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. On Thursday I met my personal commitment and did the Out of the Shadows walk. (Thank you to all those who commented. I do know that suicide is a confronting subject for many). There was a breakfast meet up after the walk - making use of a coffee-cart at the walk's starting point.
However as usual I was peopled out and skipped breakfast. Instead I walked into town to do an early shift on the crisis line. It wasn't seven when I started walking (slowly), and the streets were quiet and often beautiful. Equanimity was restored.
So, as I so often say, come walk with me. And of course, a lot of my predictable focus was on birds and gardens.
I do love the way that the native birds (and this is a crimson rosella) are happy in our suburbs.
I really like this garden. I am only in this part of town once a year (for the Out of The Shadows Walk) and I look forward to seeing how it has developed since my last visit. I think it looks really inviting.
The angels continue to crowd this balcony and I smiled to see that it looks as if there is a fallen angel behind them. I am sure there is a story here...
It looks as if what was once a very impressive single residence is now apartments. And no doubt fairly expensive ones.
Gates fascinate me too.
I think that is a backpack - but it does look as if the child has sprouted wings...
I do hope that heavily pruned plant comes back.
In the space of less than a block everything changes as we move into a much more modern (and less personally appealing) part of town.
I hope you all find peace and beauty in your week.
Totally looks like an angel... I wouldn't have guessed a child with a backpack! I guess it's for a school crossing?
ReplyDeleteI love seeing the beauty on your walks - even if it's in your own garden! The plantings and birds never fail to amaze me. Thank you so much for continuing to share your wanderings with all of us - many who are stuck in concrete jungles.
Please give my homage to His Furry Highness and hugs to yourself.
River Fairchild: It is near a school (a couple of blocks away) but not on a crossing. I am glad that you could also see the angel. And are happy to walk with me.
DeleteHis furry highness is asleep at the moment but I will certainly pass on your homage when he rises.
That garden is inviting, but so is yours!
ReplyDeleteAlex J. Cavanaugh: Thank you. I really, really want inviting pathways in mine - something more to work on.
Deletelove the first bird such vibrant colors and the gate is so tall, I hate to see pruning like that, although once my parents had en elm tree and it was heavily weighted with a single crotch and it started to split down the center, an arborist came and pruned it severely and put a metal rod through just about the crotch with turn buckles on either end, and the next year the tree started to recover and was saved.
ReplyDeleteLinda Starr: Many years ago my father viciously pruned a camellia. It didn't bloom again for several years - but when it did it bloomed as it had never done before.
DeleteI pruned an overgrown lavender almost to the ground when I first moved in to my previous home and it had completely recovered by mid spring.
DeleteRiver: I have had some success with vicious prunings, but I have had some failures too. We pruned roses today (probably not hard enough). Time will tell.
Deleteshould be heavily weighted on either side of a single crotch
ReplyDeleteLinda Starr: I knew what you meant and am glad that other people's fingers are also faster than their brains.
DeleteEarly spring is wonderful. I love to see trees in bloom. It was a good day for a walk. My mother cut a plant severely back and I thought, that was it. The plant came back beautifully.
ReplyDeleteThe yards are certainly well kept.
Ann Bennett: It is an exciting and vibrant time of the year isn't it? As I said to Linda in the comment above I can remember a camellia (which we thought my father had killed) coming back beautifully too. I am a timid pruner.
DeleteThis is an old part of town and most (but not all) of the yards were beautifully maintained.
Such lovely pictures. Sometimes I tend to forget that you are heading into spring while we are heading into Autumn.
ReplyDeletemxtodis123: Definitely spring here - though I am really looking forward to seeing the autumnal displays from your side of the world.
DeleteCan you believe that Sunday comes around again.
ReplyDeleteYou've shared a wonderful mix of photographs.
The colours of the bird in your first photograph is beautiful and I like the angels.
Take care, my good wishes.
All the best Jan
Lowcarb team member ~Jan: It is most definitely Sunday. Again. Already. Thank you - and I hope that you have a wonderful week too.
DeleteI liked this walk!!! I was walking beside you!
ReplyDelete: )
Caterina: I am glad you came with me. Thank you.
