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. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.
Like River I usually run with a theme. This week is a little more random.
I am going to start with a not very good photo of some of our kitchen gadgets. The lovely jenny_o recently posted a picture of a potato brush which makes her smile. It would make me smile too and you can find it here. I thought that we had nothing quirky to share, but familiarity obviously breeds contempt. This photo is of part of the window sill over the sink (and reminded me the windows badly need washing).
The white blob is a Babushka doll and the nesting set unscrews to provide us with measuring cups. The motor cycle is himself's pizza cutter. The pink elephant is a tea infuser for the days when a cup rather than a pot is required. And I smile every time I balance it on a mug. And nearly obscured is a blue bird whose beak is a can opener. In front of that is yet another tea infuser. Ar the back are our smiling salad/pasta spoons. And I rearranged nothing for the photo.
The next photos are part of the reason our windows need washing. Last weekend was windy. Very, very, windy. And a bright and beautiful afternoon was darkened by a dust storm.
After which I am going to revert to type and feature some of the birds who have been visiting recently.
I do love the corellas.
This pair of King Parrots eat from our hands. And goodness we feel privileged.
The Rainbow Lorikeets are rare visitors - but welcome.
And this Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo also eats from our hands. We are very, very lucky. Finishing up with another of my multitude of obsessions - the sky. This sunset kept me enthralled throughout the display.
And I liked the way the jet trail neatly bisected the sky.
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. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.
Like River I usually run with a theme. This week is a little more random.
I am going to start with a not very good photo of some of our kitchen gadgets. The lovely jenny_o recently posted a picture of a potato brush which makes her smile. It would make me smile too and you can find it here. I thought that we had nothing quirky to share, but familiarity obviously breeds contempt. This photo is of part of the window sill over the sink (and reminded me the windows badly need washing).
The next photos are part of the reason our windows need washing. Last weekend was windy. Very, very, windy. And a bright and beautiful afternoon was darkened by a dust storm.
After which I am going to revert to type and feature some of the birds who have been visiting recently.
I do love the corellas.
This pair of King Parrots eat from our hands. And goodness we feel privileged.
The Rainbow Lorikeets are rare visitors - but welcome.
And this Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo also eats from our hands. We are very, very lucky. Finishing up with another of my multitude of obsessions - the sky. This sunset kept me enthralled throughout the display.
And I liked the way the jet trail neatly bisected the sky.
Beautiful birds and so cool that they eat from your hands. At a nearby park, I can lure chickadees and titmice to eat from my hands but I haven't tried it at home though the chickadees fly right up to me while I am filling the feeders. And a motorcycle pizza cutter, also cool. I don't have any unusual kitchen implements though I do have a collection of beautiful wine stoppers.
ReplyDeleteSue in Italia/In the Land of Cancer: Only a few of our avian visitors will eat from our hands. The King parrots and two cockatoos. There are corellas considering it though.
DeleteWe have some nice wine stoppers too. I would love to see yours.
Dirty windows? Those windows look just fine from my perspective.No, I will not take pictures of my windows;just take my word that yours are NOT dirty.
ReplyDeletedinahmow: The windows are grubby, but cleaning them is low on my agenda. I try and keep the front windows (the bird watching windows) better. And they need attention too.
DeleteI do love your Rainbow Lorikeets and the Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo, aren't they excellent. Beautiful sky.
ReplyDeleteBob Bushell: You would have a lovely time with our birds - and your photos would be exceptional.
DeleteI've been thinking about how humans - versus other living beings - have intense emotions. Yet those bird photos challenge that theory. Very evocative.
ReplyDeleteBe well, EC.
Have a lovely weekend and new week.
Rawknrobyn: Of course birds and other animals feel emotion. Often intensely. And I don't think that is anthromorphism at play.
DeleteI hope your weekend is joy filled.
It's always wonderful to see your birds. They are so beautiful and make me smile.
ReplyDeleteLove your quirky kitchen gadgets!
It still looks hot there where you are. I hope you find some coolness soon.
River Fairchild: Thank you. The weather is weird here, but the nights at least are cooling down. Yay.
