In my series of looking back and delving into the media files, this one goes back to 2017-2018 I found it astounding that I didn’t post any monochrome photos in the previous 4 years of blogging
Let’s see what putting 129 into the media files search turns up. This is nearly all of the photos
First up is a slideshow of an Eastern Whipbird having bird bath fun
Backlit Begonia leaves
My old oak small cupboard
How I learnt about everything no one else would teach or tell teenagers about like sex and drugs, not advocating but telling it like it is. It was banned at school and even the Australian Government tried to ban it’s import but realised the futility
A lovely setting for a High Tea
Sweethearts on a post with a touch of selective colour
The numbers 125 didn’t reveal much in the media files but I think I have found a good selection. I am not sure where these were posted originally, although the square ones would suggest a Beckys Square Photo Challenge may have been involved.
I guess this would have been a minimalist challenge
Two species of Stingless Native Bees on a Day Lily plus an ant
A Teddy Bear Bee deep in concentration on a Pentas flower
Looking into a Madagascan Lily
The wonderful detail of a Begonia flower with its hairy leaves
A piece of neon art in the Georges Pompidou Centre in Paris
I was going through my shade house, tidying up and finding plants that needed re-potting. I have a lot of plants, mainly Begonias and a few Peperomia and Spathiphyllums. Many of the ones that needed re-potting are the leaf cuttings I took a year ago. This is a bit about leaf cuttings
When I reached behind a plant to get a this pot, I was surprised. In a tray I had a mix of tiny plants. Somehow either a Begonia leaf or a Peperomia leaf dropped into the pot and took root.
The best part about having the two in one pot is that they both are flowering, the Begonia at the top and the spear like flower on the lower left of the Peperomia, called Emerald Ripples. An apt name. I don’t know the name of the Begonia. The leaf goes from a dark red to deep green but the underside is always red
October began with a bit of promise of rain but that soon evaporated when the early Summer heat dropped in to bake the ground once more. I spent a bit of time taking cuttings of my favourite plants. If the drought conditions continued, my house dam is empty, I’ll be able to look after potted plants a lot easier from my house rain water tanks. I feel like a bad parent choosing which plants I water to keep alive with the last water.
This post had a lot of bird photos. This month is the Great Aussie Bird Count where for a week people count birds in an area for 20 minutes. I did two counts as for some strange reason, the bird baths were busy at 9am over a few days. I managed to identify 19 species over the two counts. There were a couple of birds I didn’t see just heard them like the Powerful Owls.
Here’s your scrolling song as the seasons are turning – The Byrds – Turn! Turn! Turn!
OK here come my birds, starting off with a visitor who drop in most Springs, Fuscous Honeyeaters, here among the Grevillea flowers
They soon found the bird baths on the hot days, of which there were quite a number. This photo was taken on a day the reached 40C. I love the tongue.
The Little Friarbirds have come for the Summer
There is always one bossy bird at the bird bath. Lots of Yellow-faced Honeyeaters are in the garden, zooming about. Maybe this could be a “Caption This”
White-naped Honeyeaters are always around but don’t come to this bird bath often.
The Red-browed Firetail Finches have been foraging in the garden and at the bird baths in big numbers in October.
Not often I get a photo of a mix of birds in one photo. A White-naped Honeyeater flies off after a dunk in the water, a Red-browed Firetail Finch and a Yellow-faced Honeyeater watch on.
A little Eastern Yellow Robin needing a drink on a hot day.
Make sure you get my best side the Olive-backed Oriel seemed to say as he posed on the stake I put in to capture photos on my wildlife camera at the bird bath with mixed results.
A Sacred Kingfisher has found the old swimming pool which is a frog pond now. Today I saw him get two frogs for lunch.
A wet Laughing Kookaburra still looks stately
I really shouldn’t embarrass the Laughing Kookaburra like that. Here he is all fluffy and dry sitting on a branch, hunting while the machine was working.
The Figbird are also new arrivals in October. This female or a juvenile is still a bit shy.
“What me eating berries?” A Pied Currawong among the leaves of a Murraya
Leaden Flycatchers can look serious.
There have been Scarlet Honeyeaters zipping around the garden. There is another one in the background
A Satin Bowerbird has some bits of straw to add to the bower
The Spangled Drongo swooped on a cricket when the machine was digging at the house dam. A story for later.
