Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Farm Animals
These two horses, Pepper and Jack, arrived at my daughter’s place a week ago. They are still settling in but look to be just the thing she needs about the property. Everything else are “boys toys” so it will be fabulous for her to go riding once more.
Meet Jack and Pepper
The photo challenge from sonofabeach: Which Way
There are so many ideas for Which Way See the list at the end of this post
The power pole inspection helicopter flew over my place. I hope they knew which way.
The horses in the paddock always know which way
For those lost on the road, this sign post from years gone by will tell them which way
There won’t ever a topic to this challenge. All you need have is the “way” visible and the main focus of your photo. Here is a list of acceptable “ways”:
Well I have had a big September. So much is happening probably because it is Spring, although the temperatures haven’t changed much as Winter was warm. There are the birds that come here, flowers are blooming and the tadpoles are hatching. I have written some posts this month and have included some of those photos but not all as this is a large post.
Yes, get a cuppa, wine, beer and some snacks and off we go
There has been a bit of teasing by the clouds. Promising rain but either not delivering or just a few drops. I have had some good falls but no run-off to put water into the dams. The water tanks are full which is good. 59mls has kept the garden happy as well as supplementary watering from the dwindling dam.
I have put the flowers in early this post. Walking among the Mangroves stalking a White-faced Heron, I came across some Hibiscus flowers. There wasn’t a Hibiscus bush nearby so maybe had left a trail to find their way out.
My besties Gymea Lily has flowered. This flower is about two meters plus in the air.
Here is the whole photo. The plant is the strappy leaved one.
This year has been a fabulous year for Grevilleas. The first flowering of this Grevillea in my garden.
So many succulents are flowering too. This succulent is in a hanging pot on my verandah.
I have these flowers in my garden but not in mass like a garden in Grafton.
My Begonias are flowering well this year too.
The Iris that is a reminder of my mate who passed on last September. This was one of his plants.
The hanging Pelagoniums are a constant flower on my verandah.
I love this flower display on a stall at the Farmers Market in Lismore.
Flame Trees are spectacular when they flower. My poor struggling tree has started to flower even though it hasn’t had enough water.
I have garden borders of Dietes. They look great when they are in flower but they are spreading to places I don’t want them to go. Pity the Wallabies don’t eat them.
Bromiliads are flowering too. Some flowers are so wonderful aren’t they?
Banksias are a sight when they flower
Back to the Farmers Market. I spotted this bloke carrying a large dog. I have no idea why as the dog has a lead.
The Beetroot looked lovely
The old truck of the vegetable farmer is a great vantage point to see when people drop food.
Ah…look, an unattended fishers bucket.
Damn……I was spotted
I love Gulls as they fly along the shore
The wooden walk bridge over the estuary so you can walk to the beach.
The White-faced Heron stalking crabs in the Mangroves
Out to sea I spotted something breaking the water. I was hoping for a Whale and got a Dolphin.
In the mist a ghost ship appeared
The power company has been inspecting the power poles by helicopter. I think the pole at the front of my place will get replaced as they circled around for a while looking at the pole.
I guess the party is over. Found this on the track to the beach.,
The butterflies are starting to appear as well. The Line-blue Butterfly was rather shy.
The old swimming pool is a great place for the dragonflies. A bit of action is going on watched by a Bleating Tree Frog Tadpole.
There is quite a number of tadpoles who like to snack on the algae.
Thee are calves in a lot of the paddocks. Who could resist a little white calf?
The property next door is a miniature goat farm. On a walk a while ago I saw they had some little kids so next walk I took my camera. When I was at the fence I couldn’t see all of the little goats. And then I saw these two.
Another young animal. This foal was camera shy but I managed to get one photo.
Why fly when you can get a lift.
The Yellow-faced Honeyeaters have found an easy way of getting nesting material. When I have been walking on my place, I often come across nests that have fallen from the trees. Not only has the Yellow-faced Honeyeater been gathering material but the White-throated Treecreeper from last months post is also getting in on the act.