DeleteAnd the birds make us smile too. Even knowing that their incontinence means the veranda needs scrubbing. Again.
Dear EC
ReplyDeleteThe birds that visit you are so beautiful! I do like the smiling utensils - they made me smile too. A lovely sunset too.
Best wishes
Ellie
Ellie Foster: We have had the smiling utensils for a very long time. So long that I have no idea where we found them. Smiles are always welcome though.
DeleteI'm very boring. I don't have any novelty gadgets.
ReplyDeleteI was standing at my kitchen sink on Friday afternoon, and I spotted, just a few metres away, a very large hare. Harry, the Hare, I named him. He was a big fellow. I think he was scouting about finding places to hide Easter eggs!!
I hope you and yours have a wonderful week and coming Easter weekend, EC...enjoying it the way you choose to...and cuddles to Jazz. :)
Lee: I am boring too. And thought that we didn't have any novelty gadgets. How wrong I was.
DeleteI haven't seen a hare in years. Lucky you. I hope you and the furry overlords have a wonderful week.
Your window sill has lots of character, EC.
ReplyDeleteThe birds are wondrous! Lucky you! Our poor avian friends are miserable by comparison. Love them though!
Marie Smith: Our house is cluttered and eclectic. There is character (and dust) but it is a very mixed bag. I love our birds and would love to see yours.
DeleteThat pink elephant is precious, and the birds are amazing.
ReplyDeletemessymimi: I really like the pink elephant. I gave it to himself but get at least as much fun out of it as he does.
DeleteWhat a happy little kitchen set you have!
ReplyDeleteBirdie: Of course they are happy. They get to watch the work and only sometimes have to do their part.
DeleteIt's nice to be faced by the smiling utensils. Great bird photos. We have been invaded in Melbourne's eastern and southern suburbs by corellas. Noisy but I don't think they are as naughty as cockatoos.
ReplyDeleteAndrew: The corellas aren't as naughty as the cockatoos. Or not that I have seen. They are indeed noisy, but full of charm. And you would like seeing them drag pigeons off the feeder by the tail or a wing.
DeleteYour kitchen gadgets made me smile, too. And those birds are simply awesome, as always. You are very, very lucky indeed. Thank you for sharing them with me. :-)
ReplyDeleteDJan: I am glad you liked the birds, and the kitchenalia (a word I came accross watching Bargain Hunt).
DeleteI love those kitchen gadgets. I had to enlarge the photo see find the bluebird can opener. I'd love to have one of those :-)
ReplyDeleteJamie Ghione: It is fun isn't it? If ever I come across another I will send it to you (though I should add it is another thing we have had for years).
DeleteYour kitchen stuff is cute, and I always love the birds. Hugs!
ReplyDeletee: Thank you. We love them too. Hugs back to you.
DeleteThe Corellas are very noisy in large groups we had about a hundred of them two houses up from us someone was feeding about 4 in the afternoon and they were waiting for their dinner every day and very talkative they were.
ReplyDeleteMerle.........
Merlesworld: Young corellas are even noisier than the adults. One afternoon we watched an adult rap a whinging youngster firmly on the head. It shut up and inside we applauded.
DeleteI do like the photograph of the kitchen gadgets - it's fun!
ReplyDeleteA great selection of birds too, but it's your sunset photographs that I think are my favourite, the colours are glorious.
All the best Jan
Lowcarb team member ~Jan: Thank you. I am a sky addict and watch the horizon at dawn and dusk most days.
DeleteHi EC - fun kitchen implements ... and wonderful they are all there on the sill awaiting their turn - love the motorcycle pizza cutter - but the pink elephant ... lovely. Dust storms I can do without - hail and rain are in vogue here at the moment! I've got to find out what our birds are ... so many new ones for me to get to grips with ... none as happy as your private feeding beaks - lucky things - you and them! Cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteHilary Melton-Butcher: We could do with some rain. Rather a lot of rain. We have had fifteen spits today. With luck some real rain will fall. And I love your description of the hand-feeders as feeding beaks.
