Avian Aggression!

Here in Aus it is Magpie Season.
For those of you who aren't familiar with our magpie - it is nothing like the European one!  It is a large black and white bird with one of the most beautiful series of songs you are ever likely to hear (so good they are called 'carols') and a deadly beak.
They are quite intelligent, can become very friendly when hand fed, but the males can be deadly during the breeding season.  They swoop, from behind.  First thing you know is a loud rush of air & a clacking sound as the bird snaps its beak shut.  That is if you are lucky.  Sometimes they draw blood, or knock you off your bike.
But they don't attack everyone, some just attack cyclists, some just certain individuals, seems they can actually recognise faces!  If a certain bird gets really dangerous, sometimes the local council will relocate it - they are a protected species, as are most native birds.
Actually - they are one of my favourite birds.

But we have another bird that is starting to show a lot of aggression.

Elsa & Fasty Africa

All by itself!

I leave the garden for 9 days of cycling - and this is what I come back to!

The 

The Kangaroo Paws are in full flower.  I haven't managed to get a photo that really does them justice - they are really gorgeous.  I want to put some more plants in - especially of the 'original' green & red variety.  This sunny well drained spot seems perfect for them.

I also picked (for us just starting out) a heap of produce.  The potatoes are sebagos - just one plant's worth.  There's BokChoy, Calendula leaves & flowers, the last of the Sugar Snap peas, two types of carrot (still just thinning them out), and a beetroot.

The boys had the peas as a snack immediately.  We had the smaller potatoes, the bok choy & carrots for dinner within two hours of picking them - delicious!

The next day, last Sunday, I made a salad for a BBQ consisting of mixed salad leaves (from the supermarket), calendula leaves & petals (above), grated raw beetroot (above), and boiled eggs from our chooks.  I was very please with the result.

Planted a heap more potatoes after looking in the box and realising all my seed potatoes had sprouted.  They are probably too crowded but nevermind - we'll just see what happens.  Hopefully I won't disturb them too much when I harvest the remaining older plants in that bed!

I might go & see what I can harvest for dinner tonight!

Ravs.