TODAYS FLOWERS ~ 3

This is what is blooming in my garden to-day in yellow,

with a little purple for contrast.

Pansies, though a little nibbled at, have such friendly faces

a fly basks on the Iris, a bee would have been nicer

the Powlonia, a fast growing tree, is just

starting to bloom

'Sutter's Gold' a Rose well worth having both
for scent and garden display

Climbing 'Gold Bunny' on the fence, blooms
continuously from early spring until pruning time

a little contrast in colour, a happy couple of Pansies

lastly, a scented Broom with a glimpse of morning

mist towards the Wild Wood

My thanks to Luiz and Denise for hosting this site
and giving the wider blogging community a wealth
of flowers. To see many, many more, click on the
Logo to the right.

SkyWatch *10

This week I am posting a few different skies all
Photographed from different parts of our farm.
Some Cumulo-Nimbus looking North over
Windy Hill Paddock, the first part of our farm.



Over the fence of my garden, looking over Fern
Hill towards the western skyline



View South down to 'Hintertiersee', a paddock
named for the place in Austria we spent a glorious
alpine summer.



Looking East with the autumn leaves on the
elms of the Wild Wood.



Just to fit in for a moment with the Northern
Hemisphere some late afternoon sky behind
my grapevines on the pergola.



My thanks to the SkyWatch team for all their work
in streamlining this operation for some 400 people
around the world snapping at the sky like rabid dogs
and posting some breathtaking images you too can
share by clicking on the Logo to the right.

MY WORLD Tuesday ~ 1

My thanks to Tom, Sandy, Imac, Klaus, Ivar,
Wren and Fishing Guy for not only dreaming
up this site, but also implementing it for all our
enjoyment.

For some time I have been wanting to post on
why I live, where I live and this gives me the
perfect opportunity.

We live in our own little paradise, with the full moon
rising over the road less travelled, these old Eucalyptus
trees form the gateway to our farm on both sides.



Ours is a tranquil valley with no one looking over
our shoulder, and people coming here for any
reason find it hard to leave because it feels so
peaceful here.

As you can see, when we BBQ we don't skimp
on the meat.



Every dog can enjoy her day rounding up sheep
or coming for a ramble through the wild wood



a gentle place where children can live their
fantasies and dreams



with nostalgia for lost homelands in the Northern
Hemisphere evident in the division of the park my
husband planted 15 years ago and has coseted into
existance in this harsh climate. Half is planted to
native Australian, and the other half to vegetation
north of the snow line towards the top of the globe.

A view through the autumnal birches towards
the barn and farm house



The pond in the park in a good year, now a distant
memory, when the the grandchildren could take
flying leaps from the little jetty on the other side



My favourite view, from our garden down to the
main farmhouse where our daughter and three
of our grandchildren live. Love wears rose
coloured glasses.



Wait for the next exiting episode next week
God willing.

For other exciting stories or perfect places
click on the MY WORLD logo to the right.

Bird Photography Weekly ~ 2

I believe this little bird to be a Yellow-tailed
Thornbill, Acanthiza chrysorrhoa. Size: less
than 10cm. I am happy to be contradicted.



Eastern Striated Pardalote, Pardalotus ornatus
in the native vegetation side of our park.



New Holland Honeyeater, Phylidonyris
novahollandiae in our park



and singing it's heart out on the west coast of the
Eyre Peninsula at Coffin Bay



For something a little bigger, a pair of Wood Duck,
Chenonetta jubata near the pond in the park.



My thanks to the Birdfreak Team for hosting
this world wide exchange of birds near us.

To see many beautiful birds, click on Logo
on the right.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ 2

Although it is supposedly Spring, it feels like
Summer. Our garden is dry, we have NO water
and yet, the roses give me presents every day

Climbing 'Black Boy' or to be politically correct,
'ethnically challenged individual' on pergola.



Fading Spring, one of the last Ranunculae



First bud on a hardy, bullet proof Rose:
'Bewitched', a bundle of perfumed, long
stemmed delight with long vase life.



Half open



and in full bloom,

and the first of my poppies, Papaver somnifera

Next week, God willing, it may be mostly yellow.

My thanks to Luiz Santilli Jr. and Denise B. Castro

for organizing this opportunity to show our flowers.

To visit superb flowers, click on the Logo at right.

Southern Ocean ~ SkyWatch *9

The Younghusband Peninsula, a narrow strip
of land about 90 miles long, embraces behind
it's dunes the Coorong, a tidal lagoon fed by the
Murray-Darling rivers. This is Australia's most
important river system, unfortunately due to
the sale of water rights not only for traditional
farming pursuits, but also multi-national
corporations to grow export commodities such as rice,
cotton, wine-grapes, hay and oil crops in arid, almost
desert lands, its flow has been drastically reduced.
Water from the Murray river is also pumped to
South Australia's capital Adelaide as well as
distributed around the state by pipelines up to at
least 250 miles away. In consequence, the major
lakes near the Murray's mouth, Alexandrina and
Albert, are now but mud puddles, the associated
wetlands dry, and the Murray has nothing left to
feed the Coorong nor the strength to reach the sea.



Seeking solace for the soul by the sea, the roar
of the Southern Ocean looking towards Antarctica
and waiting for the sun to set.



A treacherous beach not recommended for
swimming but great to cool your toes.
Looking east at high tide.



The sinking sun casts shadows on the sea



and memories of dawn towards the east



then nestles in it's feather bed of foam with
one more glow upon the sand.


To enjoy the skies around the world, klick on
SkyWatch Logo on the right.

The Willow Maiden

For Willow, who gave me courage when needed.



The willow maid lies sleeping
within old willow bole
her golden mantle shed once more
the damp ground thickly litters



Old willow tree is dreaming too
of summers past the counting
his bony fingers stroke the ground
caressing tiny saplings
he is content, can sleep again
till winter solstice passes
then longer days within his veins
the sap will drive and quicken

While snow still lingers all around
and gales may storm and whip him
his wily toes long chilled, draw upward life
with pink and golden twigs he glistens

While winter lingers
willow maid is dreaming dreams of spring
the snows are gone
she stretches eyelids fluttering

His old heart gladdens with new strength
the living sap shoots upwards
gold buds his head bedeck
she prances forth in joyous dance
in whirling loosened catkins
her golden hair is clad

The green of willow fronds she weaves
about her gleaming head
soft supple limbs with leaves are decked
as dancing forth she goes

In summer's languid heat she lies
upon the river bank
her cooling toes and fingers
in lazy water waving
the fish and river creatures
craving her cooling shade

Till once more blow the winds of change
with driving rain and golden leaf
she whirls the season's bidding.