Smoke and its not cigarettes!

Far to the south of this state bushfires are raging, one had a boundary of over 200 kms.  Thankfully few homes have been burnt; but the devastation as tall karri trees are engulfed is an ecological tragedy.

 

Early in the week our area, the mid west of Western Australia, had power outages that totalled 50 hours, with a four hour relief when I re-charged the computer, and did a load of washing.  The following morning the power was off again, as were the phones.  Where the previous day neighbours were able to keep in touch via the phone, the day telecommunications failed we gathered on the road exchanging woes.

 

However, our woes were nothing when compared to the fires burning in the south.

 

This morning at sunrise the sun looked weird.  As the morning wore on it became apparent that smoke was beginning to affect our area ... and by 4.00pm when I took the photo, a smoke haze made a curtain between the earth and the sky ... it is impossible to see the sky; all around smoke clings to the land.

 

I feel for those folk who have respiratory problems; life will be more difficult for them.

Wipes brow!

Whew!!  Today was, still is, hot; very hot, too hot!

 

Thankfully after doing the ironing early in the morning household chores were minimal.  Beginning a 'secret challenge' meant that I could sit and stitch without feeling guilty.  Easier said than done in the sweltering heat, but I have managed to put into stitches the idea floating around in my mind. 

 

As the temperature rose the perspiration dripped from my brow; plenty of water was essential ... too often I have felt the effects of not drinking fluids ... lesson learned!

 

Two photos, taken indoors, show just how hot it was.

 

Woops, the clock is a little lopsided ... I must have held the camera sideways!  But the two dials tell the tale.

 

 

A New Year has begun

Our small town holds a Market Day the first Saturday of each month with a variety of interesting stalls.  Cakes, apple pie [a must!], pickles, plants, books, DVD's, jewellery, crystals, and many other bits and pieces that make for curious browsing.

 

We are regulars to visit the Markets, and I find the mix of stall holders fascinating.  Some sit at the back of their gazebo tent watching the passing parade, others wander amongst their product which makes me wonder if they are expecting the public to not only look, but to take when the stall holders eyes are turned.

 

Not far from where we park is Mr Toolman who has spades, drills and bits, screwdrivers, you name it he has it, while Mrs Toolman has interesting crockery and nick knacks.  I try to not look there too long as I have a perchance for crockery, buying teapots [and seldom drink tea] just because they are interesting. 

 

Mr and Mrs Toolman have a dog, a gorgeous big eyed King Charles Cavalier who enjoys do-nuts for breakfast, and who relishes the attention of passers-by.  Needless to say this stall is always my first port of call ... and the obligatory pat of the dog is all important.

 

After wishing Mr and Mrs Toolman Happy New Year I wandered close to the little dog who views the passing parade from the comfort of a deck chair.  Once I was close to the dog I wished him a Happy New Year [one must spread a little cheer if possible] and yesterday those three little words had a profound effect!

 

Little dog smiled at me, no, not smiled, he grinned.  Such a simple appreciation of a few words of greeting brought a smile to my face for the rest of the day.  I guess if there is any one thing to take from this posting it could be ... pay attention to the little things in life as they often bring the most joy.

Simple but pretty

When I first came to the mid-west the sand that passed as soil astounded me.  In N.Z. I had been used to fertile soil that grew wonderful vegetables and flowers, if one planted plants that like a cooler climate. 

 

My first foray into making a flower garden here was an abject failure.  Plants purchased failed during the long hot dry summer.  We obtain our water from a bore, admittedly it has good water, but needs to be pumped [by electricity] to a holding tank.  Watering flowers seemed an expensive waste of water.

 

The following year I purchased more plants; another failure.  When 'moaning' about my lack of gardening abilities in the local newsagents I was surprised to hear that this was a common complaint.  The only way was to plant flowers that needed little water and could withstand weeks of temperatures in the high 30's to low 40's.  Lesson learned!

