Saturday, January 26, 2013

TODAY'S FLOWERS - Nothing but Roses


I feel like I had been sent to outer Mongolia, 12 days without 
contact to the outside world!

The internet totally cut out, nothing would rectify the problem. 
My fabulous grandson checked and tried everything inside 
and out. We thought of having to replace the computer.

This evening I switched it on again and, hey presto! everything
worked in tip top order!

Whatever he had done, had fixed it after all.

Just the pictures loaded in the wrong order.


Just a few roses from another lifetime in my garden.


I guess you have noticed by now that roses, especially scented roses,
are very dear to my heart.


When you have roses in your heart, how can you help smiling?

Thanks for all the kind folks at TODAY's Flowers for 
this flower filled meme.

Monday, January 14, 2013

OUR WORLD - Wambelong Fire


One of my favourite National Parks, the Warrumbungles,
a treasure trove of fossils, rockformations and beautiful bushland,
have been consumes by massive bushfires.


A ferocious fire that has already consumed 33 homes as well as
the living quarters of the Siding Springs Observatory, the most
important observatory in Australia and a major link of the great
observatories of the world.


40,000 hectares have been decimated with terrible stock and 
wild life losses.


High winds, high temperatures, difficult terrain and zero
humidity were all factors in the difficulty of getting a grip on it.


The fure service threw everything at it that they had available 
without much effect, it is still raging out of control and will 
take some time manage. 
There are still 22 fires raging in New South Wales.


My heart goes out to all the people affected who have lost their 
homes and have to put down suffering animals.
We went through the same 30 years ago and the psychological 
scars still linger.


Sorry for the quality of the photos, they were shot off 
TV news programmes.
I tried to find my photos of this area from our last visit, but with 
two computers and two external hard drives full of photos,
it would have taken me a week or two .


Hats off to all the volunteer firefighters snatching a few hours of 
sleep on camp beds at the relief centre in Coonabarabran.
These dedicated men and women leave their work places at the
sound of the siren and put their lives on the line for weeks to
keep their community safe, often having their own home burn 
while they try to save someone else's.

Please God we are spared more loss of life!

Saturday, January 12, 2013

TODAY'S FLOWERS and Weekend Flowers - Roses of Yesteryear


Once upon a time, only two years ago, I had 150 roses in bloom
and the garden was awash with perfume,


the last two summers have decimated my garden, 
the combination of extreme heat, lack of water and 
the will and stamina to brave the heat and drag 
heavy hoses around, is a gardeners bane.

Even this though as nails bi-colour "Fourth of July' rose
has barely a green leaf on it, let alone a flower.


Like life, youth and beauty fade to give way to weariness
decrepitude and one last journey.

Yet the roses of yesteryear still bloom in our memory.

Click on the Logos at right and walk in meadows full of flowers.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

SkyWatch - A Purple Sunrise


A delight to behold,


a right royal sunrise in purple and gold.


There are many diverse skies to be seen, just click
on the Logo on my side bar and enjoy.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes - Blackbird and Worms


Blackbird in a Melbourne garden, a couple of springs ago.

Going home is just like crossing the road,
look right


look left,


look right again.


Drat that silly woman with 
the camera


Oh, she wants a profile shot!
OK, now home to my hungry brood -
those worms do wriggle so!


Linking to 
and 

Monday, January 7, 2013

OUR WORLD - Farewell to our Unicorn


Twenty years ago when I bought the farm, I almost immediately
also bought a beautiful white pony for the grandchildren.
Over priced, with teeth that needed constant attention, but little 
did I know then, the treasure we had acquired.

On starlit nights you could see the glint of her horn
against the darkness.
She was a princess of dreams . . .
youngest granddaughter, who had a very special bond
with Modie, recognised her faerie nature even in daylight.


Knowing she would leave us soon, I took these pictures of her 
in late spring when she was still shedding her winter cloak.


Instinctively I knew it was my last chance.


Barely a month later, she left us for the green pastures 
and clear streams of a better place.

The wound was too raw to share these at that time . . .
it still is.

Saturday, January 5, 2013

TODAY'S FLOWERS - Oriental Lilies


With our extreme heat lately, there is nothing else flowering
except a few lilies in pots.

Though there are not many, the scent is still almost overpowering


A glamorous virginal white that, on closer inspection,
is quite hairy.


also, these few brilliantly stunning pinks.


Click on the side-bar to access this beautiful meme hosted by
Luiz Santilli Jr. and his team.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

SkyWatch - Unbearable Heat


A sky of a happier time when there actually was a
cloud in the it!


Today we had a temperature of 41 C, that's 105.8F
Tomorrow we expect 44C or 111.2F, YOIKS! For more than a 
week we have similar temps expected.
I have not seen such temperatures for a prolonged period
since Dec. 1958.

Sorry for posting just one pikkie, my specialist told me 
today that for the duration, it is best for me to be on 
4 times my medication and to stick to a horizontal position 
with toes higher than nose.

Much as I would like to visit everyone, it may not be 
possible from such a lowly position.

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