Fire and flood

Mother Nature is amazing!

She goes from one extreme to another. Just barely two weeks ago our state had a massive fire, a raging inferno in our South West. It all but obliterated the tiny town of Yarloop. It tragically took the lives of two elderly men. The firestorm wiped out virtually the whole town and the majority of homes. Yarloop is a gorgeous little town, it's where we lived for a number of years, and that's where eldest teen was brought home from hospital as a tiny newborn. It's a town my Uncle has called home for the past 23 years. We had only only been there five days prior to the devastating fire, my Uncle had been in hospital in the city since the week before Christmas and had only just been allowed back home.

We had an extremely worrying twenty four hours where we were unable to contact him. We had no idea if he had got out, if he was still at home with that inferno raging towards his home or whether he had managed to get to the local town oval and shelter with other residents. We had had conflicting reports and were going out of our minds with worry. Ten past seven the next morning I received a quick phone call from him saying he was okay and at an evacuation shelter with his dog. The best news ever.

For eight days he didn't really know whether his house was still standing or not, but finally last Friday he was allowed back in to have a look. Amazingly his house still stands while others around are burnt to the ground. He lost a shed, ute and shade house, all the mature fruit trees and other mature trees and all his fencing. He is one of the very lucky ones. He has a major health battle on his hands this year and I'm sure an Angel must have been watching over his place, to protect it. Knowing the fight he has on his hands, losing his home too would have just been too much.

My heart goes out to all the people affected by this fire. Not only did it take out Yarloop, but homes were also lost in Waroona, Hamel, Cookernup and Harvey. I have lived in every one of those towns except Harvey. It really makes you think, and take nothing for granted. That was a massive fire to affect such an area. So many people have lost so much. The way the rest of our state has got on board to help all the animals; both people's pets and wildlife burnt/lost/hurt,  which has been so distressing for so many. Items that have been donated, along with money, clothing, and tradesmen giving their time has been amazing. It really is phenomenal to see the way people pull together when there has been such tragedy.

photo from Abc News

Now to the other extreme. A series of thunderstorms and storm cells have been moving through a large part of the south western corner the last few days. All the photos below I took just five minutes down the road from our place earlier this afternoon. From Saturday evening until yesterday (Tuesday) evening we had received 20mm of rain and then last night another 17mm. Just after I got home from taking the photos it started raining here again and hasn't stopped. It hasn't been heavy, but just steady gentle rain. Some places have received in excess of 200mm. That is an awful lot of rain. My boss sent me a couple of photos of near her place as she can't get out. She lives forty five minutes out of town and they have received around the 200mm mark.

Both of my children belong to our local SES unit and had a call out Sunday night to a neighbouring town about 40klms away for flooding, but by the time they got there it had pretty much been dealt with. Another call came through at lunch time today and eldest teen had just got home from work so she went, but youngest teen couldn't go his boss wouldn't let him. This call out is more major than the other night it's to a town 50klms to our south and flooding damage to the hospital with possible partial roof collapse. Eldest teen has been gone about five and a half hours now and haven't heard anything, so imagine she is going to be gone quite awhile longer yet.

I think by tomorrow the worst of these storms are supposed to be moving east. It's so unfortunate that the rain from these storms can't be more widespread and of lesser quantity. Instead of flooding places everywhere gets just the right amount of rain that they need. But it just doesn't work like that.

I have to admit I am fascinated by storms and think the sky puts on a phenomenal show and I can't help myself but get out there and take lots and lots of photos.

My wish is that no more lives both human and animal have to be lost to the fires that now ravage the earth. Sadly I know that wish won't be granted.

One Year

One year ago today we said goodbye to you BJ. There is not a day that goes by where I don't think about you and miss you. You were the most goofy, fun loving, loyal best friend I could ask for. You grew up alongside the kids and were always there to love and protect them and to get up to the occasional bit of mischief together! The cats miss you too, and I will often find them sitting with you where we buried you in your favourite part of the garden. Your rose bush 'Guardian Angel' is flowering beautifully and I can't wait to get the rest of your garden growing and looking beautiful too.

I know you are no longer in pain and will have been happily re-united with your little brother Webster. You are dearly missed my sweet, gentle, loving boy and I know you would be happy to know that you can never be replaced in our hearts; but that we expanded our hearts to love another rescue dog. I think you would love Cody too. I know you would <3.

Vegetable garden progress 22/12/15

Knowing today was going to be stinking hot I went outside just after 6 this morning to water and cover up any vulnerable seedlings. So glad I did because it was a scorcher and tomorrow is predicted to be even hotter. Went out this evening to see how the garden fared and took a few photos while out there. Things are happening!!

The watermelon are growing :)

Currently there are four this size and a couple of smaller ones.

Sorry for the blurry picture, but we have zucchini at last!

At the moment about five little ones growing.

Also not pictured but which are producing really

well are the cucumbers, about ten on the vine, and

the first one should be ready to pick any day now.

The bush beans are doing well and I am picking 7-10 every second day

and there are plenty more flowers, so soon enough we will have

plenty more beans to enjoy. Planted out some tall growing bean seedlings

on the weekend when it was a little cooler, hoping they survive the next few days.

Another blurry photo - but we have tomatoes!!

These ones are the cherry tomatoes.

Still no fruit on the Mortgage Lifter, but lots of flowers.

The corn is growing and looking very healthy and now starting to flower.

In the laundry tub garden I have planted two capsicum seedlings.

I covered them with pots today to protect from the heat and

they look like they are doing well. Fingers crossed as I am missing

not being able to pick capsicums. Normally I have been able to keep at

least one plant going over winter and by late spring we are picking the first

capsicums. But sadly that didn't happen this year.

The old laundry tub garden (which really needs painting).

