Floods, fruit, frogs & a “feathery farewell”
Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts. Whilst we’re still cut off by road and rail, at least supplies are getting through. The charted ship from Townsville arrived overnight with 40 sea containers of stock. Supermarket shelves were being restocked as I was raiding the Chemist’s Darral Lea chocolate stand. Emergency Managment Queensland (who look after disaster management arrangements) have chartered a Qantas 747 full of goodies from Brisbane to arrive in Cairns shortly. Not sure how long the petrol will last though….
Local producers have enjoyed the extra customers. I should be buying direct from the farmer more often, even if it means going a little out of my way. Things are so much fresher and juicier. Today we bought some dragonfruit and red mangoes for lunch. Everyone’s seen mangoes, so I’ll just show you the luscious dragonfruit:
The colours were amazing, even more so when the last of their insides were scooped out:
Such hot pinks I’ve never seen in fruit before.
We were even given samples of the fruit dried - just like crunchy cotton candy/fairy floss. I’ll be back for more next weekend for sure!
Another surprise was what was in today’s paper - another of my “Python eating a cockatoo” shots. It seems to go on and on and on….
Here’s the better quality original:
The constant rain is sending us gifts of frogs and tadpoles everywhere. I had a big tub out the back which filled with water last week. This week it is full of tadpoles (not toadpoles thankfully). I’m pretty sure they are green tree frog tadpoles, although accurate tadpole identification is not one of my strong suits. They are happily munching away on lettuce and other goodies now.
Another froggie (2-D) has surfaced this week also. Whilst cleaning out my portfolio, quite a few illustrations from years ago surfaced (for an school educational DVD). When I painted this little guy, I had never seen a real Green Tree Frog, and thought it was unlikely I ever would. Just goes to show you should never say never!
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Cindy I have been watching the news intently hoping that the floods ease and no more cyclones head your way….Glad to hear that food is getting there….
I have seen this dragon fruit only once…Have never tried it though….
As for the python , one work….YUCK…..lol…
Keep dry and thinking of you up there at the top end…
We had a dragon fruit from the supermarket. They certainly are amazing. I have to say, I wasn’t that taken with the taste - but for looks, it’s a winner.
And that froggy illo is so cute. I used to paint a lot to tree frogs when we lived in Belize.. I’ll need to look and see if I still have any images left.
Mandy,
It is raining so heavily here now we have the telly on maximum volume. It’s ALMOST drowning out the bazillion frogs singing.
The poor folks at Ingham had finally started drying out, putting mattresses and furniture outside to dry, when another deluge hit today. They are totally under water once again.
My backyard/frontyard is like a huge bowl of porridge. When you take a step you sink a few inches into the sludgey lawn.
Just saw the the Breaking News about Victoria - 14 dead and over a 100 homes lost to the bushfires - such a tragedy.
Doda,
I must admit the white fleshed dragonfruit was less than mind-blowing. Tasted a lot like Tart soft kiwifruit. But the red fleshed dragonfruit, now THAT was a whole other matter! Think toffee apples crossed with raspberry mouse - lusciously delicious!
I would love to see your froggy pics. This one I did was one of 20 animals drawn for an educational package DVD/book/worksheets. A lot of work, but it was fun.
Its a country of extremes thats for sure…..
Remember recently seeing some footage of the fires at Pt Lincoln, images of a huge wall of fire - there would be no way of avoiding one of them…..its so sad, especially if they are deliberately lit…
Its great your gruesome photos are continuing to wow them!
Now for that fruit….have never come across them - I’ll have a case of the ” toffee apples crossed with raspberry mouse ” ones……….then again maybe it could go into a cocktail, maybe vodka, lemonade etc…..
Hey are you dried out yet?
Kim, in a word,… NO.
The fruit looks a beautiful colour. I have never seen one but would like to try. What is the outside like.