Monday, April 19, 2010

I wasn't sure when our dragonfruit would be ripe but decided today was the day. In between showers, Guy climbed the ladder and grasped the first of the fruit, only to be covered with tiny ants.
Ï think we've left it too late." he said, as the ants ran all over his hand "The ants seem to have beaten us to it."

Nonetheless, he detached our three dragonfruit and I carefully placed them on the grass, huge gaping cavities in their sides vomiting forth copious amounts of tiny ants.

I decided to take them inside anyway to see if we could salvage anything, especially as they were of the red variety. Previously, I had only tasted dragonfruit with the white flesh, which I have found somewhat tasteless.

The skin peeled off very easily and I cut away the bits which the ants had exposed to the air. There was quite a lot left and we tasted it curiously. Very, very sweet and perfumed was the verdict. Looks - 10 out of 10. Taste - I'd give it a 2 but then, I like half ripened fruit at best and don't like anything sweet.




Saturday, April 3, 2010

Sailing to Straddy for Easter


We decided to sail to Blakesleys Beach on North Stradbroke and spend part of the Easter Weekend camping with friends. There was a strong southerly blowing so we had a good wind behind us on the way up the channel from Macleay Island.
Although we were staying on our boat, we took our tent for a friend Julia who was coming to camp on the beach. Unfortunately, we didn't take the poles. The result is somewhat strange but apparently good enough to sleep in.

Of course, there was a fantastic sunset. Absolutely amazing to sit on the beach with friends, watching the sun go down over Australia. Living the dream ......




Judy, Robert and Guy sitting down for a bbq dinner with the obligatory half a dozen bottles of red wine.

This goanna kept hanging around the camp, hoping to grab a feed. Overnight he got hold of Judy's loaf of home-made bread and scoffed the lot!

We slept on Bonnington, of course. The weather made the bay a bit lumpy and Guy found it difficult to sleep. I didn't notice. Either the red wine or my usual ability to sleep on a clothesline.


Plenty of boats arrived the next day. We stayed till Saturday and then headed home. Two nights on a boat is our limit at the moment, especially in a stiff southerly.

Oddments - Dragon Fruit, Tom Yum, Chillies

We have a wonderful crop of small but very hot chillies on our bush. Just right for some hot spicy food.


And here is one of the results of those wonderful yellow flowers that our dragon fruit plant came up with. Yay, dragon fruit on the way!

And what did we do with some of the chillies? Mmmm, Tom Yum Goong. Fresh banana prawns courtesy of Baz up the road, Kaffir lime leaves courtesy of Robert and Judy. And a lot of work from Guy. Alene tasted. Yum!