AN EXCITING POST.

That header could get me sued for false or misleading information. And we get quite enough of that from political shenanigans!

I was having a chat with Scarlet about planning an exciting post. So…I knew we had some timber left over from mending a fence and I wandered out to see if any posts were exciting. I certainly didn’t feel any shivers of excitement. No trembling breathlessness. Nada.

So you’ll just have to make do with my usual fare.

Here is a picture of….??? No, there is not a prize for knowing the answer. But feel free to be creative.

And another picture… hint: this one alludes to the excitement.

Another little snippet of excitement! A friend who spins, dyes and weaves beautiful Alpaca fleece has been experimenting with natural dyes and I’m going to grow some indigo for him. I did mess about with dyeing, years ago and grew some native indigo before we moved to Mackay. I have some soil prep to do before planting the seedlings. Just as well the weather pixies have finally got their act together!

We have not had the flooding some areas have seen, but damn! it’s good to have rain.

Now, I must scoot back to the kitchen and get breakfast sorted as a workman is coming this morning and may have to turn off the power.

Have another picture! And all done without one of those silly selfie sticks!

RAIN! CHRISTMAS RAIN…

I was about to feed the cat when I heard amphibian croaking…and a few seconds later … rain pattering onto the roof. Yes, rain! The gardeners’ gift. (Probably the camping and picnicking crews’ bane, but that’s tough -WE need this moisture!)

A glance at the calendar tells me it’s December 25. Which means that those of you on my side of the world are probably shredding fancy wrapping paper. And the rest of you are in a bit of a panic, racing around trying to find another turkey because Grandma’s test is negative and she CAN come for Christmas after all. And Uncle Arthur and Auntie Millie will drive her, but “we wont eat much!” Fat chance! I’ve seen Auntie Millie demolish the top tier of wedding cake!

So…why has my blog been as dusty and web-draped as Miss Havisham’s house? Well, things have been a little hectic. The Man was able to get roof gutters licked into shape while the sun shone. And I spent more time dragging hoses around TWO gardens.

The tenants moved out from a neighbour’s house and he, being confined to a southern city, asked us to keep an eye on things. It’s not an onerous chore in his rambling, jungle-y garden.I’ve even got a couple of seedlings for our garden!

Now, I should get some breakfast sorted, but I do wish you all a Happy Christmas. Even more, a safe, Covid-free one.

This is the view from the deck of the house where I’m on garden duty. Rather noice, innit.

And, because it’s been a Dinahmow tradition since 1959, I leave you with Mr Lehrer.

IN AND OUT LIKE A FIDDLER’S ELBOW…

I’m still not convinced that changes made in the WordPress Tinkerers’ caverns are for the benefit of people like me. But I don’t recall ever being asked for my opinion. Probably, they’ve heard me braying about all manner of things and figure they’re better off without me!

Here’s a small picture of some Clerodendron nutans buds. We’ve had MORE rain so I’m hopeful I’ll have some flower pictures; maybe today or, more likely tomorrow or the next day. By which time I may have got my head around this ridiculous image-posting nonsense. Or not.

But now, I must hie me to the purveyor of pussy fare…back later.

Later…

Once again, I’m guessing (lord! it’s difficult when one has no reliable horticulturists nearby!) at the correct name of this. Until corrected, I’ll say I think it could be Plectranthus madagascarensis. Native to southern and eastern Africa. But not Madagascar. Go figure…

It flowers reliably at this time of year (autumn/winter for me) and is then cut back HARD. Even mown if it’s flung itself onto a grassy path and will strike readily from cuttings (the whole family has this feral tendency, or simply pop up again next year, doing nothing much until it’s time to fling its pretty mauve flowers about.

Yes, it was very windy when I took this photo!

This is some type of Case Moth ( Psychidae. )Nope. I don’t know! You could try this site and be just as knowledgeable as I am! https://www.google.com/search?q=psychidae+australia

casemoth 2

I am. however, quite familiar with this…Carpentaria domesticus.

The years had been harsh and some of the timbers were rotting. The Man has been doing repairs.

I read in the linens that there’s a re-make of “West Side Story.” Let’s turn back the clock …60 years ago we (well those of us who were old enough then!) were queueing around the block to see this. In my case, travelling 25 miles to join a modest box office queue. Care to come along? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9z33lasnkU

That’s all for now. I’m off to see what else the f&^$@!!ing grasshoppers have chomped…