the weird and the wonderful

Found this stick insect basking in the sunshine. If it hadn't moved I would never have seen it. An amazing creature, looking just like a dry twig.

Here is the Ox tongue lilly in bloom. I took this picture last week and have been waiting for ite leaves to appear so I can show how it gets its name, but it seems to take forever. Having said that, tomorrow they will probably start to emerge from the soil.

Ox tongue lilly--day of the triffids?

This is the amazing Ox Tongue Lilly, firstly the flower pushes up through the earth and will grow a short stem, then after the flower has finished, two leaves appear, growing opposite each other which look like a long Ox tongue. I had almost forgotten that I planted them in their new sunny position. They had been growing for years under some shrubs, and of course they will not send up a flower without any sunshine. I planted about eight of them, all in the same spot last year, so there may be some others lurking just beneath the surface.

Flowers that normally bloom in the Spring Tra-la

Before I went into hospital I pruned this tree, a Santa Rosa plum, so that it will be easier to net next fruiting season. We have had an extremely hot summer this year and the trees cant work out just what is going on. This one is in full flower and the bees are buzzing all over it. I cant make it up the hill to inspect the other trees, but Popeye assures me that there are flowers on them as well. Its autumn (fall) here in OZ they are supposed to be shedding their leaves, not flowering !

We lost one of our laying hens to a fox yesterday, the first one in 3 years. Since we keep the female alpacas in the same paddock where we free range the chickens, we have to date been confidant that the hens would be safe from these nasty, foxie beasts. It must have waited until the alpacas were out of sight, over the hill and then made its move. The remaining hens are too scared to venture out this morning. I expect the trauma will affect the number of eggs for a while.

I'm back !!

I have been home from hospital now for almost a week after having my right hip replaced. It seems
as if it all went well (will find out for sure on thursday)
Although I haven't felt like posting any blogs, I have however been keeping up with all the favourite blogs that I read, and when I can get around without the aid of a walking frame, I shall beout and about with my camera. Soon will be hip-hopping around town.

Crab Apples and Stellata magnolia

The picture does not show the thousands of crab apples hanging inside the tree, to take a closer look, click on the picture. Any one like a bucket full of crab apples?

This shows the apples visible from the outside of the tree, starting to ripen, but this year have decided not to pick any until the end of april, when they will be fully red.

Remember the new Stellata magnolia burnt to a crisp by the sun during the heat wave ?

Well here is a picture of it now ! New green leaves and flowers.

The alpacas ran out of paint !

Introducing Isis Front half white, back brown. The cutest little bundle of baby alpaca.
Born this morning 17th. Feb. and we are so glad to see it up and walking after the first two didn't survive.
Here she is with mother Xenia, Aunty Cleopatra (always the sticky beak) waiting to get a closer look.

What perfume do you wear? She seems to be thinking. "aunty" is actually her half sister.

Two long white stockings, one long white sock and a sockette, one brown beard and brown ear-muffs.
Beautiful !!!

Mr G.

This picture is of Mr. G. a baby alpaca, born prematurely on the 7th Feb. and sadly passed away during the night. We had been feeding him with a bottle every 3 hours because he was very weak in the legs and had trouble to stand. Poor mother is grieving. This is the first loss we've had in the Alpaca flock. Its rather gut wrenching.
He was named Mr. G. temporarily, because going through the alphabet, his name needed to start with G. (I forgot we already have one starting with F. and that happens when you get old like me) I wanted to call him Goliath, but shortened it to G. when we discovered his weakness.
Life goes on.