DeleteI love the Crimson Rosella, brilliant colours. I love also the Bungalows, pretty EC.
ReplyDeleteBob Bushell: There were several crimson rosellas, a few eastern rosellas, king parrots, magpie larks and magpies. And several sulphur crested cockatoos. You would have enjoyed a lot of my walk I think.
DeleteSome beautiful houses and scenery on your walk!
ReplyDeleteStrayer: I thought so too. I do hope you are out of the fires. I have been watching the news and worrying for you, for Snow and for other bloggers too.
DeleteNow that I had my Sunday morning walk, I can hop back into bed with the Sunday paper, feeling no guilt...not that I ever feel guilty hopping back into bed with the Sunday paper!) :)
ReplyDeleteI hope your week ahead is a good one, a happy one, EC. Take good care...cuddles to Jazz. :)
Lee: I am considering going back to bed too. Without the paper. I hope that you and the furry overlords have a wonderful week.
DeleteI looked up Crimson Rosella's. I said if you want to keep them as pets you need to raise them yourself. (Do I have to sit on the egg?)
ReplyDeleteI had some Yews in my front and back yards. I let them get away from me and the were huge. Someone told me that I could trim them back to almost the ground and they will come back. They all died. I should have consulted the Google.
Mike: Sitting (safely) on the egg would be hard enough, but I don't fancy regurgitating chewed up food into their beaks either. I am happy to let them stay free.
Delete'It said', not 'I said'. I wish we could edit comments.
DeleteMike: Short of deleting them and starting again. And I would like it too - and of course 'New Blogger' doesn't offer us that facility.
DeleteYour pictures are all wonderful, as usual, but the first and the last ones are especially brilliant. We are in the midst of a pandemic and wildfire smoke making the air almost unbreathable. It's a terrible time, but your pictures remind me there are other things going on.
ReplyDeleteDJan: I am really sorry to read that the fires are impacting on your air quality too. I hope your sprained finger is on the mend as well. I am a beauty addict and am so grateful that there is a lot of it about.
DeleteI love your morning walk with your camera. Such beautiful photos. Your blooming trees are gorgeous. I always love photos of gardens and birds. There is something soothing about looking at flowers blooming. I love the birds als
ReplyDeleteHave a good week and stay safe.
Hugs, Julia
Julia: It was a lovely walk and the peace and quiet were very welcome. You stay safe too.
DeleteIt is interesting to see some of your local houses, and what glorious blooms.
ReplyDeleteAndrew: Thank you. Not 'local' precisely. These are taken in old Canberra and most of them are posher than the suburb in which I live. Not many of them are being demolished either but are repurposed instead - which is a reflection of how well they were built I suspect.
DeleteYou are in the bloom of spring. It looks wonderful as everything here is fading.
ReplyDeleteMarie Smith: We are and I welcome it. In just a few short months I expect to be looking at photos from your side of the world for relief.
DeleteThank you for the walk, and the photos. I love walking in the quiet of the early morning; in some ways I really enjoyed the weeks that we were in full lockdown. I hope your city continues to be covid-free. We all got a shock in this country when we got new cases after more than 100 days of having none...
ReplyDeleteI have also just read your previous post, feeling sad but also grateful that people like you are committed to helping those who are unhappy and unwell. As a college teacher I experienced first-hand the shock and grief of friends and family when a loved one committed suicide.
May your week be full of beautiful spring days.
Alexia: Thank you. I am not usually a 'joiner' but am very happy to join the Lifeline crew. I remember from previous years that you know the pain/the shock/the grief of suicide and my heart aches for you as it does for everyone who knows this tragedy.
DeleteAnd yes, early morning walks are excellent. Quiet, beautiful, restorative.
Such beauty. I love that you see (and share) that beauty with us. It is amazing how quickly the city takes over. Love all the beautiful gardens and I think the angel photo would make a great shot to inspire stories. Take care and be safe. Have a wonderful week my friend.
ReplyDeleteMason Canyon: Thank you. I will think about your suggestion when next I am responsible for the Words for Wednesday prompts. Your friendship is dear to me, and I am grateful (again) to the blogosphere for introducing us.
