Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Sunday 10 February 2019

Sunday Selections #418

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.  River is taking a well-earned self care break.  She will be missed, but I will keep the meme warm for her.

 
Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen. 
 
Like River I usually run with a theme.  I often think I lead a bit of a 'grey cardigan' (practical, sensible but dull) life.  I suspect this is part of the reason I look for colour and surround myself with it.


The sky is often an excellent source.





When I saw a bunch of rainbow chrysanthemums at the local supermarket I weakened and bought them.    I checked and despite seeing advertisements for seeds they are almost certainly 'doctored' and not natural, but they do add a delightful splash of colour.




  The rest of the colour in this post is real.  I have no idea what type of moth/butterfly this is, but I was very grateful not only to have seen it, but that it remained still long enough for me to take its photo (if truth be told, multiple photos).


 I was glad to see the next critter too, which is either a native bee or a hoverfly.


The tuberous begonias are coming out in droves and I love them.




Of course I have to include a colourful bird or two...





 I hope your lived are filled with colour and joy.

155 comments:

  1. Love, just lovely! It's not often that I see your post pop up in my news feed right as it happens, but here I am, and there you are. I love all the pretty pictures here, and smiled at the "grey cardigan" description of your life. Really? I don't believe it! :-)

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    1. DJan: There are definitely some grey cardigan elements to my life (and character).

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  2. You do take some fabulous pictures of the sky. Awesome floral photos. Such a close up of that bee. And the two parrots. I love them.

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    1. mxtodis123: Thank you. I never, ever tire of the sky, the garden, the birds... Only the first requires no work from me though.

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  3. For me, the most beautiful colors are in the sky and flowers decorated with butterflies. Colorful parrots are also cute. :)

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    1. Giga: It was very lucky that I saw that tiny butterfly.

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  4. What gorgeous photos and beautiful colors. Right now in my area spring is just beginning to peep through. About the only colors currently (exceptions of the evergreens) are the camelia bushes loaded with red, white, or pink blooms and the daffodils.

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    1. Anne in the kitchen: There are very few signs of autumn here yet though the nights are finally starting to cool down (hooray). Laden camellia bushes and dancing daffodils are very welcome aren't they?

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  5. I love your sky shots, and the Butterflies, fantastic EC. And the photos of the Parrots, beautiful.

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  6. All very colorful pictures. Love the cat sniffing at the rainbow chrysanthemums.

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    1. Jamie Ghione: He had to investigate them (and photobomb).

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  7. Pollinators and parrots in one post. I don't think it gets much better.

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    1. David Gascoigne: I was lucky wasn't I? And such beautiful versions too.

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  8. Wonderful photos. You have so much more colour than we do. I envy you those colourful birds.

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    1. Ugelmor: Thank you. The King Parrots are pretty things and are always welcome, as are all the birds.

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  9. As always, I love your photos!!

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    1. fishducky: Thank you. I am very glad to hear it.

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  10. You don't appear to be a grey cardigan type of person but it's ok because I'm kind of a grey cardigan type of person too. I love your photos of the sky and I'm so taken by the beautiful birds that comes into your gardens. I picture myself taming them and teaching them to talk.lol... I love flowers too and I grow tuberous Begonias also. I can't wait till my daffodils start blooming when the snow goes away and the soil starts to thaw.
    Hugs, Julia

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    1. Julia: Believe me, I am a grey cardigan person (though I don't own one). The birds are not tame, but do eat from our hands. I am weeding like a mad thing to make way for daffodils. I hope yours bloom soon.

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  11. Another uplifting end to one week, and precursor to the one to come, which is needed if the predicted temperatures eventuate.

    Have a good week, EC...cuddles to Jazz...don't go out roaming about in the heat, my dear...find a cool spot. :)

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    1. Lee: We are at least getting cooler nights. We dipped down to 7C/44.5F this morning. So I went an played in the garden.
      I hope your week is cooler than anticipated and that your current stress is less.

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  12. That bird is beautiful. I'm sure those flowers are not real colors, but who knows, maybe some hybrid seeds exist somewhere that you could get for some flower or another that would be so bright. I love color also!

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    1. Strayer: You can buy seeds for the rainbow chrysanthemums on Amazon, but apparently they are duds. Despite the fake colour they make me smile (guiltily).

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  13. I think your life is filled with a lot of color!
    Those rainbow flowers are wild.

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    1. Alex J. Cavanaugh: Thank you. I do look for colour - and revel in it.

