TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ The Joy of Little Things

While the Northern Hemisphere has snow, the nearest thing to
snowflakes here are Elder blossom. Unlike the lovely icy fluff
which is hexagonal, these only have five petals but are very useful
medicinally. An infusion of Elderflowers, cooled and sponged on
welts of alergic reactions, clears them up in double quick time.

Most people would heedlessly step on these little beauties.

Less than half an inch across, they grow on paddocks or grass

verges from tiny starchy bulbs and are hard to eradicate. Their

long, tough, grass like leaves are out of place in a garden but

provide good fodder for sheep and a delight to the eye when you

bother to bend down to appreciate their beauty.

Just for contrast, a touch of blue from this tiny flower, the

Lobelia in a planter pot which even now in the hot summer

gives a touch of colour to the garden.

Please excuse the odd formatting, I cannot beat the computer

into submission, it has a very strong mind of its own.

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Many more flowers can be found by clicking the Logo.

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To Luiz Santilly and his great flower fairies I wish another successful

year for this greaat meme.

Nature Notes and SkyWatch ~ Moon Magic

Hot, steaming summer night, sleep, that elusive rogue has fled.
I toss and turn, defeated I follow reluctantly into the moonlight
drenching the liquid air with gold.

The night so still, watched over by enchantress moon holds
promise yet of mystery and wonder. Gentle rustling in the bushes,
a possum intent on feasting on my rosebuds.

I listen rapt, waiting for I know not what when in the park a
solitary note, yet unmistakable, breaks forth.
It holds me rooted to the spot, not breathing lest it hide away its
fellows ... when there it is again, now stronger as with cadence sweet
she breaks into her lilting warble - a Nightingale as I live and
breathe!

Perhaps my guardian angel sent me out to hear this wonder of the
night. The world asleep and only i priviledged to hear once more
what I had given up as lost forever. My hungry soul laps up each
as it rises and falls. No sleep for me this night, the unexpected joy
is far too great.

Nightingales are imported birds known to exist in Melbourne, some

500 miles away across dry and burningly hot country. In South

Australia, the driest State in the driest Continent, they have been

unknown until this night unless it was a phantom singing solely for

my delectation.

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To you all my dear Bloggy friends I wish a wonderfully healthy and

successful New Year! See you next year!

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With thanks to Michelle of Rambling Woods for Nature Notes,

and our wonderful SkyWatch Team.

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Both memes can be accessed by clicking on the relevant Logo.

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MY WORLD and Watery Wednesday

Ah, those that go down to the sea....

witness the might of the Southern Ocean carving up the
rocky shore like butter with a hot knife. Channels and coves
and massive dark caverns crafted by deceptively smooth
crystal clear water.


















The smaller channel has gouged out a massive cave deep
in the land mass as it grinds the colourful sandstone back
into sand.

















All pictures are worth enlarging, but particularly this one to
appreciate the wondrous mix of colours.

















Invitingly transparent and deceptively calm until a great wave
rolled in ... decidedly not a place to take a dip!


















Looking back at the black hole in the coastal shelf with the Prof,
for scale. Sorry about the quality of the photos, they were taken
with a tiny camera, all I was able to carry before my last heart op.

The cave was a very useful place, providing safe and sheltered
habitation for a large colony of swallows. These and many more
wonders we experienced on the coast of the Eyre Peninsular south
of Streaky Bay in South Australia.

To see much more water and experience other views of the world.

click on either/or/and the appropriate logos on your right.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and many more delightful

adventures in Blogland!

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ A Traditinal Christmas

I hope you my bloggy friends had just as wonderful
a Christmas as we did.

The house on the mountain was polished and dressed
up within an ounce of its life.
























The musicians having a last practice while the tree was being
trimmed.

The Prof and our son's youngest thoroughly enjoying themselves.

















Hilarity at table with musical bon bons. Everyone had a numbered
whistle of the eight notes of the scale, one conducted from a
provided score, pointing at whoever needed to blow. The tempo
at times was uncertain but at least the tunes were recognizable
as we all worked up an appetite for the feast.

















Thereafter, as the Christmas bell rang, a pilgrimage to the
music room and the candle lit tree. We even had some sparklers
on it, when I was little we called them wonder candles.



















Then came the presents and youngest g-daughter was thrilled
with her very own viola and played on it straight away. During
the year she had been learning on a hired instrument.

On Christmas day it was back to the farm and another, even
bigger tree and more peresents, another feast, and
























to top it all off, another work of art fron our daughter's
youngerst, A perfect cherry flan! Just delicious.

















To see more flowers, click on the logo.

Thank you to the busy bees who organize this great meme.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ Lilies and Roses

To all of you who visit here, may the peace of
Christmas last throughout the coming New Year!
May love be your guide along the way
and happiness be there to stay.

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Our Christmas in in summer when lilies bring us cheer.

Red Asiatic Lilium above, Novenber lily below.

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The Madonna Lilies, always prolific at this time of year.

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And lastly, a birthday bouquet for my dear Prof. from another

year when there was a profusion of flowers in the garden to

choose from, although the lilieas were badly wind damaged

they were important for the fusion of scents.

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A click on the Logo will take you to a wealth of other flowers.

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A big thank you to Luiz Santilli Jr. and the flower team for their

selfless coordination of this delightful meme.

SkyWatch ~ Simple Summer Skies

The clouds roll up even in the summer time, the grasses have
dried off to just my favourite shade of Naples Yellow.

Dark clouds, light clouds, and a big patch of blue.

The lone tree supported by one of our patches of forest peeping

over the crest of the hill. A patch of bracken still shows green

dividing the dry paddock... ah, the joys of summertime...

Now click on the logo to see more skies, but please leave a

comment before you go.

Thanks to the industrious SkyWatch team we can all share

the beauty of our skies. Enjoy!

MY WORLD ~ St.Mary's Church

Driving through the Latrobe Valley in Victoria we stopped for
a respite and went into the cool peace of this church. My goodness,
were we ever surprised!


















Every inch of the interior, and it is a very big church, was covered
in frescos and gilding. The artist was no Michaelangelo but the effort
he had put in was enormous and the effect cohesive and awe inspiring.

















We were deeply touched by the story below, I hope you can
take the time to read it. All photos enlarge by clicking on them.

It is well worth reading, especially at this time of year. It tells
of hardhip and kindness shaking hands and leaving this momentous
legacy for, at that time, a quite small community. A real act of faith.
























The ceiling was totally covered in putti, angels and radiating
gilding gleaming like so many midday suns.

















The walls depicted the life of Christ and the Saints.


















I don't think that in this materialistic world a work like this is
likely to be repeated. Such selfless labour, for so little material
reward yet with a wealth of fellowship and kindnes that speaks
volumes and makes it an enduring treasure, is astonishing.

















Click on the Logo to see other parts of this world.

To the team of hosts for MY WORLD a big thank you for keeping this
meme running so smoothly .