Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Sunday 12 May 2019

Sunday Selections #428

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 was then continued by River at Drifting through life.  Sadly she has now stepped aside (though she will join us some weeks), and I have accepted the mantle.  

The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to me. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen. 
 
I usually run with a theme. This post (like my life at the moment) is less organised.  Random even.


Earlier this week, Margaret-whiteangel posted about the Ross Bridge in Tasmania here.  I mentioned that years ago I had done a long-stitch tapestry of that bridge for himself's mama, and Margaret said she would like to see it.  After his mother died it came back to us and here it is.



A few weeks ago in another Sunday Selections I showed you a mural which was being painted.  When I went back to town last week I remembered to take a photo of the finished product.



I like it.  The more I look the more I see in it.  There is certainly a link to the art of our First People, and my city's native bird (the gang-gang).  I liked the reflections of the trees and the very blue sky in the windows of the building behind it as well.

Returning to my usual obsessions.

I never tire of the sky.

Just after first light.



And a glowing sunset with a new moon high in the sky.




The birds are a continuing obsession too.  We are getting up to eight or nine King Parrots visiting each day.  They are low on the pecking order and don't get a look in at the feeders.  So they make it clear that they are hungry and we oblige.





We have some brightly coloured galahs visiting at the moment too.  They are always welcome.



I have been very, very busy in the garden.  Weeding, weeding, weeding, planting, planting, planting, mulching, mulching and more mulching.

Photos will follow in due course.  However I will show some shots of the tree dahlia (dahlia imperialis) which has beaten the frost again this year and is coming into bounteous flower.  Bees love them.  Ours are at least twelve feet tall and bending over with the weight of the blooms.  The first hard frost will see the end of them, so I am revelling in them now.





 In other news, I am likely to be late and a bit patchy visiting your blogs this week.  Himself's sister is coming to stay from Tuesday.  Sadly the reason for her visit is a family funeral and we have a six hour plus drive (there and back) on Thursday.

122 comments:

  1. I'm sorry to hear of your funeral, but the pictures are incredible, starting with the new moon in the lovely sky, and all those fabulous birds. I also love that dahlia plant and am glad you were able to "preserve" it through your pictures. Travel safely, dear friend.

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    1. DJan: Thank you. The tree dahlias have survived another day, and more buds are coming out all the time.

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  2. I love the birds that come ot your garden and of course your beautiful flowers, Stunning sunrise and sunset Sue.

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    1. Margaret Birding For Pleasure: We love the birds which come to the garden too. And wish that they would play nicely in it.

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  3. Thank you for the photos. The mural looks almost like a tapestry. The birds are all so exotic and colourful to me. The flowers are fine, how hard will your hard frost be, I thougth your place was fairly warm in winter too. I hope you will enjoy the family visit even thougt the reason is sad.

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    1. Uglemor: Thank you. In winter my city regularly gets to minus 6 or 7C, and sometimes lower. On a worldwide standard we are fairly warm, but we live in one of the colder (though not coldest) parts of Australia.

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  4. I'm just amazed they take food right from you. Wild birds here don't do that. Unless it's really tame ducks at the park.

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    1. Alex J. Cavanaugh: We now have a number of birds we are able to hand feed. A privilege every time.

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  5. Sorry for the loss in your family. Safe journey, EC.

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    1. Marie Smith: Thank you. It is my partner's aunt who died. She will be missed but lived a rich and fulfilling life.

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  6. Dear EC
    I echo the comments about the loss in your family.
    Lovely skies, plants and birds - always a joy to see them.
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. Ellie Foster: Thank you. The older generation is slipping away.

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  7. So sorry to read about your aunt (in-law). It is always sad when they pass but lovely that you can reflect on her rich and fulfilling life.

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    1. CountryMum: Definitely lovely to reflect on a life lived to the full.

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  8. The tapestry is wonderful and the sky shots are superb, but most of all I am very happy to note that you are taking care of the parrots. I am sure they know that they can find safe haven in your garden.

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    1. David M. Gascoigne: Of course the parrots know they are safe here. We often sit on the steps to feed them and they are perfectly happy until someone walks by.

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  9. Sorry for the loss in your family. The tapestry and mural are both wonderful. Love all the pictures especially of the colorful birds.

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    1. RasmaSandra: Thank you. I will pass all of these lovely messages onto himself and his sister.

