This is November 2022

Welcome to the wrap up of my November. It was a rather weird month for me, full of ups and downs. I didn’t take that many photos. Of course this is also part of The Changing Seasons. The details are at the end of this post.

The month was one of change. The first two weeks were almost constant rain, then the rain stopped and the sun came out. Almost overnight the ground dried and the grass started to turn brown, trees started dropping leaves and plants in the garden didn’t take long to droop.

So let’s get going into my November Tale and please enjoy a song while you have a look at my November

I’ll start with the best of #WalkingSquares as most of my photos were for Becky. These photos are the ones that you commented on.

The following photos are others that I set aside for my November wrap. I hope you enjoy these as well

I was pleased to see one of the Red-necked Wallabies in the garden with an over sized pouch. The little one didn’t poke its head out though.

I love how these berries change colour from almost white when they first appear to purple to a dark blue. Lots of birds like them. Not sure of the name of the bush they belong to

There were lots of what I think are Pink Fingers flowers in the garden. They enjoyed the wet first part of November

Native Frangipanni flowers added a lovely scent to the air especially in the morning and afternoon. The flowers start white and as they age, they turn yellow.

The Giant Salvia flowered quite well. Undoubtedly due to the rain. The plants grew to over three metres!!!

I went to the Granite Lookout as I heard the Waratahs were flowering. I wasn’t disappointed. There was splashed of red everywhere at the lookout.

Along the track, the White Tall Everlasting Paper Daisies were flowering everywhere

Meanwhile in Grafton, the Jacaranda Festival was in full swing. I love the contrast of the purple flowers against the grey leaden sky. The day I went in to see the festivities it poured with rain as I arrived and after escaping to a cafe for a coffee, the rain had gone

The flowers after a rainstorm are strewn over everything. Even the vintage cars on display didn’t escape

Can you see the VW Beetle reflected on the VW Kombi?

As I was looking at the cars, a Magpie suddenly appeared and was chasing a beetle (not the car type) and managed to get a snack right in front of me

After the rain had gone the weather warmed up for the last two weeks of November bringing the flies out. This must be the shiniest fly I have ever seen.

A monthly wrap up wouldn’t be the same without an Eastern Yellow Robin making an appearance. I love how they sit on the trunk of a tree. One of my favourite birds in my garden.

In late October I could hear the Wonga Pigeons call in the bush. One day one strolled through the garden.

When the weather warmed up, the Dragonflies seemed to be everywhere.

Well the sun is going down after a stormy day so I better get going.

As usual I must ask if you had a favourite photo.

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.

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 to this post, so that Ju-Lyn can update it with links to all of yours.

Water Reflections – Car Puddles – Abstracts #64

Jez’s Water Water Everywhere #151

Last weekend, as part of the Jacaranda Festival, there was a vintage car show in the street in front of the Cathedral. It has been raining and on Saturday morning as I got to town, there was a downpour. I took the cafe and coffee option while waiting for the rain to pass.

I went to the car show and grabbed a few photos of the cars. Many cars had rain drops all over them as well as purple Jacaranda flowers from the trees in the street.

I first noticed a Jacaranda tree in a puddle when there was a brief burst of sunlight.

From then on I went looking at puddles for other reflections that would lead to a Water Water Everywhere post possibly. There were a few cars reflecting in puddles.

An important splash of October purple

Debbie’s Six Word Saturday

The Jacaranda Trees are starting get their purple hue in Grafton. The Annual Jacaranda Festival will be in full swing in a few weeks. By the end of October there will be carpets of purple on the ground.

The streets will be full of purple flowers, avenues of Jacarandas. The town will be full of tourists from all over the world, mainly from Japan who just love a floral festival.

Square Trees #28 – in my town

Becky’s Square Photo Challenge July: Square Tree

The nearest town to my place is Grafton. It hosts an annual floral festival, the oldest in Australia where the town spend ten days of purple madness and fun. Set when the Jacaranda Trees are in flower, this year from 29 October to 7 November, the town is awash in purple from the townsfolk dressed in purple to the magnificent trees showing all their glory.

Here is your song for today

The trees do look a treat

I love the purple of the trees against a grey sky, which seems to happen most years as it is also the start of our wet season.

The mass of flowers is great but they individual flowers look good as well.

While writing this post I also thought of a photo I posted many years ago. The building I was working in had a Jacaranda Tree close by. One day I noticed there was something in the tree. Sorry Becky, it’s not square.

Places People Visit

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge : Places People Visit

I am going to be very home town for places people visit. At this time of year, my town of Grafton is awash with purple. The Jacaranda trees are starting to come into flower and the town is gearing up for the annual Jacaranda Festival.

The Jacaranda Festival is the longest running floral festival in Australia. People come from all over the world to Grafton to visit and wander the town, look at the gardens and marvel at the purple everywhere.

The trees look a treat
171027_blog challenge_letter j_jacaranda

There is even a few White Jacaranda trees around town
white jacaranda_named_grafton_nov 2017

The streets look a treat. When the blossoms drop the ground is a carpet of purple.
jacarands_named_grafton_oct 2017

Even the birds like to nest in the Jacaranda trees
fig bird_male_nest_grafton_named_nov 2015

There is poignant street art.
171205_blog challange_message_grafitti_grafton

 

grafton bridge grafitti014_named_grafton_nov 2017
I have some people booked into my place this weekend from Taiwan so maybe I will have a busy few days over the weeks to come at the Durranbah Bush Retreat

CFFC

Jacaranda

It would be very remiss of me not to have a Jacaranda in Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: The letter J

You see, the city closest to where I live, Grafton, has the oldest floral festival in Australia, the Jacaranda Festival which begins tomorrow. Grafton has many Asian tourists at the moment coming to see the spectacular Jacaranda trees which line many streets and are in nearly every park in town. It is a fun time especially next Thursday when lots of the shops dress up and put on a show to entertain the tourists and locals. The streets are paved with purple and I even saw a Japanese tourist making a Jacaranda “snow” angel in one of the parks.

171027_blog challenge_letter j_jacaranda

CFFC