Re- Living the Past #21 – My first red photos

Sunday Stills Monthly Colour Challenge: Seeing #Ruby Red

A selection of red items posted from 2013 to 2016

Sorry I didn’t have any red balloon but enjoy Nena. A favourite song

This is November 2021

Subtitle: Changing Seasons – in conjunction with Ju-Lyn

I didn’t take many photos in November. I am loving the rain. The frogs have been as well. Some nights it is so loud with all the frogs having their say. The most photographed thing, because the rain has made the garden just grow, are flowers splashed throughout the garden. I am doing a garden post as it is too good not to share. I have spent a bit time in the shed so there’s a post about that on the list as well.

The days we had with sunny blue skies which were taken advantage of, so there was lots of photos to pick from for This is November. Grab your usual drink/snack that you may like to consume at this time of your day and enjoy this bit of my world.

Here is your song to scroll to….a new one for me. I hope you enjoy my discovery. Hit play and let’s get scrolling. You can always come back up and stop the music if you don’t like it.

One Saturday morning I woke very early and there was colour in the sky, so I had to try and take a few photos for Hammad’s Weekend Sky. After taking my usual photos from the usual place, I tried to see what I could get through the trees. Most were ok but didn’t show all that much of the coloured clouds. My favourite of the lot.

The cows next door to my besties were calving. I think these two may be related.

On that hill where the calves are, a Double Bared Finch was having lunch too.

It is always lovely to see an Eastern Rosella or two when out and about.

Sacred Ibis always look spectacular as the glide overhead.

On the lookout tree, a Spangled Drongo (top) and a Dollar Bird keep an eye out for some unsuspecting breakfast to be passing by.

In my besties garden, a Pheasant Coucal was calling for a few days. One morning he decided to come out in the sun.

We went away for a few days to Soldiers Point. One day we went for a walk in a nature reserve at Nelson Bay. There’s a few photos from there following as well. A pair of Corellas were checking out the hollows in the Gum Tree to make home maybe.

This made me laugh, the Darter look so serious too.

We found this lily like plant and it has the most wonderful flower. I haven’t been able to ID it yet.

I just love Red and Green Kangaroo Paw flowers which were growing along the track in the nature reserve

At a cafe having a coffee while the waiting for the rain to ease a bit, I saw Bougainvillea flowers had fallen on a table out in the rain.

That’s all from our mini holiday. Remember the last two “This is…..” I have shown the progress of the amazing Gymea Lily flower. I don’t think it will be there next time.

Here is a few from around my garden as a bit of a teaser lol. The agapanthus in the garden have never had as many flowers ever! Mostly blues but some are from plants with white flowers that I never knew their colour.

This white Agapanthus flower stalk was so tall, well over a meter.

The Crinums or Spider Lilys are flowering well this year.

I have been trying to find the right place for the Walking Iris as I love their flowers

I have a Jacaranda tree which is a bit scraggly but this year showed itself as best it could.

Scattered around the garden are Spiny-headed Mat Rush (Lomandra) plants that have long strappy leaves most of the time but they do flower

The Paperbark Trees (Melaleuca quinquenervia) are flowering and the insects and birds are loving them.

I can’t grow roses at my place. It gets too wet and the Possums and Wallabies love them too much. My besties place is ideal. Here is a selection of Roses. This is a tiny climbing variety.

Some of the flowers are amazing. I love this pink one.

Such a deep colour, it is more orange than red in real life

Some Zinnias are appearing.

This is the flower from a Bromiliad which I found in the plant rescue section of a nursery. I took three and said these be easy. He rolled his eyes. Five years later, two survived and this one has flowered for the first time.

Sometimes Thistle flowers look so good.

I always forget to take photos of the Zig-Zag plant when it flowers.

I cannot believe this Pineapple plant. It has been in the garden for as long as I can remember. Every now and then it pops out a fruit. This is the flower stage. Pineapple plants are Bromiliads.

The Day Lilys have been wonderful this year

Even the Stingless Native Bees thinks so as well.

The Variegated Duranta has been flowering since start of Spring. Now it has rained there are flowers everywhere.

There was a break in the rain. A Blue-banded Bee decided to take advantage too.

In the nature reserve we found this amazing way the Lichen has formed. What shapes or things can you see in the photo? IN the top right hand corner is a tiny fern similar to an air plant. They grow on anything organic wood, rock etc

OK Who was paying attention as I would really like to know what was your favourite photo? Did you like the music?

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.