A Pied Butcherbird also hung around catching cricket snacks
The normally shy Eastern Whipbirds have been bolder, like this one on the “look at bushboy in the office through the window” perch
The Square-tailed Kite has been patrolling the skies
One of the smallest birds are the Brown Thornbills. I have a few photos but thought this one was better at showing the size rather than a close-up.
I went for a walk along the river bank in Grafton and there were some Australasian Grebe chicks paddling around the reeds.
I can’t let October go by without being in town getting a couple of Jacaranda photos for you. Here are a couple of the trees in Market Square where the Jacaranda Festivities take place during the week long Festival.
Getting among the blossoms
Meanwhile back at home, the giant Salvia gave a show while trying to stay alive in the heat and sporadic water. These flowers are on a two metre stem
Back down closer to the ground, the Wax Begonia are attracting tiny Stingless Native Bees
One of my favourite Begonias. I just love the colours
One of the other Begonias has the most lovely flowers. These are about 10mm
This year has been a surprise appearances of Hippeastrum flowers in places in the garden I forgot were there. Like this lovely white and pink stripped one.
The orange Hippeastrums started to flower now the red ones have finished
A rare shower of rain had me grab my camera for the water drop gallery 😂
The Stingless Native Bees are flying in to fill their pollen sacs on their legs
A mystery on the pool/pond? A Damselfly landed and was sitting when a fly landed and slowly moved closer. Not long after, the Damselfly zipped off.
A discovery in Sydney was an access hole cover with a design. I was bemoaning to someone when they posted all these fancy covers in their town that I haven’t seen one in Australia to share. Well now I have.
Meanwhile, back home on the verandah. “Hey mister, got any more strawberries?”
“Thanks, I love strawberries,” said the Bearded Dragon. This is a very young one who lives around the house and verandahs, probably six inches long.
This is a non-verandah lizard, a Goanna. This one is about 6 foot
Now to finish with a bang
I must admit that the following photo contains a sex scene
I have mentioned that I have Geckos who live in my house, great insect control.
Each Gecko seems to have their own territory, there’s one in the hall, one in the dining room, one in the lounge who has the best spot under the lamp that is lit every night, attracting insects. Well the one in the lounge is used to me a bit more and doesn’t scurry away when I walk near, I named him Keith. He is darker than the others.
One night I almost walked into the loungeroom, and had to stop as I didn’t want to interrupt what was happening under the light. The pale one I don’t see often from the hallway and Keith were a motionless knot on the floor. Now I think I may have to rename Keith.
Last chance for those who may offended to swiftly whizz past.
About The Changing Seasons
The Changing Seasons is a monthly project where bloggers around the world share their thoughts and feelings about the month just gone. We all approach this slightly differently, though generally with an emphasis on the photos we’ve taken during the month.
For many of us, looking back over these photos provides the structure and narrative of our post, so each month is different. Some focus on documenting the changes in a particular project — such as a garden, an art or craft project, or a photographic diary of a familiar landscape.
But in the end, it is your changing season, and you should approach it however works for you.
There are no fixed rules around post length or photo number — just a request that you respect your readers’ time and engagement.
Tags and ping-backs
Tag your photos with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them
Create a ping-back to Ju-Lyn at Touring My Backyard or this post, so that we can update it with links to all of yours.
I included this red Begonia flower in a post on Begonia flowers last week. It is hard to get the colour right. This is closer than the other photo. The fiery red petals are about 10mm in diameter
I promised Cee that I would show my Begonia flowers for FOTD and Floral Friday
I don’t know the individual names of the plants, I just love the leaves and the small delicate flowers. The flowers have almost finished so soon it will be time to take some leaf cuttings. Here’s a simple how to propagate from leaf cuttings
This is a Wax Begonia. This species has stunning red flowers and bright yellow centre. Even the insects like the flowers.
The other two Wax Begonias I have are very similar in leaf but one has a white flower and this one a deep pink flower. A Native Bee is examining the leaf. I wonder if it is a Leaf Cutter Bee?
The flowers of a Tree Begonia. These can grow quite tall except here as Possums love them and break them. Going to have to build a tall plants section in the shade house.
