This is November 2018

My last post Time #6 was post number 1,000. I was hoping this one would be number 1,000 but it has taken a lot of time getting it together.

November was where Spring really came to life. Rain in the previous months led to life appearing, flowers brightened, the little native flowers, some only 10mm in diameter sprung up in the paddocks and in the bush. Birds who come to my place over Spring and Summer appeared, in some instances with their chicks.

This is another long post as I couldn’t cut back and also have had a couple of double ups. I have a some things left out as they deserve their own post.

So I recommend getting your drink of choice, perhaps a snack and if you are lucky, someone to bring refills. 😀

I have tried to arrange the photos in some sort of grouping. OK off we go………

Some days saw the storm clouds appear bring some destruction but also welcoming rain
shed_old_dairy_storm_clouds_named_lawrence_nov 2018

The water plants on the dams are pleased that the water levels are up
water_plants_dam_named_home_nov 2018

The Bromiliads in the garden are sending their flower spikes up.
bromiliad_cigs_flower_named_home_nov 2018

or just colouring while the flower appears in the watery centre
bromiliad_flower_named_home_nov 2018

One of my favourite flowers, the Cats Whiskers flowered after the rain.
cats whiskers_flower_named_home_nov 2018

Day lilies flowered some with multiple buds
day lily_orange_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The Dietes, which are all through the garden, showed the borders with their white and purple flowers. If you look on the left side of the flower, you can see a little native bee.
dietes_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The pink Pentas were planted two years ago and this year the flowers were prolific.
pentas_pink_flower_named_home_nov 2018

I thought these were the last of the Pandoreas but when I walked past today, more have appeared
pandorea_flower_named_home_nov 2018

I have a miniature Native Frangipanni in a pot at the front of the house. The warm breeze send a delightful scent into the house. The flowers start as white flowers and gradually turn yellow
native frangipanni_flower_named_home_nov 2018
Also in the garden is quite a big Native Frangipanni. It is constantly flowering through November. You can see the various stages of flowering from the white and yellow buds, white flowers and then the yellow flowers on their way out.flower_native_frangipanni_pot_garden_named_home_nov 2018

The Gardenias are looking good this year
flower_gardinea_garden_named_home_nov 2018

Had to show the buds too
gardenia_flower_named_home_nov 2018

This Pentas is great for attracting insects
pentas_red_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The original red Hibiscus that my Mother bought from her garden when the gardens were first planted many years ago. This was one of my Mums favourites
hibiscus_red_flower_named_home_nov 2018

This is the bush still in the part of the place where gardens and the old house once were
hibiscus_red_bush_flower_named_home_nov 2018

Another Hibiscus that had a good flowering too.
hibiscus_pink_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The Grevilleas took a while to flower compared to other gardens around the area.
grevillea_robin gordon_flower_named_home_nov 2018

This Grevillea flower hangs downwards
grevillea_redthing_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The second year for the Ivanhoe Grevillea and the first flower
grevillea_ivanhoe_flower_named_home_nov 2018

Two Grevilleas in the front garden that always have birds squabbling over the flowers
grevillea_honey gem_yamba sunset_flower_named_home_nov 2018

I love the pastel colours of this Grevillea
flower_grevillea_pink_garden_named_home_nov 2018

The Bottlebrush flowers add splashes of red throughout the garden
bottelbrush_minature_flower_named_home_nov 2018
The Balsam flowers appear in many places in the garden. The just pop upbalsam_flower_named_home_nov 2018

A Bottlebrush just starting to flowerflower_bottlebrush_new_garden_named_home_nov 2018

One of my favourite small trees is Jacksonia. They add touches of yellow through the bush
flowers_native_jacksonia_dogwood_named_home_nov 2018

Another small tree in an old part of the garden. The last few years it has taken to flower for months
tree_flowers_yellow_garden_named_home_nov 2018

A large tree in the garden, a Silky Oak, which is also one of the biggest Grevilleas
silky oak_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The Eucalypts are flowering following a prolonged dry spell. Some are flowering now and I haven’t seen them flower at this time of year before
flowers_native_eucalypt_tallowwood_named_home_nov 2018