DeleteWhat fun! I love all the kitchenalia (thank you for passing that word on) but somehow those smiling spoons just make me smile in return! Thank you for the mention in your preamble.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful birds - lucky you to get to see them every day. And even more, to hand feed them. I suspect getting to that stage involved a great deal of patience.
If you could see our living room window you would realize what dirty really is. The salt that is put on our icy streets blows around whenever the wind comes up. I keep the curtains closed . . .
jenny_o: Those smiling spoons have little feet too. Which crack me up.
DeleteCoaxing the birds to eat from our hands did take a little patience - but was worth it. So very worth it.
Dirty salt? Ugh. I would keep the curtains closed too.
That's a very bright jet trail. I LOVE your window display. I always meant to buy a set of nesting doll measuring cups, just never got around to it. I have plastic spoons with "faces". The motorbike pizza cutter is a novel idea that I've never seen anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteThe corellas look lovely and clean, for now. With autumn coming they'll soon be muddy again. You're very lucky to have a sulphur crested eating from your hand.
River: When the skinny one's sister was staying with us she said that each visit/day she noticed something new. The house is very crowded. The corellas are clean at the moment. And we have no rain for them to get muddy. Sigh.
Delete'Friendly cocky and almost friendly cocky' visit daily now. And almost friendly cocky will allow us to feed him probably every second visit.
I imagine they can be pretty noisy--- I've had a couple--- but I still love all the various parrots!
ReplyDeleteBill: The cockatoos and the corellas ARE noisy. The Rainbow Lorikeets less so - perhaps because they only visit in small numbers. Despite the noise (and vandalism) we love them too.
DeleteLovely bird and sky shots! And your kitchen utensils are charming!
ReplyDeleteLady Fi: Thank you.
DeleteGorgeous, amazing, colorful birds. I just find them AMAZING. xxxx
ReplyDeleteMy Inner Chick: We do too. Still. And I hope to never lose that wonder.
DeleteI always enjoy your photos, especially the ones of the sky. Gorgeous sunset.
ReplyDeleteMason Canyon: Thank you so much. We had a pretty sunset and a double rainbow last night too. Bliss.
DeleteI really like the kitchen utensils...so colourful and bright!☺
ReplyDeleteAnd the views are amazing!! Such a stunning landscape...I have never experienced a dust storm. Must be quite scary!
Wow...those gorgeous bird photos...such fantastic colours!!
A brilliant post.😊😊
Many thanks for sharing. xoxoxo
Ygraine: The wind which brought the dust storm was scary. And trees were brought crashing down across the city. Not here, but my heart aches for those affected.
DeleteWe do love our birds, and colour. Thank you.
the first Corella photo is a great portrait. I like it a lot. I feel like I've come to know the birds of your area over the years, come to love them, know what they are, and how much you enjoy them. The King Parrots are another of my favorite.
ReplyDeleteStrayer: Thank you. I am very, very glad to spread the birdie love. And hope that we will see Eastern Rosellas again soon - which are another of our favourites.
DeleteHave any of your birds ever come to rest on your shoulder? I'd die as I so love birds.
ReplyDeletedonna baker: The King Parrots occasionally wander up our arms. And it is an amazing feeling. The cockatoos haven't bu their claws are impressive so I am probably grateful.
Deleteah, dust storms, one of the things that brought me East.
ReplyDeleteAuthor R. Mac Wheeler: Awful things aren't they. And that grit on your teeth...
DeleteOh, my, any bird with rainbow coloring is THEE best, in my book. --always thrilled to see your bird photos.
ReplyDeleteThe nesting doll measuring cups are amazing. Clever idea.
Bea: Thank you. We like our white birds too, but the rainbow colours brighten the darkest days/moods.
DeleteMy husband loves to cook but we only have "serious" kitchen gadgets. I think I might gift him with some fun ones like you have on your window sill. Thank you for the bird and sunset pics. I share your fascination with sunsets and wish I had even a few interesting birds visit me. That's why I enjoy your photos so much.
ReplyDeleteHave a good week.
Myrna R.: Thank you. Neither of us does serious well. And both of us love the birds and the sky.