They were quite quick to get some nesting material and get back again. I found this lovely little nest in a Paperbark just outside of the sun room. They used some air fern to help bind the nest.
Remember the post about the Welcome Swallows. Well the babies are starting to learn to fly but still like to get back in the nest for a feeding.
Spring also heralds Magpie swooping season. Not many people don’t get a swoop or two. Even a Wedge-tailed Eagle was getting the Magpie treatment.
A farm near my besties has Sulpher-crested Cockatoos. I hope they don’t come to her place. They are quite destructive and squawk quite loudly when they get into a bunch.
Little Friarbirds are timid but enjoy the nectar of the Honey Gem Grevillea in my garden.
King Parrots have set up their breeding pairs. This couple have taken up residence in the garden.
I had to include the Satin Bowerbird. Such a spectacular bird to have in the garden.
Here is the Great Cormorant who caught a fish from the Clarence River in Grafton. Scroll back a few posts and see the story if you like.
The Intermediate Egret has to have the longest neck I have ever seen.
I think the horse may be in for a surprise!
A small flock of Galahs are hanging around the farms near my besties. They sometimes come to her place to get a drink of water.
The Figbird didn’t know I was under the tree.
Spring brings the Blue-faced Honeyeaters back to my place.
My arty Pelican photo
The best arrival has been the Grey Shrike Thrush. Their lovely song fills the garden in the morning and afternoon. They too are nesting. I have them “knocking” on the windows in search for spiders webs and any insect who happens to be around the windows. It’s a constant tap tap tap most of the day.
Thanks for taking the time to wade through my rather large This is September post. If you would like to know more or have a comment, please leave me a note in the comments.
Here we are at what I saw in March. There has been a couple of photo challenges I have done in March so some of those photos aren’t in this lot. It is another big photo post. There are a few photos of snakes, spiders and other insects but try to have a peek through your fingers when they come along. Nature is full of wondrous colours and shapes.
Of course there are flowers and birds plus my March obsession of spiders webs. So I do recommend getting your favourite drink and perhaps a snack as you settle in and have a look at my month of March.
OK, I’ll get the insects out of the way first for all those who have told me of their dislike of bugs. You will be rewarded with seeing some lovely little creatures from my world.
I’ll ease you into the insect section with a lovely Wanderer Butterfly
Remember My Quest to photograph a Blue Triangle Butterfly. Well now it seems they are waiting for me. This Blue Triangle was on the road when we went for a walk.
There were a lot of Easten Common Brown Butterflies around this year.
A long range photo of a lovely bug with orange feelers. Some close ups are coming next.
When you are a small insect you really have to hang on if there is a breeze about.
I look fearsome but I’m not.
A small Fly with red eyes came to sit with us while we had a drink on the deck. Spiders next
Remember the spiders web from my March Squares. Lots of people were glad the spider wasn’t in the web. Well here he is, all 5 or 6mm of him. Better watch out if you are a mossie.
Some spiders hang up side down on their web.
First prize in the messiest web. I love the droplets on the web from the morning mist.
As part of my obsession, I have been playing with my photo editor. Do you like this one?
A bit of respite now. A Lemon Migrant Butterfly on Lantana
While on a day trip, we stopped at an art gallery which wasn’t all that great. Outside life was far more interesting. I found a Praying Mantis eating a Bee in the flower bed.
This poor little bloke couldn’t get his wings folded
Photographing some grass seeds I was photo-bombed by a Dragonfly
I don’t think it was this lovely red Dragonfly. I love the shadow
My favourite Australian Native Bees are the Blue-banded Bees which are in other posts this month. This Australian Native Bee has the best named of all. Let me introduce you to the Teddy Bear Bee. Do you know of a cuter bee name?
When we look out of the kitchen window at my besties place, neatly framed in the arch, waiting for his breakfast too is PJ the horse. He knows where to stand to get attention doesn’t he?
The grass seed photo I talked about earlier.