Also for Cee’s FOTD

This is July 2021 – Changing Seasons

Last month was the first post from Ju-Lyn at Touring My Backyard for The Changing Seasons. Ju-Lyn and I will be taking turns at hosting The Changing Seasons that Su from Zimmerbitch hosted with great results. We hope you will enjoy, as you have done in the past, and keep posting your Changing Seasons with us. Just add your link in the comments or pingback to this post for your Changing Seasons.

I have had an action packed July with my camera being able to get around the local area despite the Covid restrictions that the state of NSW is currently under. There has been a couple of “incidents” on the North Coast from people coming from Sydney Covid positive. A lot of businesses are starting to not allow customers from Sydney into their premises.

Enough of the doom and gloom, something I am not used to posting on my blog. Let’s start with an Aussie song you all should know to get you through the photos.

I thought we should start a bit bright and cheerful with some flowers.

My Bromiliads flowered with such unusual flowers

My besties Gymea Lily sent up a spear. It’s about three metres tall.

The flower is yet to open and as I haven’t been there for almost two weeks, I hope it waits until I can get there to show you the flower.

A while ago I was talking about my poor sad Peach Tree. It seems to enjoy July don’t you think?

The flowers have a lovely deep pink colour. I know a couple of people will love this colour.

The bees love the flowers too.

Just beside the Peach is a Nectarine Tree and the Stingless Native Bees are loving the blossoms of light pink petals with a rosy centre.

There has been a few Black Jezebel Butterflies in the garden too.

It’s not just the insects who love the flowers. The Brown Honeyeater enjoys snacking on Lions Tails flowers.

The Rainbow Lorikeets flock to the Honey Gem Grevillea in the morning.

Lewins Honeyeaters like to pick the centre from the Ornamental Ginger flowers

Can you count the number of King Parrots in the red Bottlebrush? I have lot of King Parrots in the garden.

This female King Parrot was watching me as I was walking in the garden.

There is always someone peeking through the window to see if I am home.

or peeking over the gutter

Or sitting in the tree where this Pied Currawong was outside of my office door.

One wonderful thing is that a Chatter (yes that’s the name for a group of Choughs) of White-winged Choughs have increased in number and often cackle away while picking their way through the garden.

Driving home a few days ago I heard the sounds of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos flying overhead. I saw them start to land so jumped out of the car camera in hand. Of course they decided to fly off to a distant tree. There were a lot of Cockatoos in the flock. This is just a few as others had landed in other trees further away.

Getting out to the beach was good way to spend the day even though it was very windy.

I think that there is a system of ownership of this rock. The Crested Terns were sitting there as I walked past.

On the way back, the Cormorant had taken over

Pied Oystercatchers were combing the beach for morsels in the sand.

The Sooty Oystercatcher decided the rocks was the best place to find a snack.

A Pelican was taking a stroll along the sand.

and another Pelican enjoyed a cruise on the Clarence River

Overhead it was rather busy. A Brahminy Kite scanned the beach intent on stealing whatever the Gulls had found.

A White-bellied Sea Eagle was hovering and circling in the wind right near us looking among the rock pools where the Sooty Oystercatcher was as well.

The brown on the outer side of it’s wings is lovely

At full stretch doing a turn in the wind ready to circle back and scan once more

We were also lucky enough to see the Humpback Whales on their northerly migration even though they were not very close to the shore.

It was an amazing sight to see hundreds of Ibis heading west to the wetlands where they will spend the rest of Winter and in Spring, raise their hatchlings.

One afternoon in the grey afternoon sky, a pair of Ibis were heading to roost.

Speaking of roosting. Down at the beach there is a colony of Red-Headed Flying Foxes who were squabbling over the best places and getting ready to fly off for their nightly foraging.

While in the trees, for Becky’s July Square Trees photo challenge, I posted the avenue of Fig Trees but from one end, I commented to Becky that I should have taken a photo in the middle. Yesterday in the late afternoon I did just that – and it’s even square.

Sitting in the garden the sun reflected off something that caught my eye. It was a rather ragged spiders web which had the most amazing colours.

Only a little bit of rain for July but thee is always the opportunity for a water drop photo.

One thing I like to photograph is rusty things. The steel and the rivets plus their shadow on the Grafton Bridge.

While looking on the other side, the setting looked rather idyllic

I love clouds and these in horizontal layers with varying colours one afternoon looked wonderful.

OK folks it time for sunset and to reach the end of my July and Changing Seasons.

I hope you enjoyed a scroll though my July and enjoyed the sunset as much as the cows do.

