Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life. The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent. Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.
Like River I generally run with a theme At the moment the weather in most of Oz is hot. And hotter than that. Record-breaking heat. With fires in too many places.
I don't do heat well. At all. I will be hunkered down inside doing as little as possible and even my much loved garden will have to fend for itself. Here are some of the things in bloom at the moment which I hope will survive.
The meme is now continued by River at Drifting through life. The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent. Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to River.
Like River I generally run with a theme At the moment the weather in most of Oz is hot. And hotter than that. Record-breaking heat. With fires in too many places.
I don't do heat well. At all. I will be hunkered down inside doing as little as possible and even my much loved garden will have to fend for itself. Here are some of the things in bloom at the moment which I hope will survive.
What I wouldn't give to have a walk in your garden you always seem to have something blooming and your photos are so wonderful.
ReplyDeleteLinda Starr: Thank you. The garden is one of my obsessions and I do try and have something in flower all year...
DeleteBeautiful! I am so sorry to hear of the heat and fires. Hopefully something will break soon. Weather-wise that is.
ReplyDeleteTeresa: It is hot and foul here but, for the moment, we are not at risk of fire. Bring back winter.
DeleteI'll trade you some of my snow for some of your flowers. Keeping my fingers crossed that those fires burn out.
ReplyDeletemybabyjohn/Delores: I make that trade in an instant.
DeleteTerrible fires and heat with probably more to come. Love your flower photos. Hope all is well at your home.
ReplyDeleteLydia La La: We are expecting heat for at least the next ten days. I am hoping that the fires do not reach the levels of devastation they have over the last few years.
DeleteHow lovely to see such gorgeous flowers. Everything is whit here. I hope you are not in danger from the fires, and the heat isn't doing you in too badly.
ReplyDeleteKaren: Thank you. The flowers are a solace - even though at the moment I can only go out at first light. The heat has jellified both my legs and my brain.
DeleteThe news of the weather is distressing and hardly offset by the flowers you sent our way, lovely as they are. Keep cool.
ReplyDeleteJoanne Noragon: You are very right. At the moment there are fires in at least three states, and the news has been heart-breaking.
DeleteI'll cross my fingers and hope your flowers survive the heat wave. Tomorrow down here its gunna be 36C so i'll be turning the air conditioning to full blast.
ReplyDeleteWindsmoke: We have been over 36 for a few days now, and it is doing my head and my garden in. Bring back winter - which is my refrain of the day (and season).
DeleteBeautiful lilies - and those begonias!!
ReplyDeleteStay cool - my daughter and her family are here at the moment, and are quite glad they're not back in Adelaide for this heatwave. It's a pleasant 25-28 here lately; I can handle that :)
Alexia: Adelaide temperatures have been beyond foul. I have a brother there, and your daughter and family are well out of it. Your temperatures sound sooooo much better.
DeleteThese are lovely. Quite a contrast to our snowy landscape. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteKathleen: What I wouldn't give for your snow at the moment... And a happy New Year to you and yours.
DeleteI hope you survive the heat....you do have beautiful flowers to remember
ReplyDeleteKim @ Stuff: I hope I survive the heat as well - and that some of the garden does.
DeleteHere's hoping you'll get some rain for you and your beautiful flowers, the lilies are amazing. Thinking often of you both x
ReplyDeletebugerlugs63: Thank you - rain would be wonderful. I hope things are picking up for you.
DeleteWhat lovely things you have in you garden. Mine, everywhere except the 'air-conditionng' directly around the house to shade the walls, is dry and sere. have lost my beloved birch and the roses have crisp yellow leaves. The paradise I had planted around me, is mainly dead and shrivelled to the very walls of the house. But one little joy remains. My potted Oriental lilies are just opening and spreading their scent liberally to the wind.
ReplyDeleteI survived the 45 degree heat by wrapping myself in a wet sheet, the old Koolgardie safe trick . . . works every time. A wet towel over head and shoulders is great too. It certainly stops the brain boiling out of your ears!
