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 has been a busy week, and the next couple will be too. So I am reverting to type.
A less than stellar shot (pun intentional) of the moon over a neighbour's home.
Then the following day's dawn starting from the same angle.
It was a much more dramatic display than we usually see. The next photo is a much more common sight. And also very welcome.
The rainbow lorikeets are here so often we have started referring to them as Piggy and Grunter. Not only do they claim the apples for themselves (evicting much bigger birds) they sometimes demand the feeders as well, with some classic 'dog in the manger' behaviour. They evict other birds from the feeders and then realise that leaves the apples free. So they rush back to the apples. And the feeder. And the apples...
The other birds also give us immense pleasure.
A galah.
And a corella.
I am in full on gardening mode at the moment, planting hundreds of bulbs (and weeding) in the hopes of a spectacular spring display. Lifeline is busy and demanding more than their usual pound of flesh. Himself has several specialist appointments scheduled. And not next week but the week after our gutters and downpipes will be replaced, with (hopefully) roof restoration to follow. In between some insane busyness next week we hope to get to the National Museum (a fascinating building) to see a special exhibition. Cross your fingers, and watch this space.
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 has been a busy week, and the next couple will be too. So I am reverting to type.
Then the following day's dawn starting from the same angle.
It was a much more dramatic display than we usually see. The next photo is a much more common sight. And also very welcome.
The rainbow lorikeets are here so often we have started referring to them as Piggy and Grunter. Not only do they claim the apples for themselves (evicting much bigger birds) they sometimes demand the feeders as well, with some classic 'dog in the manger' behaviour. They evict other birds from the feeders and then realise that leaves the apples free. So they rush back to the apples. And the feeder. And the apples...
The other birds also give us immense pleasure.
A galah.
I am in full on gardening mode at the moment, planting hundreds of bulbs (and weeding) in the hopes of a spectacular spring display. Lifeline is busy and demanding more than their usual pound of flesh. Himself has several specialist appointments scheduled. And not next week but the week after our gutters and downpipes will be replaced, with (hopefully) roof restoration to follow. In between some insane busyness next week we hope to get to the National Museum (a fascinating building) to see a special exhibition. Cross your fingers, and watch this space.
What a gorgeous colour that Galah is. Very fashionable.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the builders!
SmitoniusAndSonata: Welcome and thank you. Years ago I painted the interior of our home galah colours - and loved it.
DeleteMy older daughter once painted her room in soft grey and pink, then did a wall size mural of a pink flamingo on a dark grey rock. And I don't have a photo of it:(
DeleteRiver: Does your daughter have a photo? Or one of her friends?
DeleteDear EC
ReplyDeletePiggy and Grunter may have appalling manners, but they are so beautiful they may just get away with it!
Wonderful skies again - your photos are lovely.
Hope the gardening and bulb planting are going well.
Best wishes
Ellie
Ellie Foster: They are indeed beautiful. I don't think the other birds care though. I am amazed at just how bold they are. Most of the birds they take on are bigger than they are, including Bearded ravens, currawongs and cockatoos.
DeleteWe got over three hundred bulbs in yesterday and hope to repeat that a little later today.
I like your apple idea! It kinda makes me want one.
ReplyDeleteSandi: Having discovered how much so many birds like apples they are a staple on our shopping list now. Sometimes I wonder whether nearby residents with apple trees curse or applaud us.
DeleteThe sheer variety of Australian psittacids is both amazing and a source of wonderment to those of us who never see them in our native surroundings.
ReplyDeleteDavid Gascoigne: We are lucky with our birds, but I suffer from bird envy all over the world. Woodpeckers, hummingbirds, raptors...
DeleteBeautiful sky and birds, as always. And you do sound busy!
ReplyDeleteAlex J Cavanaugh: We are busy. We will be busy. It is mostly positive busyness though. And will come to an end.
DeleteLove 'em! I imagine they're not exactly soft spoken...
ReplyDeleteBill: Very few of our birds are softly spoken. Or melodious. And the rainbow lorikeets can complain very loudly if they arrive and there is no apple left. Even if they are the reason there is no apple.
