The January photo a day challenge: Fog
Tag: fog
Wordless Wednesday 7 August
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This is June 2019
About time I hear you say. Yes I am a bit late with last months wrap up. I didn’t take as many photos early on and then I seemed to find lots to photograph. This months photos have a couple I have used in other photo challenges but I decided to keep this post a bit shorter by not including the those photos.
So sit back and have a scroll through my June
Let’s start in Inverell, a town about 200kms from my place. We decided to have a mini holiday and ventured west. My goodness the drought has really hit hard out there. Didn’t see the usual paddocks with sheep and cattle in them. Many farmers have de-stocked and just holding onto their core breeding stock for when the drought breaks.
We stayed at a fabulous B’n’B, Blair Athol a Manor house from the early 1900’s. It is a great place to stay
We did venture around the countryside. It was quite sad. I think this granite outcrop says it all.
I found a Pied Cormorant just after a bit of a dip in the water. I love how Cormorants do this. Makes me smile every time.
Back home I was surprised to see ducks on my house dam as the water level is quite low. Three Pacific Black Ducks cruise the dam.
Sometimes when I am about in the garden doing a bit of bird spotting I get a feeling I am being watched as well. This Grey-shrike Thrush was making sure I was being good.
Another Winter visitor to the garden are Golden Whistlers
Of course a monthly wrap wouldn’t be the same without the resident Eastern Yellow Robin who found a post to sit on while surveying the garden for a snack.
Little Striated Thornbills are flying about the garden in the afternoons
The Rose Robins are still around as well
The Agave looked lovely in the afternoon light
This is called Witches Broom it is on a small Eucalypt. 
The variety of plants that are growing on a palm in the garden is wonderful. At the front is an Elk Horn, behind it on the right is a Birds nest Fern. They are surrounded by Hares Foot Fern and to the left rear is Fishbone Fern. All of these plants have decided to grow among the palm’s trunk.
Nearby, a Jacaranda has a lovely growth of moss that cascades to the ground.
My mate Geoffs Iris has flowered. Always will bring back a memory.
All around the place Lichen has sprung up as there has been showers of rain over the last part of the month enough to keep the garden happy and for some plants to emerge.
I love finding water drops. My besties place has had much more rain than here.
These are the seed pods from an Eucalypt tree I found in Inverell.
I haven’t taken many photos of the Red-necked Wallabies that hang around my place. I caught this bloke with a mouth full of grass.
Late one afternoon at my besties, she called out to come over to where she was in the garden. She found a little Bandi Bandi going across a log heading for a safe place to spend the night.
There appears to be lots of Wanderer Butterflies about at the moment. Found this one flying around the lane-ways of Lismore.
Meanwhile there are Wanderers in my besties garden feeding on Echinacea flowers.
One day we decided to head to the coast for lunch at the Ballina Beach Surf Club. Afterwards, after watching whales from the window while eating, we wandered up to the headland and watched the Humpback Whales cruising past. I bit of blow usually let me know where they were.
I love it when they gave a wave.
Managed to get some tail shots.
but could never be focused on the right place when a Humpback breached
Now for a bit of weird. Walking down a lane in Lismore we always look to see if this window has changed. I think the hand and flag on the right have been added.
A stack of chairs in a window.
One morning, the mist was settled in the valleys. I used to tell the kids that the mountains have captured the clouds.
A bit of my playing around with photos. A Magpie on a steel post
OK the sun is down so time for me to go.
I hope you have enjoyed a bit of a look at my June. The feature photo is a butterfly among the Zinnias in my besties garden.
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This is May 2019
Here we are to have a look at my May. I didn’t take many photos to add to this post that I haven’t already shared in some of the photo challenges I contributed to in May. Again the rainfall at my place was very sparse but some of the Australian Native plants had some flowers which received a water from the dwindling water supply in my dam. I have been trying to ensure that most plants in the garden survive by a bit of water every couple of days, hoping I can harden them off for Winter. The weather has been quite warm during the day – mid twenties and the nights were in the low teens so I think some plants may be a bit confused with warm Autumn days.
I don’t think you will need supplies to have a scroll through This is May 2019
Let’s get hopping
I don’t seem to take many photos of Kangaroos, so when some were in a nearby paddock when I was out, I just had to grab a photo. This male was quite wary of my and I made sure I didn’t venture too close as he may have thought I was a threat to his female and joey
The She Oaks or Casurinas with the seed pods and hanging leaves caught my eye as I was walking on my place.
