Nurseries, lizards and a new toy for the block...

It's been a really busy week down in Naracoorte, which started with the very long journey through the Riverlands from Renmark.  It was a fascinating drive with the landscape varying tremendously.  Going from huge fields either side of us thorough neat little towns with beautiful federation homes contrasting greatly with tiny little stone cottages. Mallee shrub land, back to gum trees and eventually as we were nearing home, lots of vineyards and avenues of very tall very old gum trees.

During the week we visited some very interesting nurseries, one of which is only 50 km from Naracoorte, there is a lovely straight road to it.  I was sorely tempted with a couple of the trees there, a saville orange (think yummy marmalade) and a native finger lime.  The branches on the later tree  are covered in inch long thorns, picking the fruit would not be for the feint hearted but they look so interesting I think it would be worth it.  Anyway these will be trees for the future once we've got the watering system on the block sorted out.

We wandered into the shop empty handed and were greeted with the smell of freshly cooked gluten AND dairy free mango and coconut cupcakes coming out of the oven!!  They looked far to good to avoid so a couple were ordered.  The treat arrived a few minutes later, the cupcake had been garnished with lime and mango syrup, a generous drizzle of caramel and a delicious slice of mango..... oh my goodness... it was delish and the coffee was delightful too. Thank goodness it is not in walking distance of where we will be living!!

In between seeing friends and visiting nurseries and op shops we've shifting soil from Deb and Robert's garden, making it ready for a fire pit.  Chasing the chooks around the garden in a feeble attempt to get them in for the night.  My attempt was not helped by Fred grabbing the stick I was trying to use to herd them.  He thought it was a great game and with one woof had the chooks going all directions.

We also visited the block to check on the trees, all plants are doing very well now.  We dug moats around the fruit trees and gave them a very generous watering, of course the next day it rained.

And while we were there we spotted this beautiful dragon lizard sunning himself on the fence.

When we were a safe distance away he raised his nose to the sun, a true sun worshiper.  When we were closer he stayed very still, not even blinking.

Luckily Fred didn't spot this one.

We have a new toy for the block.  It is a very pretty shiny new heavy duty mower, a Deustcher to be exact with a fairly powerful Briggs and Stratton engine and set of two cutting blades.  With two blades it made light work of the foot high bracken and was easy to use.  Poor Rick though determined to finish once he'd started might not totally agree with that statement having spent almost 5 hours mowing!  It looks fantastic now though, well worth all his efforts.





In the process we found we had a new addition to the flock, three lambs now and the sheep look amazing having filled out on the grass.  They are apparently almost fluffy enough to shear.

And we also discovered more lizards, another smaller dragon lizard and this dear little blue tongue.
Both were moved to our piles of logs, which are designated lizard and other fauna hotels.

It is a sobering reminder that now the warmer weather is here other equally fascinating but not so harmless cold blooded creatures are also about now.


The week passed in a flash and soon we were Adelaide bound again.  The skies were full of rain heavy clouds and it was no surprise we got caught in a few down pours.

What did surprise me though was the way the roads steamed afterwards.... it looked very magical.