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  14. Grey cardigans can be very elegant and warm!
    I'm never sure who/what gets the awards for being the stars of your Sunday morning show - is it the sky, the birds, the beautiful flowers from your garden? They all deserve accolades, as do you!

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    1. Alexia: Warm I am. Elegant I am not. I am very lucky with the colour and beauty around me aren't I?

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  15. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! Love the colors. I don’t care if some are doctored or not. I am also the gray cardigan who wants to burst into a butterfly of many colors. Jazz is the greatest, wanting his moment in the photo for posterity. ;)

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    1. River Fairchild: Jazz was intriged with them. And couldn't be left out. I am not certain whether I would rather be a butterfly or a many coloured dragon? I suspect the latter.

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    2. River Fairchild: A girl can dream. A girl should dream.

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  16. moths are flutterbys too, so alls good.

    Enjoyed

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    1. Author R. Mac Wheeler: Butterflies and moths are ephemeral magic. Later I will try and track down what that little beauty is.

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  17. thank goodness for color and your photos which are brightening my day, wonder if the critter is a bee fly, but his wings are so large, curious to me his identification.

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    1. Linda Starr: Hooray for colour. The more the better. When I try and track down the flutterbyes ID, I will also try and indentify the other. I was very glad to see both.

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  18. Fantastic wingspan on the hover fly/bee creature! The tie-dye chrysanthemums look groovy as well. The natural beauty in your corner of the world is outstanding.

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    1. Bea: I am a beauty addict, and very grateful for the colour in my world.

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  19. I wonder how the multi colors are dyed. One would assume color over color over color, but how does that leave the white? I can't puzzle it out.

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    1. Joanne Noragon: I wonder too. I was thinking that petals other than the ones to be coloured are protected and the bloom dipped. And then the process repeated. However that would be a slow labour intensive process. The blooms were cheap too. Colour me clueless.

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    2. Narrow paintbrush and a steady hand.

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    3. River: A very steady hand. And there are no drips on the nearby petals.

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  20. Beautiful selection of colour.
    Tuberous begonias, well they are just so delightful.

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    1. Margaret-whiteangel: The leaves are lovely too. They like our front veranda and there are a dozen of so pots lining it now.

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  21. You do have a lot of beauty in your world, and you have a good eye for capturing it.

    Like you, i went with selections that show the colors that are blooming now. They will post at midnight my time (it's still Saturday here, and that whole time thing still confuses me).

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    1. messymimi: Thank you. It is early Sunday afternoon here. I am looking forward to seeing your colour in a few hours.

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  22. Love the last sky pic. And that flower and butterfly...wow! Both are so pretty and you were lucky that butterfly stayed. They're hard to photograph.

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    1. mshatch: I was so pleased (and surprised) that the flutterby waited while I went inside to get the camera.

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  23. I love these! Rainbow mums? they are colorful but doctored with what? Hugs to you.

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    1. e: I suspect the mums have been dyed, but don't know quite how they manage it.

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  24. Love that moth, and your flowers and bright-eyed beady friends are beautiful!

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  25. The rainbow chrysanthemums would be good for a gay pride march. You are becoming excellent at close up photography.

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    1. Andrew: They would wouldn't they? Or at a gay wedding.

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  26. I'm intrigued by the chrysanthemums - I've seen carnations dyed by putting them in water containing dye and allowing the flowers to "drink" the liquid - so I did some looking online. And the short answer seems to be that for multi-coloured flowers they split the stem and put each section in a different colour of dye. For more, see this article: https://www.proflowers.com/blog/how-florists-dye-flowers

    Amazing results! And Jazz is the icing on top of that first photo of the mums :)

    I love your sky photos, as always. And your ability and persistence in finding the beauty in life. I often think of you and your appreciation for beauty when I am feeling grey myself.

    I'm glad to hear your nights, at least, are moderating. Hang in there. Hugs

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    1. jenny_o: I am intrigued by the chrysanthemums too. The stem isn't split though, so a different method must have been used.
      I am a beauty addict. I am so very grateful that there is a lot of it about, and that the simple things are often the ones which give me most joy.
      We are having HUGE temperature ranges at the moment, which my body doesn't respond well to, but the cooler nights and (mostly) cooler days are so very welcome.

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    2. Maybe they started with a longer stem and after the colour was absorbed they cut off the split portion? I have no idea :)

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    3. jenny_o: Perhaps, but I would expect to see signs of the dye on the stem, it would have to leave some marks of the capilliary travel you would think. And there is none. A complete mystery.

