A bit of Spring

Lens-Artists Challenge: Spring

Spring. Well that was a few months ago now here. Now approaching Autumn, I say approaching as Summer is still hanging around with day time temperatures in the mid to high 30C’s

So it’s into the folders and find a few Spring photos which I hope you enjoy

The first buds of a Hippeastrum

A Stingless Native Bee and a European Bee discussing the qualities of a peach blossom

Here comes Mum with some more snacks for three hungry mouths

The Frangipannis buds just starting to unfold

What can be cuter than a little fluff ball chicken

The Hibiscus had lots of buds as Spring was a wet one last year

Lots of calves in the paddocks around the place

Fresh leaves appearing on the Eucalypts

New fur and almost ready to hop out of the pouch

Well it is spring

This is July 2019

Welcome to This is July 2019.

What a month it has been. Over the month the lack of rain has started to bite again. There was 10mls of rain at the start of the month and since then it has been quite warm during the day. Some days have been in the low 20’s while the nights have been in single figures. The warm days are not that unusual for my winter but the constant sunny days are. There has been rain on the coast, yesterday (1 August) there was 20mls of rain while some sporadic rain clouds drifted overhead here. My dam I use to water the garden around the house is very low. I have to decide what part of the garden I’ll give water to to try and keep plants alive. I am loathe to use the dam’s water because it is so dry and I may need that water in case a bush fire springs up nearby. There has been a few fires but they have been a fair way from here. I am glad I don’t have any animals or crops to look after as it is depressing enough as it is.

July was Becky’s #JulySquares so all of those plus others I have used in other photo challenges aren’t in here but I thought I would use the photo that had the most comments and likes as the header.

Enough of that. This has been a bit of a cropper month for photos though so I do suggest that you get a drink, perhaps a snack, settle back and scroll along.

Hey ho let’s go……………

I spent a few days down the coast visiting my mate whose wife is quite unwell. It is a lovely place and the ferry that goes across the bay is so cute. The size of the other boats docked at the marina make the ferry look so small.
ferry_marina_boats_nelson_bay_july 2019
We found a secondhand shop on the way home. We didn’t buy as their prices were a bit over the top. The glassware was well displayed.glass_coloured_vase_nabiac_july 2019
Don’t look at this too long as you will probably see it move.wind_chime_nabiac_july 2019
In Lismore, a nearby town, they have a train in a park that the kids love, OK I have been on it once or twice. I was getting photos of the park and I really liked the tunnel photo.tunnel_train_heritage_park_lismore_july 2019
My bestie found a Wanderer Butterfly caught in a spiders web in the garden. After removing the web, the butterfly sat on her hand for ages before flying off.wanderer_butterfly_saved_hand_caniaba_july 2019
I wonder if this is the same Wanderer Butterfly?wanderer_butterfly_grass_caniaba_july 2019
While away down the coast, we did a bit of exploring the surrounding area. I found these flowers on a most unusual plant in the sand dunes.flower_dune_plant_harbour_beach_july 2019
Isn’t this flower and it’s hairy plant lovely? I think it is called Herb Robert.flower_herb_robert_caniaba_july 2019
My Billbergia Nutans are floweringflower_bromiliad_billbergia_nutans_home_jackadgery_july 2019
I found this flowering native shrub while out on my place cutting firewood.flower_native_wide_gully_home_jackadgery_july 2019
The Magpies found a warm place in the sun. They were warbling away as we walked down the street to where we were staying.magpies_wall_sun_nelson_bay_july 2019
Pied Currawongs are a sign of Winter as they come down from the mountains when the weather get cold up there. This one seems to be taken with the house and the verandah.pied_currawong_verandah_ball_home_jackadgery_july 2019
The Willie Wagtails at my besties like riding around on the cows next door. I think they may be collecting nesting materials from the cows.willie_wagtail_cow_farm_caniaba_july 2019
The Cattle Egrets love riding around on the cows too.egret)cattle_standing_cow_farm_caniaba_july 2019
Back at home, the King Parrots are still hanging around despite the dry conditions.king_parrot_male_garden_home_jackadgery_july 2019
The females are quite different compared to the males.king_parrot_female_garden_home_jackadgery_july 2019
Among the garden bushes, a little Striated Thornbill was hunting for insects.striated_thornbill_caniaba_july 2019
The Scarlet Honeyeaters are always around the garden. It is lucky I have some Eucalypts flowering so there is a food source for these wonderful little birds.scarlet_honeyeater_home_jackadgery_july 2019