An Australian Native flower that grows at my place. This one was on the side of the road.
My besties Roses are lovely this year. The camera couldn’t capture the wonderful red colour though
A great year for Bromiliad flowering too.
This plant is called Ink Weed. Apparently you can make ink from the plant. Not sure which part but they did in the early days of the colony.
I have often shown the Blue Ginger flowers up close, sometimes with a Blue-banded Bee in them. This is one patch of them in my besties garden.
I love Cats Whiskers flowers. They are just opening in March.
Aren’t the colours of the garden striking?
Remember the many posts about the Dancing Lady Hibiscus. Here is a shot of the many flowers that came out this year taken from the verandah where we sometimes have breakfast, the most flowers we have ever seen. The Hibiscus bush trails up the Poinciana tree trunks. How many Dancing Ladies can you count?
A tiny Eco-system in a tree trunk on the side of the road.
The fence post was covered on one side with these fungi.
A lone fungus on the side of the hill.
I love this shot from under the Poinciana tree at the small fungi high up.
The Common Garden Skink, I call a Copper Headed Skink, doing its best not to look at the camera before it scurried away.
Apart from flowers, fungi, birds, the Poinciana also has a non-venomous Green Tree Snake who lives in the hollows. These Pythons are harmless
Beautiful little snake. Aren’t the colours and markings lovely?
I wondered why the chook was hesitant about coming out of her yard. When she did she would run across the yard to a sheltered spot. She never came into the front garden. Then I spied why. The Square-tailed Kites have built a nest in a eucalypt in the front yard
The Black Kites are everywhere near the Lismore Waste Center
On a drive to Caniaba, while waiting for some dairy cows to cross the road, I saw two Wedged-tailed Eagles wheeling about high in the sky.
The Little Wattlebird enjoyed singing and searching for food in the Poinciana tree
He saw me with my camera while up side down looking for grubs.
The tiny Buff-rumped Thornbill defied gravity looking for a snack in the Poinciana tree too
A Golden Whistler was in fine voice in the Poinciana tree.
Another singer in the garden is the Varied Triller
A flock of Silvereyes called in to have a feed
A Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike strained to see if it was food or just the wind blowing leaves about
On a recent walk, I spied a young Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike harassing its parent for food
“Where is everyone?” the Pied Cormorant seemed to say as it looked around before diving for fish once more in the Brunswick River.
Meanwhile on the beach at Brunswick Heads, a Welcome Swallow found a convenient stick to perch
Remember the Bromiliad Flower? The Lewins Honeyeater has been sticking his head into the flower to get a snack. The flower also rewarded him but giving him a pollen crown.
I love Wonga Pigeons. This pair were sitting in the garden preening and looking about.
The Grey Fantail looked like he was walking on stilts.
A great moment in March was seeing the Green Catbird feeding her young. Seconds later another young one came along which disturbed the scene and soon all three had flown off.
I can’t do a post with birds and not included Bobbin, the cute resident Northern Yellow Robin. I recently discovered that I have been calling the Yellow Robins around here and at my besties, Eastern Yellow Robins. There are two distinct races of Yellow Robins. So from now on Bobbin and his friends are Northern Yellow Robins.
Thanks for getting this far. I even made a second coffee to keep me going to the end.
The afternoon colour and trees looked so lovely
The Full Moon earlier in March looked great with the clouds drifting by.
I like to put the captions before the photo. What do you do? Do you prefer the captions before or after a photo? Let me know what you think?
Did you have a favourite photo from March?
A Black and White Photo Challenge from Cee: All Things Farm Related
A mixture of farm things
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This is what happens in my street…..or road actually. I liked the prompt from Dutch Goes The Photo as my street isn’t like anyone elses street, OK perhaps a few.
This is what can happen in my street. Occasionally some of the farmers in my area need to move cattle from one place to another. This time it was a rural event called a Camp Draft where riders try to move cattle in a set pattern.
Here is My Street
As I came out of my driveway, this is what I saw down the road.
