Cooking up a storm

All going well at CDR.  The Victorian teachers are a great bunch and all get on well and appreciative diners!    I haven't been stuck in the kitchen all the time.  One morning I went out with a group at about 5.45 am to drive to 8 sites where traps have been set up.  There are lines of little mesh fences (about 10 cm high)  with buckets put where holes have been dug.  The idea is the little creatures run along to where there is a hole in the fence and fall in the bucket.  There is a little bit of sand in the bottom with say an egg carton (so they can hide underneath).  The team goes out just after dawn  to see what is in the bucket.  Usually a little reptile or a small marsupial.  They measure  and weigh them and record all the data and then release.  Some are bought back for identification or for photographing (usually the thorny devils).   They are seeing what affect predators (cats, foxes) have on the animals.  They go early so the little critters aren't stressed for too long and before it gets too hot.  If they bring a lizard back to the homestead (for show and tell)  it is taken back to the same site and released so it can find its home again (and its mum and dad etc - well I made that bit up).  It was really interesting and the reptiles are such cute little things.  They found a stripey cockroach in one hole. And a monitor curled up in another one.  Also some scorpions and some tiny little snakes.   The group are here for 9 days (they leave Monday) and then on Wednesday another group come here.   On Thursday a journalist and cameraman came from the ABC 7.30 report.  No they didn't film in the kitchen.  They went out in the field with the guys and interviewed L and some of the scientists so keep an eye out for it probably in the next week.

L and F have had visitors as well - friends from Geraldton, Carnarvon and some work colleagues from Wang, so it has been busy here.  I went for a walk one morning with Fi and a friend and the kids went on bikes.  We saw a quandong tree near an old stone water tank.  They are pretty red berries and the emus eat them.  They are so sour though and would need lots of sugar to make jam out of them.

Last night we went for a drive around part of the property and walked up to some high ground where you can look out over the bush and also drove through some amazing groups of trees (which I will have to find out what they were - photos later).  One of guys is an ecologist/botanist and said there are 733 identified plants on the property (trees, flowers, grasses etc).  There are so many amazing wildflowers and new ones appear every day and others disappear.  It is such a wonderful thing to have this as a nature reserve as it just about surrounded by wheat farms so it is such an important part of the country to say it is a "biodiversity hot spot".
This morning L took me and another visitor for a drive to the edge of the salt lakes (there were succulents growing and heaps of wildflowers)  and we saw 3 bustards and then they flew away.

This afternoon I went with L and B into Perenjory and Moorawa (have to check spelling) for diesel.  They are small wheatbelt towns. Nothing open in these towns (except the pub).  It was after midday on a Saturday.  Even the petrol stations were 24 hour cards.  I got reception for my mobile and picked up a few messages.  So for those who don't already know there is no mobile reception here. 

The cooking has been fun and I am amazed how creative I have been with the food.  Googling is a great way to find different recipes and what to do with all the cucumbers I had (I think 18 in all).
Cucumber and Orange salad was delicious.  Tonight I did chili con carne and I think it was the best one I have made even if I do say so myself.   Last night we had a bbq so I had a night off cooking the (well I didn't have to cook the meat),   One of the participants made an amazing potato salad.  The guys clean up in the kitchen after I cook so it is fantastic!      I cooked little orange and almond cakes today with a orange syrup (yesterday I did a banana cake).    Another  day I did zucchini fitters at lunch time.    I just do what I can with the ingredients for lunch as you can't pop down to the shops.  I am enjoying myself and enjoying cooking for other people so I am glad I took up the challenge.

The weather was very hot yesterday and windy however it cooled down today and was beautiful.
It has been easy to get up early with the sun in the mornings.  I don't do breakfast but usually get over to the kitchen early to do a bit of a clean up after they have gone out for the morning.
Last night for them tomorrow (Sunday night) .   I will put some more photos up soon.  It is just that it takes so long to up load.