A Week of Bushfires

I don't know at your place if you are experiencing bushfires in your area but here we have had smoked filled days just about every day. All these places are 1 to 2 hours away by car.

Bees Nest: This is near Dorrigo and an evacuation centre has been set up for residents in danger.  The fire has covered more than 66,500 hectares and is out of control.
 
Drake: A watch and act warning is in place for the Long Gully Road fire, burning south of Drake, Tabulam and the Bruxner Highway. It has burnt more than 40,000 hectares.

 Shark Creek (Yamba): An advice-level alert is in place for an out-of-control bushfire in the Yuraygir National Park and Shark Creek area, south of Yamba. The fire has burnt more than 9,000 hectares.

Combine all this with the couple of  hot days and very windy conditions, you have to appreciate the way fire fighters (what would we do without them) and general public all come together to help.
 

Down in the valley from our place, Eerie light with this smoke

Looking Dorrigo Way.

The weather has really been crazy, either really cold winds, very hot, very smokey or very windy making it difficult to work in the garden. I did manage to get some clearing of the snow peas in one of the beds, and cleared all the weeds, and as I am not supposed to still lift heavy stuff, got John to load some bags of cheap potting mix to the top and dug it in.

The 2nd. bed I am setting up as a square foot garden and half started it, but it has had a topping of soil also and the new watering system for that now in place and working.

A slow start this year as by now most of the tomatoes, carrots and such would have all been planted. The gallbladder operation has certainly put me behind, and my energy levels are low.  Although is saying that I am picking from the current carrot bed,as well as  lettuce, picked 2 cabbages this week,  sweet potato, and bok choy. The last of the tomato bushes I have pulled out so also set some seeds for everything and hope they will start growing very quickly.

In the meantime this week, changed all my fence pots over with the left over petunias I did on the bushhouse wall. Tidied up what was thriving, and now it looks new and fresh.

Flowers are also starting to appear on the roses.

Blue Moon

Brindabella Pink Bouquet

Azaela in full bloom

The Olive tree which was supposed to be cut in half is now full of blossom and bees. It is actually humming when you go near it.

This Red Robin Bottle Brush is gorgeous.

The most interesting thing though is the spike that the Grass Tree (Black Boy) has produced is now flowering and attracting the birds especially the rosellas.

The spike  is very long, and really unusual to see.

This is as we see it.

That's it for this week, hoping that the fires are not affecting you. Stay Safe.

Till Next Time.