It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

The poinciana is in full bloom and it's magnificent. Our neighbours have some too and there are a few more on the way up the driveway. Apparently they only flower like this every 10 years - magnificent.

The chilli bushes have their baubles ready and hanging (there is literally hundreds of them)

And my poor poinsettia is even giving it a go. Poor thing was rudely transplanted 5 years ago and hasn't received a skerrick of attention since. I must aim to change this.

Even Russell Crowe (who is looking a little worse for wear) has his little red festive flowers all lined up in bloom.

Inside our home, my contribution continues to be minimal. Even though I had committed to putting up the tree, it's still in it's box somewhere (not quite sure but am sure I will find it when the time comes). I have, however, started on presents and being still November - that might be a record. I'm usually a last minute shopping kinda' girl.

As you may or may not have been aware, Brisbane had a massive hail storm on Thursday. Unfortunately for my new ute, we got stuck in the middle of it and, well, insurance claim for damage is pending. I have to say that the noise of bigger-than-golfball-hail hitting the roof of the car was a little intimidating (I did duck a few times - no idea why).

We are continued to be blessed with a large number of bees at the moment, many of whom visit the garden and stop off at the water fountain for a drink. Am not sure what kind they are - any suggestions?

Ooh, and last night I was once again lucky enough to rescue one of these. Max bought him in as a 'gift'. Its a baby sugar glider and it wasn't hurt from what I could see. I just scooped it up and took it outside. Cuuuute. They only grow a wee bit more when they're full grown and have flaps of skin from their front to rear legs on each side and fly/glide from tree to tree. Lord knows how Max caught one (he's no speedster). Google it - they're interesting little characters.

Luckily Max or Moet are not really hunters and this is probably the 3rd mammal or bird I've had to rescue in as many years. (Previous felines have been a little more active in this space.)

Anyway, happy start of December everyone. I'm off to put up the tree - or at least think about it...

The list

Well, the long weekend is over and I am stoked to say the list (see previous blog) was all but accomplished (excluding planting pumpkin seeds and the stuff that was to flow over to next weekend). I did add a few more (significant) things to said list and, with MOTH's help (albeit not 100% keen), we got it done. Poor MOTH, he wasn't keen on helping me plant the couple of hundred plants I turned up with on Monday afternoon.

But great news, my new garden bed has finally gone from this…

And, with a little help from a very large excavator, to this…

And then I did this…

… to this…

After a comprehensive cat scan…

...this is what passed muster...

Just a sprinkler system, a few more plants and some  mulch to go… thank goodness there's another long weekend coming up!

Then I can start on my next project…

BTW - Jeff has settled in magnificently and I think someone is a bit of poser when the camera comes out. How could any human dump such a magnificent creature, he is just so lovely.

Meanwhile MOTH got caught on Sunday afternoon tormenting Red Rooster by recording his crow and then playing it back to him over and over and over. Poor bloody rooster is mighty confused now! Again, how could someone dump an animal so magnificent?

And there's always time for another UpsideDownAmil shot of Moet (they all do it)

A typical Clear Mountain weekend

Had grand plans for the weekend but am still suffering asthma-type symptoms from recent chest infection. So, take it easy my Mum said... don't do too much... don't burn the candle... (all good coming from someone who lives in New Zealand and is, shall we say, "pot to kettle - over". Anyway, I thought about her advice for, about three seconds... Having said that I didn't go to fire brigade training this morning, which involved one of those large multi storey ladders (wise move, MOTH said).

Anyway, lots has been happening here this week, especially given it's the start of winter and things should be slowing down.

I took a walk around the place this afternoon to see what was going on... Now remembering, it's autumn/fall, there is an unusual combination of fruit and vege developments going' on...

Our first bananas are only weeks away from being ready to harvest

I planted garlic last weekend and some of it is already raising it's arms to the sky

The paw paw tree is laiden with fruit. Note, it seems to drop it's leaves around the fruit to focus on giving everything to the fruit. You will notice I cut the centre stem out of the tree in it's first year (last year) and the result is much more, smaller fruit.

Mr Pineapple Head (thrown in the ground last year) is expected to bear fruit next year.

The chooker moles missed a pumpkin seed that seems to have escaped from under the back of their palace and has started to grow down the hill, complete with little pumpkins about the size of large grapefruit. I love pumpkin soup!

My first attempt at Rosella was stumped by bloody caterpillars but I think I might have enough fruit to harvest for one or two jars

Our tamarind plant flowered this week, beautiful

Meanwhile it rained on Saturday and so I just got to hunt and gather (like I do every Saturday) and then sharpen my chainsaw blades. Good news was I got to use them on Sunday morning. This is one of the many trees that came down during the Australia Day (end of January) storms over the electric fence, which is why the donkeys have been agisting at the neighbours place since.

The last of the trees over the fence from the January storms. Seriously, I have another 20 - 30 dead trees to cut down for firewood still.

MOTH and I trimmed the fenceline, weed sprayed the fenceline and then there was the chainsawing. Took nearly all day. Don't underestimate the slope in this picture, it's about 30 degrees (and the other side is way steeper, about 40 - 45).

I also have a cunning plan being developed to address what the chooker moles and one Max cat have done to my previously beautiful Sir Walter lawn around the clothes line.

Speaking of Max, this is what our now 6-7 month old baby has been up to...

Cuuute, snuggled up on the couch

Tired Max

... who apparently grows in his sleep!

Of course, I went and some donkey cuddle time this afternoon, as I do whenever I can. I am hoping to have them back on our property next weekend, fingers crossed it doesn't rain.

Gotta' go now. MOTH has made some amazing greek lamb dinner with roast lambm garlic mash, tzatziki, and home made hummus.

Hummus recipe (previously shared on this blog)

Things are not always what they seem...

In December we had a new edition to our family, Maxie the girl Manx kitten. MOTH and I have ventured over Mount Glorious into Wivenhoe Valley to pick up a tiny black ball of fluff with a little bobtail from some people on a farm that probably should go to the dentist.

When we got home, Maxie settled right in and Moet was delighted to once again have a feline friend. (Poor TC, our other cat, had died peacefully in his sleep following, what we suspect was a snake bite, a few weeks earlier).

Initially, Roman our big red dog, wanted to eat this quick black flash of fluff and it took me weeks to desensitise him. In fact, I did such a good job, Roman is now obsessed with Maxie and follows her everywhere.

The fine balance of no one eating anyone was maintained and Maxie grew quickly.

Being a Manx, she developed some doglike behaviours and started to come out with me to let the chickens out in the morning and round them up at night. The chickens also grew to ignore the black cat. She also chirps ALL THE TIME and comes when you call her.

And still, Roman is never too far away...

Competition at the food bowl was fierce and by four and a half months, Maxie was the same size as two year old Moet.

Then one morning, while Maxie was lying on the bed grooming herself, I saw it. Maxie was a Max! Within days, two huge black pom poms appeared under (now) his tail and the playfights with Moet were becoming more and more like assault. There was only one solution... I called the vet and they said I had to wait until Max was 6 months old [sigh]. Poor Moet. So I called back the day he turned 5 months and tried again, they agreed and on Friday Max came home from the vet brandishing a tattoo and a haircut that makes him look like a baboon.

The fur will grow back but the pom poms are gone forever.