Saturday, August 30, 2014

TODAY'S FLOWERS, I Heart Macro, Nature Notes & OUR WORLD - Surprises


The only patch of blue from my prison window last week
and even for that, I had to get out of bed
and squeeze myself sideways against the window
and point my iPhone at an odd angle 
to catch it.

An unexpected three days in a couple of hospitals for tests
kept me grounded for a bit
but here I am again


it was almost worth being away to come home to 
full-blown Spring when we were still in official Winter


suddenly all fruiting trees had put on their finery
Prunus, above


Bridal Veil swaying in the breeze


my once perfectly kept garden
did me proud with a show of beauty among the weeds


Prunus and Almond hiding the paddock behind


Almond blossom, all are much bette enlarged


double flowering plum
and below, a dessert plum on the espalier


a joyful homecoming indeed!

Linking with 




and OUR WORLD

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Wild Bird Wednesday & Nature Notes - More Sydney Birds


Still in the same area as the cemetery below,
a Currawong
but a different Currawong than near George's River further
south or those on the North Shore or even in my son's garden.


These are slightly smaller and have much more white on them.
The normal Currawong is a black or grey bird with a white 
rim to the tail. The call is also distinctly different.

I have experience four different Currawong languages 
in different parts of the city.


I spotted this dove in the cemetery, see previous post,
it seemed rather fitting and so much nicer than one of stone.


I also saw a kite obviously going to it's nest in the rocks 
above the crashing sea,
it was much too fast for me to get it in my sights.

Linking with


Monday, August 25, 2014

OUR WORLD - Cemetery at a Sydney Suburb


On my last day in Sydney, my son dropped me of here
so I could take the cliff walk to Bronte beach 
while he and grandson went for their daily swim 
in the sea.

8 kilometres from the CBD of this multi-million city 
 is this historic old cemetery in the
suburb of Clovelly


it is extensive in size, covering two hillsides


mausoleums and an occasional palm tree 
vary the never ending gravestones


the whole is situated on prime real estate with extensive views
for the dead to enjoy


a pleasant and restful place for a protracted walk
with the occasional angel
to keep one company


Linking with 


Saturday, August 23, 2014

TODAY'S FLOWERS & I Heart Macro - Almond Blossom Time


Spring has sprung although the calendar does not as yet
say so
the sun rises just after seven, the soil is drying out
the garden needs watering
and the almond blossoms are in full splendour


the blossoms are not as plentiful as usual as we had
a small flowering in autumn and the parrots
have nipped off a lot of buds in the winter


they look so pretty against the sky


their pink reverses show up well against the grass


and aren't they little beauties up close
and personal?


Linking with



Thursday, August 21, 2014

SkyWatch - Sydney Skies


Whoever that baby dragon was
hopping across the sky 
at the back of my son's garden
he did not leave a calling card


skies on holiday should always be this blue
with a passing cloud or two


sorry, the best pic would not transfer from iPhoto to Photoshop
if anyone knows how to cure this problem, 
I would be eternally grateful.

Linking with 



Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Wild Bird Wednesday - Common Suburban Birds of Sydney


Back on line after my trip to Sydney, 
had lots of fun 
and my son took me to interesting places


a one and a half hour drive and a ferry ride
took us to The Basin off Palm Beach
where we found these common birds:
above, Kookaburra


crow


wood ducks wandering


and feeding.


Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Wild Bird Wednesday - Indian Mynah


In Sydney there are far fewer
Acridotheres tristis,
the Indian Mynah bird,
than further south


Melbourne has them in plague proportions 
and in South Australia again,
there are but a few


they are great scavengers and can be quite 
aggressive to other birds.


These two were the only ones at the 
Bronte Beach change rooms
scrabbling around the rocks.

Linking with 


Monday, August 11, 2014

OUR WORLD - Endless parasols


Sunday Yum Cha in Sydney
with the family


yielded this multi-storied installation
shot through a lift window


colourful and rather nice I thought.


I have so much to blog about but 
very limited time
while gallivanting about with my son's family.

Promise to catch up when I return home.

Linking with 


Saturday, August 9, 2014

TODAY'S FLOWERS & I Heart Macro - Angel Trumpets


This tree grows in my son's garden
looking down into a small courtyard


the beautiful flowers of the Datura 
or Angel Trumpet tree


with a delightful scent wafting down.


Linking with 


and


Friday, August 8, 2014

SkyWatch - Bronte Beach


The sea water swimming pool at Bronte Beach, Sydney


a mesmerising place with birds, swimmers and surfers


and plenty of sky for us sky watchers 


Linking with 


Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Wild Bird Wednesday - Superb Blue Fairy Wren


My Blue wrens have finally donned their 
little blue coats and are fiercely defending their territory

This little animation is cheating pure and simple.
My photos but my son's expertise in
creating the rotating animation.


So far I have safely reached Sydney and had a lot 
of fun on the Indian-Pacific Railway
and am now enjoying springlike temperatures 
and a lot of plum blossom and camellias
although the landscape around the ex gold mining 
town of Bathurst was white with frost and the smaller dams
were ice covered at dawn.

More of that in my next OUR WORLD  post.

Linking with Stewart's 


Sunday, August 3, 2014

OUR WORLD - Pictures at an Exhibition


Yesterday's treat was an exhibition opening
in Tanunda, the capital of the wine growing region
of The Barossa.



a rather wonderful mix of installations
ecologically and environmentally sustainable
contact prints on everything from bone, through fabrics
to paper and writing on the wall


the catalogues ran out and my memory is a trifle iffy
but I think?? the above was part of a long row of
fabric . . . however, I could be mistaken




a detail


an installation of a most glorious dress in autumnal tones
with many, many small pictures on paper in mixed medium
drawn upon and dyed

detail on fabric


detail on paper


installation of rusted shearer's combs

An exhibition of 'Back Country' by India Flint
I found it impressive even if I am a tad biased 
being the artist's mother.

Photography is not the best but the best i could
hurriedly do in a crush of people
also, there was so much more than I was able to capture.

Tomorrow I'm off on a long journey, 
don't know when or if I shall ever be back.

Please leave a comment or two,
I do appreciate them so very much.

Linking with 


Saturday, August 2, 2014

TODAY'S FLOWERS & I Heart Macro - Playing with a new Toy


Just got my Macro lens
tee hee hee


playtime: a little hillock
of pollen


who knew that English daisy petals
looked like polyps??


a little splash of colour
hanging on after last night's
severe frost


and a few shy Tritelias
sheltering under a rose bush


Wether you have summer or winter where you are
make sure you enjoy whatever is blooming.

Linking with 


and