TODAY'S FLOWERS, I Heart Macro, Nature Notes & OUR WORLD - Surprises

The only patch of blue from my prison window last week

and even for that, I had to get out of bed

and squeeze myself sideways against the window

and point my iPhone at an odd angle 

to catch it.

An unexpected three days in a couple of hospitals for tests

kept me grounded for a bit

but here I am again

it was almost worth being away to come home to 

full-blown Spring when we were still in official Winter

suddenly all fruiting trees had put on their finery

Prunus, above

Bridal Veil swaying in the breeze

my once perfectly kept garden

did me proud with a show of beauty among the weeds

Prunus and Almond hiding the paddock behind

Almond blossom, all are much bette enlarged

double flowering plum

and below, a dessert plum on the espalier

a joyful homecoming indeed!

Linking with 

TODAY'S FLOWERS

I Heart Macro

 Nature Notes

and OUR WORLD

Wild Bird Wednesday & Nature Notes - More Sydney Birds

Still in the same area as the cemetery below,

a Currawong

but a different Currawong than near George's River further

south or those on the North Shore or even in my son's garden.

These are slightly smaller and have much more white on them.

The normal Currawong is a black or grey bird with a white 

rim to the tail. The call is also distinctly different.

I have experience four different Currawong languages 

in different parts of the city.

I spotted this dove in the cemetery, see previous post,

it seemed rather fitting and so much nicer than one of stone.

I also saw a kite obviously going to it's nest in the rocks 

above the crashing sea,

it was much too fast for me to get it in my sights.

Linking with

Wild Bird Wednesday

and

Nature Notes

OUR WORLD - Cemetery at a Sydney Suburb

On my last day in Sydney, my son dropped me of here

so I could take the cliff walk to Bronte beach 

while he and grandson went for their daily swim 

in the sea.

8 kilometres from the CBD of this multi-million city 

 is this historic old cemetery in the

suburb of Clovelly

it is extensive in size, covering two hillsides

mausoleums and an occasional palm tree 

vary the never ending gravestones

the whole is situated on prime real estate with extensive views

for the dead to enjoy

a pleasant and restful place for a protracted walk

with the occasional angel

to keep one company

Linking with 

OUR WORLD

TODAY'S FLOWERS & I Heart Macro - Almond Blossom Time

Spring has sprung although the calendar does not as yet

say so

the sun rises just after seven, the soil is drying out

the garden needs watering

and the almond blossoms are in full splendour

the blossoms are not as plentiful as usual as we had

a small flowering in autumn and the parrots

have nipped off a lot of buds in the winter

they look so pretty against the sky

their pink reverses show up well against the grass

and aren't they little beauties up close

and personal?

Linking with

TODAY'S FLOWERS

and I Heart Macro

SkyWatch - Sydney Skies

Whoever that baby dragon was

hopping across the sky 

at the back of my son's garden

he did not leave a calling card

skies on holiday should always be this blue

with a passing cloud or two

sorry, the best pic would not transfer from iPhoto to Photoshop

if anyone knows how to cure this problem, 

I would be eternally grateful.

Linking with 

SkyWatch

Wild Bird Wednesday - Common Suburban Birds of Sydney

Back on line after my trip to Sydney, 

had lots of fun 

and my son took me to interesting places

a one and a half hour drive and a ferry ride

took us to The Basin off Palm Beach

where we found these common birds:

above, Kookaburra

crow

wood ducks wandering

and feeding.

Linking with Wild Bird Wednesday

Wild Bird Wednesday - Indian Mynah

In Sydney there are far fewer

Acridotheres tristis,

the Indian Mynah bird,

than further south

Melbourne has them in plague proportions 

and in South Australia again,

there are but a few

they are great scavengers and can be quite 

aggressive to other birds.

These two were the only ones at the 

Bronte Beach change rooms

scrabbling around the rocks.

Linking with 

Wild Bird Wednesday

OUR WORLD - Endless parasols

Sunday Yum Cha in Sydney

with the family

yielded this multi-storied installation

shot through a lift window

colourful and rather nice I thought.

I have so much to blog about but 

very limited time

while gallivanting about with my son's family.

Promise to catch up when I return home.

Linking with 

OUR WORLD

TODAY'S FLOWERS & I Heart Macro - Angel Trumpets

This tree grows in my son's garden

looking down into a small courtyard

the beautiful flowers of the Datura 

or Angel Trumpet tree

with a delightful scent wafting down.

Linking with 

TODAY'S FLOWERS

and

I Heart Macro

SkyWatch - Bronte Beach

The sea water swimming pool at Bronte Beach, Sydney

a mesmerising place with birds, swimmers and surfers

and plenty of sky for us sky watchers 

Linking with 

SkyWatch

Wild Bird Wednesday - Superb Blue Fairy Wren

My Blue wrens have finally donned their 

little blue coats and are fiercely defending their territory

This little animation is cheating pure and simple.

My photos but my son's expertise in

creating the rotating animation.

So far I have safely reached Sydney and had a lot 

of fun on the Indian-Pacific Railway

and am now enjoying springlike temperatures 

and a lot of plum blossom and camellias

although the landscape around the ex gold mining 

town of Bathurst was white with frost and the smaller dams

were ice covered at dawn.

More of that in my next OUR WORLD  post.

Linking with Stewart's 

Wild Bird Wednesday

OUR WORLD - Pictures at an Exhibition

Yesterday's treat was an exhibition opening

in Tanunda, the capital of the wine growing region

of The Barossa.

a rather wonderful mix of installations

ecologically and environmentally sustainable

contact prints on everything from bone, through fabrics

to paper and writing on the wall

the catalogues ran out and my memory is a trifle iffy

but I think?? the above was part of a long row of

fabric . . . however, I could be mistaken

a detail

an installation of a most glorious dress in autumnal tones

with many, many small pictures on paper in mixed medium

drawn upon and dyed

detail on fabric

detail on paper

installation of rusted shearer's combs

An exhibition of 'Back Country' by India Flint

I found it impressive even if I am a tad biased 

being the artist's mother.

Photography is not the best but the best i could

hurriedly do in a crush of people

also, there was so much more than I was able to capture.

Tomorrow I'm off on a long journey, 

don't know when or if I shall ever be back.

Please leave a comment or two,

I do appreciate them so very much.

Linking with 

OUR WORLD

TODAY'S FLOWERS & I Heart Macro - Playing with a new Toy

Just got my Macro lens

tee hee hee

playtime: a little hillock

of pollen

who knew that English daisy petals

looked like polyps??

a little splash of colour

hanging on after last night's

severe frost

and a few shy Tritelias
sheltering under a rose bush

Wether you have summer or winter where you are

make sure you enjoy whatever is blooming.

Linking with 

TODAY'S FLOWERS

and 

I Heart Macro