Sunday Selections #805

 

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. Sorry I still haven't succeeded in working out how to do a blog hop. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen. 

 

I usually run with a theme.  This week?  What a difference a day makes.

We have a cactus that lives on our front veranda (to be accurate several pots of it).  It is a vicious beast and not only has strong spikes it also has fine hairs that break off (and fester) if you touch it.  It makes up for that when it blooms.  It blooms over night and only lasts a day.  Spectacular scented blooms that are over eight inches across.

Wednesday evening it was starting to open.

Just before sunset it had opened a little more.

The following morning by 5.30 it was fully open.

And by the time I got home from my shift at Lifeline it was well on the way to closing.

There are several new buds - and I will be watching.

I hope your week is blooming lovely.

Sunday Selections #619

 

 

 

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 concentrating (mostly) on our night flowering cactus.  I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I had missed this season's first bloom.  I was determined not to miss the next.  A watched kettle may never boil, but a watched cactus does bloom. Eventually. I am also showcasing the bloom in a nod to Charlotte (MotherOwl)'s colour of the month - which is white.

Late one afternoon there were signs that this was the night.

I went out again about an hour and a half later, just as the sun was setting.

So close...

When I went out again early the next morning the bloom was on full (and lovely) display. It has a pleasant scent too.  Each flower is about my hand span in size (about 22cm or 8.6 inches).

 

The blooms don't last long though. The following photos were taken the next day.

While it is a short-lived beauty, it is one I look forward to each year. In the last shot you will notice another bud which has since bloomed.  I took photos of it too.

I hope you find beauty in your week too.

Sunday Selections #569

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. I am still struggling and this post is more snippets from home.

Starting with things which have delighted me in the garden.

I *think* this beauty is a Tiger Moth.

Then to our night flowering cactus.  I showed you the bud last week.  It comes into bloom in the evening and lasts a day.  It is huge (seven or eight inches across), delicately scented and beautiful. So here is the progression.  Today it is looking a bit sad - but there are other buds coming on. 

As you can see from the last photo in the series the spikes are particularly fierce.  It also has fine hair like threads which break off and fester.  Jazz bites and scratches me so often I now have Jazz antibodies and no longer get infected when he attacks.  The same is not true of this cactus.

I am going to finish with an early morning skyscape which delighted me.  In some of the shots those of you with good eyesight will see birds soaring overhead.  They were corellas and were making quite a ruckus.  A totally unmusical ruckus.

I hope your week brings you health, beauty and joy.