DeleteI love the Rainbow Lorikeets, they are beautiful. And the skies, and love them as well.
ReplyDeleteBob Bushell: We love them both too.
DeleteIt sounds like you're going to be as busy as those lorikeets, EC. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of great creatures.
I hope you fit in a bit of fun and leisure among all that "busyness"...have a good one. Cuddles to Jazz. :)
Lee: I suspect I am going to be busier than they are - and hope I have better manners. The exhibition at the National Museum definitely comes into the fun category, and I hope we get there.
DeleteI hope you and the furry overlords have a great week.
Beautiful photos. What a colorful sunrise. I miss so much here in the city.
ReplyDeletemxtodis123: Thank you. I suspect you see things that I don't.
DeleteWhat gorgeous birds!!
ReplyDeletefishducky: If only their behaviour was as gorgeous as their looks.
DeleteLovely birds, the lorikeets are very beautiful but the are noisy bunch always fighting.
ReplyDeleteMerle........
Merlesworld: We are only seeing two of them at the moment. They don't fight each other, but do challenge almost everything else. Except the pigeons for some reason.
DeleteI am always eager to see the colorful collection of clowns you have in your yard and read about their antics. All I see here are drab colored birds. And squirrels. Lots and lots of squirrels.
ReplyDeleteRiver Fairchild: Squirrels? I would love to see them. We see a very occasional possum. And have our share of the lbjs (little brown jobs) too.
DeleteWe just had our roof replaced with metal. It will outlast us by decades but alleviates the problems we had any time the wind is high, shingles flying off.
ReplyDeleteThe birds are gorgeous EC. I fear I would spend all my time watching them.
Marie Smith: Our roof is tile and there are some cracked ones. And the gutters are a disgrace. I am not looking forward to the work (or paying the bill) but it will be an improvement. I am not going to admit just how much time we spend watching the birds. Suffice it to say we now recognise some individuals.
DeleteThe sunsets are beautiful, as are the multicolored birds.
ReplyDeleteJamie Ghione: We live in a lovely world don't we?
DeleteAhhh! You've inspired me with the wire through the apple - we get Rainbow Lori's, too, but I shall tempt them with a Granny Smith.
ReplyDeleteJayne: I don't know why but green apples are MUCH better than red ones. The birds will eat the red ones, but make it clear that they are second best. The wire comes from a dismantled coat-hanger.
DeleteFantastic pictures. Oh... I never get tired of looking at those gorgeous colorful birds!!
ReplyDeleteCaterina: We don't tire of them either. Or the other birds. Except perhaps the pigeons.
DeleteEC, here is the lime mousse recipe:
ReplyDeleteLime mousse
Ingredients:
1 can condensed milk
Zest of 2 limes
150 ml lime juice
1 plain yogurt
300-400 ml whipped cream
3 gelatin leaves
A few basil leaves (optional)
In your “mousse bowl” mix the condensed milk, the lime zest and the yoghurt.
Grate lime juice with basil leaves
Add juice and basil mixture to milk and yogurt mixture
Fold whipped cream into the above mixture.
Gelatine: soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water until they are softened then place bowl into a saucepan of gently simmering water and let them melt.
Then add the gelatine to the other mixture.
Decorate with lime zest
Chill for 40 minutes before serving.
P.S. I have seen other recipes which I find less complicated. For some reason, I avoid recipes that call for gelatin leaves! Do not know why.
: )
Caterina: Thank you. I saw that you had posted it on your blog, and was grateful. As a vegetarian I avoid gelatine too. I might explore and create a 'combination' recipe. Next time I feel I have earned a treat.
DeleteMost gelatin these days is NOT animal based, so you can feel safe using it.
DeleteRiver: Thank you. I will investigate.
DeleteSounds like you will be busier than a one-armed wallpaper hanger. Meanwhile, you have lovely views and beautiful bird friends.
ReplyDeletemessymimi: I will be and I do. Thank you.
