52 Weeks Photo Challenge: Week 36 – Simple Things

I love the idea of Simple Things.

Like a little Super Fairy Wren looking for a snack

superb fairy wren_named_binna burra_july 2016

A row of chairs in a church in Verona

chairs_dijon_named_oct 2015

An old tap the one day may be turned on again in Venice

tap_venice_named_oct 2015

A blue bottle left on a plinth with blue graffiti in Bologna

blue bottle_bologna_named_oct 2015

Chimney pots in Paris

chimney pots01_paris_named_oct 2015

Days end in a cafe in my home town

works done_named_grafton_august 2015

Or the Simple Thing of finding that place to have a rest in my garden

red-necked wallaby_named_home_feb 2015

Look at the Simple Things that other have found

As I wander about

It’s been ages since I have had time to get things sorted, to take time for things and actually sit down to set out to write a bit. I have been taking photos of all manner of stuff – as you will see. It is difficult to have a clear pathway of thoughts, to put ideas down and try to make sense so that you can follow where I have been and what I have seen. Many a time I just take off to see what I can discover and see something that I find interesting, colourful or part of our world that some people would just walk by everyday and not think of the beauty. Perhaps I look at the world in a different way, to imagine in my head what I see, grab my camera and let the lens take me where I think it should go. Enough of a jumble of thoughts – as The Beatles sang

“Thoughts meander like a restless wind
Inside a letter box
They tumble blindly as they make their way
Across the universe”

So lets go across the universe or through a small part of my world. Starting at the beginning. Early one misty morning, some rogue cattle were walking along the road when we was taking a walk.

cattle_duroux rd_named_august 2015

Further down the road, the spiders webs were all through patches of grass. Small cup shaped webs dotted the side of the road in their hundreds.

spider webs_purgatory ck rd_named_august 2015

As it is still rather cool here I am still out in the bush every couple of weeks to cut some firewood. One morning I noticed the White-winged Choughs doing their daily march along the clearing with their incessent chatter as they kicked over sticks and rocks looking for their breakfast. They had an almost straight line as they marched up the hill.

white winged choughs_named_home_sept 2015

Sometimes you can look up and see a Spangled Drongo fly past the moon, even in the late afternoon.

spangled drongo_moon_binna burra_july 2015

I though the Bellwood Cormorant Hotel was rather fab but the double decker Osprey nest near Chinderah has a far better vantage point.

osprey nest_named_chindara_august 2015

While we were having lunch in the Tweed Heads industrial/shopping complex, we watched as a bird swooped across the car park, grab what we think was a lizard and go back to the roof top and eat away. After I took the photo (OK I took heaps of photos), I discovered it was an Australian or Nankeen Kestral. What a pretty bird don’t you think?

nankeen kesral_named_tweed heads_august 2015

Speaking of pretty, the Emerald Doves are out and about in numbers at the moment. This bird was not all that content having me stalk it to try and get a good photo.

emerald dove_named_binna burra_august 2015

It stuck its bum in the air as if to say “Go on….take a photo of my best side!!!”

emerald dove_rear_named_binna burra_august 2015

This little bird was sitting in the tree singing its little lungs out.

honeyeater_banora_named_august 2015

Having a cuppa on the verandah one morning, one of the local King Parrots decided to pop over and see if we had any snacks.

king parrot_named_home_august 2015

The Bar-shouldered Dove didn’t seem to mind the Brush Turkeys leaf raking exercise. The turkey was flicking leaves so high into the air! The turkey’s litter mound is about 5 meters away from where it was methodically raking leaves.

bar shouldered dove_brush turkey_named_binna burra_august 2015

One morning I found a Rainbow Lorikeet sitting on the ladder in the old swimming pool looking rather grumpy.

rainbow lorikeet_named_home_july 2015

OK….now this is where things take a different direction for a while. One day we decided to walk across the Clarence River on the walkway under the Grafton Bridge. The structure has been graffitied over the years and the layers of paint with a bit of rust made lovely colours and patterns.