DeleteThank you, Sue. And you, too.
ReplyDeleteJoanne Noragon: And you. Each and every week.
DeleteA lovely walk, so much beauty, an then the city. Wow. A contrast indeed.
ReplyDeleteMy selections are of the weekend furniture adventure and a few other things.
messymimi: Thank you. It is a huge contrast isn't it - in a very short distance.
DeleteI look forward (as I always do) to seeing your Sunday Selections when they are posted.
I do like those gardens you passed and love the lemon coloured wattle. Every time I see the stone angels I think "Don't Blink" which was an episode of Dr Who featuring stone angels who were evil.
ReplyDeleteRiver: I vaguely remember that Dr Who series. Shudder. I don't 'think' these are evil angels though.
DeleteThe fallen angel brought a chuckle!
ReplyDeleteJ Cosmo Newbery: I thought of it walking by - and smiled.
DeleteClearly that third angel has been into the Cascade Stout. By the way, that would be a great name for a boutique stout here... Stay safe...
ReplyDeleteBill: The third angel has been into something - or has been belted by the two standing at the edge of the balcony. I am safe and hope that you are too.
DeleteLove those angels.
ReplyDeleteThe parrot beautiful.
The houses the flowers all wonderful to see..
Take care.
Margaret D: Thank you. Those angels have been there for at least a year - and don't leave much room on that balcony.
DeleteDear EC
ReplyDeleteThe suburbs are lovely to see and the birds are beautiful. The angels remind me of the Doctor Who 'Weeping Angels' story (one of my favourites) but I have always imagined that statues might move if you are not looking at them. Anyone else? No, just me then!
I enjoyed sharing your walk.
Best wishes
Ellie
Ellie Foster: You and River both reminded me of Dr Who's treatment of angels. My memory of that series is hazy but I can remember being creeped out. Dr Who quite often had that effect on me. Of course an angel can move if you don't keep a close eye on it.
DeleteLook after yourself.
Hi EC – wonderful to see the back view of the crimson rosella – perhaps even more beautiful than other views … amazing how colours come about.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun for you to see the changing neighbourhood – and for us to join you … the mimosa, bottle brush – yes one wonders about the angels – a story as you say. Cherry blossom wonderful blooms … not sure what that stunning flower is blooming before its leaves appear. Nappy pack – fun: at least that’s the way I see it! … the new apartment block I’m sure will improve with age!
Doors and Gates … always interesting to see and think about what’s behind them … that pruned plant will be back I’m sure … we’ll find out next year! When you walk on by again … can’t say the city centre blocks inspire – but glad to see the Californian poppies … and the single yesterday, today (as it is) and tomorrow – at least I think that’s what it might be – stunning scent if it is …
Take care – love the photos and notes … thanks – take care and stay safe - Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: Thank you. I am endlessly fascinated with doors and gates - a fascination which has no doubt been fueled by many books over the years.
DeleteThe city centre holds much less charm for me too - but I know that it is hugely important for many.
You take care too please. The covid resurgence from your country is worrying.
Thankfully - I'm in a quiet area ... and I take care. Thinking of you as Spring appears ... you too take care - H xo
DeleteHilary Melton-Butcher: I am very, very glad to hear that. Hugs.
DeleteYour suburbs are very appealing, Sue, and I saw only a child with a backpack right away so perhaps I am not especially in tune with angels. The reminder of the Crimson Rosella drive me to look back on our own pictures of this species. The Cardinal in my garden is wonderful, but I think the Rosella has the edge! This damn pandemic had better end one day and permit me to return to Australia before I am too old and doddery to do so!
ReplyDeleteDavid M. Gascoigne: Perhaps familiarity is breeding contempt? I would LOVE to see a cardinal (much as I love all of our rosellas). And a big yes to the ending of the damnable pandemic.
DeleteWhat a lot of bungalows, either bungalows or high rise flats is not what I am used to here in the village. 2-storey cottages are the order of the day and not a single high rise block in sight.
ReplyDeleteGoing for walks is a good idea wherever you go, at this dark time we need cheering up and walking does that every time. And seeing the colourful birds and flowers of your native country adds tenfold to the pleasure.
