Oh what a glorious winter

In so many ways I think this has to be the best winter I have ever experienced.  In between the much needed rain fall the sun shines with a beautiful bone warming warmth and the skies are big and blue.  Most of the birds and plant life (as I've said before) are convinced that it's the start of spring and are preparing nests. We have noticed the days are starting to get longer, the Laughing Magpies with their incredible song serenade us during our morning walks now.  On a very clear night the temperatures have dropped to 3c but that means that we see more stars... it's glorious.  I'm still getting used to most of the constellations being 'up side down' and there seem to be so many more,stars in the sky and satellites are very easy to spot.  Feeling truly spoilt with the beauty of it all.  The only downside is if you walk whilst star gazing there is a much greater chance you'll eventually find a tree root with your feet!

Borders are full of Rosemary (the herb) which continues to flower, along side tall yellow and orange Crocosmias and birds of paradise (which can be very prolific here) there are even some rambling roses still in full flower. Acacia (Wattle) are also now in flower, you can't tell from my photo but the flowers are very delicate and like tiny yellow pompoms, their scent is very gentle and beautiful, much like the taste of Acacia honey.  It's amazing.

The week long Willunga Almond Blossom Festival started on Saturday so we took Dora for a run and went down to have a look. We did find some Almond Trees which to my surprise had the most amazing perfume.

It did seem to be more about the funfair than the Almond Blossom and the weather started to turn so we didn't stay long.  We noticed how at the same time the local Op Shops siren calls got louder!

There is nothing better than a good rummage in an Op Shop and we found some real treasures.  Skeins of really thick yarn, so I can at last knit a mat.  A fantastic book called Australian Cookery of Today, a real journey into how life was for women in the 30's, lots of advice on how to run a 'modern' home from setting a table to how to make a hay box cooker and everything about food in between. It's brilliant.

As the whale watching season progresses more whales have been spotted nearer the shore line.  We were near Bashams Beach (where most have been spotted) and we felt the need to go and have a look.  This beautiful fellow was playing in the shallows about 100 metres from the beach and I still didn't manage to get a really good photo.

If you look carefully just off centre of the photo you can see what looks like waves over a rock, thats the whale.

We have also attended a Building Expo, where we learnt about timber frame buildings and more about septic tanks and met some very interesting characters there.  The septic tank lady was very enthusiastic about how the tanks work and what the little bugs should be fed if you are away for a period of time. They apparently like the odd cup of sugar as a treat, brown or white was not specified! Fascinating.

And on that note I'll close this weeks ramblings..... Ooroo

A trip to the Zoo and the citrus tree talk

It has suddenly got much colder and wetter and winter now feels like it has arrived.  I've even worn my heavy UK winter coat.... ok it was only once but!  Temperatures have dropped to single figures during the day, the wind is blowing a very lazy and freezing cold southerly wind fresh from Antarctica and it's raining. Plants are looking green and lush and a lot of the fauna are fluffed up and looking unimpressed!                  

 

Before I visited the zoo, I was caught in a very large rain dump, more rain threatened to fall before I could made it home from the food shop so I took refuge in a little french cafe.  Never has the smell of freshly ground coffee been so inviting. When I got to the counter I discovered they not only offered delicious beverages but also homemade gluten free cakes.  Resistance was futile and decisions were made a lot easier when the young lady told me all calories fell out once the cake was cut..... how could I refuse.

Its been a busy week, schools are out for the winter holidays and many activities laid on to keep the youngsters entertained.  The zoo, we discovered, was offering horticultural talk/walks, even better they were free.  So off I trotted, all rugged up like Nanook of the North! It was very interesting and the head gardener (one of 6) taking us around was very knowledgeable and obviously passionate about his plants.  There are three roof top gardens there, one with tents, one planted up with grasses and one with native plants.

These are hired out to schools for the kids to have sleep overs.  Can you imagine all the amazing noises of the nocturnal zoo animals?  It must be a fantastic experience and they are fully booked all the time.