DeleteLast night I saw the moon through the window opposite our loft, not full but so bright; some of those birds have such attitude, love them. Isn't it sweet each one has their own personality.
ReplyDeleteLinda Starr: Sometimes the personality is better described as poisonality. Just the same it is a privilege to see.
Delete(o)
ReplyDeleteJoanne Noragon: You have lost me.
DeleteI do love the rainbow lorikeets that you get there. Just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteCountryMum: According to the bird books we 'shouldn't' have them, but despite their bad manners they are very welcome. By us anyway. I am not sure about the other birds...
DeleteStellar indeed! You have the most interesting birds down there and I can never get enough of them.
ReplyDeleteJono: Neither can we, despite seeing some of them most days.
DeleteI hope to go to Australia one day and see your sunrises and sunsets and colourful birds. And you. Mostly you.
ReplyDeleteBirdie: You would be so very, very welcome.
DeleteEnjoy your gardening.
ReplyDeleteParrots are always wonderful to see..
Sky is lovely and you sure are busy at the moment - keep cool.
Margaret-whiteangel: The gardening has been productive, despite a fall. I have stopped for the day now. And will start again tomorrow.
DeleteJust back indoors from another weeding stint myself so may have the usual gardeners' split nail typos...
ReplyDeleteGood luck with Gutter Man
dinahmow: I really, really hope that gutter man does his work quickly, efficiently and causes minimum damage. And I hear you on the split nails. And rough hand. And scratches...
DeleteI love the parrots and await your bursts of blooms! Your beautiful postcard arrived this week, a first ever from Australia. Thank you.
ReplyDeletee: I am so pleased your postcard arrived safely. And you will see lots and lots of photos when/if the work comes to fruition.
DeleteTalk about looking straight down the lens. The galah shot is amazing. Don't forget in your busyness to take some time to smell the roses.
ReplyDeleteAndrew: That galah was certainly looking at me wasn't it? And I am essentially a lazy person so there will be some rose sniffing, reading and down time.
DeleteWell, the payoff when the bulbs come up will be worth it. I so love your birds. Will be waiting for the travels.
ReplyDeletedonna baker: I hope the pay off comes. Last year birds destroyed great swathes of the garden. Much of what we are planting is filling in the gaps. There is some greed too though.
DeletePerhaps you could fill a couple of feeders with apples? Or hang seed studded apples? Love that galah looking straight on, looking quite regal.
ReplyDeleteHooray for new gutters! Will you be having gutter guards installed to protect from leaves?
River: We have discovered that if we put apple on the feeders ALL of the birds throw the pieces off. Seed studded apples do happen sometimes. Largely by accident when I carry the cut apple out. The gutters will indeed have gutter guard. There are three very large eucalypts and lots of other trees.
DeleteBeautiful sky shots and as usual I am feeling bird envy!
ReplyDeleteAnne in the kitchen: You get birds we never do, and songsters too.
DeleteI love your parrots They are fantastic
ReplyDeleteGosia k: They are lovely aren't they?
DeleteOut dancecards are full the next few weeks too. Home repairs can be stressful.
ReplyDeleteI’m lovin those birds. The only time we see birds like those is when we go to an avaiary.
Rick Watson: I love the way you put that 'our dancecards are full'...
DeleteGood luck with all those appointments...they sure do cut into your time don't they?
ReplyDeleteonly slightly confused: Thank you. They do indeed eat time. And I hate/loathe and despise waiting around for tradies.
DeleteThose rainbow lorikeets are spectacular!
ReplyDeleteSue in Italia/In the Land of Cancer: They are. And their behavour is spectacular too. Spectacularly bad.
DeleteSkytalk:) I hope I never stop listening:)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the whispers from where you are.
I'm so glad to be here again...i love the way you see and share. Much appreciation from my heart to yours:)
-Jennifer
Jennifer Richardson: I hope that neither of us ever stop listening to skytalk. And marvelling at it too.