Friko: Bungalows are very common here. Very, very common. I much prefer them to the high rise alternatives.
DeleteAnd a big yes to walking. And birds and gardens.
Love those crowding angles. If I ever saw a bird like that in a tree I would call the locak bird zoo and ask if they were missing a bird ;) And oh, I too hope that the pruned tree will be proudly growing again soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a look into your beautiful world.
Charlotte (MotherOwl): I was surprised to see the angels last year - and even more surprised to see that they have still claimed the balcony a year later. We are lucky, and seeing a few crimson rosellas at a time is quite common. I couldn't even tell what the pruned tree is - but like you hope that it comes back.
DeleteWhat a wonderful walk! I love that crimson bird and the houses in that area.
ReplyDeletegigi-hawaii: It was a delightful walk in a part of town I don't often see. The rosellas are regulars here though - for which I am grateful.
DeleteI love that you share your walk of beauty with us. I prefer the country or suburbs to cities, but there's beauty there too (I guess) of a different type. I may soon be moving out of the desert and into more fertile land. Your photos made me start thinking of having a garden. That would be really different for me but I think it would nurture me and I would enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a happy, healthy week.
Myrna R.: You might be moving? I hope you will keep us posted. I do find that the garden nurtures me - but it has also become an obsession.
DeleteI too love gates and interesting "crazy paving" pathways winding about. What a great walk you were on and what a contrast in buildings. In new developments aesthetics are sadly missing.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
Wisewebwoman: The contrast was incredible wasn't it? And so quick too. I agree with you about the aesthetics of the new buildings. They look like boxes to me, and I cannot see any of them surviving as long as the houses in the new suburbs. Then again I could well be wrong. Again.
Delete❤️
ReplyDeleteR's Rue: Thank you.
DeleteThanks for another great walk! I hope you have an inspiring week.
ReplyDeletee: It was a tiring walk (tacked on to the one before it) but I needed the quiet and the beauty. I hope that you and Lukas both have a safe, healthy and happy week.
DeleteThe pink and purple flowers are my favorites but all the pictures were so pretty.
ReplyDeleteMary Kirland: Thank you. I am unable to pick a favourite colour or plant - but revel in them all.
DeleteI am always so happy to come walk with you.
ReplyDeleteThe birds and the gardens....it's what my eyes see first, too.
Thanks for sharing your Springtime.
Warms my heart it does:)
Always,
Jennifer
SingingRiverSoulSpa: It is a pleasure to have your company. On any walk.
DeleteI can see that Spring is blooming along. You have a lovely suburb to walk around. How I wish we had Spring here, TQ for bringing Spring to me. Surprisingly, we have something like your red banksia here but it way smaller and it is called powder puff!!
ReplyDeletekestrel: Thank you. The suburbs I walked through are in the older/posher part of town, but I think they are lovely.
DeletePowder puff? I would like to see that.
You live in a beautiful area☺
ReplyDeleteNatalia: It is a pretty area of town isn't it?
DeleteMe gustán las imágenes que has aportado. Forman una variada colección.
ReplyDeleteVENTANA DE FOTO: Thank you. My wander took me through some very different (and picturesque) areas.
DeleteSuch beautiful scenery and those angels are fascinating. I can't say I'm a fan of gates, but it is a good way to keep people out of places they shouldn't be.(lol) Hugs and hope you are well! RO
ReplyDeleteRO: There are gates and gates. I liked these - and they didn't look like much of a barrier. Thank you - and please stay safe and well.
DeleteThank you for taking us along with you. You live and walk in beautiful surroundings. Loved the bungalow style house with the arched entrance. The shot of those pink magnolia like flowers, just divine. And the fallen angel, also the other 'backpack' angel.
ReplyDeleteStay safe and well.
Nilanjana Bose: I am very grateful for the virtual company I have on my walks. Walkers who enjoy the same things that my small mind delights in, wonders at...
DeleteI too love gates and doors.
ReplyDeleteThat crimson rosella is beautiful.
Hena Tayeb: Aren't the rosellas lovely? Even in the early morning their colours brighten each and every day.
DeleteI agree. The houses are much more appealing.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful, peaceful week to you too.