rust01_grafton bridge_named_august 2015

I like the rust colours.

rust02_grafton bridge_named_august 2015

This green almost looked like moss.

rust03_grafton bridge_named_august 2015

One of the hundred of thousand rivets holding te bridge together. Small but significent.

rust04_grafton bridge_named_august 2015

The walkway along the bridge also had two tunnels at either end which have always been “decorated”. Sometimes some of the graffiti has to be added to doesn’t it?

graffiti_grafton_named_august 2015

Othertimes the message is what everyone needs to hear.

graffiti_named_grafton_august 2015

One of my favourite cafes in Grafton is the Tilted Teaspoon. Skye has a wonderful sense of decoration with ever changing bits and pieces gleaned from Op-Shops and garage sales.

old case_named_grafton_august 2015

The water below the bridge has shapes that change as the water ripples from passing water craft. This one is rather spooky.

ghost face_named_grafton_august 2015

Speaking of spooky, what is the blue flash that appeared in my besties loungeroom?

ghost room_named_august 2015

I love the “eye lashes” on the bullet hole in the road sign.

bullet hole sign_purgatory ck rd_named_august 2015

Enough of the different stuff and back to colour and nature. The red flower of the eucalypt just seems to burst in a riot of colour.

red flower_named_grafton_august 2015

One of the first flowers that I started to photograph many years ago were the Azalias of the next door neighbours. They had so many varieties that cascaded over the front suburban fence. The colours were superb. My besties Azalias have been a wonderful splash of colour around her garden. The deep pink flowers are lovely. One of the surprises when taking photos is the unexpected bits that are in and around the flowers.

azalia_dark pink_named_binna burra_august 2015

This flower was hidden inside the same bush as the pink one above.

azalia_pink_named_binna burra_august 2015

The red Azalias are such a stand out in the garden.

azalia_red_named_binna burra_august 2015

The Irises are dotted through the garden not being showy but adding a bit to the shape and form in the garden. It also is the home for a small spider.

iris_named_binna burra_august 2015

The lillies come in a range of colours. I love these ones.

flower_named_binna burra_august 2015

The yellow Day Lilies bring that end of the spectrum to the garden as they stand tall in the sunshine.

day lily_named_binna burra_august 2015

The undersides are just as impressive.

day lily01_named_binna burra_august 2015

The Nastursiums are just starting to appear. I love their colours and shapes as the sit low in the garden trailing over rocks, logs and borders.

nastursium_named_binna burra_august 2015

The Pentas are wonderful as so many little flowers gather together in a ball of colour.

pentas_pink_named_binna burra_august 2015

These flowers like to look at what is going on at ground level. The little bells cluster together.

flower02_named_binna burra_august 2015

This is such a tight ball of very small flowers that have such a lovely scent as you brush past.

flower01_named_binna burra_august 2015

The orchids are out now as well. Again, this flower is so small as it spikes out from the plant with it’s almost see through petals.

orchid_named_binna burra_august 2015

Walking about, it is always good to look up. The shapes colours and forms of the Foam Bark leaves are great.

foam bark leaves_named_binna burra_august 2015

A good discovery walk wouldn’t be complete without a fungi find. I have never seen a pink fungi before, have you?

fungus_pink_named_binna burra_august 2015

The fire has been lit, giving its colours that always surprise.

fire03_named_binna burra_august 2015

Or the swirling shapes where you can see so many different things. What can you see?

fire02_named_binna burra_august 2015

Looking deep inside the fire.

fire01_named_binna burra_august 2015

The Moon was smiling that night. A glowing grin in the sky.

moon_named_august 2015

Well it’s time to sweep and tidy up before I get going. See you next time OK

works done_named_grafton_august 2015

“Limitless undying love
Which shines around me like a million suns
It calls me on and on across the universe”