DeleteThe Galah is regal looking and beautiful. Behavior of the lorakeets seems something like selfish children wanting it all for themselves. The moon shot is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteStrayer: Selfish children describes the Lorikeets well. And I learned from himself's sister (two states away) that the behaviour is common to the species.
DeleteThose sunrise shots are stunning! And 300 bulbs? WOW!!! Can't wait to see the fruits of your labor when they all come up. You are amazing! :)
ReplyDeleteMarty K
Marty K: We managed to put in a little more than 500 bulbs over the weekend. And hope to repeat that in the coming days. At which point my back/hips will get a break.
DeleteI envy you deeply for these fascinating birds in your garden. Those rainbow lorikeets must be pretty busy between the apples and the feeders - I'd love to see that. I'm missing the orioles this year, they haven't come back to our neighborhood. It does make me a bit sad, they are such sweet chatty birds.
ReplyDeleteCarola Bartz: I hope the orioles do return. I have learned that birds can very easiy attain the status of favoured friend/welcome visitor. The lorikeets are very busy indeed. Sometimes too busy to eat as they defend the territory they claim.
DeleteI understand how your garden helps keep your energy up at the volunteer hotline job. And those colorful birds are creatures that I could watch all day. We don't have the beauties here in CA that you have.
ReplyDeletecleemckenzie: You get some birds I would LOVE to see. And I hear you on the 'watch all day' front. We spend a lot of time each and every day, watching and marvelling.
DeleteLove hearing about your plans and especially the gardening which I cannot wait to see next spring.....and wow those are some beautiful sky shots. Your birds always leave me wanting more of their amazing colors....especially love the colors and red bill of the rainbow lorikeet.
ReplyDeleteDonna@LivingFromHappiness: I hope that the blood, sweat and tears which have gone into the garden does translate to an explosion of colour in the spring. Colour to rival the lorikeets...
DeleteOh, those gorgeous birds! All dressed up, every day. No need for a special occasion :)
ReplyDeleteThe skies are beautiful. The sixth picture is so restful. Pink and grey - one of the best combinations there is, in my opinion.
I hope your upcoming week goes smoothly, EC.
jenny_o: And their special occasion wear always fits too.
DeleteI do love the pink and grey colour combination, and welcome it each gentle dawn. This week and next feel a bit overwhelming. I hope your wishes for smooth sailing come to fruition.
The sky never fails to put on an amazing show.
ReplyDeleteOkay. I will add a galah with my corella.
Susan Kane: They are beautiful birds aren't they? And like so many of our beautiful birds their call is penetrating.
DeleteTruly gorgeous sky photos!! Love them all!
ReplyDeleteAnd, I so love all your birds! WOW! I would have to go to a zoo to see those birds here! So special!
Have fun in the garden!! I'm still raking and trimming down trees and bushes.
Take it easy with all the house stuff! One day at a time!
EC I want to thank you for the wonderful comment on my blog! Means the world to me, to know that people really love my art and "get" it!!
Big Hugs!
Magic Love Crow: I adore the corvid family and am so impressed that you paint them. And as an appreciator I am awed by artists - whatever their genre. Gardening work is never done is it? But worth it. Hugs to you too.
DeleteI agree gardening is never done! LOL! I
DeleteMagic Love Crow: I have had the day off from gardening responsibilities - and am feeling guilty.
DeleteThe rainbow lorikeets can be real bullies but I guess their wonderful colours allows some forgiveness.
ReplyDeletemuch more comfortable gardening weather - I look forward to seeing your bulbs in the spring
Anna: Thank you. I hope that the cockatoos allow the spring display to happen this year. I really hope it.
DeleteGalahs always make me think of domestic violence, but this week it is all about dog bites. Townsville is the dog attack city of Australia. Yesterday we had a lady who had been bitten on the face. one of these days i will catch a photo of the zebra finches outside my house.
ReplyDeleteMad Cat Lady: The small birds, like finches, make greased lightening look slow. Good luck on the photographic front.
DeleteGalahs and domestic violence? You have lost me there.
I meant corellas not gallahs. I can't believe ive been misnaming them my whole entire life!