Rawknrobyn: Thank you. Lots of people are drawn to city scapes. Not me.
DeleteStay safe, stay well - and well away from the fires.
There is something about all those stone angels behind bars that hovers between amusing and sad. Fly, little guys!
ReplyDeleteJohn Wiswell: Those angels have been trapped on that balcony for a long time. I do feel sad for them - and doubt they have enough room to spread their wings.
DeleteLovely gardens and gates. Mr. Crimson Rosella is quite attractive as well :) Our summer is winding down; the nights are getting cooler, leaves are starting to turn, and all the flowers fading. Stay well.
ReplyDeletemshatch: We are starting to warm up quite dramatically, which makes me fear the months ahead.
DeleteYou stay safe and well too please.
Your spring is well underway, I can see, and it makes me long to have spring here all over again. We will have to get through winter first, though. I love the crimson rosella in the first photo - what beautiful plumage. I would love to have any of those gardens you have shown us, but I'm afraid I can hardly keep up with the few plants we have because I just don't go outside in the hot weather. It makes me appreciate others' work even more.
ReplyDeleteHave a good week, EC.
jenny_o: It is lovely to see you here. Spring is definitely well underway. I don't go outside in hot weather either - but the work for Spring gardens is mostly done in the cool of autumn. And, if I have got lazy (which is often the truth) planting for spring is done in winter too.
DeleteThat was a lovely leisurely walk home from your early morning activities. Very nice to have the time to stroll and enjoy the scenery, the birds, gardens, flowers. I wonder what the story is regarding the angels on the balcony. They look a bit trapped. Perhaps they are praying that someone will come and open the gate and let them out!
ReplyDeleteShammickite: I wish it had been home. I was going into town to do a shift on the crisis line. I too wonder about the angels who have been trapped there for some time now.
DeleteIt always amazes me how a neighbourhood can change within a few steps! Love the pics - flowers and pretty houses always make me smile! Enjoy your week!!
ReplyDeleteJemi Fraser: It amazes me too. The whole character of the neighbourhood shifted in just a block. I hope your week is productive and safe.
DeleteHow long have you been taking photographs of Canberra EC? You must have amassed a valuable historic collection
ReplyDeleteKim: I doubt that my collection does have any historic value. Most of the photos I take ignore the work of man. But thank you.
DeleteDidn't you say that one of the lakes was created, or was I dreaming? I heard a photographer speaking who'd taken shots of her local town over the years in much the same way that you have, she was contacted by the library who put a display together and collated her work as a resource.
DeleteIt was fascinating. Yours would be too.
Kim: All of our lakes are man-made. I remember (just) when Lake Burley Griffin (the first of our lakes) started to fill. And resent (bitterly) our local government's current efforts to reclaim some of it for commercial enterprises and high priced apartments.
DeleteLooking at old houses and gardens I sometimes wonder who built the place, what were their priorities in the design? How had they made their money?
ReplyDeleteIn 50 or 80 years nobody will be tempted to ask such questions, the answer will be a consistent "developers making a quick buck"
What a lovely walk. Have a great week!
kylie: My focus is slightly different. I wonder about the people who have lived in them. You are right though, your questions also deserve exploring/pondering.
DeleteI see you have had a 'real' roadtrip and hope that the smiles and memories sustain you this week.
Thank you for sharing these lovely sights on your walk. Another wonderful Sunday series :)
ReplyDeleteDeniseinVA: Thank you. I so often resort to same old, same old and have posted photographs from the same place/angle each year.
DeleteThe crimson rosella looks so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteDamyanti at Daily (w)rite
Damyanti: They are - and are a very welcome visitor at home.
DeleteWhat could be better than focusing on birds and gardens?
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your lovely exploration!
Wally Jones: Thank you. It was nearly as exciting (or nature packed) as your peregrinations.
DeleteThanks for letting us tag along on your walk. Very serene and beautiful, especially that crimson rosella.
ReplyDeleteSandra Cox: I really like early morning and should get out it in more often. And yes, that rosella (and the others I saw) were definite bright spots.