A ground cover flower that I thought had gone but has reappeared. I had an orange version as well. I wonder if that one will come back?
flower_violet_garden_named_home_nov 2018

The Duranta flowers are another flower with soft pastel  colours
forget_flower_named_home_nov 2018

I planted this native in a rockery. The Red-necked Wallabies love it. The constant trimming looks like a benefit as it is covered with flowers this November
flowers_native_rock_garden_named_home_nov 2018

The flowers appear on soft stalks and the spots seem to darken too
leopard_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The Hippeastrums looked wonderful this November. The wheelbarrow gardens looked a treat. There is a post about them earlier this month
hippeastrum_orange_flower_named_home_nov 2018

The red Hippeastrums seemed very red this year
hippeastrum_flower_named_home_nov 2018

A tiny native flower about 10mm in diameter
flower_native_yellow_small_named_home_nov 2018

You can see how small this native flower is by the grass and size of the leaves
flower_native_yellow_small_guinea_named_home_nov 2018

I love clover flowers
flower_clover_named_caniaba_garden_nov 2018

A Calathea I have in a pot flowered this year with tiny flowers with delicate colour
flower_calathea_pot_named_home_nov 2018

This Native flower is called a Smooth Parrot Pea
smooth parrot pea_flower_named_home_nov 2018

Even the patch of Spider Plants flowered
spider plant_flower_garden_named_home_nov 2018

With the flowers growing well the flower sellers at the market were selling bunches and most market days, sold out before the end.
sunflowers_lismore_farmers_market_named_nov 2018

Saw this car and just had to get a photo. It is a ute as well as a tad rusty
car_rust_el camino_named_lismore_nov 2018

The clouds one day were quite spectacular
clouds_stripes_richmond range_named_nov 2018

What a tiny Grasshopper on the Brunsfelsia flower
brunsfelsia_grasshopper_named_home_nov 2018

The Caper White Butterflies are migrating. This one is the first to arrive at my place
caper white_butterfly_pentas_garden_named_home_nov 2018

The Stingfless native Bees are loving collecting pollen from the orange Hippeastrum
stingless native bee_flying_day lily_flower_orange_garden_named_home_nov 2018

stingless native bees_flying_day lily_flower_orange_garden_named_home_nov 2018

A Crab Spider showed me his scary end when I disturbed its rest. Not a very big spider either
crab_spider_ghost_leaf_garden_named_home_nov 2018

Meet Gus, my axolotl. He is always happy looking
axolotyl_gus_tank_named_home_nov 2018

A Noisy Friarbird snacking on a Honey Gem Grevillea
noisy friarbird_honey gem_grevillea_named_home_nov 2018

Noisy Friarbirds always have something to say
noisy friarbird_tree_named_home_nov 2018

A female Figbird contemplates her next meal
figbird_female_tree_named_caniaba_nov 2018

Always singing around the house and in the forest, a Grey_shrike Thrush was looking through the window
grey shrike thrush_close_garden_named_home_nov 2018

Aren’t the Masked Lapwings strange looking. They are also called Plovers
masked lapwing_named_brooms head_nov 2018

but their eggs are quite pretty. They lay their eggs anywhere. These were on a walkway to the beach.
eggs_masked lapwing_named_brooms head_nov 2018
Peaceful Doves are always around the housepeaceful dove_tree_named_home_nov 2018
Royal Spoonbills were another of my quests to photographroyal spoonbill_tree_named_lawrence_nov 2018

The ferry cable is as good as anywhere to hang out to dry
cormorant_drying_ferry_cable_named_lawrence_nov 2018
On a visit to a small degraded wetland I was amazed to see the amount of birds there. The flock of Hardhead Ducks was rather largehardhead ducks_wetland_named_casino_nov 2018

On another wetland, where the Royal Spoonbills were, some Pink-eared Ducks also were paddling around
pink eared duck_named_lawrence_nov 2018

Eurasian Coots paddled about looking for food
eurasian coots_wetland_named_casino_nov 2018

I was surprised to see a Crested Tern so far from the coast. A Purple Swamp Hen strode around the edge of the water
crested tern_flying_purple swamp hen_wetland_named_casino_nov 2018

Aren’t Australasian Grebe chicks  cute
australasian grebe_chick_wetland_named_casino_nov 2018

