News & Updates from A. Assenbruck · Page 6

Spring has sprung here in Queensland. We are told to expect more La Nina style of weather again this season, which really isnt needed but hopefully there wont be any bad flooding like earlier in the year.

We know it is spring when the Peach and the Wisteria begin to blossom (the Wisteria is nearly there). This peach is a wild peach, our other peach tree takes a bit longer to come into flower though it does have some new shoots.

Though it is not quite spring yet we have ducklings. They have grown so much since my last news of them! All the other birds are busy gathering makings for their nests so i have no idea why we had ducklings so early but am enjoying them all the same.

Sadly we did lose one to a stray cat which is hanging around at the moment but there are still 14!

I have been laid up with the flu but am now back into my designing with new cards coming.

We have 4 pair of wild ducks living here now. We were quite surprised the other day to see that one set had babies with them. They are quite protective of them so it is hard to get a good picture.

I thought i counted 13 my husband said 15 but either way a pretty good clutch. My grandchildren will think they are great if they happen to be around the yard when they come over.

Every year we have a Jumpers and Jazz Festival. People from all over the world knit jumpers to brighten up our poor leafless winter trees. The statue of an early local politician in the center of town gets a beanie and scarf.

Over the years other knitted and crocheted art installations adorn various parts of our town. My pic is of a lovely installation applied to our local church. Apparently the fire truck was needed to get it up there!

While we do love our wildlife here sometimes they can be quite a nuisance. We plant our winter veggies every year and have usually been successful at keeping the wildlife at bay long enough for us to harvest.

The first planting this season alas only 1 plant survived so a second lot were sown.

I had been doing quite well at making sure the netting was secured to keep the possums out but alas it was not meant to be, which is quite a pity with our winter veggies here quite expensive due to the recent flooding wiping out local crops and freight from interstate making them quite expensive.

We will have to come up with a better plan next year.