garden delights

MY WORLD ~ The Grampians, mainly Flora

2009-11-16T05:19:00.000-08:00

All photos enlarge with a simple click.

The only reasonable shot I managed of this Corella,
note the extra long beak, the main difference between
him and his smaller cousin, the Little Corella which
has a short beak and is generally smaller.

Anyone for a fried egg?

Half inch long blue bells dancing in the breeze.

The stars of heaven have drifted down to earth.

Bouquet of gold on impossible looking stony ground.

Little wildflowers anyone would be proud of in their garden.

Bright orange glowing on this dark and rainy day,

and a three foot high bush of Rice Flowers.

There were dozens of wildflowers still in bloom.

The Grampians are a great drawcard in the springtime

for their veriety of wildflowers, koalas, kangaroos and

prolific bird life.

To see what the rest of the world looks like, just click the Logo.

Thanks to the MY WORLD team, we can learn so much about our world.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ A violet

2009-11-14T04:42:00.000-08:00

The gentle violet at my feet
sweet perfume wafting
on the ambient air
like love long lost
that vaguely lingers
reawakened
in the early spring.

The scent in passing
holding memories so sweet
oh gentle little violet
blooming at my feet.

Sky Watch ~ At the End of the Day

2009-11-12T05:44:00.000-08:00

This is the promised conclusion of last week's post.
Do enlarge them and be rewarded by the shifting colours.

As the afternoon wore on, a war between good and
evil erupted in the sky.

They fought like tigers, advantage shifting from
minute to minute.

A brief respite as the setting sun beat them into
submission,

yet still, while the light lingered, the battle raged on

spilling blood upon the virgin moon.

The last two pictures were taken on arrival at Horsham

in the pouring rain.

To fly the world, click on the Logo.

Thanks to our marvellous SkyWatch tem for continuing this

wonderful and stimulating meme.

Remembrance Day....

2009-11-11T12:17:00.000-08:00

1918...my parent's wedding.

Today would have been my mother's one hundred
and eleventh birthday...
unlike the weddings of today, no designer dress or
multi-thousand $ reception. Just two very serious
young people, my mother, a university student, my
father just discharged army surgeon.

Life ahead .... uncertain.
Prospects ..... non-existent.

Medical positions were all filled ... they worked at
anything they could find. Father had perfect pitch
and tuned pianos for a while. They farmed but with
the arrival of children, ends refused to meet.

The depression of the thirties did not make things
easier. Father joined the police force reaching the rank
of inspector, mother worked as international telephonist
since she spoke 5 languages.

Their story of the years between the wars is worthy
of a book by itself. It was mother's fortitude that kept
her fledglings safe and together after the terror of 1940
when my father was deported to Siberia.

In 1944, her elder son already twice wounded and sent
back to the front, with the imminent threat of another
Russian invasion, she bundled up her brood and fled.

The story of flight, famine and 5 years of being displaced
persons, fills yet another book.

Starting again in Australia, a strange land, a strange
language and cusoms, even the seasons upside down
and not a penny to scratch with, at 51 years of age was
not exactly a picnic either ... yet she brought us all up
safely and helped each one of us to get a good start in
life. We owe her so much more than life itself. She was
a philosopher and poet who spent her working life in
Australia hunched over a sewing machine in an army
uniform factory just to put a roof over our heads and
send me to university.

Mother was truly a remarkable woman, see also her
granddaughter India's post.

Please Make a Difference

2009-11-10T14:36:00.000-08:00

Dear blog friends, like this tree standing tall
in a fire-ravaged forest and surviving, aNNa
of Nature Trail needs our positive thoughts
and prayers for her wellbeing. She has been
through so much in the last few years caring
for others and now it is her turn to be the
recipient of our support.
*
Please visit her and show you care.
*
aNNa has responded to the big C with a very positive
attitude creating beauty and peace around herself but
just now there has been another change in diagnosis.
*
So , it you can, please send positive thoughts, offer up
your prayers, wrap her in white light or spend a little
time sending Reiki.
*
Please offer your help for Anna's wellbeing rather than
something specific, lest we meddle with the greater
workings of destiny.
*
Thank you to all those who care and respond to this plea.
*
AnnA dear, my support of course you can take for granted.
*
With love and light to all.....Arija
*

MY WORLD ~ The Grampians

2009-11-09T15:44:00.000-08:00

Please enlarge to fully appreciate the details.