DeleteI still have trouble believing all the parrot species you have there. I once had a few as pets including an umbrella cockatoo that I had for about 25 years. Getting wild ones to eat from your hands is pretty special. Knowing that they can take a finger off of your hand would make me a bit cautious of the wild ones.
ReplyDeleteJono: Other parts of Oz get more and different parrots. I am grateful for the ones we see, but do suffer a little parrot envy. The cockatoos particularly could wreak considerable damage but they have no reason to do so. They are not trapped, and want the food. That said, we are careful.
DeleteMy kitchen is obviously a very boring place compared to yours. All my spoons look like spoons. Potato peelers look like potato peelers. Pizza cutter looks like a pizza cutter. Woe is me! I need more of a life!
ReplyDeleteShammickite: Perhaps your artist's life is richer than ours and you have no need for trivial brightness? And how I envy your creativity.
DeleteYou have fun utensils! So love your birds. I would love to have a bird friend.
ReplyDeletemshatch: We love the birds too. Incontinent vandals though they are.
DeleteFun post all around! Love the kitchen gadgets -- my grandmother collected all sorts of kitchenalia. I still have several items.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you're back to posting, EC. Hope all's well!
Marty K.
Marty K.: Thank you. I have been back for a little while, and missed the blogosphere badly while I was gone.
DeleteWonderful shots of the parrots.
ReplyDeleteWindows seem to always need cleaning.
Margaret-whiteangel: They do don't they? And window cleaning is not one of my favourite jobs.
DeleteWhat I love is that you have displayed all your quirky little utensils and you did it so naturally you didn't even realise you did it!
ReplyDeletekylie: That end of the windowsill is closest to the jug (for tea making) and the cook-top. It had never occurred to me that it had become quirky corner. (Though there is a lot of quirkiness in the house).
Deletewhat sweet idea to share tools and gadgets which bring mile when look at or use!
ReplyDeletei loved these forks and spoons!
absolutely LOVED these gorgeous parrots my most fav bird in whole world:)
hope that windstrom passed and your windows are shining again,her in summers wind stroms are often and our cleaning tools don't get rest like us lol.
Stunning sunset!
baili: The windows still need cleaning. I will get to it. Soon. I promise.
DeleteAnd we love our parrots too. And all the other birds. Thank you.
I love seeing fun gadgets, and makes me want to run out to grab them. The birds are so lovely, and it's cool that they actually eat from your hand. Birds know gentle and wonderful people. Hugs...RO
ReplyDeleteRO: The birds, like the cats, know a sucker when they see one. The King Parrots 'peep' to let us know they have arrived. And if we are slow the peeping escalates.
DeleteHugs to you too.
Beautiful birds!
ReplyDeleteI have that babushka doll. Small world. :)
Those are some very happy spoons. Hahah!
Sandi: I love the way the world has shrunk in recent years. And the internet is a big part of that. Smiling at your comment about the happy spoons.
DeleteThose little kitchen gadgets make going into the scullery a joy! Lovely pictures again--the tree silhouettes, the birds--so lovely.
ReplyDeletecleemckenzie: Thank you. Going into the kitchen is a mixed blessing. Sometimes a joy, and sometimes, despite the gadgets, work.
DeleteDear EC, I so love/enjoy an apricot sky! Thank you for sharing. Like you and like jenny_o I have a number of strange looking "helpers" in my kitchen. Most of them are gifts that family and friends have found for me.
ReplyDeleteI looked at your balloon posting and marveled at the one with the tree silhouette as well as the bird and Kermit. I miss watching them float over my home in Stillwater. The town nestles in the St. Croix River Valley and that waterway was a wonderful ribbon for the balloons to follow. Peace.
Dee: I love the image that a ribbon waterway with balloons following puts in my head. And yes, most of these gadgets were gifts. And appreciated.
DeleteDear EC, the cats and I would stand in my side yard in Stillwater, MN--the river was just blocks away--and watch the balloons drift over. Often we could hear the gas as someone in the gondola pulled the lever and the cats would jump and run for the door! Peace.
DeleteDee: That jet of propane can be really loud can't it? I am not surprised the cats ran to safety.
