its toll. He was exhausted. Between lock downs, there was a lot of travel and preparation. Sourcing the materials that they need for the workshops was becoming stressful. Santa was admitting to being more than a little anxious. The elves were all hoping that they’d stay in good health. Some of them were finding it difficult to think about spreading joy and presents. I mean, think about it. The risks involved in landing on all the roofs. Someone had to go down all those chimneys. Who knows what germs might be lurking below. Did they really have to go to every continent? Even…? This one just couldn’t take it anymore. He needed a break. (Don’t we all?), so he dropped in to stay with the other lads for a while. I must say he looked in bad shape.
He seems to be settling in well, enjoying the company of the others. Hopefully he’ll make a full recovery and disappear, with his new buddies, to help Santa with the Christmas rush.
My opponents in the battle to have a garden, (other than the weather), are usually furry, have cute little white tails, eat most of our lucerne crop and have travelled across Australia. A rabbit proof fence had to be built across the continent to stop their advance. Sadly, I have never been able to afford a fence all around my property. Over the years I discovered that they were very reluctant to leap over a smelly old tyre and eat whatever treat I had just planted. The evidence of my success is everywhere. Look at my amazing gum trees I planted years ago. In most cases I remembered to remove the tyres, just before they strangled the trees.
I’d nurtured my new gum tree in the glass house until it was 3 feet high. It was healthy and looked ready to go. So imagine my horror this morning when I went to check on my new gum and found this. All that was left was a STICK!
The tyre was intact. So can I conclude that either a three feet tall bunny, ate dinner last night or I have some sort of bouncing bunny that can repeatedly bounce and eat…? or what?????
AT PATHO 