Last week on our way back from Melbourne we made
our over night stop at Halls Gap in the Grampians in
Victoria. I thought we were too late for the wildflowers,
but was I ever mistaken! The season was late this year
and we had a veritable feast.

View towards a small portion of the Grampians Nat.
Park from the main Western Highway.

On the right is apart of the Elephant's Hide. In the gap
you can just spy the plain beyond. Sorry about the
quality of the shots ... it was raining and this is shooting
directly into the morning light, what there was of it.

Everywhere in impossibly stony or dry sandy ground,
was an unbelievable diversity of flora. I shall post many
more in TODAY'S FLOWERS next Sunday.

The flowers came in all the colours of the rainbow.

These little stars of light shone between fallen Gum
leaves and were less than 1/4" in diameter.

We went on a reasonably level hiking trail to view the
Balconies. Although I managed the walk carrying my
camera, the case I had left in the car to ease my load
and naturally, snapping away at the flowers I ran out
of battery...now guess where the spare was...yup, you
guessed it, safely in the car.
Sorry, no shot of The Balconies.

This Crimson Rosella was feeding on the back lawn
of our Motel, there was an abundance of birdlife in the
early morning but also minimal light and 'raindrops
were falling on my head' as well as my camera.

Just a tantalising little piece of Mackenzie Falls,
a long stepped waterfall cascading down the gorge
with the main spectacular boiling torrent dropping
right into the river at its base.
I could have made it to the bottom and, although the
spirit was willing, without a crane to hoist me up, I
would still be there.

From one of the lookouts even in the rain you could
almost see forever.

Clicking on the Logo will take you on other hidden paths
around the world.

Sorry I am late in posting...it was so hot last night that
although my photos were marshalled, the starter motor

on my brain refuse to raise a spark.

Thanks to our gracious hosts who make this meme happen.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ Tree Peonies

2009-11-08T01:36:00.000-08:00

A magnificent Tree Peony found in an old nurseryman's
patch who should be honoured as a national treasure.

Please enlarge to appreciate all the visitors.

The bar is open and customers galore arrive in droves.

Tiny wasps hover and flit abour the offered bounty.

How could they resist such etherial beauty?

The flowers are a good 6" in diameter and abundantly
cover a 3' hight and 4' wide bush.

Please click n the Logo to join or just enjoy this meme
hosted by Luiz Santilly Jr. and a group of dedicated assistants.

SkyWatch ~ Somewhere Along the Way...

2009-11-04T19:55:00.000-08:00

Most of our road trips are accompanied by dramatic
skies to which this was no exception. For the six or so
hours we travelled, my eyes and shutter finger were
very well entertained.

Rapidly banking and changing clouds promising
thunder and downpours surrounded us on all sides,
yet our drive remained dry.
Now and again the clouds gave way to patches of
bright light and glimpses of blue.

This is a group of afternoon lit trees on a bare hill
which I have always loved. It is opposite 'Pink Lake'
which at present is still sleeping in my Nikon. My
computer is down to its last 5% of space, mainly
because I have stored 22,000 photos on it in less
than one year!

Although we could see the rain in the distance, the
road remained dry,

but just before the flaming sun sought shelter beyond
the holizon, the humidity increased as though we had
just landed in the tropics after a downpour. I had never
driven in a sauna before, the air was saturated. The
day had been a very hot one and the downpours on the
hot earth evaporated like a steaming kettle.

Next week, God willing, I shall post the next exciting
episode of the weather as the day ends and the
moon turns pink with excitement.

All photos enlarge with a click as always.

To fly around the skies, click on the SkyWatch Logo.

Thanks to Klaus and our great SkyWatch team, we
can all join in with this great fun meme.