ReplyDeleteMad Cat Lady: For a very long time I called pelicans albatrosses. I knew it was wrong as soon as it came out of my mouth but I still did it.
DeleteThank you for all these splendid photos EC. Every one of them is a treat and I especially love those gorgeous birds.
ReplyDeleteDenise inVA: Thank you. They are back again this morning and reminding me that gorgeous is as gorgeous does.
DeleteLate stopping by but I always love your photos. I like the first one the best today because there are so many stories that it could be the bases for.
ReplyDeleteMason Canyon: Love that the reader in you sees the stories. That photo could cross several genres too - in my head anyway.
DeleteIsn't it amazing to see how a small piece of our world looks when we get up in the morning? It's quite fascinating. The birds look so happy and colorful. Hugs...RO
ReplyDeleteRO: I am so grateful that the blogosphere has simultaneously shrunk and expanded my world.
DeleteGosh, these sky photos are so striking...and isn't it amazing how different the same view appears at different times of the day and night? Amazing stuff!! :))
ReplyDeleteAnd oh those GORGEOUS birds...oh WOW!!!
Hugs xoxoxo
Ygraine: Thank you. I never tire of watching the sky (or the birds). Always the same, always different.
DeleteI just love your birds, and your description of the lorikeets made me laugh out loud. Great names for them, too. :-)
ReplyDeleteDJan: They really do waste a lot of energy trying to defend their territory everywhere. Simultaneously. While shrieking.
DeleteOh my gosh, look at that galah.
ReplyDeletePiggy and Grunter. Ha ha. Reminds me of our cats:)
That first picture is mind blowing.
Have a glorious one.
Hugs
Sandra Cox: We have had cats who wore the piggy and grunter label well too. Isn't the galah a charmer?
DeleteFunky clouds.
ReplyDeleteYall do have some cool birds.
Author R. Mac Wheeler: We do have some delightful birds. As you do.
DeleteDear EC, when you described the back-and-forthness of the rainbow lorikeets I suddenly thought of ping-pong! Back and forth, back and forth. Their brains must get dizzy with the hurriedness of it all.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the pictures of the gulag. Those colors--gray and burgundy remind me of Victorian pictures I've seen. Peace.
Dee: The galahs are usually a soft pink and grey. I think the more vivid hue relates to adulthood. And yes, I suspect that the lorikeets tire themselves out as well as the watchers.
DeleteI love the bird photos and the texture of the clouds is wonderful. Cloud pictures always reminds me of my best friend...she hates clouds, so any time I travel by plane I always take a bunch of cloud photos just for her.
ReplyDeleteMildred Ratched: Your best friend hates clouds? And she is still your friend? Her other attributes must be spectacular. And yay for taking desensitising photos for her.
DeleteI believe I have a new favorite bird, thanks to you: the rainbow lorikeet. Love its colorfulness.
ReplyDeleteHave a more than pleasant week, EC.
Rawknrobyn: The rainbow lorikeets are small, feisty and a force to be reckoned with. Which could describe a person I know...
DeleteHi EC - way behind ... love those cloud formations - all ... pink skies are always just amazing. Wonderful birds too - one day perhaps I'll actually see them in real life ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteHilary Melton-Butcher: I do hope your travelling ways do bring you here.
DeleteI love nature, technology, birds and sunny horizons.
ReplyDeleteSpacer Guy: We share some loves. I am torn about technology though. Some of it is wonderful and some is. not.
DeleteSpring is in full bloom here. My favorite cultivated spring flower is the hyacinth. But in the forest around my mountain cabin, the trillium is in full bloom, the bright pure white blossoms pop out from the mossy forest floor. Over the next weeks, they will slowly darken to lavender and then dark purple. Seeing the trillium is the announcement of spring to me. I love the way the earth balances our seasons. Spring here is fall in the southern hemisphere. We cycle around each other like the yin yang symbol.
ReplyDeleteGalen Pearl: Another blogger introduced me to the trillium. Something I would LOVE to see. I am also very fond of hyacinths, but have a weakness for so many blooms. Like you I love the balance of seasons. Not least because I can enjoy favourites twice over.