The leaf of this plant is quite different and grows in a quite large star shape. The flowers start a dark pink and gradually turn white.
Some Begonias have smaller flowers. These are half the size of the previous flowers.
I think these are my favourite, large white flowers and lots of little freckled flowers
The wonderful coloured Begonia leaf of red, greens and silver with it’s white flowers
I have one of my oldest Begonias in a hanging pot on the verandah. This is what happens when you just take the photo and not really concentrate. I actually like this better than the one that is supposed to be better.
I was sure I had my Mums big lump of pink quartz crystal but I guess someone else has it. So It’s flowers it is. Well maybe a few other things too as I got carried away. I know so unlike me.
Random order, these are as I found them and bunged them on.
A Frangipanni flower from behind
I enjoy doing selective colour. Water lillies are good subjects
The lovely pink Pentas flowers attract Orchid Swallowtail Butterflies and people
Early morning among the peach tree blossoms
Higgledy Piggledy my pink hen, She lays eggs for………. wait a minute. Hey you. Over there. You. What have you done to my feathers! I have a job you know. I don’t care if I live on Rainbow Farm. Whatever will the other girls say? I can hear the cluck cluck clucking now
Meanwhile back at the flower bed, here’s a rose
In the shade-house, the Begonia leaves are colouring for Spring
Little heart flowers delicately hang on stalks of the Begonia plants
Soon it will be time for my Hydrangea to flower. A blushed white with a pink centre
Beep Beep…..hurry along. We’re almost at the end
I found these pink fungi a while ago and have never seen them since.
What a mixed bag September was. There were warm days, days of lots of rain, some nights were cool, cool enough to light the fire. I decided to put flannie sheets on again when I changed the sheets. This proved to be a good choice as although the days were in the low to mid 20’s, the nights went down to single figures or low teens.
I am sorry that there is a lot of photos this month but the start of Spring here is brim full of life. I guess you’ll need a song to get through this long post. How about this one? It’s a new one for me.
Where to start this massive post? I guess with some of the foggy mornings. Some mornings the fog just seemed to rise up from the gullies and engulf the bush.
The many spider webs throughout the garden really stood out with a hint of moisture hanging on the threads
Some of the garden spiders have really amazing colours
Another tiny spiders web but this time I found a horizontal web shaped like a dish
At first I thought this was a bee buzzing around me. Then I thought fly with a bit of a stinger. I have tried to find out but sorry can’t tell you what it could be
This is a Common Leaf Walker I think. Sort of has a wasp like body but no stinger.
I found a Jewel Beetle at my daughters place which is near mine.
The Sweet Orange Pittosporum flowered so well this month sending drifts of sweet scents into the house. The Stingless Native Bees also loved the blossoms.
A cute view of a bees bum as it heads into a Bottlebrush to get more pollen. Look at how full the pollen sacs on its legs are already.
The Grevilleas around the garden burst into bloom as well. I have lost the tags to a lot of the Grevillea bushes so I cannot tell you this one. It was a rescue plant that has done quite well.
Firesticks Grevillea is a favourite with a lot of the smaller honeyeaters.
The afternoon sun really lit up this Grevillea, another rescue plant. Rescue plants from nurseries are ones that look like they are on their last legs and are at almost giveaway prices. I can manage to get nearly all them back to life and flourish. There has been a couple of exceptions but two or three dollars for a twenty dollar plant isn’t much if they don’t make it.
The Coconut Ice Grevillea flourished as well
I had almost forgotten about the Star Jasmin in a garden. This year it has reappeared trailing over an old Lemon Bush giving a lovely scent in that part of the garden and occasionally wafts into the sun room.
Another surprise plant in the garden. I was give some cutting of what was called a Giant Salvia. No idea of its real name. It really is a giant. The plant is over three metres with big sprays of flowers at the top.
The flowers are quite complex and beautiful.
The Gerberas I planted last year have popped up again.
I thought the Daisy bush was finished but it has come back covered in flowers
The new growth on many Australian shrubs and trees start of with a reddish hue
This mossy rock has been in the garden for years and now the moss has totally covered the rock
The succulents in my shade house are also flowering. It is lovely to be greeted with a burst of yellow
All of the Begonias are in flower. I have just included one.
