Waterbirds

The lake in Macdougall Park in Como is slowly getting covered in more and more green algae.  The waterbirds ignore it and carry on as usual, some of them swimming right through it.

This is a family of coots. The mother is working exceedingly hard, diving to find food for her three hungry babies.

These ibis are poking about on a raised path across the lake; the algae can be seen on the left. The all-white bird at the top is a spoonbill.

Olives

I've just discovered three olive trees which were planted as ornamentals near our apartment block. They are currently loaded with the most magnificent olives. Time to get busy preserving a few!  Instructions are here

https://www.milkwood.net/2015/04/12/curing-olives-basic-brine-salt-methods/

The fattest olives I've ever seen!

Three jars in brine; more to come tomorrow

Sculpture by the Sea

We went to Cottesloe Beach as they were just setting up this year's sculpture exhibition.  It was an overcast day, so we could stroll about without getting sunburnt.

Wreck

Crochet

My favourite: there was a home inside!

JL and a boat

Lunch

More on the exhibition here:
http://sculpturebythesea.com

Noisy

Huge flocks of white cockatoos are making a nuisance of themselves between us and the river, swooping and screeching as they search on the ground for food. See:

http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Cacatua-galerita

In Australia, the main distribution is in the Eastern States, with "only a small population in Perth".  They are all here in Burswood at the moment!

Every Sunday we are also tormented by powerboats on the river: jet skis and water skis and anything that makes noise  and wastes petrol.  The water sports centre was supppsed to close when the new hotel was built, but it seems to have been granted a stay of execution.

This little family has had enough!

They are heading for the river as fast as they can

Nearly there now!

This is what they are escaping from

These pesky birds are getting nearer and nearer; they are only scared off by the helicopters arriving and departing from Crown Towers

92

JL is ninety-two!  We went for a celebratory meal at Stix Bar, on the ground floor of our apartment block. There is a nice view over the lake and sometimes a great sunset over the city buildings.  Stix is a gem, owned by a couple who live in the complex, with the added attraction of a genuine French chef. His starters and desserts are out of this world: the mains are pretty good too.  I had lamb rump, done to perfection!  JL had swordfish and Claire ordered prawns on pumpkin purée.  Geoff and Tim enjoyed steak with bearnais sauce.  E had gnocchi.  It was a great evening.

The food was so memorable that JL and I decided to go back on Sunday evening, when they have a bargain offer of "sticks", that is, skewers of fish or meat that change every week.

We wondered why we haven't patronised them much before.  You just take for granted what's on your own doorstep.

Plaque outside the Maritime Museum in Fremantle

On Friday it is 90 years since JL and his family migrated to Australia.  This might call for another celebration!  You can read more about his early life at:

http://jglmemoirs.blogspot.com.au/?m=1

Après le deluge

Perth had 114 mm of rain on Friday night: a record for February. It left the old golf course under water; (view from our balcony, day and night shots):

After a few days, they brought in a small pump to drain the water away.  All manner of water birds had arrived in the meantime and slowly departed as their new pond disappeared.

We went for lunch in the Swan Valley to see the devastation of some of the vineyards nearest to the river.  The river had burst its banks in many places but I couldn't get a good photo from the car. 

We ate at Feral Brewery, where we'd enjoyed an excellent lunch some months ago. The beer is still good, but the kitchen has gone downhill and is no longer value for money.

Lamb shanks on flatbread:  pumpkin and couscous salad

Beautiful yellow flowering gum in the car park

Voyager

On our recent trip down south we had lunch at the Voyager Estate. We go there every year to enjoy the food and stroll round the gardens, especially the beautiful rose garden. This year we found some changes we didn't like. There was only a set menu to be had, which seemed poor value for money. The first course was beef carpaccio: a strange choice as not everyone wants to eat raw beef. They provided us with a beetroot dish instead. The whole meal lasted two hours: far too long to sit over lunch!  Next year, we will probably go to Vasse Felix for a change!

Cape Dutch architecture at Voyager

Wine tasting

Beetroot entre

Barramundi main course

Tiles above the fireplace

Roses in the Ladies Room