What's happening - Rainy Day Flowers, Funghi and a Koala!

On a rainy day - a few flowers to brighten the place up a bit!

Lots of hippeastrum, agapanthus & day lillies coming along. 

 These toadstools come and go with the rain and seem to like it in the damp of the chook yard.

 
I spotted this chap in our back paddock when I was out and about in the rain.  He has been very vocal the last few nights, so I knew he was not too far away.
 
 He woke up a bit for one photo

 but found it all a bit of an effort ....

That doesn't really look terribly comfortable though!

We are seeing fewer and few koalas every year.  Plant a koala friendly tree if you can - if not in your own back yard, then on a community planting day.  The amount of clearing of their habitat in our immediate area is disturbing.  These guys are very vulnerable.

cheers for now
Wendy

Did you know that September is Save the Koala Month?

We spotted this guy in our front yard the other day.  I love seeing a koala on our place, but those times are getting fewer and fewer.

When I see one – it’s a bit of a double edged sword.  I’m happy, but then I worry.  Worry about their plight.

We live in South East Queensland, in an area of rapid growth.  We are 10 minutes from a major shopping centre, 5 minutes from a corner shop, and about 10 minutes to a local school. 

We live on a through road, and lots of cars, buses and trucks use our road to get to all these places.  It isn’t a main road - it’s just a semi-rural road (70k) that every day has more cars on it as people use it as a short cut.  

 

 

The tree where this guy was located was only a few metres from the road.  You can see why I worry.

Also, we are on 5 acre blocks along this road.  Out of 12 houses, I think only 2 don’t own dogs.  Yes, we own dogs too, but they are restrained at night.  Angel is on the chain, and Dexter in the house from dusk onwards.

So you can see why I worry.  Then on the weekend I heard bulldozers somewhere not too far away.  Sigh.  Big Sigh.

Car + dogs + loss of habitat = biggest threat to koala population

 

If you are in a koala area, please tie your dog up at night!  or plant a koala food tree.   Please tell other people too - which is my aim this month -  September is SAVE THE KOALA MONTH. 

This is the Australian Koala Foundation for more info and ways to help.

I'd love to hear some comments.

If you are in Australia and have koalas near you or ........ or if you are overseas - are you aware that the koala population is dwindling?

Cheers for now

Wendy 

 **Anne**

Yes, it was a great trip thank Anne – and nice to come back to some good old fashioned decluttering!

Kim

Lol  - no she was just a photo prop!  A cellar sounds pretty scary in terms of storing things Kim – how are you going with clearing that out?

librarygirl

Thanks LG – I must say you did inspire me in the past when you kept track of all your bags of things decluttered.  I haven’t kept track, but the photos are good to look back on.  Yes, Yr 12 is an interesting time for all that.  I think you are right though – it will all work out the way it’s meant to – it’s just a matter of working through it all.

Claire

Hi Claire – and I’ve been so enjoying your trip!  Yes, very glad that we went on our little adventure, it sorted out a lot of the bits in the puzzle.  You made me laugh though about the little cane shelf.  You sound as bad as me wanting to hang onto things.  The funny part is, I think I bought that at a garage sale.  It sat around, was used for a bit and finally ended up in the black hole of the garage!  Now if you weren’t so far away, I’d retrieve it for you .......

Samantha

Nice to hear from you Sam, and that you’re feeling better!

muppy

Well I think now that the Pokemon has gone, that’s about the end of the toys here..... apart of course from the ‘special’ ones stowed away in carefully marked boxes!

Kirsty @ Bowerbird Blue9/11/2012 2:30 PM

It took me a long long time to work that simple fact out Kirsty!  I have gradually moved on most of my books and mags.  I do read a lot - but all my books come from the library now.  Recipes are easily found online, so no need for recipes books anymore either.  Ahh the freedom!

From Beyond My Kitchen Window

Talking about great recipes – yours are special – thanks FBMKW!   Our garage was particularly bad.  I just wish that I had taken more ‘before’ photos – but I was too embarrassed!!

Aerial photography

This is what our place looks at the moment.  Unfortunately it is on a different scale (and a different angle) but you get the picture (lol).  You may have to double click on the photo to show detail. 

 

 

We now have a small wholesale nursery on one side.  They are great neighbours and luckily aren't too heavily into chemicals which were first worried about when it was sold to become a nursery.  Luckily too, they have kept a lot of their bigger timber at the back of their block.  

Actually when I first saw this aerial photo (courtesy of Google maps) I was a little shocked as it doesn't seem to show as much clearing as I had thought.  There has been wide scale clearing in the 5 - 10 km radius, but this little snap doesn't quite get it all in.  It does however show quite a bit of growth on our place!

 

Unfortunately, as a result of the surrounding clearing, we have noticed a significant drop in the number of koalas visiting.  I have a sticker on my that car says *no tree no me* (Australian Koala Foundation).  When a property is cleared and houses go in, koala habitat has gone.   I could say more, but I think I'll leave it at that.  It is very easy to do a little research and realize the extent of the threat to these beautiful creatures.

 

This is a photo I took of one of our visitors (not a very good one, I keep apologizing for my photos, must get a better camera).  Can you see the dark patch on his white chest?  When the males climb a tree, they leave their scent as a marker on it -  this leaves a dark stain on his chest. 

On our clothesline at the moment.  At last I don't have to dive into that carry bag with a peg on my nose!
 

Cheers Wendy