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    4. And maybe the mystery adds to the magic :) They are truly delightful.

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    5. jenny_o: I suspect I will (intermittently) continue to investigate though.

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  27. The rainbow Chrysanthemums are so pretty! I love tuberous begonias, my mum used to be able to grow them, but I never could. I'll never forget the cutting she took from my new Angel Wing, which then thrived for her in Port Pirie while my plant died. I've decided I need to move the Christmas Cactus cuttings I got from you, should they be in hanging baskets, in sun or shade or half-and-half? They just aren't doing so well. I'm not sure if I water them too much or not enough. Given my track record, probably not enough.

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    1. River: Our veranda gets morning sun and afternoon shade and most of the Christmas cactii are in hanging pots and thrive there. You may be too hot? They don't seem to like being completely in the sun. The begonias also live on the veranda but are in the shade.

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  28. I don't recall seeing blue bands on a hoverfly, so I'd be pretty sure your bee is the native blue banded bee.

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    1. River: I wondered about that. It is a beauty isn't it?

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  29. I've just visited google and Australian hoverflies have yellow, orange or brownish orange banding. So I googled Australian native bees and several of those have bownish or yellow bands too, but your blue banded bee is pictured there also. Along with some who have wider, more brilliant blue, bands.

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    1. River: Thank you. I suppose I was looking for wider more brilliant blue.

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  30. Your sky shots are fabulous and I love to see all the flowers you are growing in your garden. NO I do not like nature flowers painted in unusual colours or plastic lowers although I do ike some silk flowers that really are so good you cannot tell they are not real. Have a great well ahead.

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    1. Margaret Adamson: Thank you - and a delightful week to you too.

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  31. The skies, the flowers, the butterfly or moth--- and then that GIANT ORANGE FACE saying "Surprise!" I laughed out loud and felt lots better about things in general.

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    1. Bill: I am glad - but won't tell the King Parrot that you laughed at him.

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  32. The grey cardi reference is funny! I'm in no way a grey cardigan person but I own two of them!

    I hope your week goes well, today has been brief respite before the heat to come. U g h

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    1. kylie: I do worry that I AM a grey cardie person - but own none of them. We are (hopefully) having a mostly cooler week. I hope you escape the worst of the heat.

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  33. Despite describing yourself as grey cardigan, I see a few reds, blues and bright yellows hiding in that sweater too. too. Your kindness, wonderful way with words and wit make me happy. I like when people can come up with these crazy ways to add pops of color, so the mums are pretty cool. Something about the peace and beauty of a butterfly always sooth my spirit. Hope your day is as amazing as you are! Hugs...RO

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    1. RO: Butterflies are ephemeral magic aren't they? Butterflies and rainbows are ALWAYS welcome. And huge thanks for your kind words. I hope your day and week are lovely.

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  34. I’ve never seen those rainbows before, EC. Love the glorious colours in this post!

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    1. Marie Smith: The rainbows are vivid aren't they? I am glad that you also enjoyed my splashes of colour.

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  35. You do not live a dull colorless life my friend. Your photos are always so breathtaking and gorgeous. I'd love to know how you take your photos-camera, settings and such especially the ones of the sky.

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    1. Mason Canyon: Thank you so much. I (mostly) have my Panasonic Lumix set to automatic. The camera gets most of the credit.

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  36. OMG....your sky pictures! Best I've seen, truly the color, you really captured the right light etc. Have never seen a multi-colored Chrysanthemum before, how pretty. Wonder how they do that?

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    1. Sandy: Thank you. I spend a lot of time watching (and photographing) changing light and revel in it. I am also wondering how they create the rainbow effect - and would love to find out that they are natural and I can grow them.

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  37. So many wondrous photos today. Love them all.
    Have a great one. Stay cool.

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    1. Sandra Cox: Thank you. It is cooler today, so I am going to play in the garden.

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  38. All the pictures are beautiful but the butterfly pictures are stunning.
    R

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    1. Rick Watson: Wasn't I lucky the the flutterby stayed still. They usually don't.

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  39. Trumpeting colours on a Sunday, how lovely this all is. No grey cardigan you, at least not permanently. We all have our foggy days.

    Those funny blooms are here too. Honestly? I think they're injecting colours into the soil.

