NATURE

THIS IS THE LIZARD THAT LIVES IN OUR BACKYARD. COOPER HAS NAMED HIM

MR. GRUMPY

EVERYTIME I GO OUT TO HANG UP THE WASH THERE IS "HEAPS" OF MOVEMENT IN THE BUSHES AND I ALWAYS THINK IT IS A HUGE ANIMAL - NOPE JUST MR. GRUMPY. I FINALLY GOT MY CAMERA OUT TO TAKE A PICTURE.

WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF BEING IN AUSTRALIA I BOUGHT A BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA BOOK, SO WE COULD IDENTIFY ALL OF THE NEW BIRDS WE WERE SEEING (JUST TRYING TO BE LIKE MY MOM WITH HER UTAH BIRD BOOK). FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LIKE THE ANIMAL PICTURES HERE ARE SOME OF THE BIRDS THAT WE HAVE SEEN:

THE KOOKABURRA

THE WHITE IBIS - INTERESTING LOOKING BIRD, LIKES TO EAT GARBAGE AND FOOD OFF THE GROUND.

THE RAINBOW LORIKEET

SILVER GULL - OF COURSE WE HAVE SEEN THESE BEFORE, BUT THEY ARE MUCH CLEANER HERE.

EMU - WE SAW THIS AT THE ZOO, THEY AREN'T ACTUALLY WALKING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

NOW LET ME SHOW YOU PICTURES OF OUR GRASS.
THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE GRASS IN THE FRONT YARD - IT IS REALLY JUST A PATCH OF CLOVERS THAT WE MOW OVER.

THIS IS WHAT THE GRASS LOOKS LIKE IN THE BACKYARD. I AM NOT REALLY SURE WHAT TYPE OF GRASS IT IS - BUT IT IS PROBABLLY DROUGHT TOLERANT SINCE AUSSIES ARE REALLY GOOD AT THAT KIND-OF THING. THE ONLY THING THAT I KNOW IS THAT IT IS NOT SOFT AND HURTS YOUR BARE FEET TO WALK ON IT.

OH HOW WE MISS NICE SOFT KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS.