Sunday Selections #561

 

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.  Our damp/wet days continue.  Yesterday I had to attend a Lifeline meeting for people who volunteer to support our counsellors.  I don't like meetings.  I really don't.  Lifeline sweetened the blow by providing lunch - except that my ongoing nausea meant that option was not attractive at all.  However, the meeting was held at our National Zoo and Aquarium and entrance was included.  So I went early and happily wandered round for a few hours.   Lots of photos follow (for a change) and I will probably show more over the coming weeks.  As an aside during this very wet spring the zoo has given people whose day is spoiled by rain (a minimum of 1mm has to fall) the option to come back (free of charge) any time in the next week.  If there are no dry days that time frame is extended.
Settle back with your beverage of choice.  It was cool (14C at a maximum) and damp and I had a delightful (but very tiring) time.  I did get my 10,000 wobbly, muddy steps in.

The Scrivener Dam spillway continues to overflow.  The zoo is on the opposite bank.

The laughing hyena wasn't laughing - but seemed to be pretty comfortable just the same.

This goldfish had reached an impressive size and wasn't with the otters in the next few photos.  I don't think it would have lasted long.

 I adore the big cats and the next photos are from some which are quite close to the entrance to the zoo.  I couldn't see the leopard but there are photos of tigers, cheetahs and serval cats to come in a later post.

The female is Mishka, and the male Jake.  Apparently they, and many other animals at the zoo, really missed people during lockdown.  Many of the keepers moved to the zoo to keep them company - though I gather that having a lion roaring outside your window is not conducive to a good night's sleep.

Sorry, but I don't know the names of these lions.  All the animals in the zoo are given names, and I have seen Jake and Mishka respond to theirs.

I am finishing this post with a 'common' house sparrow.  Their numbers have been in decline and I was thrilled to see this one at the lion's enclosure.

Zoos have come a long way.  This one is privately owned and devotes a great deal of time and money to enrich the lives of the animals it houses - and it also donates considerable sums to world-wide conservation projects.  It isn't cheap to go there, but I don't begrudge a cent of the charges.

I hope your week is wild and wonderful.

Words For Wednesday 24/11/2021

 

This meme was started by Delores a long time ago.  Computer issues led her to bow out for a while.  The meme was too much fun to let go, and now Words for Wednesday is 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, and mixing and matching is encouraged.

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 Margaret Adamson, and her friend Sue Fulcher.  The prompts  will also include photographs taken by Margaret's friend Bill Dodd.

Sadly this will be the last month Margaret and her friends provide us the prompts.  Margaret's and Sue's health has got in the way and forced them to make decisions about where to devote their energies.  I thank them, and will miss them.

This week's prompts are:

1. Memorialise
2. Terpsichorean
3. Flotation
4. Gusto
5. Obnoxious
6. Phlegmatic

And/Or

1. Philately
2. Swaddle
3. Voice
4. Voluptuous
5. Yolk
6. Appraise

Have fun.  As I have said this is Margaret and her friend's last month (and last week) of providing the prompts.  I thank them, and, as usual, some of the words are a challenge to work a story around...

 

Next month the prompts will be here, and I will be providing them.

 

 

 

 

Sunday Selections #560

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. Snippets from home this week.

Starting with skyscapes.  I continue with the dawn patrols, and these are from three very different dawns.

Notice the 'watch cocky' perched on the lamp post looking for signs of movement at the feeders...

 Then to the garden.  We have had another wet week and some of the garden has been beaten down by it.  The double poppies continue to make a brave display.

I particularly liked seeing the seed pod emerging while the petals formed a tutu around its base...

Andrew inspired the last bit of this post.  For more years than I care to count we have been making Christmas cakes for family and friends.  They come in all sizes.  The large and the very large ones have been made, and here are photos from the (hopefully) final batch this year which was made up of small cakes, and slightly larger ones to savour over a couple of sittings...

The fruit and nut mix which has been soaking in rum and brandy for a week.

Ready for the cake tins.

Ready for the oven.

Larger ones we made earlier which have just been 'watered'

Out of the oven.

A little later I will do some more baking for people who don't like/cannot eat fruitcake.

I hope your week is productive - and delicious.

 

 

 

Words For Wednesday 17/11/2021

 

This meme was started by Delores a long time ago.  Computer issues led her to bow out for a while.  The meme was too much fun to let go, and now Words for Wednesday is 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, and mixing and matching is encouraged.

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 Margaret Adamson, and her friend Sue Fulcher.  The prompts  will also include photographs taken by Margaret's friend Bill Dodd.

Sadly this will be the last month Margaret and her friends provide us the prompts.  Margaret's and Sue's health has got in the way and forced them to make decisions about where to devote their energies.  I thank them, and will miss them.

This week's prompts are photos: 

 Have fun.

PS:  I will have to prove I am not a robot to comment on any blogs until some time Saturday.  If your comments are embedded I will NOT be able to comment.

 

Sunday Selections #559

 

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.  It has been wet here again.  Sometimes very wet.  In a brief interlude in the rain we headed down to Scrivener Dam.  As we expected there was water coming over the spillway - and I expect there is more now.

Of course I took photos of reflections in the puddles too.

 And here is a brief video (15 seconds) of the sound and fury.

 

While we were in the neighbourhood we went down to the lake.

The stormwater drains were running freely - and again will be running higher now.

 There were damp kangaroos, and ducks (perfect weather for them) and a pelican hunched up and going nowhere too.

The kangaroos were quite wet, but (as usual) relaxing as only kangaroos or cats can.

Despite the grey days, there is still plenty of colour in our garden.  So in a very brief dry interlude I headed out.

I said that the Alstroemeria were starting to bloom didn't I?  They are trying hard to take over this bed.

I adore these double poppies and save the seeds to broadcast them every year.

My commenting woes continue - though this morning I have (intermittently) been able to comment more often.  I have most problem on blogs with embedded comments and often cannot comment at all.  I apologise to all those who I have not left a message to say that I have been by and read your posts.  I have alerted the blogger boffins but so far they are diligently not responding.

I hope your week to come is blooming marvellous.