 The soil on this roof top is 60cm deep, any more would make it too heavy.  The Mallee trees in the photo have a very shallow root system and are held in place with ties, which can't be seen. The roof insulates the building more efficiently than any other covering.

The last roof top has shallow root plants.  Three lots of grass, two of which are mowed just twice a year.  Native plants have been used and the zoo is benefiting from more visits of bugs, bees and butterflies.

Adelaide zoo is Australias second oldest, it was opened in 1883 and luckily the original owners had the forethought  to keep some of the original trees.  These include a huge Moreton Bay Fig tree which was planted in 1877.  

Hanging from the branches of this magnificent tree are balls of Stagshorn Ferns.  All of these ferns (which are very long lived) have been donated when they became to big for their gardens.  Our head gardener designed an anchor for the ferns to cling to it then took four men to hang them from the tree.

It was obvious a huge amount of on going care and work is being put into getting the environment right for the animals.  It is a beautiful conservation zoo and the creatures who live there look happy.  The collection of animals are based around the countries which originally made up the Gondwanaland.  

Our guide holding a macadamia nut which are native to Australia

Kluet the male Sumatran Orangutan, not impressed with the weather either!

On Sunday I spent two happy hours at the Diggers Club Talk on Citrus Trees.  Listening to Ian Tolley an expert whose love of all trees Citrus and knowledge is incredible, he's now 84 and grew his first tree when he was 6!  I'm hoping some of his knowledge has sunk in and our trees are going to benefit.  Funnily enough at the end of the zoo talk we were given a bag of goodies containing organic fertilisers, these were also the fertilisers Ian Tolley recommended!

This and that.....

Winter here is progressing well and nowhere near as cold as it can get in the UK.  Every now and then concerns are raised on the radio about the amount rain fall and then we get the occasional rainy day which is nearly always followed by beautiful sunshine rather than constant grey.  I think we are on target with the water levels so far, previously dry creeks (streams to you and I) are now flowing well and sound wonderful.  Water tanks are filling up nicely.  It's also ideal growing conditions for all plants but mainly weeds and someone seems to have planted an abundance of them in our front garden!

The sour sobs (Oxalis) which I still think look very joyful are now competing with the native violets for any available space in the borders.  Any plant which is on the small side and less than very robust is being overcome by these very pretty bullies of the border.  At least the ground is softer so much easier to weed.

It is rose pruning time, a hard decision to have to make when most are still in bloom.  We are now enjoying the 'off cuts' which have a wonderful scent and are perfuming the house.  Every cloud.....

The veggie seeds I planted about a month ago have been thinned out and are doing really well.  The only thing which to me is recognisable are the spinach leaves, fingers crossed the cabbage and broccoli do more than produce a nice looking leaf!

I've never seen so many colourful winter gardens, beautifully perfumed viburnums are in flower, as are clumps of bearded Iris and jonquil. Large bushes of camellias covered in blooms and standing alongside poinsettias which are taller than me!  On one of my walks I noticed a gorgeous perfume and finally found it was coming from a mandarin tree which was covered in bloom and even some fruit (albeit very green).  There are a lot more parrots around as well as well as larger groups of lorikeets and honey eaters.  I've seen most of these birds in pairs or on their own rather than in groups before.

It has been a warmer winter than normal and the thinking is that most flora and fauna think it's spring, nests are being built and mates found.

In the kitchen Ken Wood (the mixer and not a relation to Roy) and I had a bit of a falling out.  The flour, yeast, sugar, salt and water were all in the mixing bowl, dough hook in the mix, infact everything was ready to go except Ken.  No amount of gentle encouragement not so gentle encouragement followed by swearing could persuade him that it was time to get going on the bread mix!

Of course he worked for Rick but needed to be held in position to work... the mixer that is not Rick. Eventually Ken gave up completely.... I went back to the old fashioned method of kneading the dough which I have to say is a great way of getting rid of frustration.  Rick took Ken apart and with the help of the other equally old mixer gathered together parts which would work and hey presto I've now got a mixer which works again.  Fantastic.....

