Sunday Selections #260

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 last week while himself's uncle has been staying with us we have been playing Tommy Tourist.  The last time he came to my city was slightly over sixty years ago.  He hadn't been back because it is tooooo cold (I wish) and he is afraid of getting pneumonia.

From Red Hill Lookout.  We are known as the bush capital - and the photos do show just how much greenery we retain here.  Which I love.

This cafe/restaurant has been at the Lookout for as long as I can remember.  It may even have been there on his last visit...  Probably not though.

The Arboretum.  Another grey day which peeved our visitor.

Looking down on our Governor-General's home by the lake.

The wide brown land sculpture - which is in metal and stands about twelve feet tall, comes from a Dorothea Mackellar poem which, in part, reads:

'I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me!'

I do love the detail etched? into the railings here.

'Nest' is a favourite.  I take new photos every time I see it.

Tree torture.

Inside the Visitors' Centre

 A bearded raven sitting on a sign in the carpark.


And, because it was raining (which I loved and he took as a personal affront) we went to the Royal Australian Mint.  All the coins we use in Australia are made here, commemorative coins and coins for some other countries too.  And our Olympic medals....  The notes are made on the other side of the country.

I loved the Safety First, Last and Always sign.

L

 This representation of our dollar coin was a seat in the viewing area.

The Great Barrier Reef commemorative dollar coin is a beauty isn't it?  How I would love to see it in general circulation.

No free samples issued.  Sigh.

And a spectacular sunset.

He will have left us by the end of the week, and I hope to visit your blogs again.  I have missed you.  I will, as always, respond to comments but it is likely to take longer than usual.  When the rest of the household wakes we are continuing the tourist trail.

Sunday Selections #259

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 for something completely different I am returning to some of my obsessions.

We have had a fledgling galah visiting this week.  A whinging, complaining, fledgling galah.  He/she is perfectly well able to eat but complains at length to the adults.

The young ones have very much more muted colours than the adult (presumably as camouflage).

First the young 'un.

And now the much more vivid adult.

On Friday we were visited by a pair of Rainbow Lorikeets.  They are well away from their natural territory - but very welcome.

We have had some hot weather lately.  Too hot.  Much of the garden has baked, but the tiger lilies (and the weeds) are loving it.

The hoya which we picked up cheaply from the markets a few years ago because the owner was tired of waiting for it to flower is also doing well.

The blooms always remind me of cake decorations...

And the obligatory sunset.  And yes, mad woman with camera dances were involved.  

Next week an elderly uncle of the smaller portion is coming to stay with us.  I expect to be kept too busy to spend much time in the blogosphere so will be largely absent from Tuesday on for about ten days.  Have fun, and I will see you when I return.  Or if I can sneak a few moments to myself.

Sunday Selections #258

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.   Our public transport system is woeful.  So what does the local Government do?  It gussies up the bus stops.  If the bus stop is prettier then of course more people will use the service and it will stop hemorrhaging money.  

Despite my cynicism, the bus stop at my local shops does indeed look better.  Before it was a lonely and inadequate shelter with a boring brick wall behind it.  Now it is a lonely and inadequate shelter with rather a lot of murals.  Some of which I like a lot.  There are some weird juxtapositons though.

All our buses numberplates start with the word BUS.  Which cracks me up.  Taxis all start with TX.

Where are the Words For Wednesday?

Words for Wednesday will continue, but has again become a moveable feast.
 
Jacqueline at Randomosity will be providing this month's prompts on her blog.  The first set are up - and are a challenge.

In February I will be providing the prompts.

And in March Margaret Adamson and her friend Sue Fulton will provide the prompts and I will publish them here.  Margaret and Sue have very generously sent me sufficient prompts for two months, so they will feature later as well.

Riot Kitty has said she will contribute the prompts for April.

Mark Koopmans has offered to provide them for May.  I am not certain whether they will be here, or on his blog but will let you know closer to the date.
 
If anyone else would like to provide the prompts you would be more than welcome. 

I hope that you will visit these generous souls and continue to support this fun meme.  International time zones also mean that the meme can be published on Tuesday or Thursday in your time - but keep checking...

Irritated and grumpy

In October we had our evaporative cooler replaced.  MS loves the heat so I loathe it.  The evaporative cooler made a HUGE difference and worked like a charm.  Until it didn't.  It is now having all sorts of hissy fits and refusing to operate, scrolling a message which says a service is well overdue!!!!

So this morning I picked up the phone to contact the company which installed it.  And the phone (landline) was dead.  Sigh.  So I rang the company on my mobile.  They will be on holidays until next Monday.  Bigger sigh.

And then I started the torturous process of reporting the landline fault.  The woman I finally reached described herself at regular intervals as my friend.  And promised to get onto the issue as a priority.  Interspersed with asking me about my Christmas, New Year, the weather, my health, my loved ones...  She didn't ask about the cats, but probably would have got to it given time...

I gather it will be referred to a technician and probably fixed by the end of the week.  And am I wrong to be irritated? I didn't want a new friend.  I just want the phone fixed. I use the mobile if I have to, but its smaller buttons are not kind to my shaky hands and dodgy fine motor skills.

I am waiting for the third thing now too... 

Sunday Selections #257

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.   One day last week we decided it was time we went to see our 'new' dam (which was completed in 2013 - where does the time go).  We failed.  We could see it in the distance but could not find our way to the viewing platform.  It was hot, so we gave up fairly quickly, but enjoyed our wander along the river and will be back later to track the platform down.  There is very, very little water in the river though.  Ankle deep.  If you have short ankles.

Loved the snake warning on the sign.  We didn't see any but they are certainly there.

And the last sunset of 2015.

A very hot cockatoo to finish with.  It sat on the feeder panting, and completely ignored the water I set out for it.  I hope it found some more to its taste quickly.  Seeing their tongue hanging out like that is very unusual.

I can't help myself.  Another photo of a corella too.  It was there shortly before the cockatoo and didn't seem in the slightest bit bothered by the heat.  Its sleek perfection is marred by the branch ruffling its headdress though...