It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

The poinciana is in full bloom and it's magnificent. Our neighbours have some too and there are a few more on the way up the driveway. Apparently they only flower like this every 10 years - magnificent.

The chilli bushes have their baubles ready and hanging (there is literally hundreds of them)

And my poor poinsettia is even giving it a go. Poor thing was rudely transplanted 5 years ago and hasn't received a skerrick of attention since. I must aim to change this.

Even Russell Crowe (who is looking a little worse for wear) has his little red festive flowers all lined up in bloom.

Inside our home, my contribution continues to be minimal. Even though I had committed to putting up the tree, it's still in it's box somewhere (not quite sure but am sure I will find it when the time comes). I have, however, started on presents and being still November - that might be a record. I'm usually a last minute shopping kinda' girl.

As you may or may not have been aware, Brisbane had a massive hail storm on Thursday. Unfortunately for my new ute, we got stuck in the middle of it and, well, insurance claim for damage is pending. I have to say that the noise of bigger-than-golfball-hail hitting the roof of the car was a little intimidating (I did duck a few times - no idea why).

We are continued to be blessed with a large number of bees at the moment, many of whom visit the garden and stop off at the water fountain for a drink. Am not sure what kind they are - any suggestions?

Ooh, and last night I was once again lucky enough to rescue one of these. Max bought him in as a 'gift'. Its a baby sugar glider and it wasn't hurt from what I could see. I just scooped it up and took it outside. Cuuuute. They only grow a wee bit more when they're full grown and have flaps of skin from their front to rear legs on each side and fly/glide from tree to tree. Lord knows how Max caught one (he's no speedster). Google it - they're interesting little characters.

Luckily Max or Moet are not really hunters and this is probably the 3rd mammal or bird I've had to rescue in as many years. (Previous felines have been a little more active in this space.)

Anyway, happy start of December everyone. I'm off to put up the tree - or at least think about it...

The Garden Share Collective - July 2013

I'm so excited - my first group bloggy thing and it's about gardens!

Truth is, it's about motivating me to get off my butt and share a little love with my garden. I am totally guilty of neglect. Hopefully this group can get me focussed on my garden to get it through winter and prepared ready for spring.

I rushed around today (having only committed to participating to this morning) and took stock of my dire position...

I live on acreage just north of Brisbane with MOTH (man of the house) who is a wonderful cook, musical genius and always looks forward to the fruits of my labour to create culinary delights in the kitchen. We share our lives with two dogues, two cats (one Manx who thinks he is a dog), 11 chooker moles (not laying - let's just not talk about that right now), two donkeys and 5 keets (baby guinea fowl).

Let's start with the positives. Lemons, lemons, lemons - holy cow have we had a crop of lemons this year and still they come...

Our oranges are still to ripen, due to position and shade. Our neighbours fruits have long gone.

I went for a walk down the paddock to see what native delights I might find but kept getting that feeling that I was being followed...

At one stage Guinness (the little black Irish donkey) actually bumped into me when I stopped, he was so close. I got the fright of my life, had no idea he was there!

I need some ideas on what to do with our giant bamboo. We have two other bamboos but this one is 15m tall and those trunks (does bamboo have trunks?) are about 15cm in diameter.

Up in the main vege garden things are dire. The fence keeps the chooker moles out and the palms provide shade BUT their root systems also steel all of the goodness from the garden beds. The contents of these four garden beds never ceases to amaze me. I am successfully growing the following, sometimes conflicting, herbs and veges:

Strawberries
Ginger
Tomatoes
Thyme
Basil
Lemongrass
Bay tree
Lemon tree
Kaffir lime
Comfrey
Rhubarb
Asparagus
Orchids
Turmeric
Oregano
Parsley
Sage
Rosemary
Rosella
Dill
Fennel
Tarragon
Chives
Statice
Nasturtiums
Marigolds
Native Violets
Beans
Coriander
Saw Coriander
Chillies (several varieties)
and several more types of plants I can't recall right now.

Ginger, turmeric and orchids in winter

My comfrey has been smashed by some nasty bugs

Rose garden was pruned last weekend, along with the surrounding rosemary hedge.

Star pickets stop cars hitting the hedge, chain wire keeps the chooker moles out

In other garden beds I am growing vanilla (trying), pineapples, bananas, paw paws, mint, galangal, pumpkin, garlic, avocado and olives.

My shamingly poor herbs in pots

The centre of my gardening success (I know, you can't see it at the moment) is my kitchen deck. MOTH made me a seedling table and the bird bath looking thing is where we through seeds and bits left over from cooking. Yes, that is a 5' tall avocardo tree in it (on my list to get transplanted before next months blog, along with the ginger and whatever else is in there). I need to plant up some more heirloom seedlings in the trays in coming weeks and prune that geranium!

