Now thats what I call local produce...

As we are settling in we have had the chance to start to explore the area and there are some great little gems to be found.
It was clear from the children's first day at school that fresh Mango's were not going to be a problem. We walk past so many trees and the rule is you can't pick them off the tree but you can collect any that have fallen off - so that's exactly what we have been doing and we now have several sliced and frozen ready for periods when there are none to be had in the shops. We don't have a mango tree in the garden which is a shame but they are all around.
This afternoon having walked the children home from school and come back from a short cycle ride I had a good look round the garden and found that we have quite a nice selection actually in the garden.
Firstly although I think we have missed them this year I found lots of these on the grass..

below this rather large tree

and yes they are indeed lychees - apparently our neighbor out the back before we moved in was racking the tree over their garden to harvest them!
The next discovery was very easily identified

..this does seem to be the only Lime on the tree so they have either been gathered by previous tenants or the tree does not produce many.
The big finale though is this

there are two trees dripping with these and there were a couple on the ground.
having checked with Alan he confirmed that they are in fact passion fruit - and very nice they were too!

On a different note as the festive season draws ever closer - although I am sorry but with day time temperatures of 30 degrees it is NOT Christmas weather the children are bringing home the next set of family heirlooms. These are from Hamish and will be prominantly displayed when we get our tree

On a birdy note the house list now stands at 39 species in the first three weeks (Wulagi had 46 in nine months), whilst I was out taking the pictures of the fruit trees I noticed this Helmeted Friarbird belting seven shades of something out of the largest stick insect I have ever seen

it dropped into the garden the other side of the fence but there can only have been one outcome!

It is nice to see that in the sand beneath the extension that makes up our bedroom we have a thriving colony of antlions - will have to see if I can find an adult!

Off to sort the washing and get tea - Tish is on a late so wont be back until 1130pm.