There seems to be lots of small birds around at the moment. The Double-barred Finches were happy to hop around the grass eating grass seeds.
double_barred_finch_caniaba_july 2019
A new bird for me, a Black-faced Woodswallow at my besties placeblack_faced_woodswallow_garden_caniaba_july 2019
Some of my grevilleas are bravely trying to flower despite the lack of water. The wonderful bird attracting Honey Gem which usually has an abundance of flowers has a few straggly flowers that the Lewins Honeyeaters have found.grevillea_lewins_honeyeater_garden_home_jackadgery_july 2019
Yes, I am looking at you Satin Bower Bird. Taken while sitting in my office through the door. The camera is always on the desk.satin_bowerbird_male_looking_garden_home_jackadgery_july 2019
The female Satin Bower Bird was also curious to see what I was going.bowerbird_female_verandah_home_jackadgery_july 2019
While down in the lower part of my place there is a wide grassed gully which I drive along to find suitable fallen timber for firewood. Often when I arrive there is a flurry of activity from White-winged Choughs or these birds, Grey-crowned Babblers. A small group walk along the gully flicking over leaves, bark and small rocks to find insects to eat. They have a constant chatter as they do and there is one bird who is the lookout who will let everyone know that danger lurks. As I approached, they flew into the trees so I just sat and waited until they resumed normal business.grey_crowned_babblers_three_home_jackadgery_july 2019
Here you can see their grey crowngrey_crowned_babbler_gully_home_jackadgery_july 2019
If the piece of wood is too hard to kick over, you have to get down and get your beak in to get your snack.grey_crowned_babbler_digging_gully_home_jackadgery_july 2019
Back at home, the White-throated Honeyeaters love this little hanging pot which I fill with water for the birds. If I am outside and the pot is empty, one of these birds will sit near me and let me know.white_chinned_honeyeater2_hanging_pot_july 2019
I love the olive colour on their back and wings.white_chinned_honeyeater_hanging_pot_july 2019
The Yellow-faced Honeyeaters also come to drink and bathe here.yellow_faced_honeyeater_hanging_pot_july 2019
After a bust day at the grevilleas, a Lewins Honeyeater enjoys a drink and a dunk.lewins_honeyeater_hanging_pot_july 2019
“Hello….is anyone using this bird bath?”
A White-throated Treecreeper looks over the edge of the bowl. This is a replacement for my wonderful terracotta bird bath which doesn’t attract as many visitors as the terracotta one.white_throated_treecreeper_bird_bath_home_jackadgery_july 2019
The Welcome Swallows are starting to nest at my besties under the verandah as they have for years.welcome_swallow_caniaba_july 2019
Busy collecting nesting material, it’s time to line the mud nest with feathers, probably from the Cattle Egrets on the farm next door.welcome_swallow_feather_nest_caniaba_july 2019
The Willie Wagtails are nesting too. Unfortunately the next day after I took this photo the whole nest was gone. We looked around the garden, under and nearby, but there wasn’t even a sign of the nest. The Wagtails were distraught in the morning. willie_wagtail_nest_build_caniaba_july 2019
Time to look up and see who has been flying over head. This is a collection of the Raptors. A White-bellied Sea Eagle was cruising around Harbour Beach at Port Stephens.sea_eagle_flying_port_stephens_july 2019
The Black Kite is a regular at the Lismore Waste Facility. We go there usually on a Saturday as their Revolve Shop has some great bargains from items recovered from the waste collections.  black_kite_flying_lismore_tip_july 2019
A very brave Magpie was making sure the Wedged-tailed Eagle wasn’t hanging around near their nests. It harassed the Eagle until it flew higher than the magpie could. wedged_tailed_eagle_magpie_flying_caniaba_july 2019
I love seeing the Wedged-tailed Eagles soar overhead.wedged_tailed_eagle_flying_caniaba_july 2019