A small shower of rain and the mosses and lichens appeared
My besties place had so much rain it didn’t seem fair. It did make for some great photo opportunities. The water drops like jewels on the spiders web one morning.
One afternoon the sunset lit up everything. The Bottlebrush flowers just seem to glow
May was the last huge flowering of the lovely red Hibiscus in the garden
The sunset, a leaden sky and a red flowering gum.
The tiny Stingless Native Bees loved the Echinacea flowers. Look how full her pollen sacs are!
The little Grass Dart Butterfly was almost hidden among the flowers
The Eggfly Butterflies love the Zinnias
As did the bees
Water drops on leaves is a must photo opportunity
One foggy morning, the old shed on the property next door looked quite spooky
While walking about my place, I heard just one slight screech and the sound of crunching. I finally saw the Glossy Black Cockatoos in the She Oak enjoying a snack of seeds high up in the tree.
While further down the track, the Bowerbirds have made a new Bower decorated with blue stuff from all around the neighbourhood. Perhaps a blue peg of mine has gone missing but the rest of the treasures I don’t know where they came from.
Every afternoon at my besties, there is a fly over of Cattle Egrets and Ibis as they head off to roost
Most days the Wedged-tailed Eagles are riding the currents high in the sky
A great first for me was finding a small flock of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins as we drove down a lane near my besties. They certainly had a good selection of seeds to choose from.
Bare trees and sunset is another must try and get a photo opportunity.
Speaking of sunsets, May had so many wonderful sunsets I had to whittle down the pile into just a few. The red tinged grey clouds looked wonderful
Some sunsets were orange
Some sunsets had could formations I have never seen before. They were like lumps hanging below the other clouds
A grass seed and subset, who could resist
Sunset…….bare trees………the black and red won me over.
OK here we are at the end. See I told you it was a short month compared to the mammoth efforts you ave gone through in previous months.
Thanks for taking time to have a look at my world.
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The Pelican who can
The inspirational quote from Debbies at Travel with Intent
Sob, heavy world
Sob as you spin,
Mantled in mist
Remote from the happy.
-W. H. Auden
Sob not elegant bird
Sob not as you fly,
Mantled in mist
Clothed in the joyous.
– bushboy
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This is October 2018
OK folks strap yourself in for this ride. You will need stamina, food, drinks and a possible toilet break as I have been unrelenting in snapping away with all manner of things. I was going to break the photos down into subject groups in separate posts, but I thought “What the heck, you can scroll through at your own pace.”
What better way to start the day (or post) than with a sunrise from my besties new place
Let’s start with things. I don’t know what to call this bunch of photos as they are different. Enough talk. Off we go!
I found these gelatinous blobs on the beach, hundreds of them. Perhaps baby jelly fish?
When you see a land form that resembles something else
The planes have been showing themselves a bit in October.
Just love these rock cliff, the colours and again, can you see a face?
The moss gave the tree a bit of a dress with a vine for dramatic effect.
More moss. This time at the waters edge at the beach
The rock pool took on an ethereal mood
Just the shelf at my besties place
When I put on this lamp, I just had to take the photo. Another shelf at my besties
October saw the rain come. This dam, I use the water around the house and garden, was about one-eighth full. Seeing the water flow into the dam cured my blues.
The waterhole on my place never is dry but came very close this year. Seeing it full again made me happy. I think the birds and animals are pleased as well
Waterfalls make such a soothing sound don’t you think? Even little waterfalls that help fill the waterhole.
Of course a bit of rain and sunshine brings out the fungi
Fungi of all shapes and colours. Some big….
…some small
and some are edible
I love Grass Trees. These are at a place called Naughtons Gap. They are bigger than some of the Grass Trees on my place.
A wonderful discovery was a whole street in Grafton lined with Bottle Trees. This will be investigated as to why and how and perhaps a bushboy post about the history of the Bottle Trees in Grafton may evolve.
The early morning dew and spiders webs. I can’t resist
Sitting having a cup of tea with my bestie when a large Skink wandered about the garden. Wonderful markings aren’t they?
Would you believe that this tree is called a Cheese Tree?
Just an ant having a swim. He did get out eventually.
