It's raining!!

I can't believe how quickly the countryside changes when it rains.
A few days ago I took this photo from our bedroom door of a magnificent sunrise


and then from the other bedroom door the pitiful amount of water left in our dam. There was so little there that it would only show up when the early morning light was reflecting off it.

It started to rain late on Sunday, just a light drizzle that we didn't expect to amount to anything, and then it got heavier and heavier and this morning our dam looks like this.


It's starting to look like Rosebank again and no doubt in a few days time the grass that has been burnt off with the dry and the frost will spring to life and be green again. But I'm not so sure about the broccoli water garden......

I'm sure a bit of excess water won't do too much harm. The vegie garden has been great and every day there is something to pick. Today was broccoli and leeks, the rainbow chard has been really good (that's spinach with red or yellow stalks) and the beans will be ready soon. I remember Dav having to pick all the excess beans from the old vegie patch when you were here for your first Christmas.
I had a busy few days in the garden last week, pruning, tidying up and especially mulching as we expected to have to hand water with our meagre supplies for some time. Since the rain started it has taken on a really fresh look, the plants seem to be standing taller and it all looks brighter, healthier and much greener. I'm being encouraged to enter part of the garden in the local garden competition and after this week I might not have any excuses left.... we'll see.

Chloe and Etienne

Hello Lily,
I haven't seen Chloe today but early this morning the kookaburras were making a lot of noise and I think that was Chloe and Etienne. They like to make their calling laughing song early in the morning when the sun is coming up and again in the evening just as the sun is setting. Some of the other birds are starting to make their nests to lay eggs and hatch chicks so I think that Chloe is probably busy building her nest too.
The other day I found a crested pigeon's nest in the mango tree so if I see the mother pigeon sitting on the nest I'll take a photo to put on the blog but this may take a few days.
You'll have to ask Mum or Dad to give you a name for when you reply to my blogs so that I can see when one comes in from you.

Chooks

Hello Lily and Jasper
I have just been down collecting the eggs and I thought to myself, wouldn't it be a good idea if I took some photos for you of how the chooks are now.

So the first photo I took was of Reg the rooster.

Just behind him is Mother Hen and Locky.

Then I took one of Cocky, hasn't she grown into a lovely big hen. She lays beautiful big white eggs. She's eating some grain, and the container in the middle of the ring has shell grit in it. That is to make their egg shells strong, otherwise they would break when you pick them up.

And last of all is Locky, She is the whitey, gingery coloured one at the back, she's very pretty. The other hen doesn't belong to us, we are just looking after her for Doug and Martha. Locky's eggs are brown and Grandad really enjoys having a boiled brown egg for breakfast.

Lily, I think the names you chose for the kookaburras are really good. Etienne really suits the boy kookaburra as his feathers look as though they are standing to attention on the top of his head and attention rhymes with Etienne. I haven't seen Chloe for a couple of days so maybe she is off making a nest somewhere. I'll watch out for her and tell you in the next blog.

Off and running

Well, here is my first attempt at posting a blog!
Setting up the site was not as easy as expected but after much help from David we are finally up and running.
It rained a little (a very little) here this morning just enough to dampen the grass, hopefully there will be some more in a day or so.
We have a new addition to the garden. A kookaburra and his mate have set up a territory which includes the vegie garden and also the front verandah.
Lily, here is he sunning himself beside the birdbath. Every few minutes or so he flies off and dives onto a worm in the grass and then he gets back on his perch again and watches for something else to eat. The feathers on the top of his head all stick up as though he hasn't done his hair. I think we'll have to find a name for him. Do you have any suggestions? his mate is a bit timid so we don't see her so often.