moon – bushboys world

This is December 2020

Published on January 2, 2021 by bushboy42 Comments

Another month of not much but doing a fair bit. Lots of flowers at the moment. I am still debating whether to split some off and into a separate post.. Oh well I make up my mind as I go on. My six months of not driving is up on the 4th January but have to wait until I see the neurologist in early February. I might pester my GP.

I do recommend getting a snack and perhaps a drink, I have one while I am writing . At the moment a wonderful long black espresso and a lovely chocolate my daughter gave me for Christmas.

It has been raining in December, only three days it didn’t rain!!! Over 390mls for the month. Dams, tanks are full, gullies rushing and the sounds of frogs at night is so wonderful. Much better than the sounds of the Cicadas during the day. Some days I have to come inside as they are so loud.

Early morning – barbed wire and a spiders web

I thought I would kick with things off with being surprised. A Goanna was walking through my garden, with a small Cicada snack, took off when he saw me walking towards him. Didn’t drop his lunch.

I was walking about the place when suddenly this fellow popped up from his nest in the grass. I thought he would stay there but hopped off.

The most surprising was seeing a Fox appear on the mulch pile at my besties late one afternoon. He didn’t stay for long

I was surprised to find the commencement of a Jumping Ants nest in front of my potting shed. In case you ever wondered about Durranbah, a word I use a bit as it is the name of my property, these are Durranbah, aboriginal for small jumping ant. They bite and you know you have been bitten I can tell you. When I first moved here, there were quite a number of nests of durranbah. I discourage the nest by just pushing soil in and pushing down on the entrance hole. After around a week they had moved on.

While walking in the bush, this insect was affronted that I would walk so close to his tree and take photos of bark. The tree is a Red Ironbark tree. The bark is very rough. The black is from the fire but the bark is black as well. You can see the new bark pushing out. The new bark will be reddish and darken with age.

There are so many dragonflies. This one followed me over the paddock. They love sitting on grass stalks.

One of the noise makers heading up the tree after busting out of it’s shell

Sometimes trees just stand out from the crowd. I have never seen a Spotted Gum look that colour of green.

Other trees resort to a distinctive orange under the bark layer. I think it is a box tree judging by the strips of bark that is left hanging.

I posted a tangle of Flame Tree flower buds and stalks on last Wordless Wednesday. This is a Flame Tree that is just getting all the flowers.

The Frangipanni are loving the rain and hot waether

Strawberries are growing quite well in my besties wheelbarrow garden. Lovely tiny flowers.

There were a few pink flowers as well.

With the rain the Crocus made their appearance around the garden. I spent time taking photos of their location as I could never remember where they are. Looks like I have been photobombed by a Stingless Native Bee

I was thinking of putting the Hibiscus flowers in another post but here are some anyway. I don’t know their names sorry. Pink Frilly sounds good

This is a miniature Red Hibiscus. Yes I took it at this angle for the “face”

I love the colours of this Day Lily. Another plant from the bloke who used to live down the road.

A Bauhinia flower up close with rain drops. You may wonder that I didn’t go crazy with water drop photos with all the rain I have had.

I love this sad looking Hippeastrum seed head and decaying flowers (especially for Sue)

More Frangipanni and rain drops

My Jacarandas flowered well after all the others in town. I like the purple flowers against a grey sky

or do you like a blue sky?

One of the best things that happened in December was finding a Purple Fringe Lily on my place. I have only ever seen them on the coast in and around sand dunes. Other “firsts” at my place in December have been Whipbirds – I have an audio but no photos of this secretive bird. A Dainty Swallowtail Butterfly flitted around the garden for a few days. No good clear photos as it never settled. A Neon Cuckoo Bee flew around me for a short while. I didn’t have my camera.

I love seeing a pop of colour among the Dianella leaves of the tiny berries

The Tuckaroo trees have so much fruit this year. I have never seen so much fruit on the trees. They are quite small but must be tasty as lots of birds like them

A young male Figbird picking just the right fruit

Peaceful Doves have made the garden their home

The Wonga Pigeon has come back for a short while. Being a bit skittish, he takes off before I see him usually. I’ll have to look carefully tomorrow. I love having a Wonga around.

