Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Straight Lines
Birds on a wire
Bollards in the street
Down the tracks
Looking through the blinds
A window or more likely an air vent
My shed wall
Shutters on the Ponte Vecchio, Florence
One of the earliest songs I learnt to play on guitar
I am not really in the mood to write. The dry continued for all of August so my mood wasn’t all that enthusiastic to gather images around my place. I posted quite a number of images from here and for the photo challenges over the month and I haven’t, as usual, added them to this months wrap.
I am heartened by the caring responses from my “blog family” to my posts. Thank you for being there.
August was my first month of being the Thursday Ragtag prompter sharing with Tracy. I was surprised at the number of people who responded with some great photos, writing and poetry.
OK lets go. I think you may need to go to the dunny and come back with a cup of tea/coffee or drink of choice, perhaps a snack or two depending on the time of day you are here.
I might start with some of the things I found at an auction which I didn’t know was happening. I was going to the farmers market for breakfast and a bit of food shopping.
One of the things I like to find and collect are boxes. Pity these were already sold or if they weren’t the auctioneer was a long way from this lot
A rather random group of items
Anyone have one of these at home?
Up the road a ways is the town of Kyogle. We go there at least once a year in case something may be happening. On this day it was just us and the tumble weeds lol There is some nice gates though.
I was surprised by the number and variety of flowers in peoples garden as we walked about the back streets
The bees were about too
I think this Salvia is called Hot Lips
I love this salvia
More flowers for you to enjoy
The grevilleas are quite outstanding this year, except at my place
A lovely window box of daisies
These flowers were further north near a town called Murwillumbah where we went following the Mud Trail which was along the North Cost highlighting the pottery skills of the potters around here.
My begonias are flowering but not as profusely as in previous years
I was down at the waterhole digging out the silt to make the waterhole back to what it was years ago. While I was there I walked about and found this native plant about to flower despite the lack of rain and soil moisture
A black and white view of Kyogle from the Art Gallery 
The lovely layers of blue you get from the vapours of Eucalypt trees
The bees are out collecting pollen and nectar from the flowers
Look how full the pollen sacks are on the tiny Native Stingless Bee
While we were away for a few days we came across the flower gardens that had just been watered in Nelson Bay
I love finding cats in windows. This one was just moving on just as I saw it.
Oh well a cats tail is still OK
I just love this cows hair cut
Down at the waterhole, the place where there has always been water on my place. This year it was the lowest I have ever seen it but the birds know where it is and flock there to get a drink or a bath. Time to get in……….
…..and out again
The Fuscous Honeyeaters seem to stay down this part of my place and don’t venture up near the house.
A Red-browed Firetail gets a drink
The whole flock of Fuscous Honeyeaters suddenly turned up much to the astonishment of a White-throated Honeyeater
Remember last month I told the story of the Willie Wagtails nest that was destroyed by something. Well they found a spot on the car port to rebuild their nest
The Willie Wagtails really can’t stand the Magpie getting close to their nest. Incoming!!!
They really give the Magpie a hard time until it goes away
The Welcome Swallows are also nesting at my besties
Here is three of the four chicks in the nest. Aren’t their fluffy heads adorable?
The Little Friarbirds have found the grevilleas
An Olive-backed Oriel dropped into the birdbath for a while
I found these Pelicans at the Lismore Waste Facility – a fancy name for the rubbish dump 
I felt for the birds and have put up a feeder which I put seed in every now and then. The King Parrots drop in for a snack when there is seed in there.
The Brown Honeyeater has to stretch a bit
The Double-barred Finches are enjoying the grass seed
While we were travelling around we dropped into a small wetland that is surrounded by farm land. I was surprised to see a Black Swan paddling about.
At the wast facility the Black Kites are always wheeling about.
I love seeing the flocks of Ibis as they fly over my besties place every afternoon on their way to their roost.
These Corellas loved it up a bit in Nelson Bay
Is there anything a happy as an Australian Raven skipping down the hill
Our Moon and the clouds
Almost time for sunset
At this time of year the sun sets just on the hill
OK then, thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoyed your look at my This is August 2019
Also for Su’s Changing Seasons
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.
