Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wednesday 29 January 2020

Words For Wednesday











This meme was started by Delores a long time ago.  Words for Wednesday is now provided by a number of people and has become a movable feast. 

Essentially the aim is to encourage us to write.  Each week we are given a choice of prompts: which can be words, phrases, music or an image.   What we do with those prompts is up to us:  a short story, prose, a song, a poem, or treating them with ignore...  We can use some or all of the prompts.

Some of us put our creation in comments on the post, and others post on their own blog.  I would really like it if as many people as possible joined into this fun meme, which includes cheering on the other participants.  If you are posting on your own blog - let me know so that I, and other participants, can come along and applaud.


The prompts will be here this month but are provided by Mark Koopmans.


This week's prompts are:


  1. Splurge
  2. Bonking
  3. Veterans
  4. Windows
  5. Lasagne
  6. Inconceivable!

       

And/Or

  1. Ruling
  2. Extinguished
  3. Ebonics
  4. Dresser
  5. Marley
  6. Yikes

·      
Have fun.

Huge thanks to Mark who has definitely challenged us this month.  In February River will be providing the prompts on her blog.

Sunday 26 January 2020

Sunday Selections #465




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.

Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image.
  
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.  My theme this week is gifts.  I had a birthday recently.  Himself is mostly supremely talented in the gift giving arena (though the year he gave me an iron was a big fail).  This year his gifts were thoughtful, appreciated, and very generous.




His first gift was a Bee and Insect House which I have wedged into the trunks of our white banksia rose.  I do hope the pollinators find it, and will watch with interest.

 The second was a nice sturdy bird bath.  I have put a rock into it so the smallest birds can also perch and drink safely.  So far only the pigeons have found it (while I have been watching) but I hope that a lot of birds benefit from it.


And, in an embarrassment of riches, he also gave me some books and a garden trowel.

Later that day we headed out to the National Art Gallery to see the Matisse Picasso exhibition - which didn't disappoint.  I took over two hundred photos and a post about it will appear in the fullness of time.

In common with many exhibitions these days the only exit is through the gift shop.  I weakened (of course).  The following selection are gifts I am happy to share, with anyone who would like one.  First in best dressed I am afraid.  If you would like any of the next items let me know in the comments and I will happily post them (world wide).




 The first bookmark depicts a Picasso painting 'La Lecture'.  I believe it depicts one of his many mistresses (who he didn't flatter with his art work). 

 The circular image is a depiction of Matisse's Still Life with Oranges.   I 'thought' it was a magnet.  My mistake.  It is actually a small hand mirror. 

The second bookmark is taken from a Matisse painting 'The Seated Odalisque'.

Then some cards I bought.



The first card is Picasso of course.  It is 'L'Arlesienne:  Lee Miller'  Do you see what I meant when I said that his art doesn't flatter his subjects?



The second card is by Henri Matisse and is a reproduction of 'Plate 1 from Pasiphae, Song of Minos (The Cretans).  I really like its simplicity.



This one is also Matisse 'The Reclining Odalisque'


The final card (also Matisse) is titled 'Blouse romaine (Romanian blouse) and was drawn in charcoal.

Of the two artists I much prefer Henri Matisse but there were some Picasso works in the exhibition which also surprised and delighted me.

On the way home we stopped by the lake and I was given another gift.

Our white ibises are unkindly also called bin chickens.  I was lucky to catch this quick shot of a flock of them taking to the sky.



It really was a lovely day and I am happy to share the bounty.  If I don't yet have your address please send me an email.

Some of you have asked whether I was affected in our most recent (and spectacular) hail storm.  We were on its fringes and got a little hail and no damage.  Three family members will have to replace cracked windscreens and have cosmetic damage to their cars but all in all were were lucky and dodged that particular bullet.  Lifeline (the organisation I volunteer with) was less fortunate.  One of their vans had both front and rear windscreens shattered, the upholstery drenched and shredded and every panel looks as if someone has attacked it with a hammer.  It will have to be replaced.

The damage was incredible.  As well as the cars (which may because of the number damaged have to wait up to year to be repaired), many buildings were also damaged.  Solar panels were a frequent casualty and the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) lost years and years of irreplaceable work when its greenhouses were hit in the storm. 

And fires still burn.

Here's to a week with no climatic extremes.

Wednesday 22 January 2020

Words for Wednesday











This meme was started by Delores a long time ago.  Words for Wednesday is now provided by a number of people and has become a movable feast. 