Did you have a favourite photo? See you next month for This is August 2021 and Ju-Lyn will be hosting The Changing Seasons

So many reds to pick from

Terri’s Sunday Stills: A Rosy Outlook

I was wondering what I should post – perhaps flowers, perhaps berries, perhaps man made stuff or blimey lets go with all of them.

Triangles

The word prompt from Terri for Sunday Stills: Triangles

I had to think but yes there are triangles everywhere

180531_blog challenge_flags_banners_bunting1_lismore
Bromiliad flowerbromiliad flower_named_home_dec 2017

The rooster has triangles
poultry_show_rooster_looking_named_lismore_april 2019
I have no idea lolseed01_star shaped_banora point_august 2014
Blue Triangle Butterflyblue triangle butterfly_wings open_named_binna burra_jan 2018

Can you guess the link?

SundayStills_blogbanner

 

In My Garden

The Ragtag Daily Prompt for Tuesday: Garden

Have a quick wander about my garden.

180905_blog challenge_backyard_durranbah_garden

Blue-banded Bees like dropping in
180903_blog challenge_pink_pentas_blue banded bee

When the pink Crocus flowers the Stingless Native Bees all come around
171220_blog challenge_letter r_crocus_bees

One of the wheelbarrow gardens with Hippeastrums
hippeastrum_red_wheelbarrow21_named_home_nov 2018

The Frangipanni flowers scent fills the air
flower_frangipanni_pink_named_home_dec 2018

The Bromiliads flower too
bromiliad_flower_named_home_nov 2018

One of my favourite flowers – Cats Whiskers
cats whiskers_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The Dietis look great buit trhey are taking over in places in the garden
dietes_flower_named_home_sept 2018

One of the many Hibiscus flowers
hibiscus_named_home_may 2018

The Agapanthus put on a show around the garden borders
agapantus_blue_named_home_dec 2017

The garden is a place to relax
red-necked wallaby_named_home_feb 2015

Even Long-necked Tortoise stroll through heading to the dam
long necked tortoise_named_home_nov 2017

Every now and then when working in the garden, I surprise a frog. The Broad-palmed Frog took a while to wake before hopping off
broad-palmed frog_09_named_home_june 2017
Lots of Bottlebrush flowersbottlebrush flower_red_named_home_nov 2017

The Pelagoniums add colour
rose geranium_named_home_sept 2017

There is always help in the garden
chooks_garden_looking_named_home_2017

So many Grevilleas too
grevillea_red_named_home_august 2017

The Native Wisteria winds its way among the foliage
native wisteria01_named_home_august 2017

Always wear gloves and shoes as you never know who you might disturb. The Mouse Spider was rather fiesty
mouse spider_front_named_home_april 2017

The Bullants let you know if you are getting too close to their nest
bullant_named_home_feb-2017

Every now and then another variety of fungus appears
fungi black_named_home_march 2017

The garden is a lovely place to raise a family
joey07_fast_named_home_jan-2017

The fruit trees look wonderful in Spring
nectarine tree_named_home_july 2016

and of course the garden is home to lots and lots of birds from the smallest Honeyeater, the Scarlet Honeyeater
scarlet-honeyeater_male_pink-lilli-pilli_named_home_dec-2016

to the larger birds like the Satin Bowerbirds
satin bower bird_male_bird bath_named_home_aug 2018

Contrasts

The Friday Friendly: Contrasts
and with Debbie at Travel with Intent: Contrast

Some flowers and birds in contrast

torinia_purple yellow flower6_close_name_jan 2011

 

flower_grafton art gallery_waterlily bee_name_oct 2010

 

spider_ginger flower_binna burra_nov 2013

 

bromiliad flower_cigarette_named_binna burra_june 2017

 

190130_blog_challenge_four_colours_flowers1_garden_toowoomba

 

restless flycatcher_face_front_home_named_feb 2014

 

eastern rosella02_binna burra_named_feb 2014

Who spotted the bee and the spider?

Friendly Friday Photo challenge

Weekly Prompts – Green

The word prompt from Sue is Green

A bit of green from my part of the world

Sometimes everything is so green
180405_blog challenge_verdant_green view

A patch of green among a circle of red
bromilliad flower_named_home_march 2017

Here’s that blasted grasshopper again
grasshopper_basil_garden_named_caniaba_dec 2018

I love the green among the other colours in the King Parrots feathers
190106_blog_challenge_green_king_parrot_feathers

The Green Tree Snake looking for something to eat
green tree snake_close_named_binna burra_march 2018

OH….those eyes
170711_blog challenge_bugs_green eyee fly

Emerald Doves certainly make the place look bright
emerald dove_named_binna burra_august 2015

Green just shoots out from the pine tree
pine tree cones_binna burra_named_aug 2014 - Copy

Praying Mantis are always on the look out for anything that may be delicious
170711_blog challenge_bugs_praying mantis

I miss the Green Catbirds that live at my besties old place
171017_blog challenge_bird_green catbird

This is November 2018

My last post Time #6 was post number 1,000. I was hoping this one would be number 1,000 but it has taken a lot of time getting it together.

