Saturday, June 21, 2008

Flame Trees Will Blind the Weary Driver

Had a really nice day today. The sun was shining, the weather warm and although Saturday is generally cleaning, washing, visiting Babysis and getting a good dose of Vitamin D - I did all but the latter two at a fairly leisurely pace. I think I'm getting over my anal retentiveness to have everything spotless every week and to run around frenetically blowing gum leaves to kingdom come. It's simply impossible with dust blowing in from all directions thanks to building up the back. As long as the bathrooms and loos are clean, beds changed and a rub round with the Dyson is done I'm a happy camper. I've become a little more relaxed about having everything spick and span. Whilst things are looking decidedly grotty due to old age and I really need to wash my curtains and seal the slate (I'll do that after I've tackled the painting), I slowed down a bit today and didn't run around like a chook with my head cut off. I did plonk around the garden with my camera, mainly to play with the settings and test out some of the macro stuff. I found a really weird vine that has massive seed pods on it the size of chokos. It looks like a choko vine but it's voracious stuff, seems to be strangling my camelias and is very resistant to herbicides.

The bloody things are now popping open with gossamer filaments attached to seeds just waiting to be carried by the breeze to infect some other unsuspecting host. Even the resident horticulturalist doesn't know what it is, just that it's BAD. Shame, it's strangely beautiful.


I've given up on the ducks. There are too many to keep shooing so they can have the pool until the chicks hatch. Hey, we're not going to use it until November. Everyone is pairing up and getting nesty for the spring so I guess once they mate and lay, they'll wonder off which is usually the case. The duck poo on the coping stones is thick and sticky and nothing short of a pressure hose and a good dose of bleach will prevent us from having a nice dose of e-choli in the summer. What can you do? Their water holes are diminishing and a naturally aqua coloured pool (we thought a blue pool would look a bit silly amid our wild green and brown garden), to them it just seems like another pond. (I'm ALMOST too embarrassed to show you a photo of the pool party! These are Aussie Wood Ducks which apparently nest in trees although I've never seen a nest. Just look at the mess!

Duck Parade . . four of 15 co-habiting on my 'pond'


Honeymooners . . .above and below

Bewfuls Drake, not yet found a partner as handsome as he!
But he does 'meow' seriously! All night!

Although I have to remind myself that it actually looks like this after a bit of TLC

Um . .no that's not me . . except in my mind's eye! I am a legend in my own lunchtime!

So, as the chill moves in and the evening approaches. It's alone at home again . . Ad's is off playing PS3 at Otley's and has finally worked out that a splitter will enable them to play on two screens so I've hired a couple of DVD's and am about to put on the heater, pour a chardy and hunker down for the night with Miss Faithful.

Who has already hit the hay and scrumpled my clean linen!

Oh and admire the flowers that I bought myself . .

My baby is flying to London tonight . . .one door closes, and another one opens . . .safe trip Possum! By the looks of it, she's conquered the Gringo trail, the east and west coast of north America and eastern Canada over the past five months and ready to take on Europe! Her hair has grown . . as her chin by the looks of it . . miss her like a limb. Poor fringelet has to deal with big hugs whenever I see her . .love that girl and just want to squeeze the life out of her . . .

Conquered the Americas . . now dealing with the expense that is England!

And while I'm uploading all of this, I'm listening to Triple J and realising that Sara Blascoe's version of Flame Trees is truly lovely and that The Streets does have one or two decent songs. So , as I head into an evening of mushroom risotto and DVD's a calm has washed over me . . enjoy - this is for you ClareBear. And that damned alarm is going off again! I'm such a mum.



Oh, this is a flame tree by the way


26 comments:

Unknown said...

I feel deeply consoled. You contend with duck pooh, I get guinea fowl and hadeda pooh all around the pool. At least it's been pissing with rain here so nature's doing her own clean up after her chilluns.

Anonymous said...

YAY BLUE SKY!!!!

Nice macro photography and excellent pool party!

I'm in a rush because also oddly enjoyed a Saturday out of the blue :)

Baino said...

You girls! See AV I'd rather have the ducks and they're gone by spring. Safer in a pool enclosure than subject to feral cats or foxes. Guinea fowl are like our moorhens. What goes in must come out! Nothing a good dose of chlorine can't fix and they mysteriously disappear in the spring.

Anony: I don't know how you manage to photograph wild life,post everyday Stay anonymous, work, raise teenagers, comment on a load of blogs and wash a tradies King Gees! You are my hero! How blue was the sky today? Gorgeous! *didn't clean pee wee dotted window* bloody bird keeps pecking the glass with his obnoxious muddy spittle.

Anonymous said...

Love the pics, Baino...

but the look on Miss Faithful's face really says it all for me...

"You're such a Mum!"

Even the ducks agree!

Anonymous said...

Glad you're chilling a bit on the housework front, you put me to shame with my minimalist approach. Though having said that, I've been sprucing the place up a bit this week as I'm starting a new job on Tuesday and there'll be a lot less time for housework (J doesn't do very much, she's usually chronically busy at work).

