Mangosteens flower in early December 

Mangosteens are flowering at last

Well it seemed like it would never happen, and then last week after the heavy rain the Mangosteen trees burst into flower. What a relief - there will be a crop ready to pick in April/May.

Naming the second cottage...

As the cottage starts to take shape, we start to experience its personality and how it feels in its surrounding. The name emerging for it is "Under Blackbean" for obvious reasons. One of the huge rainforest trees that wasnt cleared along the creek in the 70s is just behind the cottage.

I already think that we will add an outside bathroom with an old fashioned bath and an open shower amongst the forest creek edge, where our old caravan used to be. This location has all sorts of memories as we camped on this spot for 2 years in 1989 and 1990 before the house was built. It is quite magical - located on the intersection of two creeks and 'under the blackbean.

We are thinking that this cottage will be for guests who want to stay a bit longer - 5 nights or more - as the space is so great down here . As the cottage grows, the ideas come together. The challenge will be transporting and serving a hot breakfast on the balcony. We are working on this!

A view from the cottage looking towards Mt Sorrow - November 2004.

The cabin takes shape - a view from creek to the balcony in November 2004. Windows are in place, the roof is on, and the weatherboards are now going up. 

The rafters go into place in August 2004 

The frame for the cottage takes shape - July 2004 

Digby shaping the central pole in May 2004 

Standing up the poles for the cottage 

Second B&B cottage frame is up

The rafters for the second B&B cottage where lifted into place today - Digby had to use a winch and lots of muscles but we now have three of the main rafters bolted on - and one to go.

The second cottage is located about 80 metres from the house and adjacent to the creek, further along from our first cottage, so that both have their privacy.

Cassowary joins the fruit tasting

A young male cassowary with full colours headed directly for the group of fruit tasters on the orchard tour yesterday, stopped 5 metres away, veered to the left and then turned and came back towards the group a second time.

We think he was on a regular fruit patrol in the orchard to check the Soursop trees and was following his routine path. It just so happened that 20 people were blocking his route, and he took a while to work out how to go around them. Pete was the guide and positioned himself between the tasters and the bird, and stood on tiptoes to make himself look taller. Telling the story later he said "I figured that I was getting paid and they weren't, and it was my job to be in the frontline."

Night temperatures drop to 13 celsius

A cold snap has swept the country, and Cape Trib residents have experienced extremely cold temperatures once the sun drops behind the mountain at around 4 pm. Our max\min thermometer has recorded 13 degrees overnight, and snuggling under doonas is such a novelty for us.

Two dead chickens as the Goshawk arrives for lunch

Fresh eggs laid by happy chooks(Australian for chicken)- this is what we aspire to serving our B&B guests for breakfast: Smoked Salmon with Scrambled Eggs, Eggs Benedict etc etc. Our old chooks were no longer producing enough eggs for us so we decided to get some little chicks.

They arrived at Easter and were freshly hatched. They lived in a cage in our living room for the first month and then were upgraded to the chook house with the retirees, who regally allowed them to join their accommodation.

Now at 8 weeks old they have been allowed out on their own to forage in the afternoon, and this is where the Goshawk comes in. It only took him two days to find them and exploding from a nearby tree he grabs a chook with his talons, pecks its eyes out and then eats the brain. The rest was left behind. Enter Kimmy, our three year old Rottweiler who is currently being trained not to chase, annoy, or eat chickens. She gets caught up in the excitement, chooks fly everywhere and she grabs one. It probably died of shock. Now Kimmy is in the doghouse. So we started with 21 babies and the score today is 19 alive and terrified, 1 dead - goshawk, 1 dead - Kimmy.

Frog arrives home after 4 months in the creek.  

The Green Tree Frogs are back

After four months with a bathroom free of muddy frog prints, the green tree frogs have returned. Ensconsed on top of the shower ledge where they always sat - I assume it is the same one who has returned. It must be drying off outside and the bathroom is suddenly the best spot to be. This means a return to guided tours of my bathroom by our B&B guests. I suppose I will get used to it!