Weather reort from Australia.

[Australian Cattleman]

Back again. Had computer trouble for a while. The word in most of Australia is drought. 75% of our state is drought declared as they say in our lingo.
By the end of winter it is most likely to be 95%.
Theres a rainy change on the way but theres not much in it.
Hows the weather in the US and Canada?

Colin

[Kate/wy]

Here we are enjoying out first moisture in 6 going on 7 years....

[Hanta Yo]

Good to have you back, Colin, we've received 4" moisture in a month's time, more moisture than we ever received in 2004 for the whole year!!! We hope this keeps up!!! How much rainfall do you receive in a year? Our normal rainfall is approx 14", haven't seen that in a loooooonnnnggg time! I can surely empathize, and sympathize, been there, still doing that (the drought). Hope you get some rain soon.

Hanta Yo

[Australian Cattleman]

We are supposed to have 34 inches average. Had about 4'' over the past 4 months,not enough coming out of summer. We are summer/autumn predominate rainfall. At one of our properties 75 miles by road away to our south east where the average is supposed to be 36" already there has been 22" for the year so far. It is more subtropic there whereas here it is much cooler at 3,000 feet.
We have 5 blocks of land,3 at 3,000 feet,one at about 1200 feet and the other at about 200 feet. So rainfall can vary so can temperature.
We haven't had a frost yet but its only a short time away.

Colin

[ranchwife]

Welcome back, Colin!! sorry to hear about your sorry situation in Australia!! here, we are busy trying to come out of a 7 year long drought!! Wednesday it snowed...today was sunny, blue skies but REAL cold and windy!! tonight is suppose to be downright chilly (in the teens) and still windy!! sure hope it warms up to brand on Saturday

[nr]

Colin,
I've been wondering where you were because I have a culinary question for you. We tried a Lamington Cake recently at a restaurant which called it a traditional Australian cake and I've tried to duplicate it at home without a recipe. Then later took the time to find one on the internet but it calls for Corn Flour. Would that be like cornmeal or cornstarch in the USA? Around here cornmeal is more coarse than wheat flour and yellowish but cornstarch is pure white and very fine like talcum powder.

Hope you get some good rain soon. Drought is NO fun.

[Australian Cattleman]

Here goes for the recipe.
Just cook an ordinary cake,about 2'' in height,rectangular shape. The cake should be a couple of days old before you apply the coating. It tends to hold together better.
Trim the crust off first then apply the coating;
4 cups of icing sugar
1/3 cup of cocoa
1 tablespoon of melted butter
1/2 cup of milk
sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a heatproof bowl,stir in butter and milk,stir till icing/coating is smooth ( I reckon the runnier the better)
Cut your cake into squares about 2'' by 2" and dip them into the coating then put them into a bowl of dessicated coconut then place them on a wire rack to set.
Cornflour I believe is the same as your corn starch.
Hope this works its from the Australian Womens Weekly cook book which is a tried and true recipe book.
Colin

[ranchwife]

YUMMMMMMM

[SMS]

hi colin,

Sorry to hear about the drought. Kinda figures, you have good prices and a drought, we have poor prices and good moisture. One of these years i wish we could get both at the same time, but if that happened, farming just wouldnt be fun....

our sale went ok, got all but 2 bulls sold. Prices were down, $1400 average.

[nr]

Thanks for the recipe, Colin. Took it to our daughter for her birthday jazzed up with some strawberries and whipped cream. Reminded us of Easter Eggs in taste. a pleasant change from the usual birthday cake.