Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Sunday 29 June 2014

Sunday Selections #178

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 usually run with a theme.  This week it is a galah coloured dawn which fed my soul.  A chilly, but beautiful start to the day.  And yes, mad woman with camera dances were involved.



And then some galah photos so you can see what I mean.  The match is not exact, but they are certainly grey and pink like the sky and the distant hills.




And then a slightly brighter dawn.  More dances.




And, at the other end of the day, vibrant colour as the day drew to a (stunning) close.





145 comments:

  1. Wow! I am actually surprised at how much the galah and the sunrise match. Beautiful, EC. Hope you are doing well. Thinking of you. :-)

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    1. DJan: Thank you. The skinny one said I imagine the similarities. However he almost never sees dawn - so I ignore him.

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  2. Great shots!!

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  3. Beautiful skyline, brilliant Parrots and the end of superb day. I see blogger has give you the chance, ha ha.

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    1. Bob Bushell: Blogger has relented - and I am grateful. And I do love our skyline.

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  4. Glad you are surrounded by such beauty.



    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    =^..^= <3

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    1. Cloudia: As are you - surrounded by beauty I mean. Thank you.

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  5. Galah Pink ~ sounds like a paint chart sample. Glad your cooler weather has arrived EC and you are enjoying it.

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    1. Carol in Cairns: It is definitely here. We didn't make double figures yesterday and probably won't today. Which is fine by me. And I would love it if Galah Pink became a recognised paint colour.

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  6. I like the birds! What kind are they? Those colors are great..yes, like the sky.

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    1. Bookie: Those are galahs - and regular visitors.

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  7. EC, your photos fed my soul today....lovely. Vickie

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    1. Musings, Tea and Me: What a lovely thing to say - thank you.

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  8. Gorgeous skies, and cute Galahs.

    Gramma is taking me to Australia when I am a bit older, I can't wait to see all the neat birds and critters. beep

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    1. Karen: Galahs do have a cheeky charm don't they?
      Beep: Welcome - and I hope you have a wonderful time when you come to Oz.

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  9. I know how early you must get up to see the sunrise! Anyone can see the sunset. It was a fabulous sunset!

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    1. Joanne Noragon: Insomnia has some benefits. I have beaten the dawn (by some hours) for most of this week. And the sun, the smaller portion and the cats are all still in bed now.

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  10. These are spectacular photos, my friend. Thanks for sharing them.
    Take good care.

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  11. There's nothing quite like the colour of Australia. Whether it be dawn, dusk, or your magnificent wildlife.

    Gorgeous photo's.

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    1. Wendy: Every country has its magic. Yours most definitely.

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  12. ----OMGosh,
    it's Sunday there already. I keep forgetting how far away you are, dear...

    ...because you feel CLOSE and near to me. Always. XXxx LOVELY skies.

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    1. My Inner Chick: Still early, but yes, it is Sunday. Hugs to you.

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  13. I hope you're keeping warm down you way, EC. Finally, the winter woolies are able to get an airing.

    Lovely photos.

    Have a great week. My best wishes to both you and The Skinny One...I hope all is going well for you both. :)

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    1. Lee: It is cool here today - but I like it that way. Himself and the cats are still snuggled into bed.
      I hope you and your furry tyrants have a wonderful week.

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  14. Love the birds..what are they called? Are they the galah? Pretty dawn.

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    1. Sue in Italia/In the Land of Cancer: They are indeed galahs - cheeky charmers.

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  15. Great skies we had a lot of colour lately too.
    I do like the galahs, they are birds with personality.
    Merle....................

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    1. Merlesworld: Not being a farmer I have a big weakness for the galahs too. Lots of personality - and charm.

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  16. The similarities are definitely there, so you are in the right. What a view from home! I like the Galahs. The name is used as a mickey take, for calling some-one an idiot isn't it? "Ya crazy Galah". Not that I'm sure, I think Alf on Home and Away used to say it a lot though *laughs.

