Sunday Selections #322

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?   After running around like a decapitated chook it has been nice to spend time at home.  And necessary.  The smaller portion and I both weakened (separately) when bulb catalogues arrived and have bought slightly over 1000 bulbs.  So I have been weeding, weeding, and weeding some more to make room.  If all goes to plan we will put them in over Easter.

While at home I have been revelling in the birds.  Of course.

However, before I concentrate on the home front, one more from the National Gallery.  I noticed what I think is a bird's nest in the bottom of Neil Dawson's Diamonds.  As we go into autumn the birds have long since flown, but I will be watching next year.

 On the home front, I have often shown photos of one or other of us hand feeding King Parrots.

Recently a pair of clever cockatoos have shown interest in avoiding the queue on the bird feeders.

This one sits on a branch looking in through the lounge window...

So we have been offering him food.  And he has deigned to accept.  So far he is happiest eating from the tin we carry the seed in.  I have offered food on the palm of my hand which was accepted but he also bit me.  Not hard, but a bite just the same.

And on Friday, (before the smaller portion got up so no photos) this cockatoo and a friend both came down and ate from the tin.  I will have them hand feeding yet.  

Much of the garden is winding down for the year (except the weeds) but the begonias continue to give me joy.

And of course I have been sky-watching.

The little things are huge in my world.

Versailles: Treasures from the Palace

The National Gallery of Australia (NGA) generally holds two 'block-buster' exhibitions each year.  We try and get to the gallery a few times each year and almost always attend the big exhibitions as well, which are generally works we would not otherwise see.  This was one of the outings we took while the smaller portion's sister was with us.

Versailles:  Treasures from the Palace brought treasures from The Palace at Versailles direct to Canberra.  The treasures included paintings, sculpture, tapestries, and personal items from Louis XIV to Marie-Antoinette.  There was luxury, grandeur and opulence.  It was not to my personal taste, but I am not at all sorry we went.  'How the other half lives...'

Starting outside the Gallery, and showing one of my favourites of  the many permanent sculptures.

This is Neil Dawson's 'Diamonds' and is suspended between the NGA and the High Court.  I love it and have photos of it in every season, and at most times of the day.  There is a lot of sculpture at the Gallery, including a Sculpture Garden and some day I will do a post on them.  The Sculpture Garden remains open to the public even when the gallery itself is closed.

I think the entrance to the NGA is a little low key, but the inside is always wonderful.  Entrance to the NGA is free, but the special exhibitions do attract a fee.

The entrance to the Versailles exhibition was certainly not low key.

The luxuriance continued within.  As I said, a lot of it wasn't to my taste, but I was amazed at how well preserved artifacts were, particularly fragile things like china.

The details and colour in this tapestry blew me away.

The silk carpet behind the urn was impressive too.

 

Golden gates no less...

This table and mirror came from a hunting lodge.

 

I wonder whether the phrase 'bird in a gilding cage' originated here?

Marie-Antoinette's chair and footstool.

Marie-Antoinette's harp.

Everywhere you looked, marble, gold, silk, porcelain, ivory, brass, bronze... 

 

Sunday Selections # 321

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?  More from the Tommy Tourist Trail.  After watching the balloon launch, and wandering through the nearby rose gardens we headed home along the lake which is, while perhaps not the quickest, our preferred route.

We were trailing a few of the balloons.

At this point we were so close to Weston Park (our usual kangaroo fix venue) we decided to drop in.

There were plenty of kangaroos, reclining in the early sun.  And there were birds too.  As you know birds are one of my obsessions.  Himself's sister is also bird obsessed.

We spent quite a while watching this pair of red-rumped parrots (who had tucked their red rumps out of sight).  The female is a pale shadow of her mate, but I suspect she is able to hide better too.

 A pair of swans were the next stop.  They were totally oblivious to our presence.  This first one was grooming and intermittently trying (unsuccessfully) to remove its green ribbon (as an aside, what place does a green ribbon signify?).

I am amazed at how supple they are.  This swan 'folded' down to almost nothing, closed its eyes and went to sleep.  So we headed off, leaving the roos and the birds in peace.

I am going to finish with birds, but on a sadder note.  My avian fixation means I follow the blogs of a number of supremely talented bird photographers.  Kim from lirralirra has devoted a few posts lately to the 'season of shame', duck hunting season in Victoria.  I will be upfront here.  I do not understand hunting for pleasure and do not and cannot see it as recreation or sport.  It makes my heart hurt.

So far three states in Australia have banned recreational duck shooting on cruelty grounds.  However each year during an open season in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, some species of duck can be shot.

There are limits to how many birds each hunter can kill, and some species are protected.  Both of these regulations are apparently routinely ignored.  Ducks (and other water birds) are also injured, many dying slowly and painfully.

Please stop by Kim's blog here.  It contains birds (and a hunter I can accept), beauty and an update on the Season of Shame. 

If you wish, and if you can, I would really like it if you add your voice to those calling for recreational duck hunting to be stopped.

I have listed (taken from an earlier blog of Kim's) some of the places/ways you can help below.  Thank you.

• Write or re-write to Premier Dan Andrews – daniel.andrews@parliament.vic.gov.au
• Write or re-write to Minister Jaala Pulford – jaala.pulford@parliament.vic.gov.au
• Write or re-write to Minister Lily D’ambrosio – lily.d’ambrosio@parliament.vic.gov.au
• Write, re-write to, or phone your local member of parliament, regardless of which side of politics they support
• Comment on social media, especially on bird-watching and environmental pages – let’s support each other and make it okay to speak out, ignore the trolls
• Donate to the Coalition Against Duck Shooting, Animals Australia and/or similar organisations
• Support the group Regional Victorians Opposed to Duck Shooting by voting ‘yes’ in the poll
• Help to raise awareness by sharing this post, and others like it, on social media and with family and friends
• When at lakes, wetlands and reserves report sighting of listed species as this can close the area to shooters
• When at lakes, wetlands and reserves be watchful for injured birds that need assistance