There are at least two ways to encourage the birds.

 

You can build them a nice little gingerbread house and encourage them to come.

or.....

 

 

 

Leave a large jar of seed out on the table and watch them indulge themselves

Keeping guard!

 

"I'll keep my eye out and let you know if the old witch with the camera comes!!!"

Merry Christmas!

There's dedication (and concentration) for you!

 

BBQ in the rain!

 

Last day at Croquet today till after Christmas so we lit the barbie and cooked our sausages. At the Farmers Market on Sunday I bought some very expensive atlantic salmon sausages and I must say, they were quite nice. Poor Ken and Bob had to brave the elements but I did not feel too bad, sitting in the warm clubhouse being waited on, after all, we had played croquet through a HAILSTORM (we must be mad!)

Have a Mince Pie

 

It is that time of the year when thoughts turn to mince pies (my thoughts do anyway!) I even made my own mincemeat this year, with cranberries (may have told you this already - getting old and repeating myself!) so even though I say it myself, my pies are especially delectable this year.

You've seen it before....

 

and you will see it again, my Hoya Bella is blooming beautifully, and it has a very delicate perfume which you notice first thing in the morning especially. I think just about every stem has a flowerhead on it and this is the second time it has bloomed this year.

Not lentils - again!

 

Yes, this was my choice for lunch, and it was excellent, I would like his recipe for my Puy Lentil Dish. While the others chose mussels or calamari (yuk) I was quite happy with my lentils.

Girls Day Christmas Lunch.

Its that time of the year again, and this year we chose The Red Velvet Lounge at Cygnet for our Seasonal Get-Together

"Our" Snow!

 

While you are suffering such huge snowfalls the only thing that is yet to happen here is all this fluffy blossom from our Paperbark tree is yet to fall and I will be sweeping it up for weeks, but at least I am not likely to slip on it and hurt myself!!!

Wow!

How about this for a car? Its a 1960s Jaguar, in beautiful condition, cared for by a loving owner, it even has central locking!!! Now I know you will say they didn't have central locking in the l960s, but as the owner bought it in Western Australia, you cannot sell a car in WA if it does not have central locking so it had to be retro fitted!

Roger said his cap went with the Jag (and probably was just as old!)

They also have a seventeen year old spaniel who needs looking after for three days over Christmas, so that is how we came to meet them and see the car.

PS the dog was OK too!

Heidi's cactus

 

 

 

 

Just popped over to Heidis this morning and was blown away by this little beauty. It is only a shame that cactus flowers bloom for such a short time, making them all the more precious.

That's better!

 

Second choice, the Cheese Straws turned out OK I guess, they disappeared quickly. The Neighbourhood, or rather Cul de Sac Christmas get together was a great turnout, 100% more people than last year, in fact only non appearances from two lots of neighbours, one of whom is dubbed "mad Mary" so it is just as well she didn't come and cast a spell on the lot of us.

Bugger!!

 

Can't always be a successful cook!! Never trust a new recipe from the back of a packet (in this case the yeast packet) and never do it for the neighbourhood Christmas Get together, which takes place in a couple of hours. This lot found their way into the bin and now a new batch of trusty cheese straws are browning nicely in the oven.

It's nearly finished!!

 

Can't say anymore at this time, in case the eventual owner of this wallhanging looks at this (highly improbable!)

We've expanded!

 

Not content with two garden beds, we now have four, the four you see right in front of you, things are coming on, we have flowers on our Scarlet Runner Beans and on the peas and even on the zucchini, which are only about six leaves in total. Really am looking forward to our "Harvest Festival"

Double click please

 

Look at this, one of our prostrate natives, isn't it pretty when you look at it closely?

THANK YOU GERMANY

They are devastated here, Australia not only didn't get, but in fact only got one measly vote for their hosting the Fifa games in 2022. And who gave them that vote? Beckenbauer was their only friend. Of course they did not let it go unnoticed that England too failed miserably in their attempt to host the games in 2018 I think it was, but at least they got 100% more votes, they got TWO. Oh well, can't win 'em all!!!

Come and Try Day!

 

 

 

Today we went along to Kingborough Bowling Club and 'had a go' at Bowls. We quite enjoyed it, but it won't be taking over from croquet! Afterwards we 'had a go' at Boule, or Petonke (spelling?) which was quite an exacting game. Most of the club members for Boule seemed to be English, which follows, I don't think it would be competitive enough for Aussies!!!

Karlo got it right!

 

 

Karlo had a go too, and he did very well. Look where his bowl came to rest!

Yellow tailed Black Cockatoos!

 

 

 

 

Yesterday, whilst sitting at home watching England winning at the cricket (had to get that bit in!) we were treated to a great show in the big tree opposite our house. There were four Black Cockatoos, were they preening each other, or feeding each other, I could not say for sure, but they stayed quite a while. I even had time to go and get my binoculars, after I had taken these photos, so I really had a good look at them. Notice the yellow patches on their cheeks and the yellow tail feathers, in fact I picked up on of these tail feathers only last week on my daily walk, I should try and take a photo of that for you.