Some of these photos you may have seen before but they were in colour. A few favourite shadow photos plus some new ones
The Frangipanni tree the fence post a magical cast wonders for free
Looking ahead seeing behind travelling at speed being lead
Look but seeing thinking puzzling about being
Now you see come sit almost lunchtime you and me
A Wagtail there crumbs perhaps or splash look elsewhere
See within reflect without inside counts easy win
Looking deep no escape spirals of reality just sleep
Contentment lies balance again light and dark truth and lies
Moored again await adventure reflecting loss and pain
Put things back together repair no black
Little steps some are up some are down finding depths
Finding peace and harmony relax thoughts cease
There’s magic look wonder of nature just magic
I am sorry that this took so long for you to get through. It started and for once I let myself get carried away. Originally there photo of the reeds was the last one then words needed photos and photos needed words. Thanks for getting this far 🤗
A mixed bag for December full of highs and lows. It is getting dry again. The lush green that developed over Winter and Spring seemingly disappeared overnight and left brown and crunchy mingled among those stoic grass stems. Most of the photos are from home, a few in town and at Caniaba.
Not as many photos either so maybe you’ll finish before the music
Your scrolling song for December
Let’s get going then
Some mornings were quite misty
A few days ago I visited my daughter and drove past the “Fence Tree” It first featured in this Pick a Word post That photo was from 2017 but was sure I posted an older photo. I am happy to report that the tree is well and healthy.
I don’t think I have ever shown where the fence tree lives
I was looking for a plant that I was going to afix to this board. I picked up the board again and it had a hitch hiker. The caterpillar must have heard that a plant was going to be there just in time for lunch. Sorry little bud, go and munch some bush tucker not garden produce.
I went over to the house dam to see what was going on and found a bit of action. More of the dam stories in this post I looked down after trying to track a dragonfly and there it was sitting on some bark right beside me
At the start of the month I found the first Cicada shell. They are very quiet so far this Summer compared to other years.
There seemed to be a lot of skinks scuttling around the verandahs in December. A little Copper Head had his own patrol line
There was a lot of blue skies and Cabbage Whites were the butterfly I saw the most
I loved the contrast between the flower and the butterfly
Every morning and evening the peep peep peep constant call of the White-throated Treecreeper fills the garden cheerily as they hop up and down the trees looking for a snack.
A couple of Spangled Drongos dropped in for a bath one afternoon. They are around a lot and I hope they have nested here again.
Since the Pied Currawongs left for the mountains for the Summer, there has been a lot more smaller birds around the garden. The Red-backed Wrens come through in their little flock whizzing among the plants. When it’s time to move on, one of the older ones, like this female, hop onto a good vantage point to see if the way to the next stop off is clear.
Most times if there are Wrens around, then Red-browed Firetail Finches won’t be far away
Are you still here? Well come on, it’s time to fly over to see some flowers like the following have done
The eyes on the prize. A Blue-banded Bee picks a tasty Pentas flower
As does a Teddy Bear Bee. One thing I noticed while doing a bit of bee watching is that Blue-banded Bees bully and chase Teddy Bear Bees. I saw a small gang of two then three Blue-banded Bees suddenly appear and chase the Teddy Bear Bee. Strange behaviour for solitary bees I thought
The Crocus flowered very well in the hanging pot in the garden.
Now onto some flowers from the garden at Caniaba. The yellow throat of this Petunia is such a contrast
The bed of Petunias looked lovely
This is the tiny flower of a Paperbark Tree in my place. The birds and bees love them.
Last month I showed the life of a red lilli pilli flower. This is the first flower on a white Lilli Pilli
I just love the petal shapes and colours
Isn’t this rose one of the most beautiful you have ever seen? A Double Delight Rose
Colours shape and form won me with these Gaillardia flowers
I enjoyed being at the dam on hot days before it became too hot. Watching dragonflies dance over the water, the occasional Kingfisher or Kookaburra sit on a branch waiting for movement below
I hope you enjoyed a look at what I found and saw in December. If you had a favourite drop me a comment as I like to know what I am doing right. Also you might have a few photos or something to contribute to The Changing Seasons
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.
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The mornings cool breeze was still softly blowing as the days suns rays began to be felt upon my skin. I wondered what has been happening over at the house dam. From the house I have seen more and more flowers appearing, water lilies with their large showy blue blooms.
“Do you want to come with me over to the house dam?” “Let’s take the short cut and climb through the fence rather than walk to either of the gates. Be careful. Look!” “Doesn’t the dam look lovely? The green of leaves, stems and stalks with splashes of blues, pinks and yellow.”
Just then something whizzed past my ear. What was that I wondered? Looking around I can see what it is. “Come over here but slowly. It’s a Water Lily and a Dragonfly”
Out on the dam there’s lots happening. The frogs are too fast and have plip plopped into the water as we get along the edge of the dam wall. “It would good to get a classic frog on a lily pad photo wouldn’t it.” “Make sure you have your camera at the ready.”