November was where Spring really came to life. Rain in the previous months led to life appearing, flowers brightened, the little native flowers, some only 10mm in diameter sprung up in the paddocks and in the bush. Birds who come to my place over Spring and Summer appeared, in some instances with their chicks.

This is another long post as I couldn’t cut back and also have had a couple of double ups. I have a some things left out as they deserve their own post.

So I recommend getting your drink of choice, perhaps a snack and if you are lucky, someone to bring refills. 😀

I have tried to arrange the photos in some sort of grouping. OK off we go………

Some days saw the storm clouds appear bring some destruction but also welcoming rain
shed_old_dairy_storm_clouds_named_lawrence_nov 2018

The water plants on the dams are pleased that the water levels are up
water_plants_dam_named_home_nov 2018

The Bromiliads in the garden are sending their flower spikes up.
bromiliad_cigs_flower_named_home_nov 2018

or just colouring while the flower appears in the watery centre
bromiliad_flower_named_home_nov 2018

One of my favourite flowers, the Cats Whiskers flowered after the rain.
cats whiskers_flower_named_home_nov 2018

Day lilies flowered some with multiple buds
day lily_orange_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The Dietes, which are all through the garden, showed the borders with their white and purple flowers. If you look on the left side of the flower, you can see a little native bee.
dietes_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The pink Pentas were planted two years ago and this year the flowers were prolific.
pentas_pink_flower_named_home_nov 2018

I thought these were the last of the Pandoreas but when I walked past today, more have appeared
pandorea_flower_named_home_nov 2018

I have a miniature Native Frangipanni in a pot at the front of the house. The warm breeze send a delightful scent into the house. The flowers start as white flowers and gradually turn yellow
native frangipanni_flower_named_home_nov 2018
Also in the garden is quite a big Native Frangipanni. It is constantly flowering through November. You can see the various stages of flowering from the white and yellow buds, white flowers and then the yellow flowers on their way out.flower_native_frangipanni_pot_garden_named_home_nov 2018

The Gardenias are looking good this year
flower_gardinea_garden_named_home_nov 2018

Had to show the buds too
gardenia_flower_named_home_nov 2018

This Pentas is great for attracting insects
pentas_red_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The original red Hibiscus that my Mother bought from her garden when the gardens were first planted many years ago. This was one of my Mums favourites
hibiscus_red_flower_named_home_nov 2018

This is the bush still in the part of the place where gardens and the old house once were
hibiscus_red_bush_flower_named_home_nov 2018

Another Hibiscus that had a good flowering too.
hibiscus_pink_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The Grevilleas took a while to flower compared to other gardens around the area.
grevillea_robin gordon_flower_named_home_nov 2018

This Grevillea flower hangs downwards
grevillea_redthing_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The second year for the Ivanhoe Grevillea and the first flower
grevillea_ivanhoe_flower_named_home_nov 2018

Two Grevilleas in the front garden that always have birds squabbling over the flowers
grevillea_honey gem_yamba sunset_flower_named_home_nov 2018

I love the pastel colours of this Grevillea
flower_grevillea_pink_garden_named_home_nov 2018

The Bottlebrush flowers add splashes of red throughout the garden
bottelbrush_minature_flower_named_home_nov 2018
The Balsam flowers appear in many places in the garden. The just pop upbalsam_flower_named_home_nov 2018

A Bottlebrush just starting to flowerflower_bottlebrush_new_garden_named_home_nov 2018

One of my favourite small trees is Jacksonia. They add touches of yellow through the bush
flowers_native_jacksonia_dogwood_named_home_nov 2018

Another small tree in an old part of the garden. The last few years it has taken to flower for months
tree_flowers_yellow_garden_named_home_nov 2018

A large tree in the garden, a Silky Oak, which is also one of the biggest Grevilleas
silky oak_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The Eucalypts are flowering following a prolonged dry spell. Some are flowering now and I haven’t seen them flower at this time of year before
flowers_native_eucalypt_tallowwood_named_home_nov 2018

A ground cover flower that I thought had gone but has reappeared. I had an orange version as well. I wonder if that one will come back?
flower_violet_garden_named_home_nov 2018

