Ming and I had an argument the other day about our rabbit plague. He said they were attracted to the wheat I feed the peacocks, guinnea fowl, geese, duck etc. I said, what nonsense – everyone around here is being rabbit plagued!
It was only when I went outside to feed the birds the other afternoon that I realized Ming is absolutely right!
Phoenix 1, our golden pheasant male, was actually flirting with a baby rabbit! Golden pheasants perform their mating ritual by fanning out the feathers around their heads on one side, then turning around and doing the same thing on the other side. When we had our female pheasants, the two males did this continuously (which obviously drove the females crazy and may be why they disappeared!) So now that we only have the one male, he tends to flirt with every bird that is roughly his size – the new hens for instance. And now a baby rabbit!
It was difficult to get decent pictures of this little incident because it all happened so fast. Phoenix 1 had been terrorizing this baby rabbit with his flirting when suddenly the mother rabbit chased him off. Hilarious!
A moment after I took this second picture, the mother rabbit collided with Phoenix 1 and he got a terrible fright and flew into the closest tree. I stood there amazed and grinning.
Bubble: I miss the emus.
Seli: So do I.
Woodroffe: So do I.
Angelina: So do I.
King: So do I.
Okami: So do I.
Pearly: So do I.
Malay: So do I.
Phoenix 1: So do I.
Ming: Well I DON’T!
Just outside the back veranda door there are two peacocks wishing I would take better photographs of them
Just outside the back veranda door there is a golden pheasant wanting bread
Just outside the back veranda door, beyond the ancient fig trees, there is a car and a driveway and the possibility of a road that will lead me to the nursing lodge where my husband waits for me constantly
a road that suddenly became one-way
a road that can’t bring him home
a road that reverted from tar to gravel to dirt
a road that ripped our smiles apart and gave us a new jigsaw that is too difficult to figure out
a road that, today, I cannot travel.
Okami’s ears are always up.
Uluru’s ears are usually down ….
…. and sometimes up!
Phoenix 1 thinks their ear antics are a sign of immaturity.
Odd friendships (Emery 2 and Baby Turkey)
Intimidating friendships (Bubble 1 and Uluru)
Alliance friendships (Tapper and one of the guinneas)
Fashion friendships (Tina Turner and Phoenix 1)
Uneasy friendships (Queenie and Phoenix 1)
Terrifying friendships (Doc with the two Bubbles)
Supervised friendships (The Bubbles, Baby Turkey and Jack)
Childhood friendships (Zaruma 1 and Bubble 1)
Avocado tree friendships (Phoenix 1 and King)
FUNNY INCIDENT 1
Anthony and I just had a nostalgic talk on the phone about the Captain Stirling hotel (where he thought he was last night). He remembers vividly his delusional episode which I find rather remarkable. I remind him of our stay there when I was heavily pregnant.
Me: You took me to the cheapest hotel in Perth, with a room that didn’t even have a bathroom so I had get up and go to a communal bathroom a million times during the night because of being pregnant and needing to use the loo. Your were such a tightarse!
Anthony: I thought it was quite romantic.
Me: You really ARE deluded!
Anthony: Remember bumping into Ed in the bar? [distant relation around Anthony’s age]
Me: How could I forget that! Remember how we didn’t understand why the bar was so crowded with middle-aged women?
Anthony: And Ed told us is was ‘Grab a granny night’!
Me: It was appalling! So why did you think you were there last night?
Anthony: Because it looked exactly like the Captain Stirling.
Me: So you’re okay today?
Anthony: Yes, I’m not there today.
Me: Where – at the Captain Stirling?
Anthony: Yes, I’m back here.
Me: Okay, I’ll be in later – I love you.
Anthony: [mumbles incoherently – this is happening a lot now]
Me: I can’t hear you – what did you say?
Anthony: I love you.
Me: Well it’s about time you said that!
Anthony: I couldn’t remember the words.
You gotta laugh!
FUNNY INCIDENT 2:
Ming and I have the usual mother and son conflicts and after a particularly horrible argument, which Ming later insisted on analysing every nuance of until we were reconciled (rather exhausting), we had this conversation-
Ming: Mum, I don’t want to see any of my friends for awhile.
Me: Why? What’s wrong?
Ming: Nothing. It’s just that I want to work on repairing our relationship.
Me: You really are unique, kid!
Ming: I try.
We both laugh!
FUNNY INCIDENT 3
Adolescent peacock 1 [we have too many for me to name them!]: Is Julie watching?
Adolescent peacock 2: She’s trying to take pictures you idiot! Turn around.
White adolescent peacock: I think I’ll leave you guys to it.
Angelina: Those two peacocks are getting very cocky aren’t they, Malay.
Malay: Hey, watch your language!
Tina Turner: Don’t worry, New Kid, around here this is considered normal behaviour.
New Kid: How do they do that feather thing?
Tina Turner: I don’t know and I don’t care!
Phoenix 1: Their need to flaunt themselves deeply saddens me. It’s a sign of the times. I prefer to let my beauty speak for itself.
Adolescent peacock 2: I told you to turn around. Do you think Julie wants a picture of your bum?
Adolescent peacock 1: I can’t turn around because you’re in the way. I’ll try again tomorrow – I’m exhausted.
New Kid: I’m having a bit of trouble adjusting to this place, Malay.
Malay: Don’t worry, New Kid, I was born here and I’ll look after you.
Angelina: It’s a bird blog primarily, of course, but Julie keeps going off topic.
Queenie: I’ve noticed that. She keeps blogging about silly old men!
King: Like me?
Queenie: Darling, never – your tail feathers will grow back soon!
Baby Turkey: I have now held this pose for several hours but Julie still hasn’t noticed!
Diamond: Me too.
Guinneas: I’m sure she’ll get back on topic soon. We always do.
Phoenix 1: She hasn’t taken much notice of me lately either, which is a bit hurtful.
Godfrey: I suggest we all start biting her. Watch and learn.
Emery 2: Noooooooooooooo!
Tina Turner: Yes – Godfrey is right!
jmgoyder 