    XO
    WWW

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    1. Wisewebwoman: Thank you. We do indeed all have grey days (literally AND metaphorically). Much of my life is on the grey side and I use colour as an antidote.

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  40. Love all the splashes of color you shared with us. It is chilly and snow is on the way this week- so the color is much appreciated. I especially love the tuberous begonias. SOOOOOO beautiful.

    What gorgeous sky colors. Amazing. Thanks for sharing. :)
    ~Jess

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    1. DMS ~Jess: Thank you. I hope you can stay safe and warm (and enjoy the chilly beauty).

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  41. All of your pictures were so colorful and beautiful. I especially liked the rainbow chrysanthemums.

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    1. Mary Kirkland: They are lovely aren't they? They are starting to fade now, but I will keep an eye out for them.

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  42. Your photos are a delight EC. The rainbow chrysanthemums are a lovely splash of color, your kitty is very cute, the birds are too and always love to see those. Can't imagine living in a place with those colorful birds. Each and every photo leaves me with joy, thank you so much :)

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    1. Denise inVA: What a lovely thing to say - thank you. At the moment the only birds here are the 'white birds', the cockies and corellas. We enjoy them too.

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  43. What a lovely colourful post, I enjoyed seeing all of your photographs.

    Those rainbow chrysanthemums are brilliant. I've seen and bought some with just 'a false' single colour but never like these, certainly a lovely splash of colour.

    I hope your weekend has been a good one, and my good wishes for the new week ahead.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Lowcarb team member ~Jan: Thank you. I wish I knew how that colour is achieved - and will investigate. I hope you and Eddie have a great week.

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    2. You got me thinking and looking about 'how to dye chrysanthemums … see these helpful details
      www.giftbasketsforfriends.com/how-to-dye-flowers.html

      All the best Jan

      PS Thanks for your good wishes

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    3. Lowcarbteam member ~Jan: Thank you. That works for dying a flower a single colour, but I am still mystified as to how they dyed on bloom multiple colours while keeping the centre petals white.

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    4. Hi 'EC' I had to look further but think this may be the answer …
      How to make a rainbow rose (or any flower!)
      https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Rainbow-Rose

      Talking of beautiful flowers, I was sent some beautiful Blue Dendrobium's recently … I'd not seen them before they were so lovely.

      Hope you had a happy Valentines Day.

      All the best Jan

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    5. Lowcarb team member ~Jan: Thank you. jenny_o suggested that too. The stem (which is long) shows n signs of being split (or of having colour travel up it) but it does look as if this is how the effect was achieved.
      Dendrobiums are beautiful aren't they? I don't think I have seen a blue one. Lucky, lucky you - and enjoy your Valentines Day.

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  44. Your pictures are one reason my life has color and joy. How I love looking at your pictures.

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    1. Myrna R.: Thank you so much. That is a truly lovely thing to say.

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  45. These pictures are all so beautiful! Thank you for sharing!

    www.ficklemillennial.blogspot.com

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  46. Wonderful photos. The sky is awesome, the flowers a delight, and love those parrots.

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    1. Rasma Raisters: Thank you. I worry that I post the 'same things' too often.

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  47. I never thought about the process involved in painting those flowers! Your begonias are beautiful.

    You manage to capture the most beautiful skies.

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    1. Susan Kane: I am still pondering how the colour was applied. If it was by hand there are hundreds of petals to each bloom...

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  48. Your posts are always colorful and you outdid yourself this time. The rainbow mum is so pretty and in this case man helped Mother Nature in a very lovely way.

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    1. Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe: Thank you. I have known for a long time that I am a beauty addict, but suspect I should put my hand up to a colour addiction as well.

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  49. Wow, these are indeed exceptionally beautiful!!
    Your birds, your skies, your flowers...such a magical part of the world you live in...oh WOW!!
    And thank you oceans for sharing...if you didn't, then so many of us would miss hot on ever seeing all this beauty!
    Oh thank you again!😊😊

    Warmest love and hugs ❤❤❤

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    1. Sorry, wretched predictive texting!
      I meant to say miss OUT! Lol

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    2. Ygraine: Not a problem. I knew what you meant, and my dyslexic fingers often let me down. Thank you so much for your kind words.

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  50. I always appreciate you sharing a horizon, EC.

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  51. That birdie close-up has a lot of character.
    A colorful week to you, EC.

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    1. Rawknrobyn: Those birds DO have a heap of character. And determination. I hope your week is wonderful.

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  52. More color in my gray world! Thank you!