Everything needs mulching and my soil needs some love - suggestions welcomed.

Looks like I have my work cut out for me before next months posting ;o)

Oh, and here's the dirty face of a happy gardner (even if I did spend the day in the rain).

Wet

It's a long weekend here in Brisvegas to celebrate the Queens birthday. Long live the Queen but do you think it's not too much to ask to organise some good weather please?

There's rain in them there hills (if only you could see the hills for the rain)

Everything is wet... wet chooker moles

Wet keets...

6 weeks old now and stupider than ever

Wet donkeys...

And I even found a wet celestial chicken...

Camera did this all by itself

Cats and dogs had it worked out and are in front of the fire.

MOTH is cooking up a storm, red wine weather tonight for sure!

Thank goodness we have all those pumpkins to make soup with.

The week that was

Started a new contract this week with work so it took me a wee while to get into the swing of being in the city by 8.00am. Am going to have to change some feeding times to evening again instead of mornings.

Tuesday blessed those who were up early enough with the most amazing sunrise.

OS visitors arrived Thursday night (thank God for Jenny the house cleaner) and accommodating kids who had to share (I KNOW - teenagers sharing!).

Saturday I participated in a multi agency fire and rescue operation that I can't really tell you about. Great day and, as always, some good laughs.

Today was home day. Walked the boundary of the donkey electric fence to check it was OK. That takes about an hour because of how steep it is. Donkeys and dogues came too. I have to say though, it's not a comforting sound to hear two donkeys charging down a very steep hill behind you (trot/canter) when they have realised they can't stop and I'm on the path in front of them! Luckily we all made it to the bottom of the paddock without anyone falling or getting injured. Then it was the hike back up the other side, which is not as steep (but still lung gasping steep).

Roman was dog tired after that any managed to find himself a leather pooffee to rest his weary bones on. He is currently snoring at my feet.

The sky could have fallen and he wouldn't have woken up

The mountain is covered in a sticky tall grass called molasses grass. Great for donkeys to eat, bad for donkey to walk through and rub their faces in. It makes them  sticky and then every seed, bindi, bramble, vine, etc. sticks to them. I'm pretty sure it's uncomfortable because they'll just stand there for hours and let me pull them off their fur. But there comes a time when there is simply not enough hours in the day to pull this quantity of seeds off two donkeys. The solution: bath time.

The first time I bathed them last year, I am sure they were in pure shock. Did not move.

NOT impressed!

This year, shall we say, they were a little more savy about the hose and the shower gel. Guinness tried to crush me against the fence several times and Irwin just stuck his tongue out at me (he's such a sweetheart). Good news is a have had two clean donkeys, free of sticky seeds until they both had their own dirt baths. Luckily they are no longer sticky and covered in bindis and seeds.

I did manage a 'before' shot of Irwin. Note how matted his fur is with the sticky grass and the clumps of bindis on the poor boy's ears.

Maybe there's a business opportunity here with donkey hydrobaths...

Ever seen a donkey smile?

My boys are finally home (and they literally ran up the driveway to get there). They have been agisting at our lovely neighbours place (thanks Heath and Jess) since the Australia Day weekend storms at the end of January. We had literally a hundred trees come down and many came down over the fences. No problem on a flat block but not being able to get 4WD access because it has been too wet meant we couldn't chop up the trees, spray the fenceline and cut back the growth to get it all back under control. We have more firewood than we could ever use and there's at least another 20 dead trees that I could cut down if we needed more.

I am now officially part mountain goat and the fence is up and running. Woot Woot!

Irwin was particularly happy to be home - I do believe he's smiling!

His winter coat is now in and he looks like a teddy bear.

Checking their paddock out

Guinness stuffing his face

The keets have had their day pen expanded. Alcatraz is double fenced, topped and has an external double line of hotwire tape surrounding them. They can now fly quite well and run towards me when I come near them, which is a little disconcerting.

And then, while I was making the chooker moles some new roosting perches, I looked over and saw Max and Guinness introducing themselves...

Seriously, that cat isn't afraid of anything!

MOTH also bottled his second batch of cider this weekend. Now we just have to wait six weeks to be able to drink it.

Banana tree started to fall over so had to harvest bananas. Here's hoping they ripen in the garage.

Speaking of harvesting, I had grand plans to make Rosella Jam this weekend. Only problem is you can't make much jam with only 12 pieces of fruit (I swear it looked like heaps more on the bush). So it looks like I might get a couple of cups of Rosella tea. There's always next year...

