Author: FJB

The Mango War …

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There’s a battle going on in the garden… It’s between the fruit bats, rats, bower birds and me.  And no prizes for guessing who loses and gets the leftovers!

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The spoils of war!

This year has been particularly good for mangoes.  Spring was quite dry so there was no problem with fungus and due to an un-discovered leak in my main water pipe, the tree was provided with a generous (and expensive) underground water supply.

You’d think that my chances of scoring a few mangoes would be pretty high … but so far the score is:  me just three – wildlife probably fifty.

So I’ve netted a small section, and I patrol daily.  But somehow they beat me every time, invariably taking the one mango that I had decided would be ready to pick TOMORROW, they eat them unripe, and they even eat them through the netting.

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Two Satin Bower Birds discussing strategy …

 

I don’t mind sharing with the wildlife, but when I hear the bats squabbling enthusiastically over my mangoes as I lie in bed at night I get a bit cranky!

Satin Bower Bird tucking in to a mango
Nearly ripe mangoes …
Eaten through the netting

Bamboo creations …

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This week ended for me with splinters, sore fingers, a new found respect for bamboo artisans and a “not-so-private” privacy screen for my outside shower.

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Bello Bamboo’s property on the upper reaches of the Kalang River

I should explain … this week Bellingen hosted Camp Creative.  An annual event, now in its 27th year, which attracts over a thousand participants to the town. Courses on offer include – visual arts, writing, crafts, digital imaging, indigenous language and culture, music, singing and dance. Adults and children are catered for, and if you’ve always wanted to learn Indian Bellydance Fusion, African Drumming, The Joy of the Mighty Uke (elele) or how to Build a Canoe … then Camp Creative is for you.

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Don’t plant this one in your garden!

My chosen course, Bamboo Craft for an Eco-Future was over-subscribed, with one participant driving 1,528 kilometres from Phillip Island just to attend.  The course was run for the first time this year by the lovely people from the Bello Bamboo Company.  We harvested our bamboo from Kirsten and Rob’s property and then launched enthusiastically into building our chosen project.  I think it’s fair to say that we were all under skilled and overly ambitious, but everyone had a great time and went home with at least one creation.

Mine was a privacy screen for the outside shower – but to avoid shocking my neighbours, I think I’ll be growing a small creeper over it!

Inspiration – maybe next year !!
The screen – waiting for a creeper
Phyllostachys nigra – a running bamboo too vigorous to plant in my garden

One fewer cicada …

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I’m just back from ten days “respite” in Sydney and Adelaide, and my house is shielded from the worst of the noise, even so I am COMPLETELY OVER cicadas.

So you can imagine that this sight cheered me up no end …

Only 999,999 cicadas to go !!

Tortured by cicadas …

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Bottle Cicada

Another of the consequences of our recent rain has been the emergence of thousands of cicada nymphs from their seven-year hibernation underground, to shed their skins, mate, lay eggs and then die.  All this occurs in the space of a few weeks.

For some people these are the longest weeks of summer, as waves of ear-piercing calls roll through the bush, drowning out all other sounds and making conversation difficult if not impossible.  My friend Mary Ann who lives just out of Bellingen on a farm, is being driven slowly insane by 14 hours of non-stop noise every day.

I discovered that Australia has over 200 species of cicada.  Amongst them the colourfully named Black Prince, Floury Baker, Yellow Monday and Whisky Drinker (due to its red nose). Fortunately, it appears that only the Golden Drummer, Bottle, and Green Grocer have so far found my garden attractive.  Unfortunately though, the Green Grocer is said to be one of the loudest insects in the world!

They are quite an attractive insect, but this amazing and slightly creepy film on American cicadas will make you look at them in a new light!

Golden Drummer (deceased)
Green Grocer on my hand
Discarded exo-skeleton
Green Grocer