Sunday Selections #320

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.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.
 
Like River I usually run with a theme.  This week?  More from the Tommy Tourist Trail, specifically from Telstra Tower and the nearby National Botanic Gardens.

There is (or was) a revolving restaurant in that tower.  I have never been, but I understand the views at night are spectacular (matched by the prices in the restaurant).  

The centre of our city (such as it is).  Despite being the Nation's capital, we are also a large country town.  Which I like and some people loathe.

We have had a long hot summer, and the countryside shows it.  Fortunately over the last week or so there has been rain, and I expect those brown fields have at least a tinge of green again.

And then to the Botanic Gardens.  Telstra Tower stands on top of Black Mountain and the gardens are on its slopes.  It is an easy walk from the gardens to both the Australian National University and to the city.

 

We got a kangaroo fix in the Botanic Gardens as well.  Indeed I think we saw kangaroos every day while himself's sister was with us.

  This final flower is Sturt's Desert Pea, South Australia's flora emblem.  It was blooming happily on the other side of the country - and has me considering tracking one down.

I do love the gardens.  A beautiful place, filled with bird song.  A haven for people, for birds, for insects, for animals and for reptiles.  Who seem to co-exist well.  

Sunday Selections #298

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.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.
 
Like River I usually run with a theme.  For the next few weeks I am going to revert to the Home and Away theme I was using this time last year.
Starting with home.  Well in the general vicinity anyway.

Shortly before himself headed off, we went to a  guided 'Breakfast with the Birds' at our National Botanic Gardens.  It was an early start (much earlier than he usually arises) but afterwards he told me it was worth it.  

Over 200 species of birds are known to visit the Botanic Gardens, and for one month (co-inciding with Floriade) they open the gates early on weekends so that small groups of people can be shown some of them.

We had a lovely time.  Very few bird photos follow (many were small and moved faster and less predictably than greased lightening), but there are some shots of the beauty of the gardens.

I do love kookaburras.

If you embiggen you will see several birds nests in the tree above.

The Wood Ducks at least stayed still long enough to take their photos...

In the prolonged wet weather we have been having some surprisingly large trees have slid to the ground...

Orchids were coming out everywhere.

The early morning light and the bird song made a beautiful start to the day.  And the cafeteria opened early for us too, and the after walk breakfast was also a treat.

And now to more exotic treats.

Of course himself had to see pandas while in China.  I believe that pandas are 'reluctant breeders', but you would never know it from his photos.

And some shots from a market place he wandered happily through.

He tells me that ginger cats are almost the only ones he has seen in China.  Which surprised me.

He tells me that this is 'furry tofu'.  Which is so very wrong on so many levels.

Noticing the fish, I asked whether the markets smelt, and he said that he has smelt much, much worse. 

He is still having a lovely time, and still having his photo taken on a regular basis. 

Sunday Selections #206

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.  Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen.

Like River I usually run with a theme.  The skinny one had a birthday this week and we headed off to our Botanic Gardens to celebrate.  It was another hot, hot day and the time we spent wandering in the Tasmanian Rainforest Section was a treat.  As is usual, many photos follow.

There were lots of lizards about.  Some tiny, and others a couple of feet long (counting the tail).  There were also staff putting up signs everywhere warning that Eastern Brown Snakes had been seen.  Not by us.

If you embiggen this one there is a dragon-fly perched on the dead leaf.

And then the clouds rolled in, and the humidity increased.  Later we got some blissful rain (another birthday present for the boy).

It is too long since we have been to the gardens.  We have to go back.  Soon.