The Duranta flowers are another flower with soft pastel  colours
forget_flower_named_home_nov 2018

I planted this native in a rockery. The Red-necked Wallabies love it. The constant trimming looks like a benefit as it is covered with flowers this November
flowers_native_rock_garden_named_home_nov 2018

The flowers appear on soft stalks and the spots seem to darken too
leopard_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The Hippeastrums looked wonderful this November. The wheelbarrow gardens looked a treat. There is a post about them earlier this month
hippeastrum_orange_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The red Hippeastrums seemed very red this year
hippeastrum_flower_named_home_nov 2018

A tiny native flower about 10mm in diameter
flower_native_yellow_small_named_home_nov 2018

You can see how small this native flower is by the grass and size of the leaves
flower_native_yellow_small_guinea_named_home_nov 2018

I love clover flowers
flower_clover_named_caniaba_garden_nov 2018

A Calathea I have in a pot flowered this year with tiny flowers with delicate colour
flower_calathea_pot_named_home_nov 2018

This Native flower is called a Smooth Parrot Pea
smooth parrot pea_flower_named_home_nov 2018

Even the patch of Spider Plants flowered
spider plant_flower_garden_named_home_nov 2018

With the flowers growing well the flower sellers at the market were selling bunches and most market days, sold out before the end.
sunflowers_lismore_farmers_market_named_nov 2018

Saw this car and just had to get a photo. It is a ute as well as a tad rusty
car_rust_el camino_named_lismore_nov 2018

The clouds one day were quite spectacular
clouds_stripes_richmond range_named_nov 2018

What a tiny Grasshopper on the Brunsfelsia flower
brunsfelsia_grasshopper_named_home_nov 2018

The Caper White Butterflies are migrating. This one is the first to arrive at my place
caper white_butterfly_pentas_garden_named_home_nov 2018

The Stingfless native Bees are loving collecting pollen from the orange Hippeastrum
stingless native bee_flying_day lily_flower_orange_garden_named_home_nov 2018

stingless native bees_flying_day lily_flower_orange_garden_named_home_nov 2018

A Crab Spider showed me his scary end when I disturbed its rest. Not a very big spider either
crab_spider_ghost_leaf_garden_named_home_nov 2018

Meet Gus, my axolotl. He is always happy looking
axolotyl_gus_tank_named_home_nov 2018

A Noisy Friarbird snacking on a Honey Gem Grevillea
noisy friarbird_honey gem_grevillea_named_home_nov 2018

Noisy Friarbirds always have something to say
noisy friarbird_tree_named_home_nov 2018

A female Figbird contemplates her next meal
figbird_female_tree_named_caniaba_nov 2018

Always singing around the house and in the forest, a Grey_shrike Thrush was looking through the window
grey shrike thrush_close_garden_named_home_nov 2018

Aren’t the Masked Lapwings strange looking. They are also called Plovers
masked lapwing_named_brooms head_nov 2018

but their eggs are quite pretty. They lay their eggs anywhere. These were on a walkway to the beach.
eggs_masked lapwing_named_brooms head_nov 2018
Peaceful Doves are always around the housepeaceful dove_tree_named_home_nov 2018
Royal Spoonbills were another of my quests to photographroyal spoonbill_tree_named_lawrence_nov 2018

The ferry cable is as good as anywhere to hang out to dry
cormorant_drying_ferry_cable_named_lawrence_nov 2018
On a visit to a small degraded wetland I was amazed to see the amount of birds there. The flock of Hardhead Ducks was rather largehardhead ducks_wetland_named_casino_nov 2018

On another wetland, where the Royal Spoonbills were, some Pink-eared Ducks also were paddling around
pink eared duck_named_lawrence_nov 2018

Eurasian Coots paddled about looking for food
eurasian coots_wetland_named_casino_nov 2018

I was surprised to see a Crested Tern so far from the coast. A Purple Swamp Hen strode around the edge of the water
crested tern_flying_purple swamp hen_wetland_named_casino_nov 2018

Aren’t Australasian Grebe chicks  cute
australasian grebe_chick_wetland_named_casino_nov 2018

A pacific Black Duck was closely followed by a young one
pacific black duck_duckling_wetland_named_casino_nov 2018

When you go calling on your girlfriend always take flowers
superb fairy wren_male_flower_named_lookout_mallanganee_nov 2018

The Superb Fairy Wrens hopped around us at the lookout
superb fairy wrens_named_lookout_mallanganee_nov 2018

Well the sun is going down so it’s time for me to go. Thanks for hanging around with me. I hope you enjoyed my November
sunset_named_caniaba_nov 2018