I thought I had lost the Hares Foot Fern but it has come back to life.
On my place the native flowers have come to life as well. I think this is a Hairy Bush Pea. There are so many Pea plants that look quite similar.
I have always called this plant Egg and Bacon Plant which is a common name for so many same coloured flowers. My one has sharp points on the end of the leaves (you can just see) so it may be a Prickly Shaggy Pea but I am just outside of the known species zone. But prickly it is.
On my trip to Toowoomba to see my daughter for her birthday and to see the Festival of Flowers, along the highway there were some fabulous wattles flowering.
At one place I stopped at I found these little flowers in patches or purple scattered on the roadside
I posted a Sundew from my daughters place that was green. As the age they turn this lovely red colour
I went down to the Central Coast to my sisters funeral service at Avoca. While there on a walk I found this lovely Banksia flower.
September saw the Blue-faced Honeyeaters return for Summer to enjoy the Honey Gem Grevilleas
The Rainbow Lorikeets also like the Honey Gems
Near the end of the month the Spangled Drongos turned up as well
Eastern Spinebills are very acrobatic when getting a Bottlebrush snack
The Scarlet Honeyeaters like to feed on the red flowers of the Bottlebrush. This female Scarlet Honeyeater is making her selection
This male Scarlet Honeyeater contemplates his next flower as well
The resident Laughing Kookaburra is always on the lookout for a snack
A Sulpher-crested Cockatoo with a sunset shining through its wings at Avoca.
An Osprey was also cruising the shoreline at Avoca
On Alumy Creek near Grafton, I noticed there was some Black Swans when I drove past a while ago. One morning when I went to town I decided to see if they were still there. They were, around forty Black Swans, but also there was a large flock of Pacific Black Ducks.
As most of the Black Swans were on the far side of the river and behind some of the riverbank vegetation, I though just a photo of these two who happened to paddle past was a good photo
On the road from Toowoomba I stopped to get a few photos for Monday Portrait. Yes you’ll have to wait for those. As I approached the fence, there was a flurry of wings and a flock of small birds flew off in front of me. Luckily they only went a short way up the paddock. I managed to get one photo of these Plum-headed Finches, the first time I have seen them.
Looks like a Rainbow Bee Eater found a good snack
I love finding little Superb Fairy Wrens. A wonderful splash of blue among the foliage
“OK what are you doing. I’m just checking in.”
Enjoying the sunshine at my place this Bearded Dragon soaked up the sun on the warm gravel driveway
Another permanent resident is a Brown Bandicoot. I know they are around the garden and yard is the number of holes dug in the soil as they look for grubs or worms. As it was raining I spoilt the King Parrots and other birds with a small dish of seed on the verandah. The Bandicoot discovered this dish as well and cleaned up what was left in the evenings. Look at those digging claws!
I just loved this seascape again from Avoca
Remember that small purple flower above a few photos ago. Well this is the reason I stopped as. I just love rust as well as old vehicles. I hope someone had some great holidays in this bus
Ages ago I posted a photo of this bridge. As it was on the way to Toowoomba, I just had to see if it was still standing. It is, but only just.
Another bridge. This one is in the Japanese Gardens in Toowoomba. I waited for ages to get a photo when no one was on the bridge. There were a lot of people in the gardens that day.
It is not often I get a photo of my favourite place, the Raspberry Lookout, in the afternoon. The rains came two days later in the early morning and lasted for three days
I hope you enjoyed a long read through my September and thanks for getting to the end. Did you have a favourite photo?
About The Changing Seasons
The Changing Seasons is a monthly project where bloggers around the world share their thoughts and feelings about the month just gone. We all approach this slightly differently, though generally with an emphasis on the photos we’ve taken during the month.
For many of us, looking back over these photos provides the structure and narrative of our post, so each month is different. Some focus on documenting the changes in a particular project — such as a garden, an art or craft project, or a photographic diary of a familiar landscape.
But in the end, it is your changing season, and you should approach it however works for you.
There are no fixed rules around post length or photo number — just a request that you respect your readers’ time and engagement.
Tags and ping-backs
Tag your photos with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them
Create a ping-back to Ju-Lyn at Touring My Backyard or this post, so that we can update it with links to all of yours.