No I wasn’t in the Sahara. At Harbour Beach the sand dunes are enormous and there is a Camel ride operator. We were there late in the afternoon and this was the last tour of the day coming back in.
camels_sand_dunes_harbour_beach_july 2019
Well the sun is on the way down so I better say see ya.sunset_red_caniaba_july 2019
On the road from my place to the river the setting sun gave the road a redder hue than the normal red gravel on the roads surface.sunset_jackadgery_purgatory_creek_road_named_july 2019
I had to get a close up as the sun started to disappear behind the mountainssunset_close_jackadgery_purgatory_creek_road_named_july 2019

Well that’s all from me for July. I hate to end on a sad note but Chicken, the last of my chooks, died last month. Chicken came to me from my friend who lived down the road, the same one who gave my the beautiful Iris. When he had to go into care, he asked me to look after his chooks and Chicken is the last one. She was quite old and had been ill for a while and I used to take her with me when I went to my besties and also to my daughters. Since the start of the cold weather at night, I would pop her into her travelling crate and she would sit inside with me near the fire.

chicken_home_jackadgery_june 2019

Also linked with Su’s Changing Seasons

 

This is April 2019

Well hello and welcome to my world in April. What started out as an uninspired photography month suddenly came alive at the end. I was thinking that I would have to tell you that a quick flick and scroll was all that was needed earlier in April. I have included a number of photos of the same subject as I couldn’t pick the one that satisfied my desire to give you something that was a wow or hmmmm that’s interesting.

A lack of rain at the beginning of the month probably assisted my malaise and desire to get out and about.  With a lack of rain also brings about a lack of insects, birds and the garden suffered. I did a bit of travelling around so there is some things I found from other parts of New South Wales.

I have put some of the April finds in other blogs. Some are repeated here but I have excluded others to make your checking out a bit less time consuming. So I do recommend a good cuppa or drink of choice as a lot of you are either sitting up late or just having breakfast. This is what makes blogging so good that you may be in any part of this world and I can show you a bit of mine. Enough blah blah blah, let’s get going if you are ready.

May as well start at sunrise
sunrise_named_caniaba_april 2019
One foggy morning while at a friends place in Springwood, the sounds of a helicopter broke the morning silence.helicopter_fog_named_springwood_april 2019
We are going to stay in Springwood for a while. We went to the Norman Lindsay Gallery and studio. The grounds were full of sculptures including these ones. Norman Lindsay wrote a book called the Magic Pudding in 1918 The story is about a pudding no matter how often it is eaten, always reforms in order to be eaten again. This is Albert, the Magic Pudding.magic_pudding_lindsay_gallery_named_springwood_april 2019

Bunyip Bluegum, the Koala, and Benjamin Brandysnap plus Sam Sawnoff and other animals and people who own the pudding have to defend the pudding from being stolen by Pudding Thieves who want it for them selves
koala_bunyip_blue_lindsay_gallery_named_springwood_april 2019

Part of one of the sculpture/fountains
water_fountain_lindsay_garden_named_springwood_april 2019
My friends garden is quite spectacular. There were some butterflies like the Blue Triangle Butterfly who is a bit ragged resting on a Zinnia.blue_triangle_butterfly_flower_named_springwood_april 2019
It did rain a bit while we were there putting water droplets on the Pelargonium geranium_pink_water_drops_named_springwood_april 2019
An Eastern Spinebill enjoyed the Grevilleas
eatern_spinebill_honeyeater_grevillea_named_springwood_april 2019
So did the New Holland Honeyeater. A very striking bird.new holland honeyearter_front_grevillea_named_springwood_april 2019
Had to include a side viewnew holland honeyearter_side_grevillea_named_springwood_april 2019
I really like this capture so in it came.new holland honeyearter_grevillea_named_springwood_april 2019

The cooler weather of the mountains hadn’t quite began so the fungi were still about
fungi_tree_lindsay_garden_named_springwood_april 2019
I like Hydrangeas. This was a small flower head but has delicate colours. hydrangea_blue_lindsay_garden_named_springwood_april 2019

