Visitors!

When visiting Perth, Western Australia, Kings Park is a must to all visitors.

The park covers one thousand acres and includes natural bushland, grassed parkland, botanical gardens, a tree-top walk, and this time of year a stunning show of Western Australia's wildflowers.

This is as close as Gill got to the tree-top walk!

The photo is very slightly blurred owing to her nerves making the board walk

all of a quiver!

As we stood taking in the magnificence of the wildflowers we were

surrounded with the superb fragrance of Boronia.

There is a wonderful view of the city and the Swan River from Kings Park.
Above are the Everlasting Daisies which always give a stunning show.


Gill and Mike enjoyed walking into town most days.
It's a pleasant bush walk into town which takes about 20 minutes to half and hour depending how fuelled up one is on chocolate coated dates, Cherry Ripes, Freckles, or whatever was in the fridge that took one's fancy!

It has been known for a Cadbury's Flake to magically 'appear' in one's coat pocket!
Amazing!

It's funny how you can live somewhere for years and it's only when you have visitors that you actually get to see the interesting places you've always wanted to see!

One of the places I have always wanted to visit was Araluen.

It must be the best time of year for these gardens. Not only were the tulips in full bloom but we were surrounded by camelias, magnolias, rhododendrons, and blossom.

We took a drive out to a country town called Toodyay (said 'Toojay'). This is a town I have always wanted to have a good look around.

Below is a typical Australian country pub where we had a delicious lunch. Oh, and a very cross beer! That'd be a 4XXXX then?

We did lots of walking around our own property as it is full of wildflowers and orchids this time of year.

Below is Mundaring Weir - considered one of the World's greatest engineering projects and is located 39km from Perth. The Mundaring Weir is the start of a water pipeline that distributes water to agricultural towns in the wheatbelt area, Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie. The water is distributed a total of 700 kilometres in all.

C Y O'Connor initiated plans for the Mundaring Weir in 1895 but these were fiercely opposed in Parliament and the approval was not granted until 1898. O'Connor was a victim of vicious campaigns and his plans were subject to vigorous criticism. In March 1902 O'Connor took his own life, partly as a result of the pressures involved with his role in the Mundaring Weir construction. The Mundaring Weir was completed in 1903 and the water scheme changed central Western Australia forever.

We had lunch at the Mundaring Weir Hotel which was built in 1898. Do click on the link as they have a wonderful website.


Mike couldn't get over the fact they have a "Lamb on a Spit" every single Sunday!


The local parrots (above) joined us for lunch, at the table, and are obviously partial to butter!

Another very yummy lunch was enjoyed at Lake Charlotte - our local winery.

Here we had a "Hot Rocks" meal which means your meat or fish is served on a square of volcanic rock which has been heated in the oven. It stays hot enough to keep cooking your meat or fish for 45 minutes and the idea is to cut and cook each piece to your own liking.


Woody enjoyed the company and soon had them

wrapped around his little paw.

(He wears his ears back for special occasions.)
All packed and ready to go, having a rest before the long haul home.
Woody cuddled up and was maybe hoping he could make her stay. Bless.

Orchid time!

Orchid hunting Jug Orchid.

We found quite a few varieties last year but this year it all seems so different.Orchids can appear in the most unlikely places; on rough bare ground where you would think nothing would grow, especially such a fragile, exquisite flower such as an orchid.

Spider orchids

Leaping orchid.

Silky Blue orchid.

Donkey Orchids

August

As we walk we look for tiny spots of colour.

August in the Trees

It's lovely to see my Australian Native Hibiscus in full flower for the first time since planting it.



Daffodils and bluebells. I wonder if anything will come of them? I've had a word with them all - not threatening, just encouragement. I realise this isn't English countryside but, hey, the past few weeks we've had some very "English" weather so what more do they want? It's been grim, lots of rain and quite cold up here in the hills. Surely they feel at home? Watch this space.

With so much rain all sorts of fungii has appeared from the damp earth.

What's happ'nin' up in the trees lately? TLOML is away mining - digging beautiful rocks out of the ground. He's digging Crazy Lace Agate at the moment. One of my favourites.

