Wet season in Autumn?

Well we wanted rain... We had rain... 
For the last 13 days it rained on and off every day.
But by large the heaviest downpour we've ever seen, since we've been up here, has been last Sunday. It started at 4.00 pm and went on the whole night.
Water bucketed down and was gushing everywhere. 
We ended up with a flowing river at the bottom of the block. Our poor neighbours must have been  swamped...

Water gushing down

River flowing down

That night, the rain didn't stop and even for the frogs it was too much, they all started coming for a dry spot on the verandah, they were everywhere! On window sills, in the sink, on the chairs, on the floor...

They say that if you can keep green frogs in your garden it must be a healthy garden. Ours must be super healthy!
It was a cacophony of deafening croaking songs though, and it echoed so loud that at one stage, Svenne threatened to throw them back in the garden, as he couldn't hear the television...
Here's a little clip of what it sounded like, and it went on for hours... (You can hear the rain coming down at the beginning of the clip.)

Lucky we managed to mow the lawn that afternoon, before the rain came. It has already grown back. (Very healthy garden...)
But the next day, Svenne had to go and empty the boat, (which is waiting on the edge of the lake). It was full of water, barely floating!

The lake is now full again.

Before the rain

Filling up

Full...

And the sun is back.
We had this amazing sunset last night. which makes it all worthwhile to live in the country! 

However, our thoughts are still with the people who got flooded in Cairns, (400mm of rain in 3 days, the heaviest in 3 years). We heard that many houses in Parramatta Park (where we used to live) had extensive damage. 
I was also concerned for my family in Townsville, after they had a mini tornado going through the town on Tuesday, with extensive damages. Luckily they were spared. 
We wish them all the best.

End of Summer... Mosaic garden update

February was the last month of summer…

It's been hot and mainly dry.tthe wet season should have started but it just didn't happen yet, apart for the odd storms and torrential showers that lasts only an hour.

And even though they help the lake to fill up slowly, we definitely need more rain. The height of the water is nowhere near was it was when we moved almost a year ago. Even the cows went for a swim to cool down!

Our "Little Evodia" (Melicope Rubra), which flowered in December, is now covered with fruits. I searched the internet to see if they are edible and although a few sites say yes, they don't give very much information. So I tasted one, but wasn't very impressed… smells like lemony… tastes very bitter… Whereas they're not ripe yet or need to be cooked? If anybody knows about these fruits, please help and leave a comment. But I will definitely try to propagate more of these with seeds as they attract the Ulysses butterfly…  and the flowers are quite  stunning!

Melicope Rubra

Everything has grown quite quickly in the last month: the marigolds are about a metre high with bright yellow and orange "jumbo" pompoms but are leaning down now due to the weight of the flowers and Freja rummaging into it!

Marigolds

My desert rose is still hanging on and flowering and now has 2 seed pods. I call her the "mother" as it is the one that gave me all the other plants. The pod resembles a helicopter rotor blades... 

Desert rose

The cassavas are  very bushy and healthy, except for a couple that have been broken by our "bulldozer Freja" when she goes for a run…and the fern which I thought was dead and moved next to the veggie garden, was at its best this month. The succulents are doing well and the pawpaw seeds I planted have finally started to  grow.

Green mosaic

The bromeliads are starting to bloom everywhere. So beautiful!

Bromeliads

Native figs, wild guavas, custard apples, black sapote, oranges, mandarins are getting bigger, and we're waiting with anticipation for them to ripen.

Green fruits

 The veggies didn't do too good during summer, except for the snake beans. Too hot and dry. So the garden needs to be pulled out and prepared for the winter crop (with lots of free manure from the next door pasture!) I'm waiting for the last eggplants to mature. But I have collected 7 avocados yesterday from the tree next to our letter box and our last strawberry.

Garden harvest

 Over the last 2 months the chillies (birds eyes)  have exploded everywhere, and I pick about a thousand every 4 days. (I'm stocking up on them and might never have to buy chillies any more). and we're back on our chokoe diet as the vines, growing amongst the trees bear plump fruits all over. And of course lemons, lemons, lemons… which reminds me I'll have to make some lemon cordial. 