Now for a bit of the flowers at my place as the sporadic rain over the past couple weeks bought out some Autumn flowers, like this Camellia
camelia_named_home_jackadgery_april 2019
This red Hibiscus is from a cutting of my childhood home, one of my Mothers favourites.flower_hibiscus_named_home_jackadgery_april 2019
All around the garden Impatiens self seed and they pop up in many placesflower_impatients_named_home_jackadgery_april 2019
Over at my besties place the Zinnias are a riot of colourflowers_zinneas_pink_red_named_caniaba_april 2019
The Echinacea had it’s petals eaten by a grasshopper probably but the centre caught my eye.flowers_echinacea_pink_orange_centre_named_caniaba_april 2019
A post with flowers would be the same without Pentas flowers and a Blue-banded Beeblue_banded_bee_flower_pentas_pink_pollinate_named_caniaba_april 2019
Bees aren’t the only pollinator. A beautiful iridescent fly helps a Zinnia along flower_zinnea_fly_pollinate_named_caniaba_april 2019
At The Channon Markets (a Which Way a while ago) a stall had Pitcher plantspitcher_plants_green_named_the channon_markets_april 2019

in all manner of colour and shape
pitcher_plants_named_the channon_markets_april 2019

While on the way home from the markets, we stopped off at Rocky Creek Dam (a Silent Sunday post and the Featured Image taken with my phone) where the water lillies looked fabulous
water_lily_flower_purple_named_rocky_creek_dam_april 2019
I loved their reflectionswater_lily_flower_purple_reflection_named_rocky_creek_dam_april 2019

While we are around the water, A Broad-palmed Rocket Frog likes to hang around the pot plants on my front verandah
broad_palmed_rocket_frog_home_named_jackadgery_april 2019
I am not sure what this small flower is. It was growing on the small dune at the beach.flower_pigface_named_boulder_beach_april 2019
My besties Red Eucalypt is starting to flower possibly a Corymbia ficifolia.eucalypt_flower_buds_red_named_caniaba_april 2019
While at the beach last weekend, yes a almost Summers day in Autumn around 28C, I came across some Small Grass Yellow Butterfliesbutterfly_small_grass_yellow_named_broadwater_beach_april 2019

While we are at the beach, here are some views. We climbed among the dunes to get to Broadwater Beach. In the distance, looking south,  is Chinamans Beach where we often go.
broadwater_beach_south_named_april 2019
The north view. The disappointing thing is the wheel tracks made by (*insert appropriate word) people who drive their stupid four wheel drive oversized pieces of junk along this beach. As you enter the walking track, there is a sign that tells you that there are protected birds who nest on the sand plus the other creatures who live in the sand, crabs plus other microscopic beings and that us walkers don’t disturb the ecology but these dickheads barge their way along the sand. Look how deep those wheel tracks are!!! Sorry please enjoy the view.broadwater_beach_north_named_april 2019
The seas were quite big. This rocky part of the headland at Boulder Beach is about 4-5 meters high. wave_before_splash_named_boulder_beach_april 2019
Can you see it now!!!wave_splash_named_boulder_beach_april 2019
One of my favourite photos is Pelicans on the light poles. The bridge has four sets of lights and every one has Pelicans. The best spot is on the light itself where a boss male sits. Further towards the bendy end is a juvenile Pelican.pelicans_light_pole_named_evans_head_april 2019

Upstream of the bridge, a couple of Pied Oystercatchers sat on the sand bar.
pied_oystercatchers_named_evans_head_april 2019
A Silver Gull was keeping an eye on the picnickers in the park in case a chip dropped onto the groundsilver_gull_named_lennox_head_april 2019
A White-faced Heron came to Chinamans Beach looking for a seafood dinnerwhite_faced_heron_named_chinamans_beach_april 2019

I loved finding the Sooty Oystercatchers at the beach. A post with more photos of Sooty Oystercatchers here in case you missed it.
sooty_oystercatcher_named_boulder_beach_april 2019

I am not sure if it was the same White-faced Heron at Boulder Beach too.
white_faced_heron_named_boulder_beach_april 2019

The White-faced Heron and Sooty Oystercatcher didn’t get along and avoided each other.
white_faced_heron_sooty_oystercatcher_named_chinamans_beach_april 2019

The cliff face at Boulder Beach has what could be Ironstone in it. It certainly looked rusty
rocks_rust_named_boulder_beach_april 2019