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    1. jono: Happy to share. I have been so grateful to see your cool vistas this summer.

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  53. These are beyond spectacular! That first cat photo looks like kitty is playing with pompoms! So colourful. Thank you, as always, for brightening up my morning.

    I hope your week is going well.

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    1. Nilanjana Bose: They do look like pompoms don't they? I hadn't made the connection, thank you for that.

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  54. Awww - thank you for these shots full of joy and colour! Beautiful.

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    1. Lady Fi: Too much colour would be barely enough.

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  55. Those mums are delightful! And it looks like they got the stamp of approval from the four-legged inspector:)

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    1. Sandra Cox: They did - though fortunately not his full approval which involves dragging them out of the vase and chewing on them (despite the large number of plants which are toxic to cats).

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  56. Hmmmm... doctored mums.... not for me!!! We get them here too. But all the other flowers are gorgeous, especially the one being favoured by the butterfly! Lots of colour for you, but the only colour here is white, as the snow flies horizontally by the window. School buses cancelled, no school today for the grandies.

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    1. Shammickite: The daisy the butterfly is resting on is one of my favourites. We have a lot of them in a range of colours.
      A 'snow day' is almost unheard of here. How do the grandies feel about them?

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  57. Replies
    1. Andrew R. Scott: That is a male King Parrot, a regular and welcome visitor of ours.

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  58. Fantastic photos! You're lucky to have such colour in your life.

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    1. Nick Wilford: Welcome and thank you. We are lucky, and count those lucky stars often.

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  59. Dear EC, you may think of your outer life as that of a gray cardigan--practical, sensible, and somewhat dull--but I suspect that all of us who read your words and see your photographs appreciate that your inner is creative and spontaneous and eager to explore all the beauty of life around you.

    That inner life of yours is what keeps me coming back to you blog through
    passing weeks and months and years. Peace.

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    1. Dee: I suspect it is because my outer life is grey cardigan that I seek for and revel in beauty and colour. Thank you so much for seeing and telling me about a side of myself I don't see. Hugs.

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  60. That first pic is so fantastic that I thought it was the shape of an animal ready to strike! :-)

    Greetings from London.

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    1. A Cuban in London: Thank you. With another look I can see a giant panther(?) ready to pounce.

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  61. Plenty of colour here!! Wonderful.
    I look outside and I see white and icy pavements. Very dangerous.

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    1. Caterina: Stay safe, stay warm. Icy pavements can indeed be dangerous, but heat is a killer as well. Extremes so often are.

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  62. Color and joy - yes:) Color is good medicine:)
    Thanks for sharing your beautiful way of seeing.
    You make the world brighter:)
    -Jennifer

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    1. Jennifer Richardson: Colour, like love and laughter is excellent medicine isn't it? Hugs.

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  63. Those rainbow flowers are fun!! I'm sure they must be doctored in some way, but they did bring an instant smile to my face!!

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  64. That butterfly shot on the daisy? daisy family? is purrfect!
    Good job!

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    1. Sandra Cox: Definitely from the daisy family - and thank you.

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  65. Those begonias are so elegant and beautiful. Thumbs up.
    Happy Valentine's Day.

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    1. Sandra Cox: We love the begonias. There is a line of them along the front veranda. I hope your Valentines Day is great.

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  66. Just peeking in to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day! Hugs...RO

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    1. RO: Many thanks. I hope your Valentines Day is everything you could hope for, and more.

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  67. Thank you for your comment on my blog. I appreciate your honesty.
    Hugs, Julia

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  68. What wonderful photos! The splashes of color are always welcome. That rainbow mum is especially interesting. Reminds me of how I used to doctor Queen Anne's lace bu adding food coloring to the vase's water. :)

    Have a wonderful weekend, dear lady.

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    1. Susan: I use to dye flowers that way too, but it never occurred to me to attempt a multi-coloured approach. Sadly lacking in imagination/creativity wasn't I?

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    2. Dye to the water? Cool! I learned something new!

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    3. Magic Love Crow: It can be really pretty if you start with white or very pale flowers. I used natural food colouring.

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  69. This post makes me smile! Thank you EC! I love the rainbow flowers and your kitty! So cute! That little butterfly/moth is so beautiful!!! Of course I love your birds and sky photos! Breath taking!!! Big Hugs!!

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    1. Magic Love Crow: I am so glad that your enthusiastic self found fun and beauty here. Huge hugs.

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