Back Home Again.

2009-11-03T03:41:00.000-08:00

Hallo again my friends, followers and casual
droppers in, it is good to be back and blogging again.
I'll come and visit you as soon as I have rested.

This young couple, some 52 years later has just

returned from a 1,000 + mile trip to celebrate

my brother-in-law's eightieth birthday.

It was a wonderful weekend with my sister who still

had a copy of this old photo of the two of us while we

were still courting. As you know, all our memorabilia

was lost in a fire more than a quarter of a century ago,

so it was doubly nice to see this and augment our

memories by sharing them.

About a week ago our elder brother would have had his

90th birthday had he lived. One day I will share his story

with you. At present if is still rather raw. His life was the

hardest and most tragic of anyone in our family. He was

the eldes and I the youngest, yet we were so very close.

It is hard to keep the tears back when I think of him.

My sister, as always, spoiled us rotten....her cooking is to

die for! Enough! I must have put on half a stone and

havn't looked like the above picture for years.

SkyWatch ~ Halloween

2009-10-29T03:58:00.000-07:00

Enlarge them if you dare....

As the sun was setting, I hiked to the pumpkin patch
to await the arrival of the great pumpnin.

With darkness setting in, strange things came flapping
at my face.

Others, wrapped in their black cloaks, were still
hanging about waiting for the blanket of night to
take to the skies...did I see the glint of fangs?

Shivering a little, I hurried on, breathing a little faster
and desperately curbing the impulse to look behind me.

Passing the graveyard, whisps of grey fog? floated on the
breeze curling around my knees and sending chills up my
spine. I forced my eyes to look away fron the shadows
and stumbled along my teeth chattering in my head.

An owl's wing or was it someone elses, brushed my
cheek, my knees crumpled beneath me and as I looked
up I saw the hanging trees on the crest of the hill....
That was the last straw, I turned tail and stumbled
back past the graveyard, breaking into a run with
rustlings all around, my hands flailing cobwebs from my
face,

when the moon rose darkened in the midnight sky,
bats and larger darker shadows outlined against it.

In a cold sweat, I barely made it back to be met
by witches and skeletons dancing around a bonfire,

ah, the comforts of home.

Thank you Klaus and the SkyWatch team for giving us

this outlet for Halloween.

Watery Wednesday ~ White horses on the Wind

2009-10-27T17:28:00.000-07:00

Click to enlarge.

Sea horses galloping

white manes flying

noses into the wind.

Where do they run to

what do they seek

snorting in the storm.

They seek their freedom

they seek their home

far, far from churning foam.

MY WORLD ~ 48 Gold of a Different Kind

2009-10-26T06:42:00.000-07:00

While on our recent trip to Sydney, we had to cross
many miles of New South Wales' erstwhile gold country,

now gleaming with a different gold that rewards one's
labour with a little more certainty.

With the blue hills surrounding this wealth of gold,
I could have, like Dorothy, happily sunk down into
a hundred year sleep...woops, seems my bedtime
stories are getting tangled.

The road side weed, Echium plantagenium, covered
the road verges just in time for a welcome colour change.

All photos enlarge so you too may be blinded with gold.

Thanks to Klaus and the My World team for hosting
this informative meme.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ The Life of a Poppy

2009-10-25T06:03:00.000-07:00

The Poppies, Papaver somnifera, are still magnificent.
From this shy curtsying bud bending her head,

to the proud young girl standing tall.

throwing off her shackles she invites in her admirers

and shares her bounty with all comers.

They come in droves, all hungering for succour
are sated at her breast.

At night she shuts her doors to rest.

Enduring wind and rain with fortitude and using it to

adorn herself with miriads of rubies

until, reaching the height of maturity and power,
she begins to fade yet increases in beauty

even as she fades away.

Please enlarge at least the last two shots to see the

the wonder of glistening raindrops.

Thank you to Luiz Santilli Jr. and the Flower team

for hosting this beautiful meme.