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  10. I'm partial to the orange art; sorry for the loss in your family, I know driving such a distance isn't easy either.

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    1. Linda Starr: I will be a passenger. And grateful for technology to direct us to a place neither of us have been to before.

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  11. What a great post, full of lots of beautiful things to look at! I like the mural too - so Australian :) - and your tapestry. The tree dahlia is so lovely.

    I hope your long drive isn't too gruelling. Condolences on your family's loss.

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    1. Alexia: I am not even sure why the mural is 'so Australian' but agree. It adds to a dull corner of town too.
      Do you get tree dahlias? I noticed on a garden site it is also possible to get double white flowering ones. I am sorely tempted.
      Thursday will be long and tiring, but we are bit players in the scheme of things. Others will feel it more.

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    2. Tree dahlias are grown in NZ, and a number of varieties were developed by Keith Hammett, a top plant breeder in this country. There are some gorgeously coloured varieties on this website https://jury.co.nz/tag/tree-dahlias/

      We get frosts here,and it is also a high-wind area, so I don't think I would get good results. I have never seen them flowering, but I have been to the garden that the website describes.

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    3. Alexia: Thank you so much for that link, which left me filled with lust. Our first tree dahlias were given to me by a friend who is now dead. Each year I think of her and hope they will bloom. It is a gamble, frost and/or wind do stop them from blooming quite a lot of years.

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  12. Hi Beautiful Soul!
    I have to apologize! I am so behind in blogging! Going to try to catch up! Just to let you know, I might not be able to comment on all your posts, but know I have been there to read them!
    I love that tapestry you made! Wow EC, you are talented! Beautiful!
    The mural is stunning!!! Gorgeous!
    I love your sky, bird and garden photos! They are such a treat! Take it easy with weeding! Like I always say, weeds are mother nature's flowers!
    I'm sorry about the funeral! Big Hugs!

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    1. Magic Love Crow: No need to apologise. You lead a very busy life. Thank you so much for going through older posts.
      Hugs received and reciprocated.

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  13. Please accept my condolences for your loss. No matter who, or what the relationship, it's hard to lose a loved one.

    You have so many pretty trees and birds, and that mural is beautiful and grand.

    Some pictures from Grandma's house are over here at the usual time.

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    1. messymimi: Thank you. I am looking forward to your Sunday Selections.

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  14. Both your tapestry and the mural are amazing. Thank you for sharing them.
    Always love looking at your many bird friends too. I’m stunned that you have so many feathered visitors. Much better than people, hands down. ;)

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    1. River Fairchild: Thank you. We had quite a crowd this morning. Over twenty cockatoos, four or five king parrots, pigeons and currawongs. All at once. That many human visitors would have me under the bed and refusing to come out.

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  15. You are very talented!! The tapestry is beautiful!
    And the galahs... I had never seen this bird.
    The combinations of the colours of the sky are stunning. And so are your flowers.
    Lovely post!
    : )

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    1. Caterina: I really like galahs. They are such pretty birds and their colours are often echoed in our dawns. Thank you so much for your kind words.

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  16. The mural is wonderful. The gang-gang is a lovely bird, and I see it there. I am an admirer of long stitch tapestry. It has long eluded me (groan), but my mother was a master of needlework, and a childhood quilt of mine was little embroidered round patches of birds of paradise, done in long stitch in six ply DMC. It eventually was worn thin and seer. I do not know what happened to it.

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    1. Joanne Noragon: Your childhood quilt sounds wonderful and was obviously loved to death. Which is not a bad way to go.

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  17. The tapestry and the mural are both great. And the pictures of the birds and the flowers are just so colorful.

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    1. Jamie Ghione: Thank you. We are still (at a little after one) wreathed in fog. The birds have been brightening the gloom.

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  18. Aren't you the clever one with that tapestry. It is a great bridge. As you say, there is a lot to see in the rather nice mural. Your tree dahlia is but a fleeting moment of gorgeousness. We were invaded this morning by corellas. There must have been a hundred of them marauding around and making a din. They can be fun to watch too.

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    1. Andrew: It is a delightful bridge isn't it? And thank you. It would be hard to ignore 100 corellas. I have a huge soft spot for them, and you are right, they are fun to watch.

