{Our EUCALYPTUS Tree}

On March 14, Pieter did plant our first ever EUCALYPTUS tree! Love the smell of Eucalyptus and we found it a very special tree, while we were working as consultants in Australia. Also on the West Coast, in California those Eucalyptus trees grow naturally. But when we went with our best friend to a nursery in South Georgia, in Baxley, we did bring one back home with us. 

Don't you  just love the smell of EUCALYPTUS leaves?

It seems to be even a great flea repellent in the yard. So, we wonder if our chipmunks and squirrels will get to live as flea free, as our felines, whom we treat with Revolution...

This is the tree on July 13, 2012.

Four months of growing UP in our garden.

On this very tree was that CICADA from my previous post...

Just planted on March 14...

Azaleas still blooming at that time.

March 18, Eucalyptus settled into its yummy food mixture of: potting soil; cow manure and mushroom compost.

It has been broadly smiling ever since!

Our EUCALYPTUS after 4 months; it doubled in size!

This photo is from July 13.

I had to step on a chair for taking those CICADA photos...

Love to have something with grayish leaves during winter season!

No doubt, it has many examples of mature trees around it.

You see the newest bridge over the creek into the wood garden. 

To the right you just see a strip where the road is...

So, do you use cow manure and compost too?

Related links:
County Farm Plant Co., Inc.
{CICADA}

{Parcel from High Heeled Life}

It is a special feast when the mailman unexpectedly delivers a parcel. Anxiously opening up and unwrapping some sweets from Celia M. High Heeled Life & Resilientista, the author of the blog High Heeled Life in the Country. How exciting to find cookies from our birth country...

A box with Dutch Daelmans Stroopwafels: Caramel Wafers or Coffee warmers.

So I did make us a Cappuccino, using our new Capresso FrothPRO.

We found our Capresso FrothPRO at Tuesday Morning in Atlanta.

Of course topping it off with Dutch Droste cocoa, using my Birkmann Cappuccino Schablonen from Germany, with two hearts.

More sweets: Milk chocolate filled with hazelnut bonbons...

Celia's own label...

Indeed: Nut Dream

THANKS again Celia and Mr. G. This was such a sweet surprise!

So we did indulge in some delicious cappuccino with sweets. There was still a vegan chocolate rose left over. Pieter LOVES the Dutch Stroopwafels/Caramel Wafers.

Using my Wedgwood cream color on cream color china.

Those bonbons look so elegant in that box with golden ribbon...

French 4 inch paper doily under cup, on saucer.

French Baccarat crystal vase with our own roses. All came together just perfect.

Look at those hazelnut bonbons; like roses too...

This perfect red rose got real emotional when facing those rose bonbons.

It shed a tear...

French Le Jacquard Français table linens in a rose damask pattern of course.

Those woven damask roses do resemble a true rose.

Pure bliss, so romantic and delicious!

Celia did also include some special tea but I will show that another time.

Hope you enjoyed this as much as we did. 

Do you also like to eat chocolate roses?

Have you ever tasted the Dutch Stroopwafers?

Related link:

Wedgwood Cream Color on Cream Color China at Replacements Ltd.

{CICADA}

On July 19, I noticed this CICADA on a branch of our young Eucalyptus tree. We just had started to make our walk over the trail through the wood garden, with our felines in tow, as usual. At times they think they're doggies... 

I went back to get my camera as this was a new and unusual insect to me. Then I did some research and found out about the CICADA MOLTING. Obviously that had taken place already. As much as I'd loved to see it with my own eyes. You find a photo of a Cicada molting below, as the final photo. Also a video from BBCWorldwide, with complete info.

First time ever that I got to see one this close! 

Holding the Eucalyptus leave, on which it is hanging, with my fingers.

They have huge eyes... This is the shell, they already have molted.

Did you know that they do live in the ground, sucking the sap of tree roots? They stay there for up to 17 years! Then they emerge. One can tell that this one lived under ground; still dirty!

The Cicada's front legs resemble lobster claws! They're quite hairy too...

Closeup...

Interesting insect!

Here you can see the road and our driveway to the house. 

That's the driveway and the huge magnolia tree to the left and the golden oak tree to the right. 

We have green grass this summer; due to frequent showers!

Cicada molting ←click

Cicada molting where the adult leaves its larvae shell. They will mate and lay eggs and die... Strange life cycle. For excellent explanation on how these creatures emerge from beneath the earth, and how the  cicadas emerge from the nymph shell, watch this video: click→ Amazing Cicada life cycle - Sir David Attenborough's Life in the Undergrowth - BBC wildlife 

Bet you didn't know this either. 

Let me know if you have ever seen them. 

I learned that also in Japan they do exist.