Birdphotography Weekly ~ Red Wattlebirds

2009-10-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

The Red Wattlebirds, Anthochaera carunculata, have
dramatically increased in numbers as our garden has
started to mature.

With Grevilleas flowering for many months before
the Eucalyptus trees begin, food is plentiful.

They are quite large birds, up to 33cm, and can be
extremely frightening when dive bombing my poor
antique cat.

Swooping low over her back and loudly clicking
their beaks, they do not actually harm her, but
give her one h... of a fright.

The red wattles are clearly visible in these two photos.
Wattle birds have a very loud and grating raucous call,
a very unmusical sound indeed, and are not particularly
nice to smaller birds in their vicinity.

The bird was so intent on terrorising the cat at my feet,
that I was standing no more than 2' from it, snapping
away with my camera and it did not even notice me.

There is nothing like getting up close and personal
to catch all its antics.

This year they have had an absolute population exlposion

with a whole flock inhabiting the park. I have never seen

a flock of these birds before.

The vast numbers of Galahs we have had in other years seem

to have moved elsewhere. This year for the first time we have

had Crows and Wattlebirds vieing for nesting space with

the large numbers of resident Magpies.

For more birds around the world, click on the Logo and enjoy.

SkyWatch and Nature Notes

2009-10-21T17:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon clouds came welling across the
farm yard

thickening and towering high into the sky....

it was all just teasing...they passed over head without
shedding a single tear.

With the spring rains we have had, we also have the
associated hip high weeds but to compensate, a
population explosion of poppies, Papaver somnifera,
as well.

Since at last we have some water in the dams,

the turtles are migrating up the hill from the tiny
puddle in the dry summer creek that sustained the
life of at least some of them last summer.
The frogs have changed their nightly deafening din
on all sides to an ominous drumming of the Pukel
men with the loud and persistent honks of the bullfrogs..

For the first time since it was planted in the park
some 10 years ago, the candles on the Aesculus
hippocastanum, are alight and , if the season
remains good, we may get our first conckers yet!

There are only five flower spikes...I would have been
extatic with just one!

Time to leave the park. Even the water darkens since
the sun has set.

All photos enlarge as always.

Click on either and/or both Logos and visit the skies
and changing nature elsewhere.

My thanks to the skywatch team as well as to
Michelle of Rambling Wood for hosting these memes.

Watery Wednesday ~ 20 Ducks at Dawn

2009-10-20T06:09:00.000-07:00

Sorry, only one today....

it was still pretty dark so I had to pump some light

into the shot. It is a little clearer when enlarged.

Thanks to 2sweetnsaxy we can all enjoy lots of water.

MY WORLD ~ 47 A DOUBLY SIGNIFICANT DAY

2009-10-18T21:21:00.000-07:00

Sixty years ago today we sailed in through the Sydney
Heads and as we neared the harbour and the city I
stared in wonder at the hills.
Everywhere there were large patches of pink which
later I learned were Magnolia trees. In more than
half a century Sydney has changed and now is
crammed full of houses where before it boasted
beautiful gardens.

Although the spendour has left the cityscape, my

soul still remembers the exquisite beauty that greeted

my eyes on that auspicious day.

We embarked from Naples on the 25th Sept. 1949, my

13th birthday, little thinking that ten years to the day

later I would be leaving Europe yet again to cross the Atlantic.

My brother and sister had emigrated to Australia a year

earlier and sponsored mother and I to follow. Refugees

had little future in Germany at the time and neither the

USA, which only took young single people, nor Canada which

externded a helping hand to families as well, would take us

as we were encumbered with a person over the age of 45

and another still of mandatory school age.

My little brown cardboard sutcase held all my worldly

posessions, a spare set of underwear, a cardigan, a pair

of two piece bathers I had knitted from scratchy homespun

wool, a sunhat my mother had made for me for the voyage

and the few treasures I posessed, two books and a little

crystal vase and another very little one from Pompeii, my

birthday presents, as well as the little cellophane dolly my

papa had given me on the last Christmas before the Russians

hauled him off to Siberia.

All of which turned to ashes in the major bushfires in 1983.

