Burnt

This summer is really taking it's toll on my garden. With severe water restrictions still and the tank water being kept for the vegetables, roses and ferns, the poor grass is really suffering. And a few plants have been lost in my mini rain forest too. Picture above is of the centre of the lawn area, where it gets no shade at all.
Have you ever walked on potato crisps? Did you notice the sound? Well, that's what we have here. A noisy lawn.
Can some one please do a rain dance as our praying for rain is not working.
I hung 10 items of washing on the line today, when I had finished, I checked the first item, and it was dry. So I got it all back in again.

The Humble House Plant.

I am sure we have all had this Rubber plant as a house plant, and some of us might have put it in to the garden!
Hubby and I went for a drive today and ended up at a pub in Budgewoi N.S.W. Only a few kilometers from our own suburb. We got talking to the now owner, and he said that this *plant* was put into a garden bed only 20 years ago. The garden bed has long gone, and the tree now provides a good shaded area for drinkers and those having food from the restaurant. I am no good with doing measurements by eye, but hubby reckons it would be around 20 metres high and about 30 metres across.
Here is some info about this Rubber Plant.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ficus_elastica
Thank you Wiki, and thank you Google images for the picture below.

Are you going to put yours outside now?

Okay, I am sure , if you live in cooler climates than we do here.

Please, do Google Budgewoi N.S.W. And

see this wonderful area I live in.

The Central Coast has old and new suburbs,

Budgewoi being on the lake and the sea.

We have been here now some 21 years and not once had a frost. YAY.

Breakkie Time.

King parrot tucking in to apples and mango.

Bourke parrot keeping a look out for danger, while the others eat.

Blue Princess parrot (male, left), Green Princess parrot (male, bottom right) and pair of Indian Ringnecks (female is green) tucking in to the seeds.

Pohutakawa

An Internet friend from a forum I belong to, lives in New Zealand. Kerry had a bunch of this fabulously bright and Christmasy flower in her sitting room over Christmas. When she showed us the photograph of her vase, I just had to investigate more. Such a wonderful colour, so festive. Thank you Kerry. In New Zealand people look forward to the flowering of the pohutakawa, Metrosideros excelsa, which is popularly known as the New Zealand Christmas Tree. Pohutukawa [pronounced po-hootah-kahwah] is a coastal tree often growing with its roots clinging on to the rocky sides of cliffs or where the land begins and the beach sand ends. The flowers are often featured on New Zealand-produced Christmas cards.