@*&!ing March Flies!

I am strongly debating the right of this post to be placed under a 'Beauty of Cwm Goch' label.
We have been inundated with March flies (Family Tabanidae) this year - more than ever before.

Here is a picture.














You may notice the photo of the March fly and my knee is slightly blurry - that's because it is DARNED hard to keep still when these things are biting you - even through pants!

The females have a nasty bite and this year have swarmed on us in groups of up to 10 at a time the minute we step outside. The info on them says they are attracted to dark blue (which we haven't been wearing). They just seem attracted to any bare skin they can find. No amount of insect repellant or Eucalyptus oil, which we use around the decking to ward off the usual house flies, seems to work.

Cat suggested fly traps - we're looking into those. Any other suggestions gratefully accepted. We are wearing long sleeves and jeans in 40degree heat just to be able to venture outside.

Help!

The Brain that Changes Itself

You all just HAVE to read this book. You'll find yourself amazed on every page.

I can't recommend it enough - for anyone, but especially if you know anyone who suffers from dementia, Alzheimers, or any physical damage or condition related to brain damage. This book will astound you.

Early morning walk

With 4 little boys in the house we decided the best way to keep us all happy would be to keep them all very busy. The day started with a quick brekky then off to the Bridle track for a walk before the weather got too hot.
Great opportunity to take some shots too!

Here are some Mulla-Mullas.


















Gravel!


















And beautiful acacia seeds about to drop from their pods.


















What a lovely way to start the day!

Weeds are our friends...and beautiful too!

Another photo!

Spoilt Brat!

I have been so unbelievably spoilt lately that it's hard not to feel a little guilty!

To top it all off, today my Dad came around (having just bought himself a new camera) and gave me his old one! I already have the one he gave me previously, so this is an upgrade...and it does MACRO! Superbly stoked!

We are babysitting the two extra munchkins again at the moment, but I managed to get them all to bed by about 6pm - yes just call me Super Nanny! That left me heaps of time to get out in the garden to have a play with my new toy. I love having the macro feature. You stop to notice everything you'd usually walk past when you're looking for small things.

Here are some shots to enjoy!

Christmas spider as promised!

New shoot growing out of lichen.

A spider - still to be ideintified. It makes a lovely zig-zag thread in it's web.

Rusty gate - just cos.

One of my favourite flowers in the native garden - unsure what it's called.

No doubt ever post will now come accompanied by photos!

In memory of our chicks

Today is a sad day. When I went to the chook pen this morning to let the chooks out, I noticed the chicks weren't there. Being hen raised (not incubator) the chicks were the only ones of our flock to roost in trees occasionally, which they'd been known to do during the day, so we supposed they hadn't gone in that night with the others but roosted (which means they should have been safe.) The picture above is an old one. They have grown a fair bit - proper wings and feathers. Young poulets really though we still call them the chicks.

Those of you who have met the chicks know that they were allowed to free range, because they weren't causing damage like the others (who were limited to the pen and orchard). We often find them joining us out in the garden later in the morning after their morning forage. By mid morning I got anxious enough to do a thorough search of the property because I couldn't see them or hear them. Sure enough, beneath the grevillea hedge are the scattered feathers, some in clumps which we all know to mean 'fox attack'.

I have to admit I had a good bawl. Me, who was intent on not becoming attached to them because we knew a few were roosters and destined for the pot. But as I found the feathers of 'Blacky' (silently named, as we never 'gave' them names intentionally), and found the down from the one I thought of as the 'mafia chick' because of it's moustache shaped combs, I realised I had done the unthinkable and had thought of them as pets as much as stock.

It is just so disappointing. All that work by Stormy, the mother hen. And all the hours we spent watching them, and laughing at their antics in the mulch and garden. Few domestic birds are allowed to roam as ours did. What a shame.

What have we learned? Clip chicks wings (they were able to get in and out by flying) and keep them in the orchard with the others. It may not be as fun but it's safe.

Our only consolation (as if there is one really) is that for the brief time they lived, they were the happiest chicks we've ever met.

For now, just feeling very very sad. :(

Mystery of the Levitating Leaf

Saw this leaf from a distance and just had to go investigate.

Turns out it was being used by an Orb Weaver Spider. It looks like she has gone down to the ground, picked up the leaf and attached it to a thread of web in order to use the leaf as an anchor for her main web which was a couple of metres up above. I tried to take some shots of the spider, but it's 8pm and the light isn't any good for macro shots. Isn't she clever though?

Walking through the garden at this time of night is magical. The busy hum of the insects have died down, but all the spiders are out (including the Jewel/Christmas spiders) everywhere quietly but busily making their webs for the night. As I walked I spotted a Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) on our Buddleia. We get a lot of Wanderer butterflies but this is the first time I've seen a Monarch. The lighting was poor, hence the blurriness, but here is the shot I managed to get.

Will try for some shots of the Jewel Spiders tomorrow.