DeleteThe first shot is spooky! You've made me feel very lazy with your planting. I have planted exatly three cabbage climbers and one rose bush...oh and I moved a five year old yellow bell that has yet to grow to any size because of too much shade. I have no luck with vegetable gardens, so I have just quit trying. Also, before I forget- you have beautiful birds in your yard!
ReplyDeleteTerri: Feel no guilt. The garden is one of my obsessions. And sometimes it gets away from me. Spooky? I loved watching the moon through the cloud.
DeleteAmazing shots! Colorful parrots!
ReplyDeleteWeekend-Windup: Thank you. Word has obviously got about. We have four of the beautiful little bullies here today.
DeleteIt seems you have a lot of work in your garden - and very busy time. But I think you'll enjoy of it.
ReplyDeleteI really love these barrots.
Wish you have lovely time.
orvokki: I do have a busy time ahead. Though today we finished planting the bulbs. There is more weeding (of course) and fertilising and mulching yet to do.
DeleteThe parrots are a joy. And their numbers are increasing.
Wonderful to xatxh the sawn in those photographs and your birds and their colours are marvellous.
ReplyDeleteMargaret Adamson: The colours are eye popping aren't they? So are the voices.
DeleteRepeating myself but that first picture is amazing. Eerily beautiful. There're stories to be written in that picture.
ReplyDeleteSandra Cox: I would love to see you write something from that image. So much.
DeleteVery nice photographs. I wish i’d got some more variety in my pics. Yours are great - especially the dawn images. All of them, really. I’d be proud to say they are mine.
ReplyDeleteTerry: You are a shameless flatterer. Thank you.
DeleteSuch beauty! A couple of thoughts come to mind. One is something I learned from a nature show about skin diving in Oregon, a diver's comment being that the further from the equator one goes, the more drab the sea life becomes. This got me to wondering if it's the same for wildlife in general. The second thought it that I once assumed that pretty skies were universal, but here in Oregon's Willamette Valley, the sky tends toward being either gray (all winter) or cloudless (all summer). Over in the desert, the air is always clear and the clouds vivid, varied, and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSnowbrush: We are quite a way from the equator, but yes, as a general rule it does seem to work. With some notable exceptions. We get a mixture of clear and cloudy days here, and I hope to never give up watching them. And wondering.
DeleteIt sounds as if your next few weeks are going to be busy, busy! Do take care and give yourself some time too!
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy seeing your photographs. Lovely dawn shots and those birds are just so colourful, a joy to see.
My good wishes
All the best Jan
Lowcarb team member ~Jan: Thank you. On both counts.
DeleteJust love the photos and the colorful birds are delightful.
ReplyDeleteRasma Raisters: Thank you. The Lorikeets are visiting us a lot at the moment. It is still dark here, but I expect to see them not long after first light.
DeleteGosh these were worth another look!
ReplyDeleteCloudia: I am so glad to hear that.
DeleteYea, i have been busy gardening too. Though just a small garden but takes up a lot of time and energy
ReplyDeleteSmall Kucing: It does. It is worth the time and the energy though. Really worth it.
DeleteWhether the stars are shining or not, your photos are ALWAYS stellar. "Reverting to form" with shots of the sky and birds suits me just dandy. I'll never tire of them.
ReplyDeleteHave a fantastic weekend. Fingers crossed for your trip to the museum. :)
Susan: Thank you. We did get to the museum, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
DeleteHappy Mother's Day.
That's funny that the Piggy and Gruner (lol!) are so greedy. I'm sure it's a funny sight to see. I love the Galah bird too, he's a beauty! My first to ever see or here of one, so your picture was a double treat for me.
ReplyDeletemail4rosey: Word has got out. Piggy and Grunter brought four friends with them yesterday. And they fought with each other as well as with the other birds. The galahs are pretty birds aren't they? We are fond of them too. Very fond.
DeleteStunning pictures! The birds are so beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteCrisCrepin: Welcome and thank you.
Delete