Sunday Selections #630

 

 

 

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 is again a bit of a hotch potch. Starting, as I so often do with photos at sunrise.

These trees were less than half an inch away on the horizon (if that makes sense) but were not showing any colour.

Looking in the opposite direction down the valley there was just a soft pink glow.

 

Next I am going to pinch an idea from River at Drifting through life and show some of our garden ornaments.

 This is a solar powered mini fountain. If the day has been bright, it lights up at night until its charge is exhausted.

This is, I think, an old whale bone.  It was my father's and after he died I took it as a memento - despite the ambivalence I feel about what it is made from.

Some of you will remember that a ginger interloper used to visit - and that Jazz loathed it. The ginger family has expanded. There are now three ginger cats and this ginger and white boy.  They all visit and Batty and Odie watch them intensely.

Yesterday I had a totally unexpected and delightful treat.  Kylie, whose blog I have followed for a very long time,  was in the vicinity of my city for the weekend and suggested a blogger's meet up.  My chicken hearted self was a bit anxious, but it was lovely. Thank you Kylie.

I hope you all have a week filled with treats too.

Sunday Selections #406

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?  I am continuing to show you some of what Dinahmow and I did during her visit.

A few more shots from the zoo.

The tiger was very dainty in the way she took pieces of meat from the tongs.  Which I expect means she wasn't hungry.

A dingo.  Zoo brother sometimes 'has' to walk dingo pups.  Goodness how he suffers.  I do wonder how many pure-bred dingoes are left.  Not many I suspect.

A Siamang Gibbon

All of the zebras were determinedly putting their best side forward.  I ONLY got butt shots.

 A Cape Barren Goose.  Amazingly early explorers apparently thought they were the young of our black swans.

An African painted dog.  I was fascinated to learn (on an earlier zoo visit) just how intricate their social structure is.  They greet each other at the start of a day and mourn their dead among other things.

And then to snippets from Dinahmow's last day.  I adore our National Library and took her there to see the impressive lead-light windows in the foyer.

And then we got side-tracked by the sculptures outside...

 

This was a new sculpture (and only there on a temporary basis).  It is by Suzie Bleach and Andrew Townsend and called Camouflage.   It is described as the life-size portrait of a horse - wearing the mask of a bull.  

Intriguing.

Believe it or not, these photos are the same sculpture taken from different angles.  Einstein as the dove of peace.  They are on one side of our interactive Science Museum - Questacon.

The other sculptures are arranged on the steps to the entrance to Questacon.  I loved the birds perching on Darwin's head and shoulders. 

It really was a delightful visit and as I have said before, she is welcome to return.  I am confident that my well known boring city will find things to interest her.  

I am less chipmunk like and in recovery mode.  Thank you for your supportive words.

Sunday Selections #405

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?  I am continuing to show you some of what Dinahmow and I did during her visit.

On the first full day that she was here, we went to the National Zoo and Acquarium.   It was a big day, a tiring day, and a wonderful day.

The zoo has been open for twenty years now, and devotes a lot of time, energy and money to animal conservation both here and abroad.   I would still rather see animals in their natural habitat, but zoos have come a long way from the concrete prisons I remember seeing as a child.  And sadly, some species of animals only survive/can be seen in captivity.

Less talk, more pictures.

Hannah the very old wombat is still going.  And I loved seeing her with her snugglie.

Some day I will be lucky enough to see a Tawny Frogmouth in the wild.

 Those warty lumps on the giraffe are apparently self induced by bashing their heads against hard surfaces.  Apparently the macho image goes down well with female giraffes.

Opposite ends of an ostrich.  I really wouldn't want to get in the way of those feet.  Which look quite dinosaurish.

I have talked about pouch potatoes before.  I felt very, very sorry for this kangaroo mama.  It is high time junior got a room of his own.

The zoo has a number of cheetahs.  In the second and third photos we see Solo and his friend Zama.  Solo was born at the zoo last year.  Apparently cheetah cubs don't do well on their own, so Solo was given a friend to play with.  They play together, eat together, sleep together.  And we were lucky enough to see them being leashed up and escorted to a different part of the zoo.  The youngest of my brothers (who volunteers at the zoo) sometimes has to sit with Solo to 'socialise' him.  Jealous thoughts.  Some people lead a tough life.

And yes, there are of course, many, many more photos.  It really is a lovely place.