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.

 

Sunday Selections #550

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.  We are still in lockdown.  In theory it will be lifted at the end of next week - but I have my doubts.  Lifeline is considered an essential service, so my volunteering there continues - and it gives me an outing.

The next photos show some of my trip in last week.

I know I have posted photos of this mural before, but I like it.  A lot.  

There were very few people around to enjoy this (and other) flower boxes in town but they brightened my spirits.

 These photos were taken of the main road through the centre of the city - at peak hour.

Reverting to the sky, the birds and the garden at home.

Watching this galah groom was a delight.  I admired his/her flexibility too.

The photos above show why green apples (and for some reason they have to be green) are a fixture on our shopping list.

Then to the garden.  More comes out each and every day.  So far the tulips are almost all red, but that will change over the coming days/weeks.

That bee has collected plenty of pollen hasn't it?

 I hope you all stay safe, healthy and sane(ish) in the week to come, and find plenty of things that bring you joy.

Sunday Selections #547

 

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 posting photos from home again.  We are still in lockdown, and will be for some time I expect.  Our numbers continue to rise and most of them have been in the community for some at least of the time they have been infectious.  However I am pleased to be able to say that the State nearest to us is finally also in complete lockdown.  Hypocrites that they are their Premier and Deputy Premier blamed their statewide lockdown on the numbers coming from my territory (despite the fact that our break has been genomically linked to Sydney the capital of their State) .  We had sixteen new cases on Thursday, they had well over 600.  Yesterday they had 825.  We had eight.

My voluntary work is considered essential so I will (very cautiously) go into town next week.  In the meantime we are firmly at home - which isn't all bad.

Many of you know I am bird obsessed.  Last week a pair of birds new to me came to visit.  Turquoise Parrots!!!!  Their numbers dropped so dramatically last century that they were considered to be extinct in 1915.  Fortunately they are not.  We saw two of them for a few days last week, and four of them came to visit on Friday.  Lots of photos follow.  The male is much more dramatic than the female, but seeing both of them delighted me.  I hope they continue to visit (and that I can get better photographs).

Beautiful aren't they?  While people cannot visit us, they were not our only avian visitors.  Most days we get visits from at least a dozen species of native birds (attracted by seed we supply, apple we supply and nectar giving plants we cultivate).

Some of the other visitors included White-winged Choughs, and Eastern Rosellas.

Aren't we lucky?

The garden continues to give me joy (and a lot of work).

The wattle is coming out more each day.

As is the prickly grevillea beside it.

 More and more spring bulbs are coming into flower - and I have orchids in bud (though it will be quite some time before they open).

The ginger interloper is a regular visitor.  Jazz is not impressed.

And, if that wasn't enough, I have dawn and dusk to look forward to as well.

I hope your week is packed with colour, with beauty and with joy.