Sending the cattle through the gate.
The horse wondered what I was doing also making sure I got its best side.
The dog was working hard.
Last weekend was a great weekend for wandering about. We did a bit of walking around my street and found lots of things that caught my attention. A drive to Grafton and out to Lawrence yielded many an experience that I love to share with everyone. And of course there was plenty going on around my place as well. Some photos have been already seen by those who like to interact on Twitter as they were too good not to share straight away…..I can be impatient sometimes. So let’s be off…..the sky looked ominous on Saturday morning as we set off on a morning stroll.
There were birds flying around and chatting from the bush. Usually I seem to get photos of thin air but this time I got the swoop from the tree.
The spider webs were still out, all shimmery in the morning sun.
I found lots just walking down the gravel road, just like the little horse from next door who always gallops along the fence as we walk down the street. He is so cute, always wants a rub but you have to keep an eye out as he does like to have a bit of a nip.
I love wood and the shapes, patterns, colours and things that grow on it. This post just caught my eye.
The lichen growing on the post at the front gate together with the cracks looked a treat.
Further along the road, a tree had fallen in a storm many years ago, throwing the root ball into the air which looked like a modern art sculpture.
Just out the front of my place there has been a bit of a flush of spring plus the recent rains have bout all sorts of things alive. These little fungi were about the size of a 10 cent piece.
While this little yellow flower was a bit smaller.
At this time of year, following the swathes of yellow from the Fringe Wattles, the Dogwoods start to appear. Still in bud, but their little white flowers are getting ready to burst open.
In the park in Grafton, this white climbing rose had Fairy Wrens, yes those ones from this page, as well as Scarlet Honeyeaters, flitting in and out among the blooms.
On the drive to Lawrence, we had to stop at a flood shoot of the Clarence River where last year we saw a Black-necked Stork patrolling the water’s edge. This time there wasn’t a stork but a group of ducks paddling along. A mix of Pacific Black Ducks and Hardheads.
A couple of ducks decided to take off while I was taking the photo. Again for one I was lucky to get them taking off.
Just up the road there is an Ospreys nest. I have taken photos of it before but this time they have a baby. Here is the adult keeping a lookout while baby looks about constantly squawking. You can just see the small bump in the nest.
Here is a better look at the young one.
Back home it was all go in the garden. The Blue-faced Honeyeaters are the bosses of the Honey Gem Grevillea.
Chasing away everyone who comes for a bit of a snack. The Friarbirds think they own the Grevillea too.
The Scarlet Honeyeaters dash in for a quick drink of nectar while the bigger birds are busy. The female seemed to be much braver.
As usual, the Eastern Yellow Robin was always around somewhere making sure the garden was in order.
There are lots of Red-necked Wallabies cruising around the house and garden. This little bloke is last years Joey still hanging around Mum.
Meanwhile, Mum was also sampling the delights of the Honey Gem with this years young one keeping a look out from the warmth of the pouch.
That was last weekend….I wonder what I’ll see this weekend?
The weekend always brings new discoveries, sights and other things that have been seen before but still can evoke a bit of wonder. There are always birds, insects and animals that I happen upon and yes, as someone asked recently, I do often chase bugs and butterflies to get a photo. This weekend was no exception but I am lucky with the birds as they come to me. Well not to me actually but my besties most wonderful bird bath. We were chatting in the morning with a cuppa where we worked out what birds that drop in have been seen in the bird bath and which ones haven’t had their photo taken. The main ones were, not surprisingly, the raptors – Wedgetailed Eagles, Pacific Baza and the other kites and falcons that whizz through too quickly to identify.
So onto the things that managed to wander into my gaze and camera lens. The start was on Friday evening with a wonderful sunset that was filled with different colours.
I first saw a small piece of red that was one of the reddest reds I have seen.
The yellows were quite lovely too.
