TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ Tropical Waterlilies

Ah, Queensland, beautiful one day, perfect the next!




















In the North of Australia where the rainy season is in the
summertime, glorious waterlilies dot the wetlands wherever
the waterdepth is right for them. Their colours range from white
through pinks and mauves to this lovely blue.

This Wetland is choked by imported forage grasses that have
gone feral and now threaten both native bird and plant habitat.
They are the reason that this wetland is not awash with waterlilies,
and reeds for birds to nest in.

















Another close up of these beauties.
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All photos enlarge for a closer look.
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Flowers make us smile so click on the Logo for a wealth of enjoyment.

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Thanks to our splendid hosts at TODAY'S FLOWERS we can all share

and participate in this wonderful meme.

SkyWatch ~ Moonlight

Sorry I'm late posting, I just was not up to it before.

Moon hiding behind scudding clouds



















making a magical circular rainbow.

The skies are full of wonders.

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Thanks to the SkyWatch them we can so easily share them.

Watery Wednesday ~ Our Grebes are Back

After the dam was a dry dustbowl the summer before last
and only a puddle last year, at the start of this summer it was
almost a third full. We had nearly despaired of seeing our
resident pair of Australasian Grebes, Tachybaptus novaehollandiae.
Spring came this year but no Grebes but, miracle of miracles, they
are back and have one little grebelet to boot!


















These shots are from before the big dry and taken across the
dam as the Grebes are very shy but aren't their flyffy backsides
cute?
All my photos enlarge should you like a closer look.



















A click on the Logo will take you to waters unimaginable.
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Thanks to 2sweetnsaxy we can all share in the wonders of water.

My World ~ A Bit of Australian Bush

Eucalyptus trees opposite some mineral springs
near Daylesford in Victoria.
























The little creek in the valley,

and looking the other way with the evidence of a bushfire

a couple of years ago.

Some interesting water vegetetion,

and onward along this wavy ribbon of road to greener pastures.

The world is large and diverse, click on the Logo to see much more.

With thanks to the MyWorld Team for giving us this opportunity to
show the bits of world we love.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ Hope

Pleionie formosiana
























in my shade house.

SkyWatch ~ Sunny Summer Afternoon

Before the sunset the swallows massed for a grand display
flying fast and low, set off against the afternoon clouds.

















when my attention veered to concentrate on the clouds instead.

First some screaming banshees, followed by piano keys.

Do enlarge to get the full force of colour.

A cobweb curtain? The banshee's flying grey hair or souls

ascending to the heavens?

Finally a few obliging swallows cross my lens after all.

Click on the logo to fly other skies.

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Thanks to the SkyWatch team for opening the skies for us.

My World ~ Jamieson, Victorian Alps

In a valley in the mountains is a little place we love, Jamieson
in autumn is a joy to behold.

















Cattle browse on the frosty grass with a colourful backdrop
of autumn foliage.

I draw inspiration and strength from this beautiful place now

that even a short drive exhausts me. Forgive me for not visiting

you all as I would wish, I hope a time may come again when I

am able to do so.

The Logo opens a world of wonder.

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Thank you dear MY World Team for keeping this meme going.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ Rebirth

I believe that summer's heat will fade,
that winter's snows will melt
and somewhere spring will come again
as sure as day will follow night


















the quince will bloom in glory then
upon her greenwood bough
and love will come
and take your hand

and swell like maiden's blush

to grow and stay a day

a year, a lifetime long

to smooth our rocky way

The portal to more flowers opens at the Logo.

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With thanks to Luiz Santilli Jr. and his dream team for this

delightful meme.

SkyWatch ~ Clouds, Clouds, and more Clouds

Multi-layered clouds going in all directions showing the
different air streams at different heights.

















The ever changing cloud formations were just begging to
be photographed.

In and out of the car as I drove along to catch the wonder of

the cloud and light play.

All this wonderfully promising turbulence came to nothing,

just a few fun pictures.

Discover other skies by clicking on the logo at right.

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With sincere thank to our great SkyWatch team for this fun meme.

Watery Wednesday ~ Serenity ~ The Ever Moving Sea

The peace of perpetual motion ~ look into the light, look
... into ... the ... light ...

The logo will take you from droplets to the oaceans ....

Thanks to 2sweetnsaxy we can all join in with this meme.

MY WORLD ~ Seal Bay, Eyre Peninsular

Sorry this is a long shot, but what a place to chill out! The sea
breeze in your fur, a sundrenched rock all to yourself....


















Oh jeeze, there's an other guy muscling in on the beach.


