Arija: Oh no. Your poor garden - and poor you, when your hopes, your dreams and your sheer hard work are crispified in the sun. I do love our Orientals - and they seem to be thriving in the sun.
DeleteOOoo, S,
ReplyDeleteyour garden is stunning---a beautiful colorful reflection of YOU. xx
My Inner Chick: Thank you. Believe me, on its better days the garden surpassing the inner me by a long way.
DeleteEC, you have the loveliest garden. I'll take these flowers to my dreams tonight. Stay safe and cool, and I'm praying there are no fires near you.
ReplyDeleteAustan: What a lovely thing to say. I hope my flowers perfume your dreams well. No fires near us at the moment. Fingers and toes crossed.
DeleteBeautiful flowers! I, too, have a garden (nowhere near as abundant as yours!) where I love to spend time, but it often seems too overwhelming in the heat. I've been forced to use my cool vest (it's anything but) on the worst days. From a distance, it looks like a jaunty safari vest (which one might wonder about in broiling heat).
ReplyDeleteMs Cranky Pants: Welcome - and I love your name. I have a cool vest too, but find it hard to wear. And yes, at the moment the garden IS overwhelming. It is fine at dawn, and for maybe an hour after that.
DeleteOh no, I'm so sorry that it's so hot there. Cannot be much fun for you or Jazz n' Jewel. It's so nice that you share those beautiful flowers with us. I'm hoping that maybe in Britain this year, we actually get some semblance of a summer:)
ReplyDeleteTake care, try to stay cool and here's to a peaceful, positive 2013.
In kindness,
Gary
klahanie: Thank you. It is vile. Vile, and not a lot of fun. The cats are in the wardrobe and will come out again after dark. A peaceful and positive year ahead to you, the supremely talented Penny and Tristan as well.
Delete"I don't do heat well"
ReplyDeleteIs Australia really the place for you?
Consider a move to Scotland?
Don QuiScottie: If I only had myself to consider I would most definitely move. Tasmania is a possibility - though today they are in the midst of firestorms.
DeleteBeautiful blooms. May they stay the heat without wilting - unlike me.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I am so not a hot-weather person either. I seriously dislike high summer. Although, it was much worse in Perth than it is here. Uggh. So depleting.
Roll on Autumn, my favourite season.
Had to smile at the previous comment by Don QuiScottie. Scotland sounds perfect right about now :)
Vicki: Scotland does sound very, very good at the moment. Or really anywhere with snow...
DeleteThose flowers are so vibrant that I do believe I could smell them over here in THIS hemisphere. Beautiful! I do hope you will get some relief from the heat. I don't do heat well, either.
ReplyDeleteDJan: I am glad that you also got some benefit from the blooms. And the scent is intoxicating.
DeleteAnd to think that I hated flowers as a kid. Tonight, mulling heavy body pains and bad medical news, I found the sun falling on the flowers in the second photo particularly assuaging. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteJohn Wiswell: I am so sorry about both your pain and your bad medical news. I hope that relief for both is possible and quick. I only became a garden obsessive relatively late in life, and it is remarkably soothing - when it isn't driving me to distraction.
DeleteBeautiful flowers this week, as always. I don't do heat well either and wish I could hunker down inside, but I'll be standing at hot bus stops, riding hot buses, working at a hot checkout...yes the store has airconditioning, but mostly in the body of the store and the checkout area is warmer, so I get hot. Pfft! grumblegrumbegrumble.....
ReplyDeleteI love your garden.
River: I feel for you. We have been too hot, and you have been hotter than us. And it sucks that the check-out area is warmer, you are there all day and need some support. Grumbling sounds perfectly reasonable to me.
DeleteWhat utterly gorgeous flowers! Hope you can keep cool and sane in the heatwave.
ReplyDeleteladyfi: Coolish and saneish...
DeleteThose are absolutely beautiful. Particularly like the one taken through the star.
ReplyDeleteRiot Kitty: Thank you. I was quite impressed when I realised that my stars formed a frame for the lilies.