Saturday morning was filled with many butterflies flitting around the garden. Orchard Butterflies and Azures (possibly) were too fast as were some Awls and Skippers but the Lemon Migrant, I think, stopped for a bit of nectar.
I didn’t manage to get the wings down to identify properly so a guess at Lemon Migrant will have to do, until someone lets me know what species of butterfly it is.
As well as butterflies there was a wasp buzzing about so a quick photo was in order, then run ha ha ha
Of course the dragonfly was just waiting to get its photo taken.
With all this going on, a couple of folk were dropping into the bird bath.
I can’t help but post a couple of more Eastern Yellow Robins as they are so cute and very bright as they chitter chatter around the garden.
This one is “You keep a look out….I’m going in!”
Even when a bit damp, the Eastern Yellow Robin manages to look resplendent.
This is the first time that the Noisy Friarbird has dropped in for a quick dip.
What do you look like when you shake the water from your head?
The Eastern Rosella was waiting in the trees nearby.
But finally had its turn which didn’t last long as a Noisy Minor decided that it was his bath time.
On the way to give PJ his breakfast, a Grey Fantail was doing some post hopping, a quick dart into the air to catch a flying insect or two and back down.
This time without that serious looking face
And one more because it is such a happy little bird that always brings a smile at its acrobatics. Ready for take off…
In another part of the garden, a Green Tree Snake was checking out the garden mulch for any tiny bug that happened upon its path.
They certainly have big eyes.
OH, thats right I mentioned PJ didn’t I. PJ is a horse and we finally found out why Mini was putting on weight. At feed time, Mini trots down after everyone is gone to see if there are any gumnuts that PJ has dropped and not yet found. Say hi to Mini and PJ.
Well that’s about all I discovered last weekend although I am keeping a few photos of the Eastern Whipbird for later. Here’s another look at that fabulous sunset.
brian
It was a hot summer….almost too hot to be living in a caravan, which was thankfully under these huge Iron Barks which cast shade over a fair bit of the ground…. unfortunately the setting sun blazed onto the least protected side.
But that has nothing to do with what I was thinking about was it…..a downside of the caravan being under the Iron Barks was that the flying foxes loved the nectar from the flowers….interesting fact number 329:- flying foxes can shit whilst flying….seemingly, and especially on caravans in the bush.
Yes I know……the caravan was on a friend’s place while I was looking for somewhere to live and they had taken off for a holiday. While I was there, I started a vege garden, plus other gardens ‘cos thats what I did….always make a garden if I’m staying somewhere for a bit. Especially veges ‘cos its one thing you don’t have to spend money on….Nannas “lessons” in being thrifty somehow emerged from the weirdly assorted filing system my head seems to possess….plus hanging in the garden with Pop hearing all sorts of stories….like the dangers of worms….once they latch on….phew…..over the other side of the house yard, beyond the windrow, was some good soil to start the vege garden.
The soil was a bit sandy….with a bit of feeding and a good talking to, the vege garden started to come on quite well.
Now the vege garden was a bit vulnerable to the house cow…..a very hippy….at least dairy farmers will know what I mean and those from the 60’s and 70’s will have to think anatomy….hippy with a nice disposition, large eyed, huge lashes softly spoken Jersey. One of those cows where you just have to walk into the paddock with a bucket and stool, milk, give her a bit of a pat and walk back without so much of a fuss….can’t think of her name….oh yeah, that one was Jugs….interesting fact number 583:- don’t get a 16 year old boy to name any animal.
One day, I had to move Jugs into the paddock that had some good feed in it…..it was the paddock that adjoins the house yard close to the bit of space where I dug a vege patch. I know what you are thinking already, but I am smarter than a cow and had the fence in good order….in fact there was another small fence around the vege garden to keep out the smaller stuff like possums and rabbits. With that task done, a nice cuppa was in order.