The flower and a bee. The flower is on what is called a broad leaf weed which is supposed to be undesirable in a lawn. Look at the bees pollen sacks. I don’t think the bee would be as happy if the “weed” wasn’t there. Think before you mow please.
Just a feather
and another
The Forest Kingfishers have arrived. The male looked about for anything that moved in the grass or the garden.
The colours on his back are lovely.
This photo shows a bit more of the iridescence
Galahs are funny birds. This bloke is sitting on the stock trough on next doors place at my besties
It’s a bit of a way down to get a drink.
Another arrival in Spring are the Grey Shrike Thrush. They are in the trees around the garden and sing in the morning and in the afternoons. What a delight to have in my garden.
The Pied Currawong didn’t mind a bit of rain.
Doesn’t he look great. The black with the red of the Flame Tree
The Fig Bird was spotted eating Mulberries
So was his mate
A Coucal Pheasant came for a visit and sat high in the Gum Tree.
Later on, I think he was checking me out through the undergrowth.
Another October visitor, a Brown Honeyeater
He soon found the bird bath
The Blue-faced Honeyeaters have arrived in numbers to feast on the Honey Gem Grevillea
The female Blue-faced Honeyeaters also drop in for a snack
Remember the post about the Post where the Noisy Friar Bird was chased away by the Spangled Drongo. Here Rainbow Lorikeets get a serve from the Friar Bird. A bit of a peck to the head.
The Rainbow Lorikeets were a bit bemused by all the carry on.
A female Satin Bowerbird enjoyed the nectar in the Yamba Sunshine Grevillea.
But like everyone else, the Honey Gem Grevillea is the best place to get a meal.
Yellow-faced Honeyeaters seem to have a constant scowl on their faces.
I think this Yellow-faced Honeyeater spotted me and my camera
The gravity defying White-throated Treecreeper taken from the comfort of the chair in my office
They are lovely as they hop up and down the trees looking for something to eat.
Another photo from my office chair. I call this one, “I can see what you are doing” is what the King Parrot is saying.
A young King Parrot morphing into a male
Getting a good Eastern Rosella photo quest continues
Out for a drive, we spotted a smallish bird run across the road and into a paddock. A new bird has been seen, an Australasian Pipit.
On another adventure drive, we spotted flashes of green zooming across the road. A flock of Rainbow Bee Eaters were hanging about. This is a breeding pair
Aren’t the males colours amazing?
You may wonder why we are back at a couple of young King Parrots. I thought it was lovely to have them sitting on a hanging pot under the verandah, until I spotted what they were doing
Yes, these “lovely” young birds had eaten half of the succulents in the pot. All around the pot, the succulent trailed over the edge. Can you see the bit trailing over the edge now. This hanging pot is no longer hanging where pesky King Parrots can get at it.
Water drops and new growth
I love the colour of this Succulent. Was tempted to pinch a leaf or two
I love the colours in this photo of a Hanging Violet with red in the background
A lovely Native Geranium growing in the “lawn” Another reason not to mow
Pansies, pansies, pansies
and more Pansies
This year the Silky Oaks flowering was spectacular
A flower of a Succulent
The Budlea flower spike wonderful and smells delightful
Some of the Roses looked a treat this year
A pink Bottlebrush flower
The native water lillies on my dam. Water Snowflake
The rain knocked a lot of the flowers off the Flame Tree. The little cups filled with water
Some native flowers that grow on my place. This yellow beauty is Dogwood
I think this native flower is a Hairy Guinea Flower
I have been encouraging a lot of Egg and Bacon plant to grow on one part of my property. It’s spikey habit is good for protecting small birds when it is in a fairly dense thicket
Plus the flowers are lovely. You can see the sharp points in the leaves
A small pink Grevillea.
My besties flower beds are looking great
and yet more flowers
This flower has caused great excitement for me. This is the first time I have seen a Hakea Florulenta on my property.
Aren’t the tiny flowers delightful?
The early morning fog gives a sense of wonder to start the day
Of course when it rains, you also find rainbows. This one had a faint double above.
