Why put both challenges together? I found a lot of my photos have both elements. Some of these may be placed into one or the other but some a well into both challenges.
I think I will go with a theme within the challenge themes. I haven’t mentioned leading lines in the descriptions but I am sure you will pick those photos among the light and shadow ones.
Starting with sunsets which make great light and shadows
Staying with artificial light play and shadows
and just some sunlight used in different ways. For indoors
My focus for this challenge is vegetation. From a tiny moss “forest”
to grasses that support life
with seeds and flowers
ferns providing shelter
Bottlebrush bush with flowers and food for everyone
Grevilleas giving shade and food for insects and birds
Tree Ferns who are older than dinosaurs, first plants to recover from fires – yes those fires in 2019 – as seen here. The stems of tree ferns are a miniature ecosystem, with epiphytic plants like mosses, small ferns and maybe lichens growing on them.
The first fronds that emerge are called Fiddleheads
Bigger flowering trees can be spectacular like Poinciana trees
Or Illawarra Flame Trees which stand out against the green of the bush when flowering
and then there are the towering giants in the rainforest that support all manner of life from the soil to the tree tops
Where would an Earth Story be without our wonderful plants – from the small to the tall. The featured photo is my favourite spot, Raspberry Lookout where you can sit among the trees as well as look over the valleys and the tree tops.
January has been a quiet month for me but then again a lot of the photos I have posted I didn’t include again. The rain was here for most of the month thank goodness and that had made the grass as well as the flowers and plants in the garden have a lovely season. No there aren’t any Hibiscus in this post, you’ll have to go back a day or so to see those flowers.
I don’t think this is a post that will need a snack or drink but do sit back and enjoy. Here’s another bit of Aussie music to listen as you scroll through my January.
I am going to start with some of the insects who have popped into the garden to check out the flowers
I love this red dragonfly so I had to put it in again 🙂
These two were intent on making more Dragonflies
I thought I had found a new butterfly. It is very similar to a Black Jezebel but the markings are a bit different. I may have to ask an entomologist. Not the best photo but it just didn’t sit still long enough.
The Orchard Swallowtails, one of the biggest butterflies, have been cruising the garden.
I found a small Line Blue Butterfly looking at me. It is sitting on the tip of a Frangipanni leaf.
There was a lot of these Shield Bugs on a bush lemon tree and they really let me know not to get too close
Looking at my little Curry Leaf Tree with its fruits from the top down.
The Lolly Bush has had the most amazing flowering. I have seen the white flowers but this is the first time I have seen the bush do this. I was just walking down the paddock and saw the bright red balls everywhere.
A bit of a closer view
The Tea Trees have had such a wonderful flowering as well. The bees are quite content.
I didn’t go walking in the bush that much in January, too wet and hot, so I didn’t find many fungi. This tiny one was in the garden. Yes there are still some remnants from the fire twelve months ago
I did find some lovely soft mosses.
The Frangipannis looked wonderful this year.
The Ivory Curl flower bud? showed with it’s intricate curly bits which open out to make the full flower. It is endemic to Australia and is from the Proteaceae family.
The wonderful Double Delight Rose from my besties garden.
A Peaceful Dove getting the morning sun
A Yellow-faced Honeyeater drying off in the sun after a quick dip in the birdbath
The Blue-faced Honeyeater on the unfurled palm frond looking a bit worried
You have all seen Tiny, the King Parrot who likes to hang around my place. This is one of his young from last year who is morphing into his male feathers. They come back to the garden every now and then too.
This is the young one from this years hatching.
Yes they do actually hang about my place and sometimes get a bit close. My daughter was on the verandah talking to Tiny when there were six King Parrots on the verandah rail. By the time I came back with my camera, two had flown off. The two at the far end are a couple. Tiny is on the left where you can see her hand and Tiny is not sure whether to go closer.
One morning I was in the kitchen getting breakfast and looking out of the window I wondered who frightened the plants on the front verandah.
OK, time’s up. The sun is setting over the hill. I love these trees. Can you see them in the next photo?
Here is the full sky one evening.
Hope you enjoyed a look at my January 2021. Did you have a favourite photo? Also for Su’s Changing Seasons
4TheRecord is dedicated primarily to Ausmusic from all eras and most genres, we will explore the dynamics of the creative process, and reveal the great drama, lyricism, musicality, and emotion behind each classic song.
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