 

Next year I purchased a packet of nasturtium seed; planted a couple of the old fashioned geranium that grows anywhere, and was the lucky recipient of a rosemary bush and an agave.  These form the backbone of my 'garden' such as it is.  Vegetables are cheaper bought at the supermarket.

 

Each year in winter I plant a few seedlings ... petunias, pansies that sometimes do well and sometimes do not, stock that invariably is a single stock despite the punnet assuring they are doubles.

 

The nasturtiums from that initial planting seed year after year and make a colourful display; needing no attention and thriving with the occasional rain storm.

 

I love their brightness, their adaptability, and the ability to grow year after year.

Kookaburra in the old gum tree

Australia has more gum trees than I care to count; I would hazard a guess that no-one has counted them all.  We have gum trees sheltering us.   Their falling leaves are another story ... I have the self-appointed task of raking them up and transferring them to a bonfire.

 

Two days ago I heard willy-wagtails creating a raucous.  Willy-wagtails are a small bird with a huge inbuilt survival kit.  Spring is when they nest; spring is when they chase any bird that looks like attacking their young; spring is the time they dive-bomb humans who venture too close to the nest.  A willy-wagtail making a dive at one's head is not funny!

 

Wondering what was worrying the wagtails I peered into the old gum tree.  Three wagtails were flying in close formation around the head of a lone kookaburra.  Give Mr Kookaburra his due, he ignored the onslaught!  My sudden appearance decided the wagtails the battle they were waging was not worth the effort and they flew away, which made me wonder if this was simply a learning curve designed to teach the young how to protect themselves.

 

I hurried indoors and managed to take a photo of the kookaburra who sat undisturbed on an overhanging branch.

 

 

The wagtails did have a case re the attack as I believe kookaburras are not against raiding the nest of a wagtail. 

Food or Fodder?

This morning I read an article about kale, the latest wonder food.  It was written with tongue firmly in cheek and resonated with me.

 

I have noticed how many folk are talking about kale ... that leafy green plant  I thought was grown for cattle fodder.  Not that my Dad grew it; instead he grew its close relation [well I think it is a close relation] chowmollier which smelt a lot like cabbage.  It also looked a little like cabbage but with an extremely long stalk.  

 

Chowmollier was planted as a winter fodder crop for cattle and sheep, along with swede turnips that played an important part in my childhood diet as a table vegetable mashed and sweetened with a little sugar; or plucked directly from the ground, the mud cut off with a pocket knife that fathers and brothers invariably carried in pockets, was a firm winter favourite.  Sadly swede turnips in Australia are a poor relation to their New Zealand cousins.  It was always said that a swede turnip was no good until after the first decent frost; frosts are not commonplace in this part of Australia.

 

Upon reading the article it struck me how vegetables come and go in favouritism.  I remember spring cabbages that were leafy and green [no doubt in the same class as kale for goodness] whereas today supermarkets favour pale insipid looking cabbage, often cut in half and wrapped in cling foil.

 

I think I will give kale a miss and look forward to whatever is the 'in vegetable' in future.   I hope it isn't mushrooms!

A trip south

Last week we headed down to Perth, mainly for a break away before the heat of summer arrives, with a secondary reason being I needed summer clothes.  Honestly I do need new clothes!  Last summer I wore skirts and tops; not a great idea as the extra fabric at the waist only makes me swelter all the more.  Loose fitting dresses seemed a better alternative.

We do not have a movie theatre in our town; a trip to the movies added to the pleasure of a week in the city, not forgetting visits from and to family.  All in all a lovely break away.

Coming home we stopped at a little parking bay for a cup of coffee [a flask of boiling water and a couple of coffee sachets along with biscuits are essential for a four hour trip].  The photos were taken from there.  You may be able to make out wind turbines in the distance in one of the photos.  Turbines are commonplace especially near to the ocean [Indian Ocean in this case] where the wind is no stranger.

picnic shelter

bushland with turbines in distance

bushland next to picnic shelter