23 September 2011

It's been a while

Summers over now and the weather is back to a very pleasant mid twenties and with less and less humidity each day.  Had some great days on the beach at MKT doing nothing much at all, sandcastles,  hunting for pirate treasure, scrambling over the rocks with the boys and generally making full use of the hammock.

The garden has been retamed and is now basically under control.  The jungle of weeds and plants that seem to grow up to knee height in no time at all have been dug up and the ground is now clear. 

The well waters seem to be holding their own and delivering up clean water (well except for the time when a frog decided to live in the pipe and block the water).

We have had a few visits from our rodent friends, one of which had the idea of living in the kitchen cupboards.  A persistent gypsy it was but eventually the bugger was caught and sent on its way.

Not too many snakes seen this year, a couple of red necked keel backs in the garden and apparently another python made a foolhardy attempt at snaffling a chicken next door.  There is evidence of a pretty wide snake though as a discarded skin was discovered outside the kitchen door.   I am no expert but it had not faded completely and looked like it may have belonged to a rat snake.

Birds, we have a resident buzzard who seems to perch out on the telegraph pole just behind us.  Bright yellow feet and a very condescending look.  Seems to appear most when it is raining, maybe the pole is in the lee of the hill and it shelters there from the winds?   Apparently, I have also been luckily enough to see a pied kingfisher, a rarity I am reliably told.