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.
Don’t look at this too long as you will probably see it move.
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.
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.
I wonder if this is the same Wanderer Butterfly?
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.
Isn’t this flower and it’s hairy plant lovely? I think it is called Herb Robert.
My Billbergia Nutans are flowering
I found this flowering native shrub while out on my place cutting firewood.
The Magpies found a warm place in the sun. They were warbling away as we walked down the street to where we were staying.
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.
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.
The Cattle Egrets love riding around on the cows too.
Back at home, the King Parrots are still hanging around despite the dry conditions.
The females are quite different compared to the males.
Among the garden bushes, a little Striated Thornbill was hunting for insects.
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.
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.
A new bird for me, a Black-faced Woodswallow at my besties place
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.
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.
The female Satin Bower Bird was also curious to see what I was going.
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.
Here you can see their grey crown
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.
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.
I love the olive colour on their back and wings.
The Yellow-faced Honeyeaters also come to drink and bathe here.
After a bust day at the grevilleas, a Lewins Honeyeater enjoys a drink and a dunk.
“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.
The Welcome Swallows are starting to nest at my besties under the verandah as they have for years.
Busy collecting nesting material, it’s time to line the mud nest with feathers, probably from the Cattle Egrets on the farm next door.
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. 
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.
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. 
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. 
I love seeing the Wedged-tailed Eagles soar overhead.
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.
Well the sun is on the way down so I better say see ya.
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.
I had to get a close up as the sun started to disappear behind the mountains
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.
Also linked with Su’s Changing Seasons
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.
The Ragtag Daily Prompt Tuesday: Courage
The Wedged-tailed Eagle has his lunch, a Water Dragon, and is being harassed by a Magpie. It takes courage to fly near a Magpie nest
A Square-tailed Kite soars above the forest much to the displeasure of a Noisy Friarbird. The shape to the left rear of the Kite is the Friarbird about to give the Kite a good kick.
The courage of much smaller birds defending their territory against large birds of prey takes courage don’t you think?
The word prompt from Bren for the Photo for the Week 27: Time
I love the bird baths that are at my besties place and here at mine. Some birds opt for a quick dip while others just love to splash about.
It’s time for bath time
The first few are from the bird baths at my besties old place. This one in particular was near the verandah so it gave me plenty of opportunities for bird bath photos.
Some birds, like this Eastern Yellow Robin, just enjoyed a splash around
A Magpie getting right in
I think this was a Whipbird really splashing about
The Noisy Miners loved to get wet
Sometimes it is just good to sit and soak like the little Thornbill
The Eastern Whipbird jumped right in
A Red-browed Firetail Finch made sure the water went in everywhere
Onto a few photos from my place. It is a pity that possums managed to smash my lovely terracotta bird bath while trying to get a drink even though they had lots of ground level watering places around the garden.
The White-throated Treecreeper enjoyed a good butt soak
A female Satin Bowerbird liked to sit and think
As did a Rainbow Lorikeet
The little hanging pot is a favourite for small birds
Really getting a splash on
A quick in and out for a White-throated Honeyeater
Quite often it was mixed bathing. The Eastern Yellow Robin and Silvereyes shared a quick dip
Often the Rainbow Lorikeets came in numbers which often ended up in squabbles
Hope you enjoyed Bath Time
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.
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge (among others): Power lines and Black and White
The day was just beginning. As usual, the birds were singing from the trees, flying about, some collecting insects on the wing others strolling about the garden finding things to have for breakfast.
Once their morning rituals had been observed, it was time to chill out and discuss what the day ahead had planned. This morning, the chosen meeting place for the Mud Larks, Magpie Larks or more commonly called Pee Wees, was to be on the power lines where all could observe the surroundings.
This morning, some gathered as agreed, a flurry of small black and white settled onto the power lines.
But wait, something doesn’t seem right.
“Hey…….you blokes………..who is the big bloke over there?” “I don’t know” as they looked from one to the other.
“I don’t know either, but I’ll get rid of him!” “This swoop will see him off.”
“What do you think you are about buster……now rack off……these are my Power lines”
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