Walk in the Stream

Our rainy season has arrived and in the last couple of days we have had a good downpour of 70mm which has filled our stream. So we all went down to have a look at it.



Here Tam is having a rest by the stream with Desi looking on. Des, after her early days has become accustomed to the bush. Although still a little apprehensive as Fos spends all his time scrummaging in the bush but he has become a good teacher to his sister.



Tam sitting with her pack telling them the ways of the world.




Dezi has found something of interest. Tam telling Fos to cross. He says you first.

Here they are about to cross the stream I think Fos wants to push Tam in.

Me posing by one of the waterfalls that we have along the stream.

Tam and the pack heading down to another part of the stream.

Desi off in front she loves to paddle along. Tam looks a little concerned, with Fos egging her on.

A look back down the stream from where we have just come. One can just make out the waterfall.

Des having a good wallow in the water. I wasn't quick enough with camera as she had been jumping and splashing around in the water just before this photo, as she is not too familiar in deeper water. I think the leaves and branches had been touching her legs and this was concerning her. The bush on the left is the invasive lantana bush which we are busy clearing and which spoils the scene. Unfortunately the dam is about 70 years old and being built on granite rocks with all its fissures, the water has undermined the wall so when the flow of water slows the dam runs dry. I am sure that when the dam was first built it must have looked lovely. So this is another project that I have to work on. I will most probably have to find another site further down the stream.

Fos following his sister into the water.

Fos wading through the dam. To get to the other side. Tam is wondering should I go round or through as the rest of us had taken the shortest route.

She thought what the heck.

Briony's Garden

I was wondering around Briony's garden so I thought that I would share some of her flowers, Don't ask me to name them. I am sure that Briony could though.

Here is the entrance to our house.


Looking back you can see that there are numerous trees.

This is Brionys standing stone in the picture above in the centre. We are hoping to develop the property into a retreat eventually, were people can come and relax and experience the birds and animals that we have around here.

Some blooms in the front of the house.

Bird of Paradise. I won't give the technical name as I can't spell it.

This is the back of the house. There is a small cave in the bushes at the back,which is quite well inhabited judging from all the droppings in it.

A lovely white tree pity the sun wasn't shining it is very vivid.

A sweep round the garden of various flowers.

A view from the front veranda where Briony has her early morning cup of tea and listens to the birds,while she wakes up.

Well I hope you enjoyed the tour.

The Veggie update

I have decided to up date on the veggie garden I don't know why I have put this one first as this is a transplanted egg fruit in the middle of my butternut and is looking a little worse for wear. Maybe I didn't want to jiggle the page around.

These are tomato plants that reseeded themselves from a discarded tomato and were the first victims of the monkeys as you can see they have recovered nicely.

Here are my planted tomatoes grown from seed as you can see they are starting to flower. There are carrots and lettuce further down the line. And Egg fruit in the pot. I think I will make another bed and replant them as they are too close together.

Here is a view of my spray unit in operation. The chap in the back ground in the arch is another visitor on standby for when the fruit-trees start to fruit. He had a friend that has gone to my neighbour and is guarding her veggie patch. I was going to do a blog on the other two but thought that one would think I had nothing better to do than make scarecrows and one would be right.

He insisted on being put on the blog. Note the warning sign .

A side view of my latest bed which has onion in the one end and green peppers in the middle ( they are taking time to germinate hope I haven't got dud seed) and the beans at the other end. I think this bed is too in the shade as the plants are leaning towards the sunlight, although it is very bright.

Another view of the same bed with the original scarecrow still doing his job. One can see the beans better.

A couple more overviews.

Marta who works on the property has planted some pumpkins at the back of her room. They are looking a little bit wilted as it is an exceptionally hot day 35C. I put some water on and they all perked up.

Marta in action as she ties the tomato plants to the stakes.

I thought I would throw in the Lemon tree which gives fantastic lemons. We don't buy fruit juice as Tam makes lemon juice every second day and is very thirst quenching. She has also started making bread which is very tasty.

He also told me to put his friend in that went to the neighbour. You can see my neighbour in white in the background doing her garden and her dog Timor posing for the camera as well and making sure that I won't harass his new friend.

Fire Season

We have been in the fire season since the 1st of June it ends on the 31st of October. This winter we have had no rain for about two months and it has become very dry. During the day the fires are the most dangerous as they come with a hot dry wind and move through the velt quickly and are difficult to contain.

At night although still dangerous look far more daunting with the glow in the sky. One is never sure whether they are near or far. They start with a glow. Then become brighter.


When one sees the flames you realise how close it is and hope that it doesn't come sweeping though the property.


The fire then flares up into a crescendo and moves rapidly on devouring everything in its path.



Fortunately we live in a small valley and the wind funnels up it and steers the fire away.
These pictures were taken on the ridge above our property on the next door property. It virtually burnt along our boundary. By the morning it had burnt itself out.

Visitors friend

My visitor ( who is doing an exceptionally good job as the monkeys have steered clear of my veggie garden ) has brought a friend along to guard Brionys' nursery at the back of the house. On the right we have a compost heap and on the left her plants she is propagating. We have some indigenous trees and some Paw-paw trees which have germinated from seeds from the compost. The monkeys had been coming and destroying the trees by stripping the leaves from them, so I decide to put a man on watch.


Here he is patiently guarding. The brush wood behind him is Lantana and a common Acacia tree (it restricts the other indigenous trees) which we have cleared through the winter months.
When Briony was throwing stuff on the compost heap the other day she accidental bumped into our guest and apologised, much to her embarrassment.



Here’s a nice close up. That’s Tam’s room behind him which she still has to paint .The other day she was working in her room when she heard a noise out the back, Going out she saw the monkeys in the bush wondering what this new person was doing, so Tam went up and had a chat with him to give it a bit more authenticity, it worked as they went away.



Here he is from the outside in. I have some fruit trees on the other side of the garden which when in fruit are raided and we are left with the few. There are Litchies, Mangos and Mulberry.
I think I will put another man on guard there.