Even hops up into the verandah just in case there may be a snack up here.

The first sighting of a Dollar Bird at my besties for the season.

The Sacred Kingfishers have a nest near the dam. I love seeing the flashes of blue as they zoom through the garden or dip into the dam’s water

The Square-tailed Kites returned to their nest in the tree across the road.

Lots of water for the year ahead

It’s wonderful to see the dam over flow.

At the bottom dam that is a failure, but gives me a road to the rest of my property, looks like a monster lurks within

Sunset from my house. It is so rare I get to see sunsets in the sky above. Mostly the sunset is through the trees.

and then it changed to this!!!

OK, Sun’s down and Moon is up. One night there was a rainbow around Our Moon

When the Moon is like this, it is getting ready to spill. The Full Moon was a few nights ago, so now it will be emptying. Predictions of rain by scientists too

Also for Su’s The Changing Seasons
and Cee’s FOTD

Wordless Wednesday 16 December

Published on December 16, 2020December 16, 2020 by bushboy6 Comments

Into the dark

Published on December 2, 2020 by bushboy30 Comments

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Sunset to Sunrise

In close with black and white

Published on November 27, 2020 by bushboy11 Comments

CBWC: Close Ups

Beauties still soaring towards our Moon

Published on November 22, 2020 by bushboy10 Comments

Debbies Six Word Saturday and One Word Sunday: Night

T’was night
our Moon
lighting our World
incredible sight.

Betwixt the tree
darkened shapes
our Moon
being free.

Look to the sky
see shapes
see above
Our Moon will fly.

Incredible sight
lighting our World
our Moon
T’was night.

This is October 2020

Published on November 10, 2020 by bushboy48 Comments

How late am I getting this done? So many things of no consequence happening and I am being very slack in sorting photos and getting myself together.

This may be a bit haphazard and not quite concise with the flow and descriptions but I just wanted to get this post out for my own piece of mind. Admittedly I did get a bit wayward with trying to get things together for Becky’s wonderful #SquareKind photo challenge.

On a personal note, I saw the Neurologist in October and I saw the MRI of my brain. It was fascinating to see the slices and was very happy to see there wasn’t anything untoward. But as I thought, she reaffirmed the legal requirement that I don’t drive a vehicle, that includes the farm ute, ride-on lawnmower as well not operate a push mower, chainsaw, power tools or climb ladders. Well that stops me from doing about 80% of my life. It’s for my own safety and the safety of others. Social isolation and Covid lock downs are almost mainstream but now I am in Neuro Lock down as well as my normal social isolation due to living in a almost remote location.

Enough of that, let’s get started. All sitting comfy with some refreshments to hand as you should know by now I do post a lot of photos which summarises what I saw and found in My October 2020. Have a bit of a listen as you scroll too. I am sure you may enjoy a song…..

AS usual, lets start with a wonderful sunrise

The Spangled Drongos were awake enjoying the morning

Rufous Whistlers sang in the morning

A Red-backed Fairy Wren had his morning bath

The female Satin Bowerbird dived right in

A White-faced Heron stood guard in the morning protecting the nest high in the tree

A Yellow-faced Honeyeater came for breakfast on the Honey Gem Grevillea

Two White-naped Honeyeaters debated whether to grab a snack or have a bath

The Striated Pardalote looked for food on my verandah.

This Satin Bowerbird has set up home in my garden.

The old swimming pool, now a bit of a dragonfly and frog haven, attracted the attention of a Scared Kingfisher who decided that this was the place to have a bath.

The first of the Rainbow Lorikeets turned up in the garden to check it out for Summer.

Rainbow Bee-eaters were a splash of colour for a Spring morning

Only a mother could love a baby Noisy Friarbird

Sometimes King Parrots like to hang about in the garden

We went to one of our favourite spots for a bit of a look around to see the fire recovery and have a picnic. Raspberry Lookout is just up the range from my place and a favourite spot.

