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)