CATCHEE READER

After the hiatus, I was trying to come up with a snappy title. A catchy title. A title that would bring the reader in…

No grovelling. No thin excuses. Just a touch of what seems to be a very common blog drought.

The news in this corner of Empire seems, in some circles, to have shifted focus from the imminent Referendum , typically just referred to as The Voice, a vote to make a change to the Constitution. *

And the weight behind the shift-of-focus might have to do with the resounding walloping of the Wallabies the other night. No, not murderous culling of the pouched animal. A resounding thumping of the Rugby Union team who went down to Wales 40-6. And it seems that “someone” thought the Welsh needed a new anthem. I found a clip on Youtube. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/new-wales-rugby-world-cup-27675444 Bloody awful,boyo! So, traditionalist me prefers the oldie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTWtHJmGoHY

And in news closer to home… The Man is going home. For 3 weeks. When he returns it will be my turn to help shore-up poor old QANTAS.

So, before he leaves, we’re trying to clear some of the bigger jobs. So far, he has dug 3 holes for in-ground worm pots, changed a few washers, laid some pavers and bought an electric lawn mower so I can mow the lawns when he’s away! It certainly is easier to start! The chap next door has a similar model and I chuckled to see him, steering his mower with one hand and chugging a beer with the other! (I may need to re-draw my logo…)

What’s that? You want pictures? Oh, alright…

I think this is commonly known as “Rosary pea.” https://www.poison.org/articles/are-rosary-peas-poisonous-194 So, genuflect, but do not lick!

(above)Becoming an “old favourite”. Phaius australis the native swamp orchid.

(below) Petrea volubilis . Trimmed quite severely, but it didn’t take long to settle-in!

(below) One of the ubiquitous Eucalypts across the road. No idea which one!

(below) Trachelospermum jasminoides. Finally, some flowers!

And, to finish, a glamour shot. Don’t tell MJ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*

The Albanese government has proposed to enshrine in the constitution an Indigenous voice to parliament, which would be voted on in a referendum.

• The historic national vote will take place on Saturday, October 14.

HELLO, AGAIN!

No tired excuses for my absence. Invent your own!

Right! So, we continue to find spaces for some of our “baggage” and I now know why people who have close family (and more of ’em!) don’t go in for this down-sizing nonsense!

I have made THREE trips to the op. shop this week. Trips with hazards, I might add…the op. shop is slap-bang next to the garden centre! Talk about a kid in a candy shop!

You might recall that we had some rather good Petrea volubilis at the old house?

They met a sad fate ..

But, on a trip to the op. shop my feet sort-of, um, all of their own accord, wandered into the garden centre…Honest! I didn’t direct them! But while I was there, I asked about our old friend “The Drag Queen.” The boss lady said she was sure she had one “out in the paddock” and if I came back later…

Yeah, right! Try and stop me! But it turned out what she had was not quite the same. Ah, what the heck! I bought this anyway! It is in the same (very broad) family Syzygium and goes by the varietal name “Boon Jee.”

I also bought a Petrea volubilis. Of course I did! Bonus? One of its stems was touching the soil when we had heavy rain last week and I’m encouraging it. P. volubilis “Twofer,” I hope!

What else? This being winter, most plants are having a rest. But a Xanthostemon chrysanthus I bought while I was trapped, unable to escape, opened a mass of buds after the rain so I’ll be wielding my spade later today.

The Man and I have had our cameras cleaned, fixed and working again. So I’ll nip out and see if I can get a picture of one of the Crotons in flower…no idea if it has a name!

And while I was out there I snapped a flower of what I still call by its old name, Iboza…

Tetradenia riparia always Iboza to me. The scent takes me back to Granny’s flowering currant bushes…mmmm

Well, all this faffing about has taken time on a merry old whirl around the clock. Tummy time!

WINTER IN THE TROPICS…

…is not as rosy as some of you might think! My hands are so cold you can expect a few more typois thea usl.

But, for the most part, I do like this time of year. Grass does not need the relentless scalping of summer. And, as an even bigger bonus, my neighbours on both sides have these modern battery-driven mowers. They purr around their lawns making less noise than a kitchen blender!

Our “retirement routine” has, as is right and proper, been adjusted to allow for occasional naps. Sitting in the mellow after-lunch sunshine with a book and dozing off. And, although I’m an early bird, I no longer have to do breakfast -by-the-clock. Except for last week and this week. The Man has been called for possible jury selection and has to front-up at the Courthouse at 0900 hours, if called.

But it’s not much of a disruption to the domestic time table, except that I can’t drive off to coffee dates with friends.

I think we need a spot of colour in here, don’t we. Let’s see if I can help…https://www.facebook.com/reel/773894437437658/?s=single_unit

Remember I said there are goannas hereabouts? Well, the other day, The Man found a young-ish goanna out by the mail box and it didn’t seem quite “right” This was during a cold snap when temps dropped sharply overnight and the wind was straight up from the ice-bound continent. These lizards are, of course, cold-blooded and there was bugger-all sunshine for it to do much basking. So, we put him in a basin, with some dry grass and put him in a sheltered spot. But he didn’t seem to improve even when we were all running about in shorts and sunscreen, so we called a wildlife carer. Said carer(s) was/were busy so The Man took the lizard to the vet. It’s not a happy story, but the vet said there was really only one thing to do. So he did it.

OK! More colour…lichen on a mangrove branch.

The friend who’s whole-heartedly into this Indigo thing came over one Saturday and we cut a big binful from the patch at the front. When I say “binful”, I mean a large dustbin, approx. 75 litres; not quite as big as a standard wheelie-bin. Add to that, the several other patches he has around town and he had 5 vats of indigo! He reduces the liquid to a heavy paste consistency and stores it in jars. In the kitchen fridge, initially, but now he’s got his own indigo-dedicated fridge and the kitchen fridge has more room for the usual comestibles. (Happy wife!)

I’m still trying to find a garden centre that has this in stock: Petrea volubilis. When I find one, it can go bonkers on the back fence! Not called “sandpaper vine” for nothing!

Mr. Mago does us proud with his musical selections, and we can count on Jon to keep us up-to-date with current trends. I have wide-ranging musical tastes, but today, I’m winding back my clock to this voice. Take it away, Edith! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZR8QCmWmwM