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    1. All Consuming: Galahs are supposedly stupid birds - but I can't say I have seen it. They are also supposedly very tough and the urban legend says that they are to be cooked with a stone until the stone is soft. At that point, throw away the galah and eat the stone. And I hope that anyone who does eat them gets incredible, painful and permanent indigestion.

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  17. I've always heard that Australia has no mountains, yet the hills in the photo must surely be upwards of 2,000 feet above their surroundings. I would call them mountains, not big mountains, for sure, but mountains nonetheless. Speaking of Australia, Peggy and I saw and enjoyed "The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert" this week. Are you familiar with it?

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    1. Snowbrush: We have hillocks and rises on the whole rather than mountains. Which look more dramatic as they emerge from the flat landscape. The highest peak in the Brindabella Ranges is just under 2000 metres. And, at the moment, they are often dusted with snow at first light. V pretty.
      I know of Priscilla the Desert Queen, but it is yet another movie I haven't watched - despite hearing good things about it.

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    2. I LOVE Priscilla, Queen of the desert and watch it a couple of times each year.

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    3. P.S. Priscilla is the name of the bus.

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    4. River: Some day I will get to it. But I am a very, very lax movie watcher.

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    5. It's an excellent film, glad you and Peggy got to see it Snow.

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  18. I've never connected galah colouring with a cloudy dawn, but you are quite right. Galahs are generally such a nuisance bird, especially to farmers, but they are so amusing to watch, which I guess where the expression about being a galah came from.

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    1. Andrew: They are certainly birds with a lot of character and, anthromorphising to the max, they look as if they really, really enjoy life. And make for a pretty dawn.

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  19. That first shot is almost dreamy...

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    1. Alex J. Cavanaugh: The early morning mist gave it that impression. It was a bit cool for comfortable dreaming though.

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  20. Great comparisons of the two ends of the day and the morning sky certainly had a galah look about it. We have them around the neighbourhood but for some reason never in my garden. They prefer the park up the road - maybe the grass is greener up there lol
    Take care
    Cathy

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    1. Cathy: We get a lot of birds visiting us. Though the feeders might have a lot to do with that. At the moment there are galahs, corellas and cockatoos. All welcome.

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  21. We have had a beautiful day here today too - and a slight frost I think, although I wasn't up early enough to see it, or do mad woman dances, or take lovely photos like yours... thank you for sharing them with us!

    (This is the second time I've written this. @#*?*! Blogger)

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    1. Alexia: I am sorry that Blogger was being difficult. Again. And very grateful you perservered. It isn't nice here today. Grey, damp, windy and on the cool side. But nice days will come again. And I have the photos to remind me.

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  22. Ah! Mother Nature at her best, beautiful at both ends of the day. Thanks for sharing. Love the galahs, always enjoy seeing them.
    I think Perth is trying to outdo Canberra weatherwise at present. We are having some really cold nights and the days are below 20ºC. Strange to see us actually colder than places in Tassie.
    I see you mention bird feeders. Is it permissible to feed the wild birds in Canberra or are there restrictions? Just wondering as a matter of interest.

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    1. Mimsie: Yesterday and today we struggled to get to double figures. Apparently we did yesterday around ten - and then the temperature dropped by six degrees in half an hour.
      We can feed wild birds here. There are not, as far as I know, any limitations, though we are encouraged to feed them 'appropriate' food. Which we do our best to do.

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  23. I don't think our skies are ever the colours of a galah. Of course, I share your SP's aversion to dawn, so I might just have missed it :) That would be worth getting up for, though. Beautiful shots. Enjoy your cool weather and beautiful skies.

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    1. jenny_o: I suspect that like the smaller portion you are up far later than I am. Mind you, my very, very earling rising at the moment isn't entirely a matter of choice. The dawns are a benefit though. Even though I have to wait a couple of hours to see them.

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    2. I hope that your early risings soon give way to better rest, EC. My husband is a very early riser, as well, but not from choice but because his brain wakens him too early. It is a hard slog through a day without enough rest.