The Banksia trees had a good burn but this helps the seeds germinate as they pop open and scatter with papery like seed that blow on the wind. Children’s stories talk of the Banksia men. They do look a bit scary don’t they

It was good to see that a lot of the vegetation was growing. I love the colours of the new growth of the Trigger Plant.

The Native Lilac False Sarsaparilla were flowering quite well. I also have this species on my place.

The Trigger Plant flowers attracted a Native Bee

IN my garden, the Stingless Native Bees filled their pollen sacks from the Hippeastrums

A Large Yellow Butterfly came for a visit to the Bottle Brush flowers

Common Grass Blue Butterflies were everywhere in the garden this Spring

The first of the Caper White Butterflies arrived in late October and many more were here a few days ago. They love the Pentas flowers in my garden

It is always lovely to see Orchard Swallowtail Butterflies in the garden. One of the largest butterflies that I get here

I think this may be a mosquito being a pollinator on a Daisy in the garden

Some of the succulents are getting ready for Summer

The Roses at my besties place looked a treat over Winter and Spring. I have too many animal who love to eat the leave and flower buds as well as the flowers for me to grow Roses here.

By the end of October, the Grevilleas have finished their Spring flowering and are setting seeds

This year my Begonias had a very showy flowering.

Another not your usual pollinator, a fly on the Marigolds this time

This tiny Grevillea, called Billy Bonkers, flowers have some attendant ants

The Stingless native Bees like the Dietes flowers too

Agapanthus in the garden had a great flowering this Spring

The bees loved the Cornflowers in my besties garden. I love the radiant blue of Cornflowers.

I wasn’t sure if thge Lolly Bushes would have survived the fire but they have bounced back and the flowering was quite wonderful. Yes the flowers smell like lollies.

Looking inside of the Orange Hippeastrum

Red Dragonflies were all around the garden

After watering the garden one morning, this spiders web attracted my attention with sparkles in the morning sun

After a bit of rain, I went to check to see how much water went into the dam. I noticed one of the Cape Lillies in the middle of the dam looked a bit different. Nestled in among the flower was a Dwarf Green Tree Frog.

Our Moon has risen in the afternoon. I love the blue sky and our Moon

Thanks for visiting and taking the time to have a look at my October. I would like to know if you had a favourite photo. I’ll try not to be so tardy for My November. Have a great day or evening depending on what side of the world you are.

Just a hint of one colour

Published on October 28, 2020 by bushboy19 Comments

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: 90% needs to be all one colour

I think I have it right more or less

This is September 2020

Published on October 6, 2020 by bushboy32 Comments

How are you going so far this year? I am still not allowed to drive so I haven’t had many photo excursions and at times didn’t really feel like taking photos. Do you have times like that too?

It is time to be in the garden and enjoy the warm days. A few days at my place the temperature was in the low 30’s which isn’t Spring weather, more like Summer. The rains that have been promised haven’t eventuated so I am using the dwindling dam water to keep the garden going as best I can. I have been doing a few projects both here at my place and at my besties.

The header photo is looking from my verandah into that part of the garden where the Grevilleas are having a great flowering this Spring.

Instead of having my usual song at the end, I decided to have it up front so you can have a listen while you scroll. So grab a cup of tea or coffee, perhaps a snack or if in the evening join me in a glass of your choice as it’s aperitivo time here. Enjoy

One project around the place was to do a rejuvenation of part of the shed. This will be the potting shed and have a lot of the gardening equipment and tools.

One of the bonuses of living on the north coast of NSW is being able to get down to the coast and watch the whales migrate.

Back at home for a few insects to start the photo journey of my September. The Pittosporum had so many flowers this year it was a treasure trove for the tiny Native Stingless Bees.

The Wide_brand Grass-dart butterfly was hard to catch as they didn’t sit still very long.

