eucalypts drop branches when you don't expect it

When we were in Darebin Parklands the other day, we met some people at the big pool in the bend of the creek and stood discussing the recent floods.

Crack! A branch dropped straight down from one of the trees around the edge of the pool. No warning except that infamous sound.

A young boy and his pup had been standing there only moments before.



Of course, inquisitive Penny (and her humans) went over to have closer look. Probably not too intelligent, but we were working on the theory that lightning doesn't strike twice in the same spot.



It seems that it's not known why some trees (not just eucalypts) unexpectedly drop limbs.I haven't found any information on the internet about the actual process of dropping the limb but here is an interesting article. I took a couple of closeups of the end of the branch, and I don't know if it looks as if there is any particular disease at that spot.





And a shot of the place it dropped from, high up the trunk.



As we wandered further through the park, we came across an even bigger branch that had dropped previously.

Penny's fruit collection

It's that time of year once more - the time when Penny collects fruit from the plum tree - or, as I suspect she thinks of it, the tennis ball tree.

As the years pass, we relax a little about her fruit collecting, because she seems to just want to have it, rather than eat it. However, the fruit will disappear into the compost bin soon.

Here's today's collection.



The usual crop of bird-pecked plums has been added to with a rat-chewed passionfruit. (Yep, we have rats in the garden, which is playing havoc with my resolution to kill no living creature. Earlier this year Penny did kill one rat, and now that she's recovered from her cruciate surgery, she's out looking for them once more, but I wouldn't really want to see her kill one.)

the tennis ball trees are in fruit once more

Last January Penny discovered that the trees in our yard grow tennis balls. She would pick up plums dropped by the birds and carry them around. As far as we could figure it, she didn't try to eat them, but we picked the whole crop early just to be safe. Apparently the big seed in a stone fruit is dangerous for dogs.

Well, the tennis balls have appeared once more.



I'm trying to be more relaxed about it this year, as Penny doesn't tend to chew on toys. Here she is minding her much-loved whirlwheel. She's just keeping an eye on it rather than chewing on it, but I must admit that after I took this photo I put the whirlwheel away till next time we go out for a swim.



But soon she was walking around with a plum. I let her have it on her mat for a while and then in a matter-of-fact way put it up on the shelf with the other balls and toys. (Hmm... how much would a plum have to be washed after being in a dog's mouth if it were to be used for human consumption? Not sure about that. But, on the other hand, the rest of the crop has been nibbled or sat on by possums and birds.)

She hasn't touched the nectarines so far, but maybe that's because none have landed on the ground. And the apples are too small to be interesting. I hope.

But now she's discovered the pecked apricots!



It's an interesting time. Luckily, Penny rarely goes outside if we're not out there with her.