More research has been done on the house and we've discovered there are so many more ways to deal with sewerage than we first thought of.  We've now gone back to the idea of a septic tank rather than a tank which uses Ultra Violet light or less environmentally friendly chlorine to kill off the pathogens. The septic tanks need less maintenance and if 'everything' is processed properly we should still be able to use it on the land..... we'll see.

And most surprisingly there are a lot more double glazing companies around than we first thought.  The choice of product is amazing, the windows are made to order and prices are very comparable to the UK.  It is great to have the choices but then of course you have to decide what the best product is for you! At times it can be slightly mind boggling but also very exciting.  And yet more research still needs to be done.

What fun!

Chooks, sheep, whales and new words......

We have been back down to Basham Beach at Victor Harbour, we think it is a beautiful beach and it seems so do the whales.  According to the sightings their numbers are steadily growing and they are also getting closer to the beach.  We were lucky enough to see at least 4 of these magnificent gentle creatures playing in the water... I know I've said it before but I am still very much in awe when we spot them.

This one was about 200 meters from the shore, it took a while to get any pictures, it was as if 'he' knew when I was about to take a photo.  Look closely and hopefully you will be able to see 'him' blowing.

And we have also been back to Naracoorte, we both enjoy being there so much and find it difficult to come away again.... one day.....

Deb has built a portable chook arc... as you do...... or would if you had the skill!  She down loaded the 'pattern' and instructions (which seemed to create more questions than give answers) from the internet.  I think you'll agree it looks amazing and more importantly it protects the wee feathered ones from foxes and dogs.

 This 'Des Res' has a drawbridge, complete with steps and now covered with 'Shade' cloth which lowers down and becomes the chooks staircase.  It has also been draft-proofed, the water and feed containers are suspended so when it is picked up and moved everything moves with it... it's a chook dream palace.  All that was needed were the chooks.

Early Saturday morning Deb and I set off to the market to find that it was on the following Saturday... no worries.  Plan B was the local pet shop, run by a lovely grand-daddy of a man who was going to retire but loved his trade too much and carried on working.  Now assisted by his daughter and grandson.

He had got some 'youngsters' about 6 weeks old and 3 months off of laying their first eggs.... not what Deb was looking for.  But all resolve for getting 'layers' went when we saw the wee feathered ones.  They were just getting their adult feathers, the choice was 4 ISA Browns and about 10 Austral Black and ISA Brown crosses.

The ISA Browns are THE best layers, and out of all of them were the least shy, it didn't take long for decisions to be made, a carrying box found and they were bound for their new home.

All the way home they were making gentle clucking noises to each other, they seemed to know they were going to be very well loved and looked after.  Perhaps news of the new chook palace had reached them!  They didn't seemed very alarmed being picked up and handled and even started going to sleep.  They are a bit wary of Fred and not clear as to his intentions, but out of sight out of mind and when they can't see him they are busy chatting away and doing lots of other chicken things.

Of course they needed names, Deb has chosen Issi for the boldest one, Wilma for the next in the pecking order, Gracie for the shyest one and then made the mistake of asking me to name one.  AND this is when I learnt a new word.....  

The chick standing on the divide in the photo has a crazy hairdo and seems to be more speckled than the others so, in my innocence I suggested Freckle as her name.  Which was met with silence followed by much side splitting laughter and tears... well how was I to know Freckle is the colloquial term for the sphincter at the end of the digestive tract!  The name has stuck and the poor chook will forever be known as Freckle now and I have learnt another lesson.

I've also learnt that tomato ketchup here is tomato sauce, Marmite is called My Mate and everyone expects a steamed pudding if you ask if they would like a pudding rather than a sweet which to me conjures up visions of treacle toffees or the like.  Every day is a school day.... and it's always good fun learning new things.

Meanwhile the house plans are coming along nicely, Rick has done a fantastic job drawing up the plans and an incredible amount of research.  We've visited quite a few double glazing companies for quotes on doors and windows, which seem to be cheaper than UK prices.

There is still lots more research to do, as one question is answered another is raised and off we go visiting more websites and gathering more information.  Sometimes its very confusing and advice seems contradictory but clarity comes in the end.  I think when Rick eventually retires he'll be able to become a sustainable building consultant.