DeleteGlorious shots. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from London.
A Cuban in London: Thank you.
DeleteThis is another great post! The gadgets, the birds ... the beautiful birds I have only seen in pictures... and some maybe at the zoo decades ago. The sky is also beautiful!
ReplyDeleteCaterina: Thank you. We have just been sitting on the front steps feeding the King Parrots. Seed first, and then apple. They were happy - and so were we. Very happy.
DeleteLove seeing your kitchen toys and the pizza cutter is fun. Are you able to find the potato brush online?
ReplyDeleteThe Happy Whisk: I probably could find the potato brush on line, but I am trying to have less things not more. And have been making some steps in the right direction. Yesterday I even convinced himself to throw out some things...
DeleteBirds are such happy warm blooded creatures. I figure they flap their wings to keep warm.
ReplyDeleteSpacer Guy: More often they seem to huddle in and fluff up to stay warm. How I would love to have their flying ability.
DeleteLovely, colorful birds and great sunset photos.
ReplyDeleteRasma Raisters: Thank you. Dawn shots this morning.
DeleteThe corellas look so fluffy!
ReplyDeleteJohn Wiswell: They do, don't they? Which I hadn't noticed. Their characters aren't fluffy though. At all.
DeleteLove the corellas- cute kitchen gadgets, and I like your sky shots. I want that smiley faced slot spoon. :)
ReplyDeleteTerri: It is nice to have something in the kitchen smiling at you. Very nice.
DeleteThe smiling utensils are my fave. All of the items are fun though!! I wonder if we have something fun I'm forgetting. I can't think of a thing (except our googly eyes bag closer/magnet). I'll have to change that... :) And yes, you are lucky the birds eat from your hands. So gorgeous!
ReplyDeletemail4rosey: We have those googly eyes too. And a few other quirky bag closers. I suspect you will find more quirkiness than you realise - as I did.
DeleteJust stopping by to check out the beautiful birds again. Happy Wednesday and Hugs...RO
ReplyDeleteRO: Thank you. I think there will probably be more bird photos this coming Sunday. Thursday morning here, and shortly I am heading off to be a volunteer.
DeleteHugs.
As always, what wondrous offerings. Mornings at your place are a gift from nature aren't they? Not to mention hand feeding the birds. I smile just thinking about it.
ReplyDeleteI love your kitchen area. What fun:)
Have a day filled with warm (not hot:) sunshine and sparkle.
Sandra Cox: Thank you. The day is going to be warmer than I like but the nights at least have cooled down. Yay.
DeleteG'day EC! Sorry I've been so inconsistent with visiting and blogging lately. Laziness is my current excuse.
ReplyDeleteI loved all your images! Of course, I find the birds especially interesting. How blessed you are to have such colorful creatures eating from your hand!
Your "smiling sill" made me, well - smile! :)
Hope you're having a fantastic week!
Wally Jones: Apology not necessary. I am on the lazy side myself, and sometimes life gets in the way. We do know how lucky we are.
DeleteThe sunset is gorgeous, and so are the birds! Love the quirky kitchen gadgets.
ReplyDeleteNilanjana Bose: Thank you. The small things are HUGE in my world. Though you might also like the previous post which is filled with big things I also love.
DeleteHello my friend EC!
ReplyDeleteI like so much your kitchen gadgets!
I saw the potato brush and it makes me smile too.
So beautiful the pictures of the afternoon! Love your gorgeous sunset too! Just amazing the jet trail on the sky!
LOVE all birds! The corellas are gorgeous and I would love to see them "in person".
Lots of Hugs and much Love!!
sonia a. mascaro: tThank you so much. The corellas are cheeky charmers - and may feature in next Sunday's post as well.
DeleteHugs and love to you too.
I do love when the birds who visit my deck eat out of my hands! Love seeing all of your bird photos and your quirky kitchenware. :) It's interesting the little items we have like that.
ReplyDeleteThe dust storm sounds messy. I didn't have one- but still my windows could use a washing. :)
~Jess
DMS ~Jess: Being able to hand feed the birds is an incredible privilege isn't it? What sorts grace your feeder (and hand).
