Canberra Nature Park - Gungahlin Hill

On Tuesday, when it was warm and sunny, not sleeting and snowing like yesterday, we spent a very pleasant couple of hours roaming through one of the nearby nature parks.

Typical scenes throughout the park.



Over the years many trees have lost branches, leaving perfect nesting places for several kinds of birds. You can tell that this tree has two recently used nest by the way the bark is worn away at the edges.

If you click to enlarge this photo you will see an Eastern Rosella about to leave the nest.

Some views of the surrounding city, suburbs and countryside.









Two Crimson Rosellas checking out the intruders!

A First!

"A first what?" you may ask. The first time I've taken a photo of anything I've cooked and posted it to my blog. You see, I'm not much of a cook, but I can cook a pretty good Christmas Pudding, and today seemed just the right sort of day to do that. I was going to cook two at the same time. After all, I might just as well keep topping up two saucepans with boiling water as one. Trouble was I only had one pudding basin. I didn't even have that a couple of years ago when I already had the fruit simmering, then realised that I'd have to switch the stove off while I drove to the shops to buy a basin. That's what happens when you start cooking before you've got everything ready.

Anyway, the first one is made. I've just taken it out of the basin and I'm becoming intoxicated on the rum fumes. Luckily Richard has gone to bed or he would be looking for a knife to cut it by now. Into the freezer it will go tomorrow where it will be safe until Christmas - I hope.

Recipe for STEAMED CHRISTMAS PUDDING.

500g mixed dried fruit, chopped

125g chopped dates

125g chopped raisins

1 cup water

1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

125g butter

1 tsp baking soda

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup plain flour

1 cup self-raising flour

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbs dark rum

Combine fruit, water, sugar and butter in saucepan. Stir constantly over heat until butter is melted and sugar dissolved. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, simmer uncovered 8 minutes, stir in soda. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, stir in eggs, sifted dry ingredients and rum.

Place mixture into a well-greased 10 cup steamer or basin, steam for 5 hours. If your basin doesn't have a lid then cover with two sheets of foil and tie securely. Place the basin in a large boiler with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides. Cover boiler with lid and replenish boiling water as necessary during cooking time. MERRY CHRISTMAS.

"How exciting - Grey Skies!!!"

I know there are many bloggers who would be far from excited at waking up to see heavy grey skies, but I can assure you they are very welcome here. We just hope they will deliver their promise - long and steady.

Flowers aren't everything!

Whilst we may tend to think of gardens as being a collection of trees, shrubs, perennials, groundcovers and annuals, most of which produce flowers at some time during the year, sometimes it's the foliage that's more spectacular than the flowers, with the added advantage of lasting for many months, not just a few weeks.

These Zonal Pelargoniums (commonly called Geraniums, though not true geraniums) have colourfully marked leaves which never lose their interest. Some even change to brilliant reds in the autumn and then change back to green. The light variegated varieties have a tendency to revert to green (I must remove the green branch in the photo to see if I can halt the process). Some may also have deep burgundy coloured leaves all the year. I've been told that those with coloured or marked foliage are much better kept in pots instead of out in the open garden. Hence the collection on my deck. (Click for larger photo.)

Another Aussie - GALAH

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These distinctively coloured birds belong to the cockatoo family and gather in large flocks, particularly in open grassland, but can also be found in the suburbs. They are about 35cm long.

Tilba Tilba

Tilba Tilba is a tiny National Trust town close to the south coast of New South Wales. Many of the buildings are restored to their original period and sell a range of Australian souveniers to the many tourists who visit throughout the year.





Grevillea Robusta (Silky Oak)