DeleteDear EC, thank you for this tour of a neighbor. I'd like to be walking with you and see the flora and fauna and . . . the gates! By the way, you've been in your winter haven't you? While we here in the northern hemisphere have been in summer. I got my flu shot yesterday. What was the flu season like there in Australia. Did the doctors find that the shot helped them see the difference between flu and Covid???? Here we are getting the urgent message to get the flu shot because the two of them can be so easily mistaken for one another. Peace.
ReplyDeleteDee: We have indeed (or some of us) been enjoying winter. Our flu season was milder than it has been in other years I believe - perhaps because people were isolating themselves and not spreading it. I had my flu shot though.
DeleteI hope that you can continue to stay safe from either the flu OR covid 19, and hope that your other health issues settle. Peace to you too. Every day.
Dear EC, thank you. I'm hoping that both of us and all our global community experience peace pressed down and overflowing sometime while I'm still alive!
DeleteDee: I share that hope with every fibre of my being.
DeleteLaurie: Thank you. Of course you are struggling. You wouldn't be human if you were not. And yes, the world is in a state of overwhelm. I certainly feel it and I think that many who have never suffered before are also struggling. Look after yourself. You are dear AND inspirational.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful blooms! And those angels are very intriguing.
ReplyDeleteLady Fi: The angels have been there for over a year now, and my curiosity is growing.
DeleteNice to look at your world. I like flowers, houses and city views. I think you will have lovely spring. We have soon autumn with rain.
ReplyDeleteHugs
orvokki: Thank you. We are having a lovely spring, but I long for rain.
Delete❤️
ReplyDeleteR's Rue: Thank you.
DeleteSome of these homes and gardens look so inviting.
ReplyDeleteStay safe. Be healthy.
Sandra Cox: They do, don't they. They are in the older part of my city, which I think has more charm than the newer areas - not least because of the avenues of trees and the gardens.
DeleteI am safe and hope you are too.
The crimson rosella is gorgeous. Love the colors. And look at the gardens! So beautiful and inviting. Looks like you had a lot of nice sights to soak in during your walk. Thanks for taking us with you. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
DMS ~Jess: I had a LOT of beauty to absorb on that walk, and was very, very grateful for it.
DeleteThank you for the tour. Many lovely and interesting houses.
ReplyDeleteRasmaSandra: I am glad (and grateful) that you enjoyed it.
DeleteBeautiful photos, as always. I love to see the "exotic" birds like crimson rosellas perching in the trees - here we can only see them in a zoo.
ReplyDeleteIt was fun to see the yards and gardens, too. I'm a hopeless gardening addict, so you provided a happy 'fix' for me. Like you, I much prefer the single-family residential areas to the sterile boxes of downtown. Brrr.
Diane Henders: I hate seeing birds in cages - though as a child I was given a much loved peach-faced rosella. These days the birds we welcome are free and stay that way.
DeleteYards and gardens are MUCH more to my taste than little boxes...
Thanks for letting us tag along on your walk. :)
ReplyDeleteThe bird, of course, is absolutely beautiful, and I'd be thrilled to see such brightly-colored plumage in the wild. Like Diane said, I've only seen them in zoo-like settings.
Your comment about seeing that garden only once a year and how much you enjoy seeing its changes made me wonder if you're going to see the same phenomenon there as we've experienced here since the pandemic began. People have been gardening like crazy! There's been such an explosion of new flower gardens and vegetable gardens, often created by people who've never gardened a day in their lives before, that it's sometimes been difficult to find seeds. My guess is that gardening gives people something to do... something to provide a bit of sunshine and hope into their lives during this long stay-at-home period. It'll be interesting to see if you experience the same thing happening there.
Take care, dear lady, and have a super weekend. I'd love to give you a big fat hug in person, but this virtual one will have to do. (I'll try not to squeeze too tight...)
Susan: My city's lockdown has been relatively soft - but people ARE spending more time in the garden. And it shows.
DeleteHug as tightly as you like - and yes, I would love it to be in person too.
I always enjoy your walks, but I especially love that crimson rosella.
ReplyDeleteJ C: They are beautiful birds and I am so grateful that a family of them visits us regularly. The male will eat from our hands now.
Delete