Memories of the early days welled up of yet another language

to learn from scratch, the time spent in various camps, of people

on public transpost sidling away from one as though smitten

with the plague if one spoke in a foreign tongue on public transport...

When totally out of the blue Ces the wonderful Sunday painter

created this very special award for me.

As if by magic, I was lifted out of my introspective

thoughts and surrounded by the fellowship of the

oak nymphs she has created and made to feel special

for the old and weatherd oak that I am.

Ces, I thank you from my heartwood and will compile a list

of further recpients as soon as I can. Thank you dear

sisterfriend.

Thanks to the My World team we can all wonder the world at will.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ 35 More and More Roses

2009-10-18T01:42:00.000-07:00

While the last of the Tulips still linger,

the Roses come into their own. As I hung out the washing
this lovely 'Black Boy', oh dear, such a politically incorrect
name, assailed my senses with its rich delightful scent.

I could not resist taking a few minutes to catch a
different angle.

The main rose garden was awash with shades of
pink, here is 'Just Joey' with a touch of apricot.

'Michelle Meilland', never backward in coming
forward, is awash with blooms of palest pink

while 'Bewitched' is just that, bewitching.

Here I give you the soul of the roses, gentle and
ephemerally translucent,

to spring back to vigour and forceful energy as
colour once more suffuses its being, bringing it
back to vibrant life.

All photos enlarge with a click.

Click on the Logo and see thousands more flowers.

To our gracious hosts I give thanks for this meme
which gives pleasure to so many.

Wildwood Dreaming ~ Nature Notes

2009-10-17T00:04:00.000-07:00

This post is for Ces, my little sister-friend who
inspires me to experience once again the child-like
pleasure of seeing the world a new every day as
though it had just been created for my delectation.

The wild wood is my refuge
there I can dream of spring...

the poplars waking early
telling tales in silky voices on the wind

wild quinces bank along the creek, pale green
their blushing buds displaying

while the humble plum, industrious as ever,
is weighted down with half ripe fruit.

Dogroses on the eastern side are tardy in their flowering
while in the west their sisters smile in foolsome bloom.

The hawthorns have tight button-buds,
just one, a little bolder,
has opened up her sleepy eyes
to greet the warmth of longer days.

Dragonflies or damselflies, whatever they may be,
hover over water

thick with frogspawn as a morning frost
with promises of concerts yet to come.

The watchful unicorn , her pride by day concealing,
yet holds the golden key to all our silent dreaming.

Thank you Ces for the love and friendship you so

generously share and the immense inspiration that you are.

SkyWatch ~ 53 Turbulent Melbourne skies

2009-10-15T04:11:00.000-07:00

All photos enlarge with a simple click.

The skies held magic as we spied Melbourne from
the main highway from Sydney.

Normally this country mouse is not too happy in a
city environment but Melbourne is a city dear to my
heart, after all we lived there for twenty years.

The city centre is almost unrecognizable from that
we left in 1971 but it is very alive and growing.
Heading along a 6 lane highway at 110kph shooting
was not perfect but the clouds certainly were.

Arrived at my sister's house we celebrated my
birthday and even the sky got in on the act by giving
us a glowing sunset.

Click on the Logo and join the meme or just enjoy the skies.

Thanks to Klaus and the skywatch team we see wonderful
skies every week.

Watery Wednesday ~ 19 and Nature Notes The Dams are Alive...

2009-10-13T17:28:00.000-07:00

With the good late spring rains we have been having
this year our dams are alive with the sound of music,
the concert of frogs from all sides, the dam in the park
and the wild wood in particular and the garden and
paddocks all around us, has been almost deafening...
especially at night.

These are just a few pictures of the dam in the wild wood.
Apart from dragonflies and a pair of waterfowl, the shallows
everyshere were covered in frogspawn.

From the voices alone there were for or five species
we heard calling,

The spawn was laid in sheets and trails and mounds,
do click on the photos to see the details. The one below
has little black dots of tadpole embryos.

A view of part of the dam as I walked around it.

