Sunday Selections #186

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. And this week it is Spring.  She isn't here yet, but she certainly has her foot in the door.

When we were wandering around the lake the week before last we came across evidence that the plantings for our Spring bulb festival, Floriade, are well under way.  The festival starts in mid September and runs for four weeks.  And we will go at least once.

The annuals are starting to flower and there are tulips, hyacinth, iris and daffodil bulbs poking through.  The netting is, I think, to prevent depreciations by birds and will be removed when the festival opens.

In our own garden there are also signs that Spring is very almost here.  A colourful reward for all the blood, sweat and tears (not to mention money) which I have poured into the garden.

Camellias, and more are coming out each day, despite the King Parrots chewing on the buds.

There are daffodils...

The wattle is starting to come out...

Lots of grevilleas (and more to come)

Violets.

The first of the hyacinths are coming out too.

And every time I wander outside there are more things in bud.  Bliss.

Sunday Selections #185

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 got an email (with a photo attached) from a friend in another city telling me that there were some adolescent cygnets on our lake.  I loved the fluffy grey charmers and when himself got up we decided to go and look for them.

At our first stop there were Pelicans.  Some of these photos make me smile rather a lot.

Doesn't that beak open a looooong way?

 

We continued to wander around the lake...

I do love these bird sculptures.

Then a dusky moorhen (or swamp chicken).

Then a delightful bridge across a pond.

Then a pied cormorant - sunbaking in the winter sun.

There were plenty of adult black swans, but we didn't see any cygnets.  Are we disappointed?  No.  We spent a very happy couple of hours wandering around in the sun, and it is the perfect excuse to go back again next week. 

Appearances.

Appearances are deceptive.
You can't judge a book by its cover.

Aphorisms that I grew up with.

The first I agree with wholeheartedly.  When I look at people leading the perfect life who have everything I think of water birds.

They look so serene floating peacefully on the water and yet I know that under the water their little legs are going hell for leather keeping them afloat.  Lots of unseen work goes to keeping them there.

Sometimes they/we/I succeed.  Often for years.  And at other times, like Robin Williams, the never ending exhausting effort can be too much to sustain.

The covers to people's books are trickier.  Sometimes what we see is what we get, and a quick glance will tell us whether we want to read more - or walk away.

Other, very pretty covers, conceal a lifetime of pain, grief and despair.

Anne Lamott said what I feel better than I can.

Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don't give up.”

And how I wish that Robin Williams, and so many more people, had been able to wait out the dawn one more time...  And then another.  And another.  Which is a big ask.


 

Sunday Selections #184

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 is a bit of a mish-mash.  Spring is coming.  Too early, but the signs are there.  Things are starting to bloom in the garden - in ones and twos at the moment, but in a week or two the garden will be ablaze.

And a bouquet of chocolates I was given last week.  I thought the presentation was very clever.

And for something completely different, the King Parrots posed for their portraits...first him, and then her.

Telepathy

When a friend sent this to me (and sorry I cannot remember who it was) I snickered.

Do I believe in telepathy?  It joins the legion of things to which my only answer is 'I am not sure.'

I hope it doesn't exist though.  I think that our minds are one of the last bastions of privacy left to us.  I don't want someone rummaging through mine, and I am pretty sure I wouldn't like a lot of what I found in other people's heads either.

Just the same, I am happy to take the credit if you do think of something funny today...

Sunday Selections #183

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.  We have had a couple of chilly days here, and yesterday I woke up to a dusting of snow on the nearby hills .  For some reason the snow was on the lower nearby hills -and not higher and further back.  Which is unusual.  Today we are expecting a minus 5 C start.  The cats will not be happy chappies.

The second photo is ice on the letter box.  I loved the crystals gleaming in the sun.

But the bliss of the week has come from the birds.  About mid week a pair of King parrots were peering in through the window making it very clear that they wanted sustenance.  It was still relatively early and his high and skinniness wasn't dressed - but I didn't care.  In my capacity as hard-hearted Hannah I sent him outside with a handful of food so I could take photos.  The female King Parrot (who is an empress at least) is the one with the green head.

And then I allowed the smaller portion to go inside to thaw warm up, while I took a few more photos.

Since then they have been back several many times.  We have both fed them - with smiles plastered all over our faces.

 To add to the birdie bliss, most days this week the Eastern Rosellas have been visiting us too.  And I have been doing happy dances.