Chilli madness

Another thing we're amazed is the Hachiya persimmon tree, which is covered with fruits. We have to beat the birds and fruit bats, so we pick the fruits when still hard and let them ripen inside. Freja loves them too. When they fall on the ground she gobbles them up and then try to steal more from the basket while we pick them…They are sweet and juicy and I use them in salads, cooking, persimmon chilli chutney and we have one every night as a dessert,  by just scooping the flesh out, cold from the fridge (very refreshing on a hot summer night), quite delish… My next experience will be persimmon jelly!

Persimmons

Well this was summer in our garden!


Please don't hesitate to leave comments...

Back home and Visitors...

Our stay in Port Douglas was a fantastic break but there's no place like home.

Ree, Joel and Jesper came to Yungaburra after the wedding to spend a few days with us. We all had a lovely time and it was so nice to have some fun with Jesper, who has grown so much since we last saw him.

Jesper and Freja became best mates. She kept on following him every step of the way, wanting to play. And when she was tired, Jesper would go and get her and say "...Follow me!..."

We went fishing for red claws and luckily had a good catch on the second day.

My little helper looking for floats

Going home

I'm very comfortable... Thank you!

Then, it was time to say good bye…

Last clean up

...And hello to my son Steve and Colin, who came for a couple of days.

Technology was the main topic of their visit.

My computer had finally died a couple of weeks earlier (that explains why the delay in adding posts…) and they helped with shopping for a new one, and installing it for me. Thanks Steve!

While he was busy with the computer, Colin connected our Home Stereo Theatre components to the TV, that still after 8 months, needed attention. What a great help that was. Thanks Colin!

We are so lucky and grateful that our private technicians decided to visit us!

Svenne took them for a tour of the lake, which Liana enjoyed thoroughly.

Mum and Liana getting acquainted

My favourite position!

I love the boat!

We celebrated mum's 85th birthday, while they were here, with  a nice lunch, cake  and a bottle of bubbly, which she appreciated very much.

Happy Birthday mum!

Looking like a little girl...

Enjoying the bubbly...

Again, time to say good bye, but they will come back… soon hopefully!

Last hugs

We're now having another batch of visitors, two of Svenne's old friends, Leif and Brian.

Thanks to the caravan, that Svenne bought two months ago and sits in the garden, we haven't felt crowded, it's like an extra bedroom… on wheels.

Our spare bedroom

Freja is going to miss her new friend Liana. As you can see they really enjoyed each other.

I think you're my mummy...

Joel and Ree's Wedding

On 11th February, Ree and Joel got married in Port Douglas.  Beautiful wedding!

Svenne went on the Wednesday to be part of the "bucks" celebration which was a fishing trip on a charter boat "Joe Joe", organized in Joel's honour.

From what I heard they had a fabulous time and weather, but unfortunately no fish… I don't really think the main interest was fishing if you ask me!

On the way...

That's the life!...

What a feeling!

I went down on the Friday afternoon leaving mum and Freja to look after the house.

The wedding took place at John's house in Port Douglas, which overlooks the sea. What a location!

It was a beautiful sunny day for the occasion.

Very proud grand-father with Jesper

I now pronounce you husband and wife!

Mr and Mrs Andersson

Congratulations!

Picture time...

Father and daughter

Brother and sister

Marika and Byron

Svenne and me

Marika and me

Once the ceremony was over and pictures taken, we all walked down to the "Salsa Bar and Grill" restaurant only minutes  from the house, set in a lovely tropical atmosphere.

There, we were all treated like royalty by the staff with an  amazing five stars' menu and drinks on demand.

Cutting the cake

Speech time

Maybe too many drinks combined with the heat and humidity affected all of us.

But Svenne delivered his speech like a pro…

To sum it up it was  an excellent time enjoyed by all. But a picture is better than a thousand words...

All the best to Mr and Mrs Andersson