We were also able to spend some time on the block, we put wind breaks around the citrus trees and dug in some ferrous sulphate as the calcium in the soil leeches this nutrient away from the trees.  Ferrous sulphate deficient trees don't look very happy with yellowing leaves and low yields of fruit.  

We sheep proofed the trees and Pete a local shepherd moved 24 of his sheep onto the back paddock.  We are lucky enough to have an abundance of happy looking very green grass and Pete had a far too many sheep for the grazing he'd got. So hopefully soon there will be 24 fat sheep on the block and short grass.

There has been some rainfall, not enough to make the farmers smile, and dramatic skies.  Dark stormy skies and sunshine seem to make all the colours of the landscape really intense and sharp. The block looked even more beautiful than normal.

On our way back into town we caught sight of this double rainbow, unfortunately the picture doesn't do it justice.  I am sure I've never seen a rainbow with each colour so distinct from the next, it was so beautiful, and reminded me once again how clever Mother Nature is.

  

Shops.......

I thought it was about time I introduced you to one of the shopping malls here, each suburb of  Adelaide has it's own shopping area and each it's own character.  Some are more like very long high streets, some are a cluster of shops gathered around a roundabout, there are lots of individual shops and lots and lots of cafes, many of which do yummy GF cakes and delicious coffees and teas!  Oh dear.... the excuse I make to myself is that I'm supporting local communities..... well somebody has to do it.

This is Burnside Village 

It is a very well designed shopping area, there is a sense calm and even peace about the place.  Lots of jewelry shops, trendy shoe and clothes shops, loads of cafes, a health food shop, butchers, fishmongers, fruiterers (veg shops to you and I), bakeries and a supermarket. 

There are interesting statues (the spring ones wobble when you push them), the water features are decorated with tiny brass lizards and frogs, some are designed as children's play areas and have multi-coloured balls to play with.  There are quite a few places to sit rest your wearies and watch the world go past.  It's so well thought out there are even 'bins' by each door for you to collect bags to put your wet brollies in while your shopping.... and the loos are very nice! 

                                                                             

As with any shopping centre it gets busy with beautifully dressed and quite glamorous ladies who shop and lunch, booted and suited business people and ordinary shoppers.  Believe it or not the photos were taken on a fairly busy shopping day!

The one thing is which they seem to have got very wrong, and a lot of people are upset and writing letters of protest about it, is the once very beautiful gum tree which the 'village' was built around.  This poor tree is at the centre of the village and has been slowly dying since the village was built.  Apparently there was a misunderstanding about the type of glass used in the roof.  Various remedies have been tried but have had no positive effect.  The last resort is now being taken special tree misting computer controlled sprays and UV lights are being tried.  If it doesn't perk up by October then it will be removed and a refurbishment will take place, I think sadly it's days are numbered.

In total contrast was the antique shop we went to at Edenhope called Higglety Pigglety, you will, I'm sure never have seen anything quite like this Aladdins cave.  From the moment you walk through the gate to be gaily greeted by one of the Cockatoos you are in another world.  The house itself is traditionally built and quite old... I'm judging this from the very few bits of house on view.  It gives the impression it is about to burst at the seams its so full of treasures.  

Joanne, the owner and very interesting larger than life character from the Cook Islands directed us to various parts of the house, gardens and out houses, each with it's own collection.  There were vintage clothes, kitchen wares, lampshades, furniture, porcelain, books, hats, there was not a surface left uncovered, infact virtually anything you could think of could probably be found there.

A narrow path winds it's way through the 'shop' and grounds, Joannes little and very friendly Jack Russell dog followed us around.  One path we took towards an out-house was lined with more cockatoos, the odd goose and a small gathering of hens.  Joanne disappeared ahead of us into one outhouse and after much irate clucking (not from Joanne) she emerged clutching Miss Henny Penny, who'd made a nest in among the 'antiques'.  It was hilarious...

It was such an over load on the senses that we only managed to look around one room.  But after a satisfying bit of haggling we managed to come away with a few 'bargains'.  We have promised to return......