Bunnies of the Apple Isle

Pet bunnies are illegal in the fair state of Queensland. Mr Tchotchke once made the mistake of asking about this at a pet shop and was harshly chastised by the shopkeeper with the reasoning "they destroy infrastructure!"

So that may have something to do with why I'm so enamoured with them. You know - you always want what you can't have. I don't know if I'd move to Tasmania just for the bunnies, but they seem to have more than enough to go around.

We saw this little guy in the side yard of a house in Swansea on the east coast. Very Peter Rabbit no?

Here's Mr T staring down a cooped up junior detective on the front lawn of the Swansea Police station!

Here's a city dwelling bunny back down in Hobart.

And me chasing after him. Yah I'm really subtle.

And this relaxed chap was in the gardens at Cascade Brewery. One too many pale ales I suspect.

Ah bunnies - the forbidden fruit.

Oh Deery Me - Suburban Deer in Minnippi Parklands

Yes the deer puns were flying thick and fast today.

I'd heard rumours of wild deer living in Minnippi Parklands for years but had always presumed they were urban legends, having never met anyone who had sighted them first hand. Until my London-dwelling friend was taking a stroll last week and came across one wandering aimlessly across the sports fields.

So we set out yesterday afternoon at dusk with high hopes and my superzoom camera... we were hunting for tracks and wandering through the bush for about an hour without finding so much as a gecko, but then on our way back to the carpark Mr T spotted this guy. (girl?)

Pretty amazing hey?

I even managed to get some video footage. Please excuse Mr T's narration - I suppose wild animals beg for a bit of David Attenborough.



Apparently there are up to 30 wild deer living in the parklands - and have even been known to roam the nearby streets! Where did they all come from? No ideer. (sorry couldn't resist).

A Visit to Capalaba Produce

Our go-to location for chicken supplies is Capalaba Produce. We get our chicken feed, shell grit, sunflower seeds, straw and even wire mesh from there.

But the highlight of every trip is always a visit to their livestock section..

This was just a taster - more animals after the jump.

Tchotchke Art

I loved these prints from Aled Lewis's Toy Stories series - they make me wonder what my little animals from this post have to say.

And on a somewhat related note - yesterday I found out that chickens are distant descendants of a T-Rex! Get out!

via Lost at E Minor

Northern Territory Fauna

So - what furry friends did we spy on our trip north you ask?

Our first wildlife encounter was this emu enclosed at a rest stop on the way to Uluru. I think she looks like a distant relation to Dr Octopus with her extravagant feathers and blue skin around the ears.

These galahs looked a little too well fed.

A Kingfisher in Simpsons Gap.

And a gorgeous Rock Wallaby that I wanted to take home to Brisbane. I think she would have gotten on famously with our chooks.

What is a Tchotchke anyway?

So since I've started this blog I've been made aware of the fact that maybe not everyone is as up on their Yiddish as I am.

What is a Tchotchke anyway?

Well according to Wikipedia (and when have they ever failed me?)...

Tchotchke (Typically pronounced "CHACH-kee") are small toys, gegaws, knickknacks, baubles, lagniappes, trinkets, or kitsch. The term has a connotation of worthlessness or disposability, as well as tackiness, and has long been used by Jewish-Americans and in the regional speech of New York City.

I have a soft spot for retro ceramic tchotchkes - these guys are a few favourites of mine.