I went back to the caravan, which was heating up in the summer sun…..actually what I did was open up the whole of the canvas annex to try and catch a breeze or two. I built a low wall and frame and made the wall of the annex into a roof so the annex size was doubled and then insect screened the opening. Sitting at the table having a cuppa and doing the crossword puzzle in the Post…Mr Wisdoms Whopper….when I noticed that the horse….oh yeah the owners also had a horse. Seemed to have some fancy idea of saddling up and riding out to check the back 40 or down to the dam out the front and riding into the water after a warm day of riding around…..the horse, it appeared, had other ideas of what a nice day on the property meant. You know those horses…you walk towards the fence with a carrot and at once, the horse comes trotting toward you ready to have a snack, a bit of a rub down and the halter fitted.
Well…that wasn’t this horse…….this horse was just cantankerous, nasty and mean…if you ever got close to it, you got a case of “what the hell am I doings” as a bite or a kick was most likely the outcome of a close encounter. This horse was smart….almost too smart…..and no I can’t remember its name…..something like Prince.
Well I saw this horse walk down the fence line…..had another sip of my tea…..pen poised above 5 Down, when the mental picture of the horse became clearer and yes the fence wires were on the other side of the horse!!!
Interesting fact number 211:- a small rabbit fence is no match for a very large horse with a bad attitude……so there you go it wasn’t the cow who munched in the vege garden….the beans took the biggest hit before my “coaxing” had him galloping back down the track to where he managed to get in……an open gate……now I am sure I latched the gate…..OK I am exaggerating the term gate….it was a Queensland gate….loose wires and a stick with a loop on the post to fasten the stick, tightening the wires. The horse just stood there with its evil eye watching while I picked up the gate, refastened it, making sure the bottom of the stick was in the wire loop on the bottom of the post and top loop was tight……I headed back to the caravan and my cuppa.
It was all of five minutes before I saw the horse trotting back down the fence line…..but at least this time, I was still outside, near the clothesline…..have you ever built one of those old-fashioned clothes lines…the posts in the ground and a moveable cross-bar with a prop to hold the wires up when there is heavy stuff on the line…..I love building stuff…..that probably comes from my other grandfather who was a wheel wright….it’s in the genes I guess.
Well as you can imagine I was off in a flash to head off Steven or whatever its name was from getting back into the vege garden….this time he saw the error of his way and turned around and cantered down the track, through the open gate….wait….the open gate….hmmm something isn’t quite right. I refastened the gate and walked back down the track a little way, stopped and hid behind a tree…..don’t think that was an Iron Bark though…more likely to be a Spotted Gum…..well who should walk to the gate but Roger who proceeded to nudge the wire loop with his nose…..I just walked up to the gate and the horse, who didn’t seem to know I was approaching, such was his intent on opening the gate…..this is the only time I have punched a horse….no not a solid whack ‘cos a horses head is rather hard….just enough to release my frustration and to scare the bejesus out of the horse…..now the gate had an added bit of wire to keep it shut…..you have to be inventive don’t you?
A few days later, further into the hot summer, the corn was now looming large with ears that looked very yummy….the silks blowing in the afternoon breeze while I watered and picked off the bugs that were trying to get a free snack…..an ideal scene…..a very tempting scene you think?
During the night, I wandered out of the caravan and down to the dunny…….it was almost a classic out doors dunny….tin sides and an old real dunny door with a wooden seat on a tin….and in the moonlight could make out the shape…..something big down the house yard beyond the windrow and in the vege garden…….JUGS!! I shouted but her intention was obvious…..eat as much corn as possible.
The fence was no longer rabbit proof, other vegetables were either tasted or stomped as this lovely cow, raising her head with a stalk of my corn hanging from her mouth and huge soft brown eyes looking with as much innocence as she could muster, Jugs then went back to her task at hand.
Again, a bit of gentle coaxing….Jugs was a sucker for a bucket of hay and grain…..I had her on her way down the track and back into the front paddock with a now grumpier than ever horse.
Morning saw the extent of the damage……a tomato or two survived as did most of the autumn seedlings….and I had a meal or two of corn.
Interesting fact number 478:- Make a vege garden and they will come!!
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