Summer is here! While gofering to Zamia for some writing time today, I disturbed a bobtail goanna crossing the path…and it rustled off into the long grass by the track.

The little possum, having eaten most of our nasturtium patch, settled in the garden by the back fence on Sunday to have a good lick and then a big sleep. It was quite at home in our garden.

I contacted a wildlife carer about it yesterday. She advised that if it was there the next day to call her again and she would arrange to collect it. When I went out the back yard, it had disappeared, but a much smaller one was eating the pear that I had left out. Oh dear. However it curled up to sleep in what was left of the nasturtium patch.

This morning, with thunder storms looming, neither of them were anywhere to be seen. We never saw them again, and hoped that they had found new safe places to live.

The nasturtiums will regrow!

With Elwyn arriving on Saturday, Rob wanted to test out a beef rib roast – Elwyn’s favourite. It was delicious!

After entrancing all of us – all our family is watching the possum sleep – the little possum and it’s smaller sibling who arrived this morning have left. In their wake is a decimated nasturtium patch, but it will grow again. At least it helped 2 dear little creatures to start to make their own ways in the world:-)

Tonight, in preparation for Elwyn’s arrival in the weekend, we had a trial run of cooking her favourite roast – standing rib beef – in the webber. It was delicious and we sent her a photo:-)

This morning, a hot one, when Rob went out to water the new little beings in the garden, he found one he didn’t expect – a young brush-tailed possum! When he saw it, it quietly moved around the bushes to find a nest that seemed safe. I called Blaine for advice, and she said to just leave out water for it for now, and fruit if I thought it needed feeding. However it seemed OK so Rob put a bowl of water near it and we left it alone.

I hope it’s OK…

Tonight Jeanette drove me all the way out to Tom and Thea’s school to watch their Christmas Nativity Play. A few weeks ago, when Tristan mentioned that the kids would finish school on the 9th, I realised with horror that I hadn’t helped with their school at all this year, and hadn’t even met their teachers. So Tristan and Blaine kept a seat in the stands for me, and Jeanette drove me there and escorted me in. I played it safe and walked on both crutches for protection of my knees.

It was a sublimely lovely evening, with all the young proud parents, looking out to the sun setting in the west and the candles that the children held as they sang.

Magic!

This morning, Tristan and Blaine were kind enough to have Rob and I and Jeanette and Christopher over to their place for a morning cuppa. They had just got their new bee-hive which I wanted to see, and as we hadn’t been to their place for ages it was lovely to see what they were doing with their garden (Tom and Thea have a little garden each and know most of their plants too) and their house. Then we sat together in the lounge room. Christopher was happy playing on the floor with the kids:-)

This morning, as we gofer/walked near the entrance to Kings Park, we heard a call that took us back to the bush. We looked up. There were 3 pairs of red-tailed black cockatoos settling into one of the old gum trees. We’d only seen them in the bush before. Wow!

Back home I emailed Blaine to ask about them. She said that they were moving into the suburbs from the hills. This is very sad, but I’m glad they can find somewhere to live:-)

And it was a great gift for us:-)

This morning Rob and I went for a gofer/walk right around Kings Park. Along the scarp, looking out over the river, we saw not one but THREE ospreys in and around the osprey nest in the top of the pine tree on the foreshore. We have really missed seeing these beautiful creatures while I have been so incapacitated this year, so of course we stayed there until they moved on, just enjoying the gift of their presence:-)