Unknown said...

Here the weather is too hot and dry. However school is over so I may go to beach more.

Baino said...

Steph: Lily is convinced it's HER bed and I am the interloper!

Congratulations Nick where are you working? Nice to see a man behind a vacuum cleaner . . .although I never have!

Ropi enjoy your break. I's pretty chilly down here. Don't forget your sunscreen!

Anonymous said...

It's another charity, Baino, which I'd better not identify. Hopefully I'll get a few posts out of it....

Anonymous said...

Wow. It would be seriously bitchin' to have one of those flame trees in my garden. I wonder do they grow over 'ere?

I wish enthusiasm for housework was contagious. My house has gone past the point of no return!

Unknown said...

My word - a beeyootiful pond, with beyootiful ducks, a gorgeously huggable looking dog and a stunning daughter. Lucky beaver, you x

Baino said...

Sorry K8 they need a warm monsoonal climate. Not many in Sydney but they're pretty spectacular along the north coast hinterland. Houseworks schmousework.

EM: my pool has gone past the point of no return! Quack. Yeh she's pretty spesh ..the daughter well and the dog.

Kath Lockett said...

I think it's so nice of you to let the duckies use your pool in winter. Clare-bear would be proud of her mum as well!

John said...

Srange vine - body snatchers
Ducks - bless you
Daughter - lovely
Flame tree - awesome

Jonah K. Haslap said...

What an adorable doggy! I'm still unclear as to why people ever have babies. Companionship, love, pooping on the carpet -- you can get all that from a dog, and without the added expense of college tuition. Unless you have a really smart dog.

Baino said...

Kath haven't really got a choice as far as duckage is concerned. Someone told me that you can put a special detergent in the water so they sink but that didn't seem a very nice option.

Ernest, they are pretty awesome trees when they flower. They flower around November along with the Jacaranda's which are a brilliant purple. Makes up for a rather colourless Aussie Autumn.

Hey Johnah, welcome aboard. People have babies because having adults would be too painful. And dogs are a little low on the conversation side.

Anonymous said...

Great photos especially the tree.
I love the answer about having babies.

ClareBear is really conquering the world, where has the time gone. It seems like yesterday that she was planning the trip.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on the cheese party.

Anonymous said...

I love...love the pictures, Baino! The shot of Bewful Drake is brilliant along with the Flame Tree! Two thumbs up and many kudos from Davis to ClareBear! Rock on!!! :)

Baino said...

Doesn't seem five months does it GrannyMar? Time is flying which is good, won't be long and she'll be back home!

Anonymous: Are you accusing me of being cheesy?

My JD! You're in a good mood! Score did we? Thanks. I didn't shoot the flame tree tho, we don't have many in Sydney and it's the wrong time of year. As for ducks, I have plenty of opportunities to 'shoot'.

Anonymous said...

ITS A CHOKO VINE! GODDAMN THINGS THAT THEY ARE!!!! OMG! DUCK POO.....HOPE YOU HAVE NICE BABIES. OUR GOONIE BIRDS ARE LAYING EGGS STOOOOPID THINGS - 4 IN THE VEGE PATCH! AT LEAST THEY'RE SITTING ON THEM THIS TIME AND HOPEFULLY THEY WONT DIE. YOU'VE GOT A FLAME TREE SOMEWHERE NEAR THE SILKY OAKS...I GAVE ONE TO DAD MANY YEARS AGO WHEN I WORKED FOR THE FORRESTRY COMMISSION!

Georgina said...

Baino, what is it with dogs and clean linen? With ours it's normally after he's rolled in horse piss, lovely. The flame tree is great, I've never seen one before. You see who said bloggings not educational! As for vacuuming my husband loves to vacuum, even the pool. Would love to see some duck photos. I've just put a "chick" slide on my side bar, one day old and sooo cute. Great photos once again. Debs x

Baino said...

You reckon it's a choko? I don't it's furry on the outside but it looks like one. We've got a flame tree? Well it never flamin' flowers! AND WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING!

Debs, damn right. Lily loves a splodge of duck poo right behind the ears. She had a Pantene shower before she lobbed on the bed so she may have been as clean as he sheets! Has hubby got a brother? I'm on the market! Off to checkout your chickies.

Georgina said...

You won't be the first to ask if my lovely hubbie has a bro!!! Sadly No!!! The chicks are divine and hubby is away at the mo so I've got to get to grips with the vacuums. Yikes Debs x

Paddy in BA (Quickroute) said...

Nice photos! That tree looks amazing - never seen anything like it. It won't fit on my window box I'm afraid :-(

Baino said...

Perhaps not a flame tree but you do get Jacaranda's over there don't you! Brilliant violet flowers in spring? Gorgeous things but I believe they're from South America somwhere.

Paddy in BA (Quickroute) said...

I didn't recognise Jacaranda by name but after I did a wiki search - yes I've seen them alright - close but not as colourful as the flame tree.