Now for a bit of reflection. Still with me?
water_reflection_named_bulladelah_april 2019
Speaking of rust, one of my favourite things to photograph. This old door had some wonderful rusty bitsrust_door_locks_handles_named_lennox_head_april_2019
Isn’t the sliding lock marvellous?rust_door_lock_named_lennox_head_april_2019

While at the Farmers Market, I wondered why there seemed to be more cars than usual. There was the Annual Lismore Poultry Show on. Of course because I love chooks I had to go and have a walk around. Here are some of the chooks I found, some of the more unusual ones to say the least. I don’t know all of the breeds as some I have never seen before like this one who looks like it just got out of bed.
chicken_bad_hair
A fabulous hatpoultry_show_fluffy_brown_chook_named_lismore_april 2019
Lace Wyandottes are one of my favourite chooks, ever so pretty.poultry_show_lace_wyandotte_chook_named_lismore_april 2019
I don’t think I have ever seen such a fat chook and purple to boot!!!poultry_show_fluffy_fat_purple_chook_named_lismore_april 2019
Some feathers seem to have a life of their ownpoultry_show_fluffy_white_chook_named_lismore_april 2019

So alien
poultry_show_strange_brown_chook_face_named_lismore_april 2019
A rooster who kept an eye on what was going onpoultry_show_rooster_looking_named_lismore_april 2019
Speaking a Roosters. Prehistoric is the only word that comes to mind. I couldn’t get the whole chook in the photopoultry_show_rooster_big_named_lismore_april 2019

Ducks always make me smile
poultry_show_white_duck_named_lismore_april 2019

One morning at my besties there was a cacophony of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos. The flock was around twenty who all were squawking as they flew about.
yellow_tailed_black_cockatoo_flying_named_caniaba_april 2019
They all stopped in a tree on the hill a bit of a way away. The quality of the photos isn’t that good as it was early morning and the photos are hand held but I had to capture their antics in the trees.yellow_tailed_black_cockatoo_acrobat2_named_caniaba_april 2019

I thought this one was going to do forward rolls.
yellow_tailed_black_cockatoo_acrobat1_named_caniaba_april 2019
OK it’s almost night time, our Moon is on the rise among the cloudsmoon_clouds_colours_named_caniaba_april 2019
The Night Spider has spun it’s web near the light to catch an insects who come to the light.spider_night_web_named_caniaba_april 2019

The centre of the web is a bit ratty
spider_night_web_kight_named_caniaba_april 2019

Our Moon is looking lovely and shining a bright light so you can see your way home
moon_named_caniaba_april 2019
I gotta go…..see you later I hoperainbow_lorikeet_bird bath_flying_named_caniaba_april 2019

Spiky Squares #14

Becky has started a new photo challenge for March #SpikySquare Drop into Beckys Spiky Square site for some details and other peoples spiky photos.

The rules are simple:
Have fun interpreting the spikiness but don’t forget there is ONE absolute rule for this daily photo challenge – your main photograph must be square.

190314_spiky_square_shop_chooks1

 

190314_spiky_square_shop_chooks2

 

I had to ha ha ha

 

Where

The word prompt from Debbie at Travel With Intent: Where

Where have these photos been taken?

From my desk in the office through the glass door
A chook often comes to see what I am doing
chook_named_home_nov 2017
A Noisy Friarbird looking in the door
noisy friarbird_named_home_oct 2017
The Kookaburra heard me move I think
kookaburra_named_home_oct 2017

A Brush-tailed Possum found a snack
brush tailed possum_baby_named_home_oct 2017

A tiny Spotted Pardalote investigating for insects
spotted paradalote_verandah_named_home_july 2017

The Rose Robin was tweeting away
rose robin02_home_named_july 2014

Sometimes a Huntsman Spider will find insects hovering around the computer screen
huntsman02_screen _named_home_feb 2016

March Square – number 20

Around the house, there are a number of small artworks on 100X100mm canvases so its back to squares in squares for #March Square

Someones artwork found in an op-shop. Value for .50c It may be reworked by my bestie
180327_art1_named

One of my besties. There are a number in the series but I think some have been sold
180327_art2_named

Another one of the series
180327_art3_named

Another op-shop find of someones artwork. Reminds me of a rooster I once had
180327_art4_named

Drop into Beckys for more March Squares