Yes, I have been a bit quiet. But I am back at the coal face. Ooh! I shouldn’t say things like that. People might think I voted for the idiot that wants to sell what’s left of this country to foreign mining interests!
So…not the coal face. Back in the saddle? Haven’t got a horse, but I think you get the meaning.
There is no easy way to explain my absence. So I’ll just tell you, briefly, that Stanley has gone. We did not know that his heart was enlarged. It just couldn’t keep going. But, man! he packed a lot into his short life!
His friends sent this gorgeous bouquet for him.
Alamanda flower. It grows up the verandah support post and flings itself about, sometimes managing to sneak under the blind and tickle my ear when we eat outdoors. Can’t say I mind!
Back in our more rural days… we had lots of these and many others. You’ve probably heard people in some parts of the world urging caution when putting on boots, yes? Well, where we lived the “caution” meant tip the frog out before you stuff your foot in! Our neighbour used to keep a spare key in the pocket of his waterproof jacket, hanging on the back verandah. That was, in real estate parlance, a froggy des. res. !
And, on a sweltering 30+ day and wishing for this 
This was the first, not very successful attempt.The recipe calls it, at this stage, “shaggy dough” and it did, indeed smell a bit like a wet sheep!
Here you see me shaping the dough into something that looks loaf-like.
And here it is, doing what it is meant to do.
A delicate little thing, but tough enough to survive in harsh conditions. It’s so grateful for rain.
Not the best picture, but I wasn’t game to go into the neighbours’ yard as the ankle-biter is a tad viscious. 
This is the old stalwart, Fraser Island Creeper, Tecomanthe hillii 