DeleteSuperb images, as always. A real delight to come across on a dull foggy morning. Just what was needed, so much thanks.
ReplyDeleteDave King: Thank you. The garden is giving me solace on these vilely hot mornings as well - though I can't go out into it at the moment.
DeleteSorry to hear about the fires in the land of Oz, fires cause so much destruction and you definitely do not need the added heat.
ReplyDeleteOn a brighter note, your garden flowers are beautiful and I love the rainbow of happy colors!
Hugs and smiles across the miles :)
Be well and happy
Pam:): Thank you. I am hoping that the fires are brought under control tonight. All of them. More hot weather is predicted (threatened) for the next week or so.
DeleteSuch gorgeous flowers and beautiful photography! Hopefully, the fires will die down soon. I know they have their place in nature but they are so destructive.
ReplyDeleteLaura Eno: Thank you. Fires are both destructive and frightening and I do hope relief arrives soon.
DeleteAll these record heat waves and wildfires around so much of the world are very frightening. I hope your temps moderate soon, and that rains come to extinguish those fires. Meanwhile, you're doing the right thing by just keeping cool inside - and I hope your flowers are as resilient as they are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI especially love the purple -geranium? (fifth one down), and the yellow lilies beneath it that look like they're in a rainforest!
All your roses are beautiful, but that last photo is really something special. Thank goodness for Sunday Selections, I'd hate to think we'd miss out on so many of your wonderful photos!
Laloofah: Fingers crossed about the fires - there is no rain forecast though.
DeleteThat is a geranium. A dainty little thing. My roses are crispy critters after the extreme heat. Those last photos are tuberose begonias which live on the front veranda. Another obsession of mine. I bought another ten this season.
Beautiful and love that sunlight in the photos, too.
ReplyDeleteLynn: Thank you - those less sunlight would be very nice.
DeleteHeavenly... even with the heat, it is beautiful. Thank you for sharing...
ReplyDeleteCindi Clarke: Thank you.
DeleteI suspect the cacti are the only living things thriving there at the moment (and I've never seen one like that so covered in flowers--beautiful!) A living hothouse you have.
ReplyDeleteYes, the fact that Australia is spontaneously combusting all over the place has even penetrated the bubble that is American news. It makes me feel queasy every time I just read any description of Australian summer. A vision of hell, climatically speaking. I feel so bad for you. It's hellish for anyone, but for someone with MS... very serious... I suspect it is also very serious for your black, heat-absorbing cats. No wonder they just want to hide!
Paper Chipmunk (aka Ellen): I think you are right about the cacti. At least something is happy in this vile weather.
DeleteMS is, like the cacti, thriving. Me, not so much. The cats are less than intelligent about the heat. Jazz runs up and down like a mad thing and when I bring him in he lies on the floor and pants. Jewel bakes her furry black belly, and again has to be bought in to avoid heat exhaustion. Hers and mine. So today I am not letting them out. They are not happy chappies. Tough.
ReplyDeleteWow. My envy is palpable here. Such beautiful flowers, right there in front of you. Gorgeous, thanks, love them. x
All Consuming: Thank you - I am more than happy to share them.
DeleteNor do I like excessive heat, so I'll send you a cooling breeze with me best wishes and admiration of your shots!
ReplyDeleteAloha
from Honolulu,
Comfort Spiral
~ > < } } ( ° >
> < } } ( ° >
> < 3 3 3 ( ' >
Cloudia: I am really looking forward to the arrival of your cooling breeze. Some rain with it would be nice too.
DeleteBeautiful pics of beautiful blooms. I, too, hate this heat, EC...thank goodness the tennis is on...that's about all I'm doing at present...watching the tennis. I do wonder how they keep playing in this excessive heat. I hope it cools down somewhat during the Aus Open!
ReplyDeleteI feel for those poor folk in Tasmania...those fires are heartbreaking.
Lee: Now if only I liked the tennis... And yes, my heart is going out to those people in Tasmania. Frightening and heartbreaking.