I am debating whether to paint it the dark colour like the wall behind

or do I paint it a bright colourful colour?

Some of the Dahlia's are planted around the laundry tub

and this gorgeous one is about to burst into bloom.

I had a day off today so after spending the morning watering and tending to

the garden I drove over to our neighbouring town to finish off

the last of the Christmas shopping and I came home to these lovely

flowers that had been delivered. Feeling very spoilt.

When I was out in the garden this morning I snacked on the very last of our blueberries, a couple of strawberries, some beans, a couple of plums and a couple of peaches. That's what it's all about, nothing better than being able to eat healthy delicious food that you have grown straight out of your garden.

All in all the small harvest today was made up of five blueberries, eight plums, half a dozen peaches, seven beans, three strawberries and nine eggs from the chooks who have all settled in well. Small harvest but lots more to look forward to.

The new chooks and a cute frog

The new chooks arrived about 6 o'clock last night. They had a two and a half hour trip to get here and were a bit hot and worse for wear as yesterday was a very hot day. I treated each one for mites before they went into the pen and it wasn't long before they had all had a good drink and something to eat before scratching around the pen and exploring their new yard. Some of them have feathers missing but hopefully with a bit of TLC they will be looking good in no time.

Our one and only surviving chook from the fox attack three months ago.

She is now known as Lucky!

Will have to get lots more greens growing for the girls.

The two Barnavelders out of the group.

A little spider I found in the honeysuckle while watering early yesterday morning.

The Dahlias have started to flower and the bees are happy about that.

When I hung the washing on the line yesterday this cute little frog popped out

from inside a pot sitting nearby. It's good to know there are still some frogs around.

Last night was a shocker think I only managed three maybe three and a half hours sleep all night, feeling very tired and headache-y this morning. Thankfully I only have to go into work for about two hours today. I can't believe it is Christmas next week, this year has really flown by. Enjoy your Wednesday!

Vege garden mid December

Normally at this time of year the summer vege garden would be fully planted out, not this summer.
So far all I have is tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, beans, corn, watermelon, and it's only a few of each plant, not lots like I normally have.

First up is the Mortgage Lifter tomato.

At this point there aren't any little tomatoes forming, but plenty of flowers.

Mortgage Lifter flowers which I saw Blue Banded Bees buzzing around earlier.

A few tiny little baby watermelon are forming.

this variety are Sugar Baby.

So far I only have bush beans planted, hoping to get some tall growing 

bean seeds in soon. A few tender beans have already been eaten and enjoyed.

Normally I have a big area of corn planted out, but it is just a small block

at this stage. Will plant some more seeds soon so as to hopefully

have a continuous crop.

There may not be much corn growing, but it is healthy looking!

A new variety of cucumber that I can't remember the name of.

When I remember I will add it in here.

Pomegranates are growing.

There are about half a dozen on the small shrub.

I have no idea what happened to the grapevine this year,

but there is only one little lonely bunch of grapes growing.

I think the vine needs a good feed and I also didn't get it pruned during winter.

Only one zucchini plant this year!!

No zucchinis as yet, but hopefully not too much longer.

So sad the blueberries have just about finished.

I have enjoyed picking a few and eating each day.

I am thinking about buying a different variety that will fruit after

these ones have finished, to prolong the harvest.

There is a gorgeous perfume that gently wafts over you while in the vege garden

from the jasmine that is planted on the fence as you enter the vege garden.

Such a gorgeous summer scent.

These recently arrived in the mail. I really don't know if they will work, but

definitely interested to find out. I hate snakes and they take away the enjoyment

of being outside in the garden during the summer months. This year seems to be

a particularly bad year for them and as we had a small one inside the house back

in March, I'm willing to give these a go and hope they do keep them right away

from the house. Will need to buy more if they do work. Has anyone had any luck

with using them?

Bits from the garden

It's been about three months since I was last here, and I have missed blogging. I think I just got stuck in such a rut and lost motivation for everything. It has been all I can do just to get the basics done each day let alone anything else. A major health scare in recent months has given me the incentive to clean up my act, start eating much better and try to fit in some exercise each day, along with not stressing about things and setting some goals to work towards. I haven't even really been taking many photos which is is very unusual for me. These are a few from the last two or three months. Things are starting to grow in the veggie garden too, so need to take some photos out there.

We didn't have a great deal of cherries on the tree this year, but what was

there were happily eaten.

The donut peaches are turning colour and are so close to being ready to pick.

Success with onions at last! I didn't manage to get all the seedlings in which was

a shame, but what I did get in, grew well and we have been enjoying eating them.

They are quite hot! 

I didn't get any garlic planted this year but missed some from last year that came up

on their own, so managed to harvest about 15-20 bulbs.

The Hydrangea is looking really good this summer, covered in beautiful blooms.

Need to have a go at taking some cuttings.

Philadelphius, such an amazing perfume! Another one to take cuttings from.

The bees and hoverflies loved the cornflowers.

I Need to plant lots more flowers to attract the bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

The roses this spring were spectacular!

I still need to feed and give them a good mulch before the really hot weather sets in.

Not that we haven't already had some very hot weather over the last couple of months

even well before summer officially arrived.

The very last photo I have of my gorgeous chooks. A fox got in and and took the lot bar one

who was broody at the time and in on the nest. The rotten thing even got our two little

silkie hens which the kids had raised from day old chicks eight years ago.

We have some more chooks arriving Tuesday, our one and only

chook has been quite lonely.

Lastly this photo is of a cool tree made entirely out of scrap metal.

We saw it one day when out driving with youngest teen to get his driving

hours up. It looked quite funny this metal tree just standing there out

in the middle of nowhere.

Looking forward to returning here regularly, I am itching to go and take lots of photos and to spend more time out in the garden and to get back to doing all the things I love doing.