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  19. Wow! Beautiful work in the tapestry - thank you ever so much for showing us/me your lovely work. The Catholic Church on the hill included. (I believe that is the Richmond Bridge). The Ross Bridge has a church in it too but on the opposite side of the bridge also on a hill :)
    The parrots are always wonderful and I'm currently doing a cross stitch of baby galahs.

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    1. Margaret-whiteangel: Thank you. And thank you for correcting me. I am sure that when I started the work they said it was Ross Bridge - poetic licence at play.
      I would love to see your baby galahs when they are finished.

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  20. You captured a bee in the tree dahlia! Does that second galah have a broken beak? it looks broken so I'm wondering how he/she eats...
    I love your tapestry, my mum used to do tapestry work and I have one of hers somewhere, packed in a box in the shed I think because I didn't know where to hang it. The mural turned out very nice.

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    1. River: Any sunny day and the bees flock to the tree dahlias. I see what you mean about the beak, but I think it is the angle. Both birds were happily grazing on grass seeds. My mother did tapestry and embroidery work too. I don't know where most of hers are.

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  21. A gala of galahs? WONDERFUL pictures of everything.

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    1. Bill: Smiling at the gala of galahs - and thank you.

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  22. Beautiful Parrots, and what about the skies, brilliant.

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    1. Bob Bushell: Thank you. We do love our parrots - and the skies.

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  23. Hi EC - love the mural and can see the Gang-Gang cockatoo in there, while certainly the indigenous feel comes through - gorgeous colours. The King parrots are spectacular, as too the galahs - delicately pretty ... lucky birds being with you.

    The skies are gorgeous ... while those tree dahlias are magnificent - glorious to see, no wonder you're revelling in them.

    Your tapestry is quite delightful ... talented lady ... something I never took to. I'm sorry about the reason for your journey - sounds long ... so travel safe - all the best Hilary

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    1. Hilary Melton-Butcher: Many thanks. I look forward to passing that mural on my way to Lifeline - and suspect I will keep seeing more in it.

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  24. These are so lovely! I love skies and birds, too! The birds we get when we are home in Sacramento (we're still in Spain right now) are the garden variety sparrows, jays, and such. These are so beautiful. I'm sorry to hear your family reunion is over a funeral. My deep condolences.

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    1. Elizabeth Varadan, Author: Thank you. Your jays sound exotic to me, and I would love to see them.

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  25. Those king parrots are spectacular. Love the tree dahlia too

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    1. Sue in Italia/In the Land of Cancer: The kings are beautiful aren't they? It is such a privilege that they will eat from our hands.

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  26. The dahlias are divine. Very sorry you have to go to a funeral and the long drive.

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    1. mshatch: I am now (thanks to Alexia above) lusting after yet more tree dahlias next year.

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  27. I also never tire of your skies, especially when they're one of the first things I see on otherwise overcast and rainy mornings like this. Thanks for sharing it, EC.

    And my condolences.

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  28. Your pictures are wonderful, and the tapestry is beautiful. I have just discovered you, and I'm looking forward catching up with your blog posts. BTW, I too have MS--diagnosed in 1993 when I was 43.

    I'm sorry about your loss and the day you have ahead.

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    1. BethB from Indiana: Welcome and thank you. When your MS was first diagnosed did you find that health issues in the preceding years suddenly made more sense?
      I will be over to visit you shortly.

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    2. PS: Do you have a blog where I can find you?

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    3. BethB from Indiana: I have it. Thank you.

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  29. aww, ohh, I love skylines.

    Critters too.

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    1. Author R. Mac Wheeler: Even without water views? I am grateful.

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  30. So sorry to hear of the loss in your family. Thoughts and prayers for you and yours. On another note, I always love your photos theme or not. Your stitching is amazing.

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    1. Mason Canyon: Thank you. My hands no longer allow me to do tapestry or embroidery but I was grateful for the years I could.

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  31. It's always unpleasant to have to go to a funeral. My condolences on your loss.
    I am so grateful to you for working so hard on your gardens. I feel I get such a free, unconditional benefit from your passion. I'm so glad for it.
    The tapestry is beautiful, impressive and your photos are beautiful. You are multitalented.

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    1. Myrna R.: What a lovely comment. Many thanks.

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  32. Bird envy! Yes, I still have it!
    I am so sorry about your family's loss.

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    1. Anne in the kitchen: I suffer from bird envy too. Many of the birds on your side of the world fill me with awe.

