SkyWatch Friday - A Colourful Sunset

It is so nice to have clouds in the sky on a regular basis again

they certainly lend a certain  je ne sais quoi

to a sunset.

I do love to see what the sky offers us during the day,

Hope you do too.

Click on the Logo on the side bar 

to enjoy hundreds of aspects of the 

the sky around the world.

Wild Bird Wednesday - Sacred Ibis

These days, birds have to be big or flashing under my nose

for me  to see them

So, if ah sees 'em,

ah shoots 'em!

Made a pit stop at the Gumaracha park, they have facilities,

also at times a bird or two or more . . .

to put it kindly, Ibis were aerating the lawn

these two stopped for a pow-wow

geez, was it something I said?

ah well, I never did see the point in sulking,

c'mon guys lets party!

If all else fails, have a drink!

Ha, water can be just as stimulating.

Linking with Stuart's

Wild Bird Wednesday

OUR WORLD - A Walk in the Woods

A gloomy, rainy afternoon

but oh such a wonderful walk 

in a rain drenched forest.

If you look closely, you can glimpse a kangaroo next to 

the second tree on the right.

Sorry, I could not help slipping this in with the Brownies

and their leader.

Lichen on a tree like mint sugar candy.

This stone obviously was not rolling, everything was so 

vibrantly green and wet . . .

Nature's basket weaving

moss on moss, I found this rather interesting,

a marriage of two different mosses.

What princess was this that was turned into a tree with

 her braided tresses trailing on the forest floor

rain: between shots the camera tucked inside my jacket

in every family, there is one with his head above the others

fascinating rocks, singly and in mounds

half the trees have been felled so there is much more light

in the forest and the forest floor is much greener than before.

My friend and companion contemplating the little green pool

that in summer is totally covered in duck weed.

Not the forests of oak, birch and fir of my childhood but a

place of trees none the less

and I always feel at home amongst trees.

An hour of walking and listening here, smelling the wet pine needles,

is bound to restore the soul and lift the spirits.

TODAY'S FLOWERS - Pink and Pretty

The Cyclamen is a great autumn favourite of mine

so, because mine are just coming into bud,

I bought a couple to boost my morale

while I wait.

The above is a miniature with a delicious scent . .

I just could not pass the one below by, it is a larger variety but one of 

the rare scented ones.

I keep my Cyclamens in my bedroom where I never heat and the 

door is always open, summer and winter.

I have mended my ways and instead of living in anticipation, 

just live for each moment and cram as much joy into it 

as possible.

Hope you all do as well!

SkyWatch Friday - Grumbles and a Sunrise

Some things have not been going so well lately 

and I feel a big grumbling fit coming on

on top of that, whilst driving home, I was side-swiped 

by a great big bus . . .

but grumbling is no use at all, you just chew up the nasties up and 

spit them out . . .

Sunrise a few days ago, looked like it was going to be a beauty

but gradually, it started becoming a little scary

and as the gold on the horizon glowed, the clouds darkened 

as though it were the end of the world.

The darkness seemed all embracing,

just like my mood today.

I do hope others have happier skies to offer.

Wild Bird Wednesday - Common Bronzewing

Apologies for the quality of these shots, very fast reaction 

on my mart and rainy late afternoon light are not conducive

to startlingly good photography 

even so, I am very pleased I captured this incredibly shy 

and elusive bird

although I know it very well, since it is native to my Mt.Lofty garden

where I had one that was happy to forage in my vicinity,

it always kept in the densest shade.

The Common Bronzewing has a haunting daytime mating call

a protracted hoooot, like the San Francisco fog horn, 

followed by an interval . . .

then, another hoot with the intervals becoming progressively 

longer until you give up waiting for the next one and yep,

three seconds later, there it is.

It is always a pleasure to listen to, not only for the haunting 

quality of the hoot but also the surprise factor involved.

These two shots I managed to capture at the end of my pine 

plantation walk as I headed for my car and watched four 

Magpies squabbling, one flew into a tree across the road as I 

headed for my car. I dropped my eyes and there, within a 

couple of feet of my bumper, was the Bronzewing at he 

side of the road. 

It was in an 'alert' position so no time to check settings, just

lift camera and shoot (and pray).

The Bronzewing turned as the Magpie swooped and I clicked.

Moments later,  obscured my car, it had taken off.

Just when I was a little disappointed at not bagging any birds 

in the plantation, I was on the verge of ecstatic 

at this bird being handed to me on a platter

at the last moment.

Joining Stewart's 

Wild Bird Wednesday

and Michelle's

Nature Notes

OUR WORLD - The Secret Life of . . .

pine mushrooms that are happiest living on or 

around pine stumps.

Some are hermits but they are rare

some snuggle up like lovers and shun all others

others prefer suburban living

  

yet others crowd together in fear

there are those who find more elevated habitations

fearful of the rising waters of global warming

and caring mothers protecting their children

until the time comes to let go of this life and return 

back into the earth.

From a walk in a pine plantation. I was hoping for edible 

mushrooms but unfortunately the forest department, in it's wisdom?

had sprayed some dreadful poison last spring and killed not only

the habitat of all the little birds who spent their winters here and 

bred in spring, but also the dozens of varieties of mushrooms  that

used to grace the forest floor.

Next time I may post the forest itself.