Meanwhile, we are back at the ranch, holding the fort (me and Woody, that is). But it's just tooooooo cold. For me, anyway. Six degrees Celcius outside at present and ten inside. I've put the gas fire on to defrost my fingers.

Poor Woody is recovering from surgery on his cruciate ligament. This is his second one, mind you, and my wallet is glad he only has TWO! Anymore and it would have been wheels!

The first six weeks after surgery are crucial for the healing process so only very short walks allowed for the "necessaries". Then, after xrays to ensure all is going well, we may be able to extend walks by five minutes per week. It's a long haul, especially for a dog whose sole purpose in life it is to chase anything that moves.

Woody and The Tramp

These are the stars of Lady and the Tramp - one of the Disney classics.

This is my dog - Woody.

Quite obviously a reincarnation!

Fragrant Crispy Winter

I am sitting in my work room with the window wide open.

The profusion of wattle bushes up on the hill is in full bloom and its

perfume is drifting down the slope and wafting in through my window,

filling this room with its sweetness.

The mornings are crisp and bright.

The sun shines on the moisture and clouds of steam

can be seen rising.

The vegie patch is thriving with the winter rain.

Although, it took some hours to discover the seedlings

amongst the weeds last week. I must keep on top of it!

Colour is coming back to the bush.

This sundew above is the size of a large coin.

Spike

Woody and I were out on one of our daily walks yesterday around our rather large 'garden' when we came across "Spike".

This is an echidna.

Isn't she/he beautiful? I couldn't get her/him to look at the

camera (in my phone); obviously very shy.

The website I have created a link for has just informed me

that a baby echidna is called a "puggle".

How cute is that?

I also learned that the female lays a single egg in her pouch.

After ten days the "puggle" is born; blind and hairless and

consumes milk from a gland within the pouch.

After about four weeks "puggle" develops sharp spines..

then mum says, "Hey, out of here!"

The main reason he or she didn't look up at me, of course, was

because Woody had had a good old sniff and the echidna's

natural defence is to curl up using its spines to protect itself.

"Bob"

Say Hello to Bob. A few weeks ago our neighbour, Shane, (over the hill) came over and asked Glenn if he'd seen a tame Galah around the area. Some time ago Shane had been driving along in his truck when he saw a bird being attacked by other birds on the side of the road. He pulled over and rescued "Bob" and Bob had been living with them ever since. Unfortunately, he had taken off after a fright. Someone obviously hand reared this friendly parrot.

Then Bob turned up at our place swooping about in Glenn's workshop one day but didn't stay too long.

Just yesterday he seemed to be swooping me. I continued pottering about in my vegie patch and watering plants and then he landed nearby. We had a bit of a chat and then, when he sat on the edge of the balcony, I offered my hand and he hopped on and was glad to sit on my shoulder for a while.

And this is the best bit - He says, "Hello, Bob!" and... yes, the inevitable, "Pretty Boy!"


(I took this photo with my mobile phone that I keep tucked down my cleavage when I'm working. Well, isn't that what your cleavage is for??)

Summer

For the past few weeks I have been up early every morning watering everything in the garden and all my pot plants.

Temperatures have been in the high thirties for what seems like forever.

We have swealtered.

I've come home from work and either hosed the dog down or taken him to the river where he has swam and swam, round and round, cooling himself down.

As a result of this weather (plus some good fertilizers and watering) the vegie patch is producing magnificent specimens! So much so that I am giving them away.

I find this very satisfying.

Then came the rain! I was woken at 4.30am this morning to the sound of what

I thought was the wind. Then realised it was rain falling on the tin roof!

It has rained all day. Wonderful. Woody and I went for our usual morning walk and I took my umbrella. The bush had gone from being dry and dusty to bright, vibrant and fresh. The fragrance of the eucalyptus oil that the rain has helped release is so invigorating.

The weatherman said Perth received its average rainfall for February in one day!

To think, for weeks now I've had the hose dripping into the pond constantly to keep

the level consistent for the water lillies. Now it's overflowing.