THE HOT SUMMERS DAYS are here and the lack of consistent rainfall has sapped my energy causing me to be indoors more often than out in the biting rays of the Sun.

However I did get out and about and went to the Bangalow Markets hoping for some photographic inspiration. There was a bit of action but on the whole my mojo wasn’t there.

The colours did grab my attention.

In some part of my besties garden, the flowers are always around. There is more rainfall and cooler weather there. I was taken by the red flower buds getting ready to burst forth.

Back in my garden the storms gave relief to the plants with a Murraya sending out its perfumed blossoms.

I love the Hibiscus schizopetalus. The flowers hang down from the long stems and dance in the breeze.

The small amounts of rain and a bit of hot weather has made a fungi or two pop out of the soil. This one was the biggest I have seen for a long while. I didn’t know what to use to show its size but a brick came in handy

It looked just as amazing from beneath as well.

 

It may be Summer but the Teak Tree has decided that it is time to lose its leaves making the garden have a temporary Autumn feel.

Summer time and the wasps are constructing their nests from chewed wood giving them a papery look, hence the name Paper Wasps. Unfortunately these are under the gutter at my besties and will have to go. When I had a bloke doing some building work at my place, he managed to disturb a nest and was stung on his ear and back. They chased him as he ran away from the nest. Paper Wasps in the bush are OK but around the house they have to move on.

Even though it is hot, early morning and late in the day, the butterflies are about. I think this is a Skipper whose wings have seen better days.

The Caper Whites are still around but no where near the numbers of late Spring.

Here is a large horse fly Triclista singularis’ These fly slowly with a loud buzzing and we gave them the nickname of B52s. When they do land and bite you really know it. This is the biggest fly around my place, around 25mm. It is rather pretty for a fly.

I noticed movement in the kitchen on a potted begonia  I found a Praying Mantis. He hung around the kitchen for a few days before going outside. Fearsome looking but quite friendly.

The Yellow-faced Honeyeater looked pleased with itself as it puffed out its chest.

The constant calls of the Bar-shouldered Dove ring around the garden as they sit high among the trees.

They have a pink ring around their eyes which I hadn’t noticed before.

I love the feather patterns on the Little Wattlebird

There is a queue at the bird bath waiting for their turn.

A return visitor to the garden is a lovely little Forest Kingfisher. The orange spots stand out as does the wonderful white chest.

He was so obliging to turn around to show the striking blue feathers. When flying about the garden the flashes of blue catch the eye.

I hope the hot weather soon abates and February brings more things for me to share with you.