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    3. jenny_o: I am not certain whether it is my brain or habit getting me up now. Fingers and toes crossed that I, and your husband, do better.

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  24. Beautiful skies and birds!

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    1. Teresa: Thank you. How are you and your mama doing?

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  25. i'm loving the pink & grey colour theme!

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    1. kylie: I love it too. And decorated one of the homes we lived in with those colours. Thank you.

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    2. *snap* my older daughter once painted her bedroom in pinks and greys, with a giant pink flamingo on a grey rock mural on one wall.

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    3. River: I liked the colour scheme. Grey carpets and soft pink walls. A restful place...

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  26. What a lovely day! The first shot is just beautiful with that bit of soft valley fog.
    For peonies you need to have or make, alkaline soil. I top dress mine at least twice a year with garden lime. Also, the soil needs to be eel prepared to a depth os at least 18" if not 2' with a goodly layer, I use about a bucket flu of sheep or cow manure and a third of a bucket blood and bone in the bottom layer stirred through with the dug up sub-soil. I can grow Tree Peonies but am gaining to build a shelter of light coloured shade-cloth for perennials and try again.

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    1. Arija: Thank you. I might have to try again. The garden pornographers have been tempting me with catalogues recently.

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  27. I love the sunsets! All that molten gold filling the sky.
    The dawns are too soft for my frame of mind right now.
    Love the galahs too.

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    1. River: I like them both - and in the early morning soft suits me better. Are you ok? It sounds as if something has got you hot and bothered.

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  28. Color coordinated birds and sky. How cool is that?!!!

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    1. Grannie Annie: Very cool - literally and metaphorically at the moment.

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  29. That first photo is postcard material and the second one brought a smile to my face. Thanks.

    Greetings from London.

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    1. A Cuban in London: Thank you - and the galahs always make me smile too.

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  30. Love the first photo and I couldn't help but think of 'purple mountains majesty' words from our national anthem.

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    1. Linda Starr: Thank you - I think I prefer to think of galah dawns than purple majesty though.

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  31. You're right - I'll think of that whenever I see a "galah dawn" from now on.
    We've had some beautiful sunrises and sunsets lately - and they always create happiness. Lovely photos.

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    1. Jackie K: I loved your skies too. There have been some beauties haven't there?

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  32. I love the pink and gray combo! Those mountains are beautiful. I miss a mountain view, living in a very flat area now. Some day I want to SEE the mad woman with camera dance for myself! :)

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    1. River Fairchild: Trust me, you don't want to see that dance... Not a pretty sight.

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  33. I love those beautifully pink skies and also those unique birds. What kind of birds are those?

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    1. Optimistic Existentialist: The birds are galahs. Native to Oz, and more than comfortable in the cities. And on the farms.

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  34. What lovely photos. Every photo is of something special to me (and most people, I suppose). The mountains, the birds, the sunset. They all increase my peace. Thank you so much.

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    1. Myrna R.: They increase my peace too. Each and every time I open my eyes and heart to them.

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  35. Hey Sue,

    As always, I'm captivated by your wonderful photos. Such a galah event, methinks :)

    Hope you had a peaceful weekend, dear lady.

    Gary :)

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    1. klahanie: Dear Gary, as always I am tickled by your puns. You are the punster king.
      I hope your weekend was/is good. Very good. And peaceful.

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  36. Pink and Grey - a classic colour combination beautifully created by nature.
    And, orange-red fire in a wintry sky.

    Thank you EC, these images fed my eyes in a most delightful way :)
    You capture nature at her very best.

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    1. Vicki: Nature is always a delight. Sometimes frightening, but much, much more often beautiful.

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  37. I love the photo of your sunrise. The colors are so soft and calming. A wonderful way to start a day. Thanks!

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    1. Debora: Our dawns often are gentle. A lovely introduction to a new day.

