Africanaussie

This is the time of year that the sunbirds start to build their nests again.  Our units are bing painted, and we thought for sure that the prospective Dad would get tired of dodging ladders, scaffolding etc, but no, the nest passed the test, and mum-to-be has moved in. You can just see her little head and long beak sticking out of the nest.  It is hanging on the washing line just outside our study window, so a perfect place to keep an eye on her.  The windows are tinted and clearly she cannot see in or at least is not concerned about us inside. She often comes right up to the window and peers in as if to say "Hi there, are you allright inside?" Such beautiful chatty little birds, I feel so blessed that they decide year after year to build their nests in our garden.  The male bird has an iridescent blue throat. These lovely photos were taken by my ever so patient hubby. More information:  added 21st November:  Further research at The Aus...

Over the weekend on the way to the beach with the grand kids, we detoured off the road to find a garage sale, and just as we were leaving I saw these wooden trellises propped up against a dresser.  At one dollar each I thought I could definitely use a few.  I picked up five - maybe I should have got more as now I can imagine all sorts of projects.....  We did our bit to clean up the beach and brought back some yummy seaweed for the compost.... along with some ash from a  fire.  That always gets the compost chugging along nicely.  My bin is starting to split - It is three years old, but I tend to push against that side when stirring it up.  At the end of the wet season I will empty it out and turn it around.  That should give me a few more years. The pumpkin vine was not offering up any more pumpkins so out it went - also into the compost!  On went a layer of mulch - this ...

This weekend was a very busy one, and as I hurried past the lipstick plant  I could feel something watching me.  The little yellow honeyeater was busy sucking nectar and clearly did not want to be disturbed.  He was not moving though, and I hurried to get the camera, to find him still there - hopping from branch to branch sucking up what must have been delicious nectar.  Here is his head right inside the flower Looking around to see if I am still there, Are you still there? he seems to say, and assessing the situation, decides I am not a threat.  Lovely yellow tummy and bright blue on the throat.  Just need to get some more of this....  then he posed quietly - thinking he would be invisible......  The iridescent blue needs a flash of sunlight to show its true beauty. what a lovely find - and thank you dear little bird for posing for the camera :) I think this is the olive backed honeyeater - the male has the iridescent front bib,...

I spent the entire day on Saturday in the vegetable garden.  There was lots to do.  Always the changing of the seasons seems to bring extra chores.  First thing to go was the support that I had added to  the back fence so that the passionfruit vine which went wild had somewhere to go.   That died off due to the woody passionfruit virus but has started up again travelling in the other direction.  I have decided I dont want it going along the back of the vegetable garden again as next season I want to plant tomatoes along that back fence and need to prepare the soil there.  At the moment there are small stones there, so it will be a big job, but I have time.  The arch had sagged down so much that there really was no arch left.... I had purchased a cheap arch and it had rusted away. Not a good look at all. I removed that bit of wire and with hubbys help we inserted it into the old arch.  We put the wire under the mass of passionfrui...

I love these little birds called honeyeaters, and we have plenty of them now - they are attracted to the passionfruit flower and the cats whiskers and the bottlebrush. All of which is flowering at the moment. I know they like to start their nests on hanging things, and I have tied a few bits of string at strategic places, but these have all been ignored. Yesterday after bringing in the washing we discoverd the start of a nest on the end of a piece of underwear! My hubby carefully disentangled it and attached it straight to the washing line which is under the eaves just outside our office window. Amazingly the bird has come back and is adding to the nest, how exciting and what a good vantage point we have. He keeps hopping back to gather bits and pieces from my compost pile. We just recently got a leaf mulcher and he seems to like the small pieces of leaves! The photos are all taken through glass so not the best quality, but just wanted to share!