Well, the sun is setting and you have reached the end. Well done for sticking around to get to the end and thanks for having a look at my October 2018
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The Tree
Bren at RyanPhotography has a Mid-Week Monochrome photo challenge
I had a number of images but couldn’t find the right balance or subject. The paddock tree one foggy morning turned out to be my favourite
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Wordless Wednesday
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This is August 2018
Not a terribly exciting month for photos as I have been unwell with a cold which is not going away. I decided to do two or maybe more posts about August, one is a fairly large post which will be done soon. At least being unwell allows me time to sit at the computer to sort photos and do stuff that I put off as I have lots to do outside before the weather warms up, although this Winter had been unseasonably warm.
Let’s get started. A few mornings have been slightly foggy. One morning, the early morning fog made the bush look quite surreal.
Some days the clouds were in shapes that made me just stop and look.
I am glad this Red-necked Wallaby stopped and looked before hopping across the road in front of me.
A day was spent at an event in town called Wings and Wheels held at the South Grafton Airfield. It was great to see the Grey Ferguson tractors lines up. This one looked like mine.
One day out and about, we came across this most colourful and crazy garden. Lots of ideas for Cee’s Odd Ball photo challenge that’s for sure.
My bestie said it was time for the old wheelbarrow to get a succulent garden. Didn’t she do a great job? All the plants came from pots around the house and garden.
The hanging geraniums are always in flower.
We doing things in my besties garden when we felt that someone was looking at us.
Here is the biggest Brush Turkey from a nearby town, Kyolge.
Getting home from a drive, the chook decided to detail the car, removing all sorts of insects from the front of my car.
It is nesting time. I wondered what was going on with the mat on the verandah. The White-browed Treecreeper, normally hopping on vertical tree trunks, gathering nesting material.
A Spotted Pardalote was foraging among the vines.
The Welcome Swallows have been nesting in the verandah at my besties new place for years. They have started building their nests too. They are always together.
A young King Parrot morphing from juvenile to adult
Checking out the tree tops, an Australian Raven, surveys the scene.
A Pied Currawong found the berries on a Murraya irresistible.
The rather prehistoric looking Noisy Friarbird love Grevilleas.
Eastern Spinebills also love Grevilleas.
The blue black is lovely as a contrast to the rest of their colours. You can see why it is called a Spinebill.
The Galah just loved walking among the grass seeds snacking as he went.
I went down to the bottom part of my property to check on the waterhole. While I was there the activity of birds was quite amazing. A huge flock of Fuscous Honeyeaters were darting everywhere.
One afternoon, the Moon looked so fabulous against the blue sky. I love our Moon.
Well there you go. A quick look at my month of August. Thanks for stopping by. Leave me a comment which will cheer me up no end.
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Discoveries in June and July
I have been doing my usual wandering about, looking for things that are interesting, stunning or just plain great to photograph. This is what I have found over the past two months which have made a quick stroll or a drive into a lot of stop and look.
The early morning fog sitting in the Clarence Valley looked quite amazing as I came over the hill on the way to town.
Some of the morning skies had so much colour
The Pelicans were paddling on the Clarence River looking for their breakfast. Everyone knows that Pelicans are great fishers and know exactly where the fish are.
The Little Corellas played on the light towers, swinging on the wires and generally creating havoc.
There were many storm clouds around but I haven’t had much rain at my place in the past few months and the Summer storms just didn’t appear this season. These were looming while I was travelling around the Richmond Valley.
The next few photos are stuff I found in Lismore. I will have to go back and see if I can get the shot I saw in my mind with this spiral stair case.
I love puddles
I also love rust – the textures and colours rust brings to metal.
This is what it’s like looking down the barrel of a gun.
The footpath also got my attention. The moss is such a striking green.
The early Winter flowers were appearing in the gardens around Lismore. A splash of white caught my attention. I have no idea what it is though.
One tree had ants massing all over as they were preparing to launch the winged ones.
But the tree looked nonplussed.
On the way back to my besties, we stopped at the outdoor cathedral in Bexhill. The Grevillea flowers (I think) were almost over but still looked amazing.
The flowers at her place were also blooming. I was hoping to get a bee or two but they were too fast.
The birds that are there are nothing like the birds at my place, although there are a couple that I find at mine as well as at hers. The cheekiest is the White-browed Scrub Wren who likes to hang around the back door.
“Is anyone home!!”
“I know you’re in there!!”
The Catbirds were around in the afternoon making their weird sounds.
I also came across this butterfly. Its colours made for a great camouflage until I came blundering along.
I guess the sun is setting so drop by soon and let me know if you enjoyed my some of my Discoveries in June and July.
