I didn't really know what to post about, I just liked fiddling about with computers.
Then one day, when I was telling a friend how interesting it was to peek into people's lives from all over the world simply by reading their blogs, she put me on the path.
"If you find that interesting then do the same thing and they might find your posts interesting too."
Since then my blog has become a sort of chronicle of my life and interests here in Oz.
When we lived on acreage in our previous house I used to feed the birds.
They didn't need to be fed, I just liked to have them visit.
Specificly I used to feed the Lorikeets - both Scaley and Rainbow varieties - and when they come they usually come in large numbers.
As the grevilleas are all flowering and so are full of Lorikeets at the moment I decided to see if I could get them to come to a feeder.
I placed bread soaked in sugary water down near the Grevillea bushes and it wasn't long before they found it.
The only problem was that there were a few other birds who wanted a share too.
Now Cockatoos are lovely birds too but very destructive.
They attack the tin on your roof or your garden shed and bend it out of shape, chew your wooden garden furniture so I wasn't too pleased to see four or five of them swinging in the nearby trees.
Anyway they like seeds.
The Magpie came to have a look too though he really prefers worms and such.
But I needn't have worried as Lokireets are bossy little birds
and they soon chased the others away !
They're very noisy and bossy but I love them.
Looks like Tony will have to get a move on and build me the bird feeder that he promised.
I thought it was time Australia's "gum" trees featured in a post of their own.
There are many different types of gum tree and I am not at all familiar with their individual names.
.
Oh, I can recognise an Iron Bark
and a Stringy Bark
and even a Squiggly Gum
by studying their bark but that's about as scientific as I get.
On the whole they are tall, spindly trees, sparsely leaved with a distinctive shape and dark, grey-green long thin leaves and they grow everywherevery abundantly.
*
and where they grow is called "the bush".
Sometimes the bush is quite sparse as in the photo above
and sometimes it is thick with trees and undergrowth like this
- tall, mature trees and spindly saplings crowding together.
*
Sometimes you see trees growing all alone
*
like this HUGE one,
left to stand when the bush was cleared for development because of its particular beauty and size,
*
or planted by home owners who enjoy their dappled shade.
*
There are a few spectacular ones in my neighbourhood like these
*
but despite their beauty they are not good trees to have in your garden.
They drop lots of leaves all over the lawn.
They shed huge quantities of bark.
Constantly!
They are not trees that are designed to stand alone without the protection of other trees
and in storms, when the wind blows strongly they drop huge branches or often the whole tree will snap and they are responsible for the huge damage bills we have after storms
Never-the-less we love them.
They smell of eucalyptus.
They're icons of Australia.
and we teach our school children to sing about them !!!
* These are my photos. Any others have been taken from the Internet.
** A big thank you my bloggy friends for all your kind words and wishes. What would I do without you ?? I'm linking with Shay's Favourite Things Friday as trees are one of my absolute favourite things EVER ! Cheers.
As you know yesterday was our Wedding Anniversay.
Many of my teaching friends of a similar age also have anniversaries in January.
It's our long Summer holiday so time for honeymoons and weddings in the days when you fitted your life around the school year.
But I'm never getting married again in January!!!
(or any other time for that matter!!!)
* We've just had ChristmasandNew Year !
*It's HOT !!!
* Everyone is in a semi-coma from the heat and too much food.
* Half the restaurants are closed while their owners are on holiday at the beach with everybody else .
* And when it's time for your Anniversary you are in food and celebration overload.
So, how did we celebrate our Anniversary?
A last minute, spur-of-the-moment picnic dinner at that pretty spot overlooking the city that I showed you yesterday!
I packed a BBQ chicken, whipped up a cool, non-fattening salad.
Tony grabbed a chilled bottle of bubbly from the fridge and...
just on sunset we set off.
Good friends Ro and Terry joined us.
There's a lovely area above the cliffs where picnic tables and electric BBQs are dotted under shady trees and we were lucky to find one in a prime position.
We set out our picnic
The evening was cool and the view delightful....
and it improved by the minute as darkness fell...
and the city twinkled below us.
Fresh air ,
a cool breeze,
chilled champagne,
light Summery salad,
delicious cherries
mixed with friendship and laughter...
