There be dragons

• By Natalie Pitfield

People do many different things on their lifestyle blocks.

When we decided to take on as many animals that needed a home as we could, I don’t think we realised the variety of critters we’d end up with. There were the usual cows, pigs, goats and chickens.

But along the way, we also collected some water dragon lizards that had been badly mistreated.

We’d had our own water dragons in the early years. They were gorgeous and became incredibly tame. When we installed a pool, it seemed logical to add a rock mountain at the end and include a heated cave with a little pool and a huge enclosure fit for lizard royalty.

When our sad little party of three arrived, we realised that they’d been starved. They were so thin. When food was put into their enclosure, they’d obviously fought for it, and the big male, whom we named Brutus, tore limbs off the two smaller dragons to keep them from the food.

We named the little male Tripod due to having only one forelimb. And the little girl we named Taylor, as she had no forelimbs but managed to lift her chest and race along very “Swift-ly”.

I knew that we couldn’t keep Brutus. Even though they were now well fed and gaining weight nicely, he was still trying to fight for food.

So Brutus went to a new home.

Tripod and Taylor became healthier and happier. Taylor needed to lay eggs, so she guided me to where she wanted a hole dug, and I’d dig, she’d lay, and I’d cover her eggs for her. It amazed and delighted me that she knew I’d help her.

They had a good life with us and put their harsh start behind them. Seeing them basking in the sun was joyous.

RECIPE: Healthy gluten-free cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups muesli (or make your own muesli mix with oats, rice bubbles,
• cornflakes, chopped almonds, chopped dried fruit and coconut)
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 125g fat-reduced spread or unsalted butter, softened (or coconut oil, softened)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
• 1 egg

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Lightly grease 2 baking trays and line with baking paper.
2. Combine the muesli, flour, cinnamon and soda and set aside.
3. Beat butter and sugar in a bowl until creamy. Add egg and beat well.
4. Mix in dry ingredients.
5. Roll tablespoonfuls into balls; place on trays, allowing room to spread.
6. Bake 15 minutes or until edges are done, but centres soft.

Transfer to a cooling rack.