Essentially the aim is to encourage us to write.  Each week we are given a choice of prompts: which can be words, phrases, music or an image.   What we do with those prompts is up to us:  a short story, prose, a song, a poem, or treating them with ignore...  We can use some or all of the prompts.

Some of us put our creation in comments on the post, and others post on their own blog.  I would really like it if as many people as possible joined into this fun meme, which includes cheering on the other participants.  If you are posting on your own blog - let me know so that I, and other participants, can come along and applaud.


The prompts will be here this month but are provided by Mark Koopmans.


This week's prompts are:


  1. Deviled/which might also be spelt devilled
  2. Interdependence
  3. Watery
  4. Figs
  5. Zoom
  6. Headphones

       
And/Or

  1. Gargled
  2. Presence
  3. Yelling
  4. Andalusia
  5. Snowdrifts
  6. Exfoliate


Have fun.

Sunday 19 January 2020

Sunday Selections #464




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.

Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image.
  
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 week I am reverting to snippets from the week that was.


My air quality is finally improving (though the same is not true of Melbourne).  The smoke in the sky does produce some spectacular effects (though I will be glad to see it gone).  These photos are both of the sun and not the moon, and were taken in 'full' daylight.




Another of the night flowering cacti flowers came out.  It was starting to come out as the light faded one night.



When I headed out to look at it early the next morning the bees had already found it.






And of course, while I was up and out that early morning I had to take other photos.






It was lucky I did.  A few days later we got a little very, very welcome rain.  With the rain came hail, which shredded a lot of flowers, and stripped leaves from trees.  It was very localised and a few streets away they got neither rain nor hail.





And in other news, the King Parrots are back, months earlier than we expected to see them.





Were we happy to see them?  Yes.  And no.  They disappear each year into the nearby hills during breeding season and it is usually autumn (or early winter) before we see them again.

I suspect the fires drove them out of the hills early, and while it is lovely to see these ones at least survived, I suspect that this year few were able to breed successfully.

We have more rain promised over the next few days and I hope (so very much) that it arrives both here and on the nearby fires which are still burning (albeit not as ferociously as they were.


Wednesday 15 January 2020

Words for Wednesday











This meme was started by Delores a long time ago.  Words for Wednesday is now provided by a number of people and has become a movable feast. 

Essentially the aim is to encourage us to write.  Each week we are given a choice of prompts: which can be words, phrases, music or an image.   What we do with those prompts is up to us:  a short story, prose, a song, a poem, or treating them with ignore...  We can use some or all of the prompts.

Some of us put our creation in comments on the post, and others post on their own blog.  I would really like it if as many people as possible joined into this fun meme, which includes cheering on the other participants.  If you are posting on your own blog - let me know so that I, and other participants, can come along and applaud.


The prompts will be here this month but are provided by Mark Koopmans.


This week's prompts are:


  1. Constipation
  2. Rivalry
  3. Occupation
  4. Sneeze
  5. Wishy-washy
  6. Diatribe

  1. And/or 
  2. Snot
  3. Beluga
  4. Emergency
  5. Qualify
  6. Coffee
  7. Butt
Have fun.

PS: Mark has indicated that he won't be writing anything from the prompts he has given us because it doesn't feel fair.  He has also said that he cannot remember the prompts (which he sent to me months ago) which I think negates any 'unfairness'.  I for one, would love to see how he tackles the challenges he set the rest of us.  How do others feel?


·       

Sunday 12 January 2020

Sunday Selections #463




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.

Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image.
  
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 week I received a treat in the mail.  The lovely Sandra Cox despite the sadness and worry in her own life sent me a book.  One of her books.  Flower Power spoke to my garden obsessed self.  For a slim volume it contains a lot to absorb.  Planting by colour, planting for sun/shade, the meaning of flowers, plants which are dangerous to animals, planting tips, aromatherapy, floroscopes...  I can see me dipping into this gem often.  Thank you Sandra.

Her very generous gift encouraged me to focus on the garden this week in Sunday Selections.















It is still very dry.  Fires still burn.  Dangerously so.  Homes and lives continue to be lost.  I weep and my heart aches.  Just the same, this fire related image made me smile.  I have showed you 'A Delicate Moment' by Suzie Bleach and Andy Townsend before.



The air quality is my city is still hazardous.  Masks are in short supply.  I think it says a lot about how her community values her that the statue was given a mask, and also that no-one has nicked it.  The sculptors' home town was hit hard (and repeatedly) by recent fires so I suspect they would appreciate the image too.