A week of melting heat and some chooks!

About two weeks ago we experienced a week of over forty degrees. Methinks this was a bad idea, but who am I to voice my opinion? I am but a whisper on the breeze in the grant scheme of things.

This heat managed to shrivel and burn almost everything in the back yard. Needless to say the animals mostly stayed in the lounge room where our only air-conditioner is. This includes Muffin (the guinea pig), the budgies, three of our five cats and the two dogs, plus the fish and axolotls.

After a while Barbara got a bit stir crazy, but instead of going outside she went into our room and climbed the windows instead :/

 This cherry tomato plant was one of the few things that was unscathed by the heat. It is currently about seven feet tall. The kiwi fruit vine, however, which is on the same ladder as this tomato, is looking quite burnt. However it is not dead, so I am not too worried.

 The picture below is of my little mandarin tree, who is still soldiering on, despite its hardships. And behind it you can see my little grape vine.

 This is my new orange tree, what a planted a fortnight before the heatwave. I am happy to say it is coping very well, too.

 The is my garden currently. It doesn't look too bad, but it is not yeili=ding anything edible at the moment :(

Onto my next big bit of news. My sister left her chooks here when they went home from house sitting for us!
I am so happy about them, I love chooks!

 They do not have names as yet. Only one is laying so I am biding my time, and we shall see what happens. I am, however, thoroughly enjoying getting ove fresh egg every day :D

They neither have a house nor a pen as yet, but meander around the back yard with the cats and dogs. Michael is hoping to get a house up and in livable condition for them in the next couple of weeks, but so far the chooks don't mind. They will need it when the cold and the rain come, though. Right now this is where they are laying their eggs,

and this is where they sleep at night.