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  33. Once again you posted beautiful pictures. I love the birds they are so cute.

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    1. Mary Kirkland: Thank you. The king parrots are beautiful, and much less destructive than some of our other birds.

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  34. I'm sorry for your family's loss. The photos are beautiful! Those birds are like living jewels.

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    1. The Real Cie: Thank you. We do love those jewels -incontinent vandals that they are.

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  35. Hopefully I didn't miss the Linky somehow, if there was one. My selections are just a couple of photos from a trip to the museum.
    Small Skulls at the Museum

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    1. The Real Cie: No linky. I am not high tech enough - though I am thinking I should explore it. Off to visit your Sunday Selections now.

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  36. Your tapestry is beautiful, EC...beautiful handiwork created by you.

    I'm sorry to learn you and your family are going through a time of sadness. I hope the warmth of family and friends surrounding you during the coming week gives you solace. Be safe on the roads. Cuddles to Jazz.

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    1. Lee: Thank you. Mostly I hope we will all be celebrating a long life, lived well.

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  37. Your tapestry is beautiful and looks very nice in that round frame - an unusual touch. Love the skies and birds and tree dahlias.

    I'm sorry for your loss and for the gruelling day you will have with that drive. Safe travels.

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    1. jenny_o: Thank you. On all counts. I am hoping that we will send the day celebrating a life well lived. Himself's aunt was 98, frail but in possession of all her faculties and left life on her own terms.

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  38. Six hours is a long drive. That's how far to the coast clinic and back. Can get one's back sore, and legs stiff, to sit that long I find each time I go. I love the tree dahlia. In fact, I love it so much I'm going to look it up and see if perhaps they might grow here and if so, where to get one.

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    1. Strayer: It is a long drive and I will pay for it. If you can grow dahlias in your area you can probably also grow tree dahlias. They need protection from wind and frost, but I am fascinated each year when they spring from nothing to over twelve foot tall in a season.

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  39. What a fabulous post!
    Your tapestry is amazing...wow, such a talent you have...to be able to create such a stunning picture from those tiny stitches! That is truly awesome!!😊
    Gosh, such beautiful birds! I really love birds, of all kinds. We visited a bird sanctuary in East Sussex last week, and spent the whole day there. It was a wonderful, peaceful place to just sit and observe the birds in their ideal environment. We don't have any as colourful as yours though, so it is always a real treat to visit here.😊
    Your sky and flower pictures are wonderful too. I often "sky watch" also. It is ever-changing and fascinating, isn't it?!
    Oh I am so sad for your bereavement...sending lots and lots of love and healing hugs ❤❤❤

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    1. Ygraine: Many thanks. As I type this response dawn is over an hour away. Our guest will be here later this morning and we will have a quiet day tomorrow before heading off on Thursday.
      Despite the sun not being up, I can hear the first few birds (which is lovely).

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  40. I just love your photos to death. So beautiful. Speaking of dying. If those parrots landed in my yard, I would think I'd died and gone to heaven. LOVE birds and love parrots the most. At my mom's yesterday, I talked about my regret that I never brought a parrot into my home. One BIG reason I haven't is that I think they would be unhappy caged. The second reason is that I can't bear the thought of a pet outliving me. What happens to them?

    Great post, my friend.
    Teresa

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    1. T.Powell Coltrin: I am not sure how long the King Parrots or Galahs live, but am happy to let them fly free. And even happier that they visit us regularly.
      And thank you.

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  41. Please forgive me for not visiting in SO long! Life continues to interfere with birding and blogging.

    What a fabulous collection of images! The Tree Dahlia is stunning!

    Your comment on gardening immediately brought to mind how akin it is to life: weeding, planting, mulching. As we sow, so shall we reap.

    Enough deep thoughts!

    Thank you for sharing so much beauty.

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    1. Wally Jones: Not a problem. Life does sometimes get in the way. I hope the things which have been interfering with birding and blogging are positive.
      Sadly I think that in life the sowers, the toilers and the reapers are often different people.

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  42. Your tapestry is beautiful.
    The birds and flowers always leave me in awe.
    Hope your day is filled with happiness and sunshine.

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    1. Sandra: Many thanks. We will get sunshine (and a cool breeze).

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  43. I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Wishing you and family peace and strength.

