Some pictures caption themselves

All present and correct

A head count of the regular pademelons revealed none lost during the night. Red, Munchkin, Pookie, Poppet, Crinkle Cut and Maisie all visited the garden this morning. As did two brush turkeys and the driveway-burying scrubfowl. And I thought that scrubfowl would make a delicious meal for a python.

A pademelon neither alert nor alarmed

A sweet new resident

Crinkle Cut, mother of Poppet, has a new joey, which made an appearanace for the first time today. It will be a while before this little cutie leaves the pouch, but I hope it does as well as Poppet. (And stays away from the python.)

This might not end well

I was working at the computer when I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. I was expecting a pademelon or maybe a brush turkey. What I got was a scrub carpet python peering through the living room window.

The python, which was 2.5 - 3 m long, investigated the possibility of breaking in through the screen door, but gave up after a few attempts and found a more suitable place to hide in the carport. It is still there, lurking behind some shelving. Although I'm delighted to have a python around the place, I am concerned about the pademelons. They don't always pay attention.





Memo to self: Clean up around the house so people don't think you live in a hovel.

The Weekly Cute

This pademelon mum and joey stopped in the garden for a few moments to enjoy the (rare) sun. They didn't stick around. Things to do, I expect.

More winter colour (subtle version)

Although not as vivid as that of some of the trees on this property, the new growth of bolly wood or bolly gum (Neolitsea dealbata) is one of my favourites. The trees, which occur along the rainforest edge, are covered in big, soft, fluffy, pearl white new leaves that are as decorative as flowers.






As the leaves grow, they turn light green, then pale milk chocolate before maturing into the shiny two-tone of the adult form. These new leaves haven't quite reached milk chocolate stage yet, but it won't be long.





You don't need a garden full of bright flowers when the trees put on shows like this.

Winter colour

Is it still winter? Have we moved into spring yet? I haven't been paying attention.

Anyway, what do the subtleties of the temperate zone mean in the tropics where the seasons alternate between six months of hot and wet weather and six months of cool and dry? (Or, because this is the Atherton Tablelands, nine months of rain and three months of drizzle.)

At this time of year — loosely described as the dry season — the azaleas are in flower. When I bought this place, I had planned to cut them out, but they seem to be non-invasive, do well and the wildlife like them. In a garden where the brightest colours come from birds and butterflies, they hold their own.

Male Victoria's riflebird

Lewin's honeyeater