MOTH took the kids on sailing lessons today and J had a near death experience in the middle of the lake. Apparently falling out of the boat will do that to you... teenagers [sigh]

It's going to be cold tonight so will light the fire and rug the donkeys.

A typical Clear Mountain weekend

Had grand plans for the weekend but am still suffering asthma-type symptoms from recent chest infection. So, take it easy my Mum said... don't do too much... don't burn the candle... (all good coming from someone who lives in New Zealand and is, shall we say, "pot to kettle - over". Anyway, I thought about her advice for, about three seconds... Having said that I didn't go to fire brigade training this morning, which involved one of those large multi storey ladders (wise move, MOTH said).

Anyway, lots has been happening here this week, especially given it's the start of winter and things should be slowing down.

I took a walk around the place this afternoon to see what was going on... Now remembering, it's autumn/fall, there is an unusual combination of fruit and vege developments going' on...

Our first bananas are only weeks away from being ready to harvest

I planted garlic last weekend and some of it is already raising it's arms to the sky

The paw paw tree is laiden with fruit. Note, it seems to drop it's leaves around the fruit to focus on giving everything to the fruit. You will notice I cut the centre stem out of the tree in it's first year (last year) and the result is much more, smaller fruit.

Mr Pineapple Head (thrown in the ground last year) is expected to bear fruit next year.

The chooker moles missed a pumpkin seed that seems to have escaped from under the back of their palace and has started to grow down the hill, complete with little pumpkins about the size of large grapefruit. I love pumpkin soup!

My first attempt at Rosella was stumped by bloody caterpillars but I think I might have enough fruit to harvest for one or two jars

Our tamarind plant flowered this week, beautiful

Meanwhile it rained on Saturday and so I just got to hunt and gather (like I do every Saturday) and then sharpen my chainsaw blades. Good news was I got to use them on Sunday morning. This is one of the many trees that came down during the Australia Day (end of January) storms over the electric fence, which is why the donkeys have been agisting at the neighbours place since.

The last of the trees over the fence from the January storms. Seriously, I have another 20 - 30 dead trees to cut down for firewood still.

MOTH and I trimmed the fenceline, weed sprayed the fenceline and then there was the chainsawing. Took nearly all day. Don't underestimate the slope in this picture, it's about 30 degrees (and the other side is way steeper, about 40 - 45).

I also have a cunning plan being developed to address what the chooker moles and one Max cat have done to my previously beautiful Sir Walter lawn around the clothes line.

Speaking of Max, this is what our now 6-7 month old baby has been up to...

Cuuute, snuggled up on the couch

Tired Max

... who apparently grows in his sleep!

Of course, I went and some donkey cuddle time this afternoon, as I do whenever I can. I am hoping to have them back on our property next weekend, fingers crossed it doesn't rain.

Gotta' go now. MOTH has made some amazing greek lamb dinner with roast lambm garlic mash, tzatziki, and home made hummus.

Hummus recipe (previously shared on this blog)

Another January in Queensland, another natural disaster

Gosh, our insurance company must think I have them on speed dial. This time it was a 4 day storm, post cyclone winds (thanks Oswald), torrential rains = lots and lots of fallen trees, no power for days (now restored) and all of our outdoor furniture is now literally rotting in front of our very eyes as we wait for the rain and humidity to break. We were lucky, we still have out home, we still have our health and we are still alive. I really feel for those who have now done through this, loosing everything two years in a row, heart breaking stuff.

So, I'm now chainsaw girl... cutting up trees and stockpiling the branches on a burnpile to deal with later. Here's some of the damage near our house.

A small part of our driveway after the fallen trees have been pushed aside so we could use it.

This one is suspended on another tree, very close to our power lines. Team effort required here me thinks.

There are literally dozens of trees (some wider than a persons torso) that have literally snapped like this.

Thankfully the tree closest to the house fell away from the house. It was about 7m tall.

Most of the trees bought others down with them.

Alas my compost bins and recycling station was completely trashed by the same tree that took out my rose garden.

There are literally scores of trees down in the paddocks that have gone as well, some really big. The fence has been trashed in several places. Am really glad donkeys were in the open paddock when all of this happened. It's still very wet and we're still getting showers and small storms so it's going to be a while before I can even go down there and check the real damage. I can see some really large branches suspended in trees, so it's not safe either. I heard some crash down when the wind came up briefly yesterday.

But it's not all doom and gloom. Some of us are having a great time running up and down in the drains. Red dog + red mud = dirty house!

Roman runs up and down the drains

Oh well, look on the bright side. I've got the firewood for winter sorted ;o)