    All your images always blow me away, but today it was that tapestry, beyond beautiful! You are a multifaceted artist.

    Have a safe journey out and back. Take care.

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    1. Nilanjana Bose: Thank you so much. So many of you have been complimentary about the long-stitch I am looking at it with (slightly) different eyes. I have always looked at it as being a bit 'colour by numbers'.

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  44. A lovely gift long-stitch tapestry, and sad to lose his Mum but it makes it that extra special to remember her by. Your other photos are a delight. I am very sorry to learn of the loss of a family member. A good journey to you there and back, and may you find those silver linings in being with family and friends.

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    1. DeniseinVA: Thank you. When himself's mother moved to a nursing home this tapestry (and another I made) were things she took with her. Which I found very moving.

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    2. That's a sweet story. Always very special but even more so now :)

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  45. I smiled in agreement when you said I never tire of the sky, right now i'm looking at one with a horizon of trees beneath it. The birds are singing, joyfully I might add and as I sit it is fascinating to wonder what their chirps mean to each other.












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    1. Spacer Guy: I am quite certain that birds have an intricate language - which I would love to be able to understand.

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  46. A tree dahlia? Never heard of one before. It is truly a beauty. I have ordinary dahlias which need taking in in winter, that is, their big fat tubers have to come in. I haven’t planted mine our yet, there is still a chance of a late frost.

    Otherwise I too have been extremely busy in the garden. Without Old Gardener I must do a great deal myself.

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    1. Friko: They are lovely. Despite the gargantuan height they are a herbaceous perennial. Wind and frost will destroy them, but this year we 'won' the battle and they have flowered (and are flowering) before being turned to black slush.

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  47. Squinting and looking at different sections, or in a different way, I also see a lot in that mural. Love it.
    Be well and you'll have a package en route soon.

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    1. Rawknrobyn: I suspect when next I go into town I will stand in front of the mural and squint. It is a beauty though. And thank you.

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  48. Looks at all those beautiful parrots.

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  49. A wonderful selection of shots. I like your cross-stitch!

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    1. Lady Fi: Mostly long stitch (and a few french knots). Thank you.

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  50. The tree dahlias are 12 feet tall??? WOW giant dahlias, how gorgeous! And lovely enbroidery.... I started a cross stitch a long time ago, took it on a plane journey to occupy my time, and accidently left it on the plane, never started another one!
    So sorry you are going to a funeral. I've been to some recently too.

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    1. Shammickite: Some years the tree dahlias are even taller than that - which is impressive for a single season. I have put all embroidery aside I think.

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  51. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. Why do I persist in trying to leave a comment from my mobile? Anyway, I love the tapestry you created. The birds and skies of your country never cease to amaze as well. The dahlia tree is a stunner, too.

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    2. Bea: I can barely read a blog from my mobile - much less leave comments. Isn't that tree dahlia amazing. We haven't had that 'hard' frost yet, so more is coming out each day.

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  52. Sorry uoi aren't having company under happier circumstances and good luck with the 6 hour drive!

    Beautiful sky and bird pictures. All the blooms too. :) Thanks for the updated mural picture. Definitely a lot to notice and see.

    ~Jess

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    1. DMS ~Jess: Thank you. The drive was very long, but we needed to go.

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  53. Once again you have spoilt us with your wonderful mix of photographs.

    I like your stitching, the mural looks very good and the flowers, birds and skies are all so beautiful.

    I'm sorry to read about your funeral, thinking of you all, and I hope your travels haven't been too tiring, take care.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Lowcarb team member ~Jan: Thank you. I am still in recovery mode - but glad we went. And thank you for your kind words about my photos.

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  54. That drive sounds so stressful. I hope you weather it well. I love your tapestry and beautiful photos, especially the parrots. Best to you.

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    1. e: It was a stressful and very long day. I hope life has been treating you and Lukas kindly.

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  55. I'm so sorry to hear of your family loss, and wishing you all a safe trip. As always, I love how you lift my spirits with colorful birds and flowers, and the scenery pics are postcard worthy. Hugs....RO

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    1. RO: Thank you. It was a safe (albeit long trip). The birds were waiting for us when we returned, which was lovely.

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  56. I hope the frosts are keeping away. I'd never heard of those flowers and they are beautiful

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    1. Kim: We have had a couple of frosts, but they have been very light and so far the tree dahlias are hanging in.

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