Southern Silver Ochre butterflies spent more time

The Black Jezebels came flying through regularly in September. The thing you notice is a white butterfly flitting among the flowers with its erratic flight. the next photo helps to explain.

This is the inside wings of the Black Jezebel. When they fly they give a sort of strobe effect designed to confuse any predators along with an erratic flight.

Another of the Jezebels, Southern Jezebels are always a delight to have in the garden. The Honey Gem Grevillea flowers were quite an attraction.

The Honey Gem and other grevilleas had an amazing flowering with a bit of rain in late August enough to get things happening in the garden in September. The Blue-faced Honeyeaters were the bullies of the garden chasing most of the birds, especially the noisy Friarbirds, away from the flowers.

But as you see the Noisy Friarbirds still were able to sneak in for a feed

Another of the Friarbird, Little Friarbirds, were constant visitors as well

I have been putting a bit of food out fro the birds every now and then but not every day so they don’t become dependent on food from me. The Female King Parrot really looked good with her breeding plumage.

The males were quite resplendent too. Remember Tiny, well he is still around the garden most days.

Leaden Flycatchers hung around the old swimming pool always on the lookout for a snack to come along.

I love their inquisitive looks so I had to include a second photo.

The Female Rufus Whistler also has an inquisitive look around the garden

The songs of the Rufus Whistlers have resounded in the bush all September. They are all around the surrounding forest occasionally coming into the garden. This male Rufus Whistler was singing in the garden early one morning.

One afternoon coming home from town, we were driving through South Grafton when a large flock of Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos came screeching into the trees in peoples backyards.

The Satin Bowerbird found where I dropped a few bread crumbs on the verandah. Satin Bowerbirds are quite nervous and will take off at the slightest movement. I often get a few photos through the door while sitting at my desk if I am sneaky enough.

At my besties the little Red-backed Wren come through her garden in the afternoons looking for a bit to eat among the flowers and garden beds.

We were sitting on her verandah having a cup of tea when we saw a large bird fly into the lower part of the garden. When I got to the other end of the verandah I saw a White-faced Heron walking along with a large stick. I watch where he flew into a nearby tree but he nest was too well hidden.

The tiny Scarlet Honeyeaters prefer red Grevillea flowers

If you need a break, here’s a bit of sky with a wispy cloud face or what can you see?

Yes it is Spring in Australia so no Spring post couldn’t go past without a ~~few~~ lots of flower photos, First up, a Daisy with an insect trying to hide. All of the following photos are from my besties garden except when I mention it’s from mine.

The Dianthus are a pretty shade of pink in the garden.

The white Gerbera really stands out

There are quite a few different Gazanias. I love this pink one

or perhaps I like this one more

The Cornflowers looked a treat

This Hibiscus was a new planting and I didn’t expect to see a flower this year on a small bush. the deep red is stunning

The violas are self seeding and springing up everywhere in the garden, even in the paths.

This is the red Hibiscus that came from my family home and is one of a couple that are in my garden.

My besties Lions Tails. Such an unusual plant.

It has been a great year for Grevilleas. Here is a selection from my place. Not too sure what this one is. I thought it was a Robyn Gordon but that doesn’t have yellow tips

This is a Robyn Gordon I am sure

The Ever strong Honey Gem, a great food source for birds as well as insects

After the fire at my place, there has been a lot of different species of Lomandra appearing. This is part of the flower stalk of a Lomandra mulitflora

A small native flower – a Gorse Bitter Pea. There are a lot of pea plants and many look similar

This pea flower is a Heathy Parrot Pea. Bunches of flowers on a long stalk. Most of these flowers are about 10mm or about half an inch as are many of the pea plant flowers.

The Paperbarks didn’t flower as well as I thought they would as most of the other native flowers like the Bottlebrush and Grevillea have. The flower is similar to a bottle brush flower only yellow instead of red.

I found this flowering plant on a walk along the trails of Evans Head. The aim was to photograph the native coastal plants flowers but by the time I was able to get there many had finished flowering. At least I saw the whales.