TODAY'S FLOWERS - Orchids again

Since nothing else is flowering in my very dry garden at the 

moment,I had to resort to a few hardy 

orchids in the shadehouse.

This is one of my favourites, though the blooms are smaller, 

they are prolific and have a lovely perfume as well.

I do love the virginal whites.

A HAPPY, HEALTHY LOVEL FILLED

YEW YEAR TO ALL!

A New Year has begun . . .

The old year is washed away, a mixture of joy and pain, of

hope and utter frustration.

On New Year's Eve 2010, my beloved 22 year old cat Millie

left for good . . . no more moonlit rides on my broomstick.

A cat of distinction, my very personal friend and companion.

My broomstick sulks in a corner, I have no heart for flying solo.

Thank God for all my blogging friends who have kept me

partially sane through the shoals and shipwrecks of the past

year. I don't know what I would have done without those of

you who have become very special friends and all of you who

have left comments and/or are following my meagre

photographic efforts. My trusty Nikon became unfocused and

had to be sent to hospital. In some ways a good thing since I

replaced it by a Canon with slightly better optics. Yet both

cameras have their good and not so good points and I am looking

forward to my Nikon being resuscitated.

This year has many challenges ahead, both with the Prof and

my darling sister, I will be yo-yoing to Melbourne again shortly

to see her.

When things get too gloomy, I check out the wormholes, both

on Windy Hill, as well as a few other locations nearby.

Who knows when the call will come to step through one of them?

I wish you all the wonders that this world can provide if we just

keep our eyes and minds open. Stay well, be happy and dream . . .

SkyWatch ~ Ten Minutes of Wonder

Another of those coldish mornings where getting out of bed

seems a drag and I really wanted to turn over and close my

optics a while longer. It definitely did not seem promising but,

one has to get something for skywatch, right?

Less than a minute later the sky came alive

as the fire burst forth and took over,

burning so fiercely that I almost wanted to flee. The flames

engulfing the clouds above and turning the whole landscape

rose red.

To the south there was a golden haze with touches of pink

in the east, it became apparent where the golden fleece originated

and the trees were a blood red. The whole show, and I have

30 shots to prove it, lasted just ten minutes.

What better way to see the year out than another spectacular sunrise?

Wishing everyone a wonder full 2012, may you all stay safe and healthy

and retain the eyes of a child as you click your way through the year!