Over there is an early flower just opened, not yet had its blue hue applied. “Some of the Stingless Native Bees are already flying in and out with pollen sacs full I guess.” “Come let’s go a bit further around this way. I am sure something was over here.” “Did you see that?”
A Red Skimmer Dragonfly swooped the water and then nestled in among the reeds. Never one to sit still for long, he was gone in a flash. “Did you see where he went?”
“On the flower over there can you see the two tiny Stingless Native Bees?” They are about 10mm long. The bee in the rear has pollen sacs that look quite full. “Those yellow lumps on the rear legs are sacs where they store the pollen for the flight back to the hive.”
Maybe just sit here for a while longer shall we and enjoy the peace and sounds of the bush that surrounds us. “I have a marmalade sandwich under my hat if you would like to share?”
I have been quite slack with my Walking Squares. Usually a daily squares person, this month just hasn’t been right and not much walking has been done that has been photo worthy.
This morning I had brunch with my daughter, did a bit of shopping and by the time I arrived home, it was very warm so it was stay inside for the afternoon. Around 5pm a cooling breeze blew up and the garden needed watering plus the header tank was almost empty so a pump up the hill to the tank was wanted.
One of my favourite songs
This walk started by going over to the pump, remembering last time I didn’t top up the fuel tank, so a detour to the shed for some petrol and a funnel. Pump fueled, a pull of the starter rope and away it went. Now into the garden and put out all of the sprinklers on to various parts of the garden. Once I’ve set out all four sprinklers I go around and reset again, then walk up the hill to see how full the tank has gotten.
I go up the hill to the header tank around three times while the pump is going to check where the water level was up to. So not a walk far away from home but a good walk around the garden and up and down the hill.
Finished as the sun was getting low. Didn’t manage to get the whole garden watered so will have to give the garden a good soak tomorrow
Another walk at my place. This time I went into the bush beyond the fallen tree from the other days walk. I intended to get down to the waterhole but I had a few distractions on the way down. Hard to walk past some weeds and not pull them out. Plus I moved small branches and logs off the track in case I can get the mower along there one day soon.
I made it to around 800 meters and the clouds began to build so I decided to head for home. By the time I was on the last stretch home, the sun came out.
This is a long hike as well so I might need you to walk with love. A bit of a reggae tune to get you going
Down the back steps and the last of the Lilli Pilli flowers is hanging on
Walking about you have to careful of Brown Bandicoot scrapes dug overnight. They are looking for insects and worms that live in the soil. Could easily twist an ankle and that would ruin a walk.
Past “The Big Dam” Which is a huge failure. I was surprised that there was still a lot of water. The underground spring that connects to the dams water may have blocked. That spring runs under the dam and further down the gully, the water from the dam flows on the surface. When it is full it would hold 7million million litres of water
I guess that is why there are Dragonflies about
The once sparse tufts of Kangaroo Grass, a native grass to my area, are in more places and those clumps are seeding well
Lots of trees have gum nuts so the seed bank in the soil is growing
The bush is recovering nicely. Still lots of dead trees around so have to watch where I walk. Since I was down this way there has been a few tree falls as well as large branches that have dropped from on high
Large areas of Yellow Buttons too. All of the following flowers are about 10mm in diameter and some smaller
I was getting some photos of the small Rough Guinea flower when I was photo-bombed by a Blue-banded Bee
A Hairy Guinea Flower with a couple of fruit pods
I don’t know the name of this tiny yellow flower
The occasional Dandelion was about
All the butterflies in this gallery have wingspans from 19mm to 25mm. A Line-blue of some sort. The blue on the body is noticeable
A different Line-blue Butterfly to show the blue front of his body
A Ringlet with “eyes” on the wings. Makes them big and fierce to potential predators
The wonderfully named Greenish Darter
Not too sure about this one. Just a tiny pink flower growing all by itself
A Grass Trigger Plant flowers in clusters like these
Now for the surprise Yes this was a very pleasant surprise for me. I have only ever seen one Purple Fringe Lily on my place ever and that was after the fire.
So when I came across this one I was so happy. Then I looked and saw a few more nearby.
As I walked up the hill, I just went nuts…there were some plants that had two flowers and look at the seed pods as well.
And then I saw it. A plant with three flowers. I have never seen one with more than one flower, here or elsewhere.
Can’t go past the spangliest bloke around here, a Spangled Drongo. They are a Spring visitor here and are making their weird metallic sounds in the garden every morning and night.
Had to throw in this long distance water photo of the farm dam next door to my besties
The rain started a week ago and gradually built from a steady few mls every day until yesterday and last night where it rained continuously. This morning the rain gauge recorded 116mls that’s around 4.5 inches. There is water everywhere, the rain came in about one meter under the verandahs, water is still rushing down the gullies and flowing over the ground in places.
Importantly, water is flowing into the house dam as well as out the overflow. This is the water I use for the garden and outside of the house.
This image compare is from today to almost twelve months ago to the day
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