DeleteOh Soosie you have the colours and the light I am so craving for...Could we arrange for a quick exchange...You'd have grey and wet and I'd have hot and colourful...What do you think?
ReplyDelete;-)
I am glad to come here as your photographs give me energy Thank you
farawayinthesunshine: I would swap with you in a heart beat. Grey and wet sounds simply blissful.
DeleteWhat a magnificent array of flowers in your garden. I, too, hope that they survive the heat. I don't do heat well either, at least not humid heat. I get menopausal when I am too hot and can't escape it. I hope you have ways of excaping it, like air conditioning, yes? We had a long hot summer here too, but right now heat is the least of my worries. It is in the teens to low 30's here and I am wearing at least two and sometimes three layers of clothes when I go out with my Izzi (who loves the cold because she comes equipped with a thick fur coat). Not sure which is harder to deal with.
ReplyDeleteIn response to your comment on my MOM picture, you were exactly right. Only in my view it was man turning his back on nature and building walls between himself and the values that we must have to save our planet. Pretty much the same as what you saw. I am pleased that you could see it so clearly and you weren't at all being a tosser. You really amaze me sometimes ...
Andrea @ From The Sol
Andrea: The garden is another of my obsessions. I dedicate time and money and energy I don't have to it. I have an evaporative cooler which helps a lot, but it is still well over my sweet spot. MS thrives in the heat, so naturally I prefer its absence.
DeleteI am glad that I wasn't too far off the mark on your MOM picture. It spoke loudly and clearly to me, but I wasn't at all certain that I was hearing correctly.
I so sympathize with your reaction to the heat. In the summer it seems like I just struggle from day to day, somehow making it through the months of heat. And you have even higher temperatures in your country. Someone above mentioned a "cold vest"; have you ever tried a neck wrap? They have absorbent gel inside; you soak them in ice water and they stay cool around your neck for quite awhile without dripping. If you have basic sewing skills and can access the gel beads, you can make them easily (the directions are on about.com under the sewing heading).
ReplyDeleteI do hope the fires are brought under control, and that you and your lovely garden don't have to wait too long for a cooler day.
jenny_o: Thank you. It has always seemed so much easier to get warm than it is to cool down, and MS has added to the problem. I have a cold vest, and several neck wraps. Some days they are all that keeps me sane(ish). I find the vest too constricting but the wraps are fine - and help a lot.
DeleteThe fires are looking worse rather than better tonight, and high winds and high temperatures are forecast for tomorrow. I really, really hope they can be brought under control.
I am freezing here so hearing about heat makes me wanna jump in the first plane and pay you a visit :). Those flowers seem surreal to me :).
ReplyDeleteunikorna: You would be more than welcome. I am longing for winter.
DeleteThis lilies are OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!!!!! However I think my all time favorites are the begonias... I love begonias... thank you for sharing!!!!
ReplyDeleteNicky HW: The lilies are a joy, but I have a very soft spot for begonias. We bought another ten this year and I am on tenterhooks waiting to see what colours they are.
DeleteThese are a joy to see. Each one a smile. I don't do heat either. In fact in the height of summer I turn all kinds of shades if I am outside for too long. I practically glue myself to an air-conditioned room for as long as possible.
ReplyDeleteDeniseinVA: thank you. It is soooo much easier to get warm than it is to get cool isn't it?
DeleteWhat a spectacular garden!
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to my cousins over the 'Ditch' during these heatwaves. Terrible. Absolutely terrible.
Stay safe - and stay cool.
Wendy akai Quillfeather: Thank you - the garden is a work in progress. As all gardens are. And yes, the heatwaves and the fires are worrying.
DeleteThey are so beautiful and one can only hope, with your tender help, they will survive the heat.
ReplyDeleteMimsie: Things are not looking good at the moment, but hopefully some things will survive.
DeleteI simply had to take a second peek to satisfy my need for beauty; aww that soothed my soul, thanks :)
ReplyDeletePam:): Thank you.
Delete