Nature's treehouse

During the month we have been digging we have often had morning or afternoon tea under a giant Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) tree pictured below on the left. It is a large tree which is mature and pre dates the 1926 fires. These fires cleaned out most of the older trees in our district. You can see fire scars on some of the old-timers in this group so the fire proabably wasn't of an intensity to kill them.

Thse trees are dropping branches regularily and in the scars left tree hollows are often formed. One windy day a branch fell where we usually sit, that day we were a bit wary and hadn't sat under the tree. ai have been watching the coming and goings if nature around this tree. It is a very rich part of our farms eco-system.

This photo shows avertical scar which must be hollow behind and Indian Myna's have been coming and going due I assume to them having a nest there. A bit further up the tree is a starlings nest also in a hollow. Iff these birds come and go at the same time there would be quita a commotion. Sometimes a Magpie Lark would join in. Its nest is a bowl shaped none made of mud perched three quarters of the way along the second branch from the ground that hangs over the paddock. The king of the paddock birds is the Australian magpie who would often fly into this commotion and remind them all who is boss.

Fine and sunny with a light south easterly max 23 C min 9 C. Dug the last 3 rows, finally all the bulbs are out of the ground, yeah. Cleaning dirt from dug bulbs in the shed. I cleaned, greased and put away the digging machine. I stupidly forgot to undo the PTO shaft before driving the tractor off and have damaged it, not sure yet if it is repairable. Second time I have done a similar foolish thing. Swallowing peoblwm last night when my pills got stuck and left foot cramps and stiff neck troubling.