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  38. Just beautiful, EC! I never see sunrises or sunsets like that here because of all the huge gum trees so I love to see your photos!

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    1. Carol: Since the fires rushed through Canberra all too many trees have been removed. Which saddens me - but I do love to watch the sky. Yet another daily obsession.

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  39. I believe I would dance, too, with such inspiration. Lovely that you have that - we don't have quite that kind of color in the sky around here. Love how the sunrise matches the bird. :)

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    1. Lynn: Mad woman dances are a regular occurrence here. And I too love our galah dawns.

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  40. Those are really beautiful and stunning colors. What a wonderful sight to wake up to and to end the day. Those birdies are really cute looking!

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    1. The Furries of Whisppy: Welcome - and thank you. It is a wonderful sight. Always.

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  41. Absolutely gorgeous photos! And how fun that the birds matched the sky (and they surely did). :)

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    1. mail4rosey: I am so glad that other people can see the similarities as well. It has, over the years, been the subject of the odd discussion. Sometimes heated discussions.

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  42. Wow - what a fabulous start to the day.

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  43. the two birds was stellar! love the colors in the sky :D

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    1. Tammy Theriault: And, at the moment, there are about a dozen of them dancing on our lawn. Foreshadowing the colour in the sky? I hope so.

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  44. Such beautiful colors - all in one day. It's amazing what nature offers us, isn't it?
    The two birds are amazing. I truly envy you for your birds.

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    1. Carola Bartz: I never, ever tire of watching the sky - or the birds. And envy you for more than one type of bird which visits you.

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  45. These are gorgeous! You must stay awake a lot of hours ;)

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    1. Riot Kitty: Awake - but not alert. Sometimes the brain fog is much, much thicker than that in the valley below. And not as pretty.

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  46. I love looking at your Sunday Selection photos. All so pretty and inviting.

    We are back after our month long trip to Europe. We woke up in Oslo yesterday morning and went to sleep in our own beds last night. We all agreed it was a fantastic trip but so good to be back home. This vacation was for all of us but mainly for my 93 year old father-in-law who attended the 70th D-Day Commemoration Ceremonies in Normandy and then traced his roots from four generations ago in Norway. We also visited England where I am from. I will be sharing lots of photos and stories in the days ahead, and will try to get some photos on my blog towards the end of the day. Meanwhile, loving visiting again :)

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    1. DeniseinVA: I am looking forward to hearing and seeing glimpses from your trip. And isn't it wonderful to sleep in your own bed (with your own pillows) again.

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    2. It certainly is. I am a bit jet-lagged today but hope to put up another post later on. Have a great day :)

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  47. When the galah flies, does it seem to 'disappear' in the sky?

    Oz has some amazing sunsets. It's rare for us to have sunsets this brilliant, but I did experience one last month. With coconut trees as part of the picture too! Cliche Caribbean but gorgeous!

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    1. Guyana-Gyal: When they fly at dusk or dawn they are hard to see. And I am always amazed at how well some of our more vividly coloured birds can camoflague themselves.

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  48. I clicked on the photos to make them bigger, oh boy! Joy!

    I've been to Oz thrice and how I miss there.

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    1. Guyana-Gyal: You are ahead of me. I have never seen the Carribean - except in pictures. And you have some magic there. Rather a lot of magic.

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  49. So beautiful. Love those colors - and the brightly colored birds in the tree!

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    1. Carol Kilgore: You have a good eye. The King Parrots were just little colourful blurs - but lovely to see.

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  50. A stunning and inspiring set. I can rarely get close enough to a bird for a good photo. I suppose i need a bigger lens.

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    1. M Pax: Thank you. A bigger lens, or more time in your (very) busy world?

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  51. Birds with pink feathers!

    I don't know why, but that cracks me up. Clearly I need to get out of Minnesota...

    Pearl

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    1. Pearl: Very pink feathers. And no, Minnesota needs you.

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  52. I want to dance just looking at the photos. So beautiful!