DeleteThe dust storm was nasty. And the wind which brought it resulted in thousands of houses losing power, and far too many trees falling.
That potato brush made me smile and I LOVE all your kitchen gadgets! LOL! Makes me want to go out and buy some fun things for the kitchen! They are all so cute! LOL! I can imagine how bad the dust storm was! It must be amazing having all those birds around you! WOW! Truly breath taking! Big Hugs!
ReplyDeleteMagic Love Crow: Wasn't that potato brush clever. I would use that with a smile. And the birds bring us constant joy. This weekend I hope to put up our bearded raven which I think you would love.
DeleteI repeat I LOVE your birds! They are so amazing. You also have cute kitchen gadgets also. Wow what a dust storm
ReplyDeleteKim Standard: Thank you. The birds bring us soooo much joy. And some work. Worth it though.
DeleteLove the birds! In fact I love all the photos!
ReplyDeleteNasreen: Thank you. We do love our birds.
DeleteStunning collection! The birds, but I also like the fun kitchen tools, especially the wee elephant and smiling spoons. x
ReplyDeleteAll Consuming: Thank you. There is a lot of room for quirkiness in my world. And that need is often met.
DeleteYou've got me wondering if I have anything of kitchenish interest, I think I fail while you get an HD. Beaut birds, we're so lucky
ReplyDeleteKim: We are indeed lucky. Very, very lucky.
DeleteWhat beautiful blue eyes on the corellas.
ReplyDeleteSandra Cox: They wear blue eye-makeup better than any human I have ever seen.
DeleteYour kitchen utensils are delightfully whimsical. I love that kind of stuff. Our daughter recently gave me some monkey salad tongs. You pick up the salad with the cymbals in his hands. Really cute!
ReplyDeleteYour bird and sky pictures are gorgeous, as always.
Have a super weekend.
Susan: Your monkey salad tongs would find a home here if ever we saw them. Thank you - and a wonderful weekend to you and Smarticus too.
DeleteA pure feast for the senses and the imagination. I completely adore that frog... and the heart.
ReplyDeleteRoyalRuby
Gclub
co coya: The frog was a bit creepy while it was inflating.
DeleteI love the native birds of Australia At my previous house where we had too much space and garden I would feed them at no particular time yet as soon as I made my presence known-and with food of course They would gather in a short space of time, Even our Two cats would observe from a safe distance having learned a lesson or two particularly from the magpies. Have a lovely Easter EC .
ReplyDeleteVest: We love them too. And they are quick to gather and let us know when it is time for them to eat. Jazz (and Jewel) lusted after them at first, but these days Jazz is far too lazy. Jewel was ambitious and thought she should have a cockatoo. Fortunately (for her) she never succeeded.
DeleteI love these parrots so much. But your first photo is great, very nice kitchen tools.
ReplyDeleteWish you Happy Easter.
A big hug
orvokki: Thank you. I hope you and your family have a delightful Easter.
DeleteI will be visiting Australia later this year and will look forward to renewing my acquaintance with many of these birds.
ReplyDeleteDavid Gascoigne: Welcome and thank you. What part of Oz are you visiting? We have some wonderful birds, but they vary considerably with location.
DeleteWe will be there for three weeks; one week each in NSW, Tasmania and Victoria.
DeleteDavid Gascoigne: Enjoy. I expect you will see some that are familiar visitors here, and some marvels that I rarely see.
DeleteHoppy Easter, EC.
ReplyDeleteSandra Cox: Thank you. And to you and yours.
DeleteLove your gadgets! And those gorgeous birds, so mercifully free. They are always in cages here.
ReplyDeleteLynn: I am so grateful that I rarely see caged birds any more. They break my soft heart.
DeleteOh thank you for all these lovely birds, and especially the first one, it's like it is alive with character! Just beautiful. Your kitchen gadgets are quite fun too, and spending time in your kitchen is truly enjoyable I can imagine!
ReplyDeleteKaren S.: The corellas are birds of IMMENSE character. Not all of it good. And we love them.
Delete