Ah, bliss. all serene again and we can settle down for some
serious relaxing.

All this just a little north of last week's post. Do enlarge them

for a bit of detail.

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The Logo takes you to the rest of the world.

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Thanks to the My World Team we can see what the rest of the world is doing.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ Summer Roses

Roses burning in the summer heat. A dry 42C is not a comfortable
temperature for either bush or bloom. It dessicates the petals in a
matter of hours.





















In our mountain garden the temperature is 7C cooler due to the
adiobatic lapse rate. The roses last a little longer there.

This is Rosa Noisettiana, one of the oldest roses in our garden, it was
planted in the 1870's when the gable end was added to the house.



















A delightful survivor of another era with delightful scent and
extraordianry hardiness. It blooms but once a year and bristles
with sharp thorns yet it is one of my greatest treasures.
I have only ever seen one other specimen in Australia.

The logo is a magic carpet to many more flowers around the world.

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With thanks to Luiz Santilli Jr. for creating this meme and his team

of willing helpers who keep it running flawlessly.

SkyWatch ~ Hot Summer Sunrise

Pale, insignificant colour in the sky as the light grows. Will it
amount to anything? No-one knows...

















I wait in hope as the colours deepen, the morning is already hot.

















Then as the sun peeps over the horizon, its full force hits the clouds

In a majestic blaze of glory!

To fly the skies, just click the Logo on the right.

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Thank you dear Skywatch Team for this universal meme.

Nature Notes ~ Gecko and Bunny

This delightful little fellow was in the laundry trough, guess
who made a beeline for the camera...
















he had the cutest markings and little adhesive feet. We have two
varieties of these, the other is smaller and paler and has little suction
caps. Both are seldom seen as they are night feeders and delight in
chomping the mosquitos on the screens. I have only ever had the
pleasure of seeing one of each in the 17 years we have been here on
the farm.

My daughter reports that they are often seen at her place a

little further down hill. Our prevalent geckos are quite snake like

and are easily mistaken for snake hatchlings. They are about 4"-6"

long, dark grey with two pronouncesd yellow lateral stipes. At first

sight they appear to be legless. Closer inspection however reveals

their very short little legs which they propell themselves forward

in a snake like wriggle.

The grandchildren found this tiny flea ridden bunny and brought

him home and were full of excitement about taking him back with

them to Sydney as a pet. He was such a lovely colour too.

Unfortunately, not only was he full of fleas but also succumbed to

the calisi virus the next day. They had wondered why he could be

so easily picked up!

This summer the owls have not returned and I miss hearing their

call of Mopoke in the night.

To balance out, we have scores of swallows again. They are fun to

watch against the darkening sky in the evening or grazing the dams

for rising mosquiteos.

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The Nature Notes Logo will take you to our host site of Rambling Woods

where many interesting observations are to be gleaned. Thank you

Michelle for hosting this informative meme.

Watery Wednesday and Birdphotography Weekly

These don't look like much until you enlarge them and
see the colours come into their own.
























A little lake on the landward side of the dunes with some old
farm machinery providing a perch for pelicans and cormorants.
These are from the same trip as the coastal shots in the post
below.

There is a lot more water and many birds accessible through the

relevant Logos on the right.

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My thanks to the organizers of both memes.

MY WORLS ~ Eyre Peninsular Coast

Sometimes when I suffer from cabin fever being land locked on the
farm and a two hour drive from the sea, the Prof indulges me by
driving 500 miles and then some to the OCEAN!

The west coast of the Eyre Peninsular looking south towards
Antarctica, majestic in its beauty and so deceptive in its strength.


















Roaring in to assault the shore with its might to carve it into
weird and wonderful shapes.

















The Bathtub, a football field sized hollow carved out by roaring
high tides washing in through a gateway sized opening. The sea
has time and to spare to do her handiwork. unhurried and
unceasing she sculpts. Slowly, grain by grain she gnaws creating
ever growing sculptures incomparable in beauty.

















How beautiful the blues of the water against the soft dunes and
hard rocky shore, but, like the wicked witch who wears a loving smile,
dare to enter her domain and she will chuckle at your foolhardiness
and drag you in her undertow to certain death.

















Her might and majesty as she whips up an army of rolling waves
that even fill the air with spume.

For me, the rush of salt laden wind fills my thirsting soul's longing
and once more it takes flight across the seven seas and is at peace.

















Click on any and or all photos and they will reward you with a
much more satisfying sight.
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The Logo will transpost you to the rest of the world.
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Thank you dear MY WORLD team for all your hard work keeping
this meme running so smoothly.