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    1. Julie Flanders: I did. Wobbly two steps in the street. Fortunately no-one was watching.

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  53. Simply stunning pictures. I love sunsets or sunrises. They just paint the sky brilliantly.

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    1. Furry Bottoms: I love dusk and dawn too. And clouds - whatever the time of the day. So much beauty.

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  54. Are you going to post a video of a mad woman dance someday? :)

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    1. Furry Bottoms: No mad woman dance video. Ever. And in the mornings it would have to be a selfie. Not a happening thing.

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  55. p.s. I just love the new picture of the kitties in the garden below!

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    1. Raquel Somatra: Jazz n Jewel thank you - though it isn't a new picture. They do love to wander through the flower beds.

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  56. hmm. not sure where my original comment went. I remarked a great deal about your gorgeous photos, how the galahs and the hills matched beautifully. :D

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    1. Raquel Somatra: Blessed blogger seems to have eaten your first comment. Thank you for coming back. I feel thoroughly vindicated now that so many of you have agreed that there are indeed similarities between the colours of the galahs and the dawn. Thank you.

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  57. Wow! You could charge a high admission for views like that. Maybe open a B & B!

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    1. Birdie: So long as they didn't want a bed, or a breakfast. But it is beautiful. Every day, in all seasons.

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  58. Gorgeous photos. I love the birds! Seeing your photographs always leaves me with such a good, peaceful feeling. That's a gift!

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    1. Rula Sinara: What a lovely thing to say. The dawn, the dusk, the birds and the garden make me feel at rest too, and I love that you can feel it too.

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  59. Beautiful! You know I always love the bird photos because you have such different ones than I've ever seen! And who doesn't love sunrise and sunset photos?? Our earth is amazing, isn't it? And sometimes, or maybe most times, we take it for granted. My husband and I were sitting on our deck this morning, enjoying a very unusual cooler temperature for our July, and I said how much I love living where we do, in The Midwest of the USA, because we experience all four seasons, and I love them all. Have a wonderful rest of week and weekend, dear Sue!

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    1. BECKY: We too have four distinct seasons - and I am grateful. Though they are a little 'messed up' right now. Hugs.

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    2. I didn't mean that you, in Australia, don't experience all four seasons, although I know it does sounds that way! Silly me! I was referring to places like southern Florida and the Bahamas, etc... :) Although it would be pretty wonderful to live in one of those places for a few months!

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    3. BECKY: I knew what you meant - and there are parts of Australia which don't experience four distinct seasons. Which I would miss. They can grow things I can't - but I do love the autumnal colour and the crispness of winter.

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  60. Very pretty- I like the dawn the best! Have a great weekend!

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    1. Terri @ Backward B Ranch: Welcome - and thank you. I like dawn myself. Rather a lot.

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  61. I like non-existent rules :),

    You pictures,

    and I LOVE your whole energy you share. Look at all the others who agree!!

    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    =^..^= <3

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    1. Cloudia: Non-existent rules are certainly the easiest to follow. And thank you.

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  62. Gorgeous! And the cat in your garden photo looks just like a sweet black cat with copper eyes whom I had for 14 years. :)

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    1. Linda: I have always had cats. And almost always a black cat (or two). One of our black beauties lived to be over 21. And I miss her still. Despite the fact that she was a bitch as well as a beauty.

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  63. beautiful, your driftings along:)
    -Jennifer

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  64. Came by to say hi! :) Been wondering what you were up to. How is the skinny guy? How are you? Love the pictures, as always.

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    1. Furry Bottoms: I was wondering this morning what I have been up to. I seem to have been very busy - with very little to show for it. The skinny one is ok(ish) and so am I.

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  65. Beautiful! Your pictures fed my soul, too, so I can just imagine how exhilarating it was to have those gorgeous skies spread out in front of you. In living color.

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    1. Susan: It was a delight. And I am watching for today's dawn (an hour or so away) to see if it brings the same beauty. Or just a fresh approach of its own.

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