It is always a joy to walk on the land and discover once

more the small pleasures it offers and a delight to see it

come to life again after such a long drought.

Click the Logo and enjoy more life giving water.

Thanks to 2sweetnsaxy we can all jon in to this fun meme.

Thanks to Michell at Rambling Woods see the weekly changes in our world.

MY WORLD ~ 46 The Golden Glow of Spring

2009-10-12T04:56:00.000-07:00

Our landscape on the farm has totally changed yet
again. Other springs have seen our paddocks in a blue
haze of Salvation Jane, Echium plantagenium, see
my header for a flash back.
This year the Leprechauns have been busily strewing
gold pieces across the paddocks at randon. The whole
countryside, as the sun came out this morning, had
turned to a shimmering carpet of gold.

Only once in the last 50 years have I seen a
phenomenon to match this splendour.

The visual effect is stunning when the sun comes
out and all the flowers open.

Unfortunately for the country, this is not lush pasturage
but Cape Weed imported by some well meaning person
from South Africa. It suppresses our native grasses and
sown pasture by quickly outgrowing, overhadowing and
depriving all else of light.
It is also an indicator of depleted soil quality which is
not at all remarkable after 6 years of drought.

The golden glow in the distance is our neighbour's
paddock with our land that is visibly green dotted
by our few remaining sheep.

The neighbour's dam with a little water in it and
gold on our paddock in the foreground too.

Bachi with her week old calf enjoying a feed in the
sunshine

while at the side of the forest a wary kangaroo with

large Joey in her pouch regards me with a baleful

and suspicious eye,

while down by the silver poplars in their new finery,

the Unicorn spreads peace over all.

There are more wonders in the world than anyone

has ever seen, so click on the Logo and visit some.

To Klaus and the MY WORLD Team I extend my
thanks for letting us see the little wonders in each
other's backyards.

TODAY'S FLOWERS ~ 34 Roses Plus

2009-10-11T03:40:00.000-07:00

Spring is blooming in full force, the mix and meld
of scent outside is enough to make your senses swoon.
Wisteria, Dendrobium Orchids alternating with Roses
and Philadephus....

This little Cecile Brunner Rose, less than 2"across,
exudes a gentle yet strong perfume

another rose with a small but fragrant flower covers
the side of one of our horse stables

Philadelphus that barely survived lat year's severe
drought is reviving again

one of our great joys, Souvenir de la Malmaison,
a perfumed wonder of sheer delight.

What would roses be without their friendship with
Lavender? Pink and blue make a perfect team.

Flowers speak a universal language, click on the Logo
and decode the Tower of Babel.

Eternal thanks to Luiz Santilli Jr. both for starting this meme
and, with the help of his team, keeping it going for all of us.

A wonderful Award again!

2009-10-10T02:18:00.000-07:00

Ces of Ces and her Dishes has seen fit to
hounour me yet again by including me in her
list of inaugural recipients of this so beautifully
painted award. Being a seasoned old oak myself,
I truly appreciate the gesture.

Than you Ces.

In my turn, I would like to pass it on to
these most deserving bloggers:

Anna of Nature Trail
Renee of Circling my Head
Isabel of A Room of One's Own
Amanda of Amamdah's Veranda
Kathie at Sycamore Canyon
Becky and Gary at Woodynook Creations
Tammie Lee of Spirit Helpers
and last but not least, to
Jake and Ruth's Photoblog

To all of you, congratulations on your wonderful
blogging achievements and your love of all things
great and small.

SkyWatch ~ 52 Tha Sun Always Rises...

2009-10-08T05:28:00.000-07:00

Spring is moving along and pretty sunrises are no
longer the order of the day so when I saw this, I was
out like a shot with my camera.

Cold it might have been but the colour changes with
the change of angle of the camera were spectacular.

From purples back to gold and reds and back again

it was hard to say which way to look...

one minute the sky was aflame, cooled down again,

only to roar into a raging inferno once more. What a sky show!

To cool down, click on the Logo and visit other skies.

With thanks to our hosts Klaus and the Skywatch team

for continuing this great meme.