Nature around Ballina

We had a lot of lovely walks while Bill was in Ballina last weekend. We discovered a tree covered in some extravagantly decorated beetles! They were in a very public place right on the shoreline so I was surprised when none of the locals seemed to know what they might be. I loved their colours and patterns but I hear they may be a wicked beetle that destroys trees and forests!! Have a close up of what we saw.....

Something closer to home - on my coffee table on the patio - was this lovely Bromiliard. I loved the shell pot and thought the contents were pretty spectacular too so they came home with me from the local nursery.

You will all know that Bill prefers vegetation that he can eat in his garden so I thought I had better show you that I am also culitvating some lovely lemons to furnish my lemon chicken dish with and so that my sister will be able to make me some more preserved lemons when she gets back from America!

Tomorrow is our Fete Day. Dympna and her friends manage a card stall and we have spent the last few months making some hand made cards . they are pretty clever and creative so we hope to do well. One of our group is a great artist and has painted a lot of little oil paintings of local scenes and flora - Ihave already bought a couple of them. More about the fete later. We are off to Happy Hour now!! Life is tough. Congratulations Billy on another three months extension to your contract in Canberra.