TODAY'S FLOWERS - A Riot of Colour

Saturday mornings we often go the Angaston farmers' market

and stop in for a few things in the township as well.

I like to get in a quick walk so imagine my surprise to see mass

plantings of Zinnias making a wonderfully bright showing.

I have not seen these flowers used in parks and gardens in over

50 years and was thrilled to see them making a comeback!

I think many of us remember them from mother's or

grandmother's garden.

They certainly brightened the day for me.

Keep your eyes open for the wonder of flowers and keep posting!

SkyWatch ~ From Darkness comes Light

Sorry about my absence but a holiday, or at least a change of

scene was most necessary.

A few scenes of Perry's Sandhills near Wentworth on the

Darling River in New South Wales.

The sun hid behind dark clouds, casting the land into shadow.

A little more light filtered through

and cracked the dark clouds asunder with it's mighty beams.

We'll be back for a few days before we head off again . . .

meanwhile, enjoy life, enjoy whatever it is you have to do and

enjoy blogging!

OUR WORLD - Moonta Bay

Our first day was cloudy

but the next morning was bright and perfect for trying out my

new 500mm lens from our balcony. This is the jetty at Port

Hughes, a good 5 miles away.

People walking happy dogs down to the beach for a swim

and the occasional cormorant sitting on the breakwater.

Then the light changed to a lurid yellowish green and

a massive storm blew up with torrential rain , flashing lightning

all across the sky and almost interminable rumble of thunder.

The rain was so thick, you could hardly see the sea.

It left the world newly washed with instant little lakes in every

man made depression to increase the uptake of water for the

support of the struggling coastal vegetation.

As soon as the storm had passes (a few marvellous hours),

the sun peeped out from the clouds and the sea was calm and

perfect for a good evening's fishing and crabbing.

Needless to say, under such circumstances and long walks

along the beach and jetty, I returned wonderfully refreshed.

On Wednesday we are off for our next adventure to the Riverland.

Again I will be out of reach of the internet but would so appreciate any

comments you care to leave.

Have you put up your OUR WORLD post yet? If not, get your skates on!

TODAY'S FLOWERS - Orchids 2nd. Instalment

As I promised last Sunday, here are more of my friends' orchids.

Don't you just love this freckled one? Cattleya Lulu 'Pink Blush'.

Or this virginal white Cattleya HawaiianWedding Song 'Virgin'

Or the work worn hand lifting this milk chocolaty bloom?

Cattleya bicolor (a species)

A beautiful head on this red Cattleya Carol Bernice

and the lovely lip on this delicious pale lilac Cattleya leopoldii 'Brenda'?

. . . and this one, if I had had the naming of, would have been

called maiden's blush, as it is it is Epidendrum Salmon King

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did photographing them.

OUR WORLD - The Call of the Blue Yonder . . .

Ah . . . the irresistible call of the blue yonder . . .

We're off within a few hours to seek solace by the blue sea

where the jetty invites you to be 'gone fishin' . . .

the water is clear,

the sunrise casts shadows in the sand,

the sunsets are to die for

and freshly caught 'fruit de mere' mouthwateringly sweet.

I'll be back at the end of the week . . . maybe . . .

That is OUR WORLD, what is yours???

TODAY'S FLOWERS - from John's Shade-house

On Friday we went out for lunch with our dear friends

John and Bev who, 26 years ago, established the Murray

Bridge and District Orchid Club. It was a great pleasure

to wander through their shade-houses and see that even now,

in the off season for orchids, they still have an array of

wonderful blooms.

The oddest plant I have ever seen is this Ceropegia ampliata,

that also has a somewhat rude common name which I leave to

your imagination.

Keeping to the same colour scheme, don't you just love the

little curls on this orchid?

God willing, I'll show you many more orchids next week.

If you haven't posted on TODAY'S FLOWERS yet, get on with it,

show us what you've got!

SkyWatch ~ Cloud Gauge

The dark clouds

are slowly lightening

with a little light

and a patch of blue peeking through.

Join SkyWatch and show us what is happening where you are.

World Bird Wednesday - Feeding Frenzy

When I feel desolate, I need the open ocean to blow the cobwebs

away. All the city beaches are on the Gulf so we headed to Goolwa

and the Southern Ocean.

I love going there although it is a longish drive as it is quite near

the mouth of the Murray river. At Goolwa there are barrages

across the river and because of the recent rains, the river level

was up and quite a few sluice gates were open and the birds were

in a feeding frenzy as the fish rich water gushed out.

Masses of Cormorants, a few Pelicans and a number of adult

and juvenile Terns were involved in fast moving duck dives

and sudden up periscopes.

Flying back a bit and grazing the churning water against the

current.

The one below had just hit the water after a flight jockeying

for position.

Constantly on the move, this one I managed to catch in flight.

Seldom staying in one position for a good shot.

This Pelican seemed pleased with himself as he was constantly

smiling.

A quick dive, crowned with success.

Small wonder that he was pleased with himself until . . .

he ducked as

a tern flew overhead, he probably thought it was the axe

murderer.

There were terns aplenty, both adult and juvenile. They are such swift flyers

that it is not easy to get a clear shot at them.

OUR WORLD - Somewhere along the way again . . .

On one of my many recent 8 hr. train trips to Melbourne

during my sister's last illness, there was a glimmer of false hope

in the sky viewed through double glass and my sunglasses.

Closer to the city, all the vital and not so pretty infrastructure

that keeps a large metropolis ticking over,

the somewhat seedy graffiti and torn up wooden sleepers

as well al the new concrete variety to replace them,

refineries,

as well as massive storage tanks.

The setting sun just prior to arrival lit up these man-made

giraffes

and added colour to the containers they shifted, that have

become such an integral part of our modern consumer society

and so to the electric suburban train system and imminent

arrival at the inter-state rail terminal.

Like most cities in the world, the outskirts often are somewhat

less than salubrious.