A pacific Black Duck was closely followed by a young one
pacific black duck_duckling_wetland_named_casino_nov 2018

When you go calling on your girlfriend always take flowers
superb fairy wren_male_flower_named_lookout_mallanganee_nov 2018

The Superb Fairy Wrens hopped around us at the lookout
superb fairy wrens_named_lookout_mallanganee_nov 2018

Well the sun is going down so it’s time for me to go. Thanks for hanging around with me. I hope you enjoyed my November
sunset_named_caniaba_nov 2018

Clouds

The word prompt from Leanne is Clouds

Some clouds have a familiar shape….Africa perhaps
171210_blog challenge_squaresky_africa

Some clouds have a random shape within the clouds
170712_blog challenge_clouds_feather

Some clouds can give our Moon a face
moon_bw

Some clouds herald a storm approaching
storm02_named_home_dec 2017

Some clouds just streak across the sky
clouds_amazing_grafton_named_nov 2013

Some clouds colour the sunset with wondrous patterns
sunset09_grafton_june 2014

This is June 2018

Welcome to my world in June. Not an abundance of photos this time but I do recommend getting comfortable. June was the month where my bestie sold her 103 year old farmhouse in a  Rain-forest, where a lot of bird bath and bird photos came from, and moved into her new place which is similar to my climate. It is a newish house but has a bird bath and a great bird attracting garden. So far we have identified 38 birds, some are in this post. As you can see I have been a bit busy helping move house.

The house is still in a rural setting.
cow_clothes line_named_caniaba_june 2018

This is my first attempt at photographing Dandelion seed heads.
dandelion seed head_named_caniaba_june 2018

One afternoon the sky became fierce looking. Quite an angry face looking out isn’t it?
cloud_named_caniaba_june 2018

The early morning at my place walking through the Blady Grass. It was very dry in the previous months. Green shoots struggled to grow among the dry brown grass.
blady grass_named_home_june 2018

This native plant is growing in the middle of a paddock. The Autumn saw the stalk covered in white flowers. I hope the seeds have spread and not harvested by ants.
seed pods_plant_named_home_june 2018
June is the month for the Lismore, a town nearby, Lantern Parade. I didn’t get many good parade photos. There were a number of Orchid lanterns hanging in the trees in the park where the show and fireworks took place.lantern_named_lismore_june 2018
The fireworks were quite spectacular.fireworks_named_lismore_june 2018

While my bestie was moving house, I was given some, OK a lot, of plants to look after. The Kalenchoe loved being in my sun room and has put on a wonderful display of flowers.
kalenchoe flower_named_home_hune 2018
Winter has also brought some other visitors into the house. I usually have native rodents come into the warmth. I have a trap to catch them and then they get taken back into the bush. This time I have had a House Mouse or two in the pantry. This little fat one, I suspect to be a pregnant female, was relocated up the road.mouse_named_home_june 2018
This is the big section of birds for the month of June

The little Silvereyes have really taken to the hanging pot bird bath and drinking place.
silvereyes_hanging pot_named_home_june 2018

The other bigger birds prefer to use this bird bath. A female or juvenile Satin Bowerbird was chatting to someone nearby.
satin bowerbird_female_bird bath_named_home_june 2018

A Yellow-faced Honeyeater takes a drink.
yellow faced honeyater_named_home_june 2018

A Yellow-faced Honeyeater at my besties has claimed this branch of a tree.
yellow faced honeyeater_named_caniaba_june 2018

There has been quite a number of Yellow-rumped Thornbills around my garden
yellow rumped thornbill_named_home_june 2018

A very cute looking Jackie Winter enjoyed the morning sun on the fence.
jackie winter_named_home_june 2018
While we were walking along a road, we came across a small flock of Variegated Fairy Wrens darting in the grass beside the road. A young one made an appearance on a nearby tree. vareigated fairy wren_young_named_caniaba_june 2018

Of course I couldn’t let a post go past without my favourite, an Eastern Yellow Robin. Sadly we had to leave Bobbin behind so maybe this one at my place will be the the new substitute. I haven’t found the right name yet. Any suggestions?
northern yellow robin_named_home_june 2018

One afternoon a small flock of Red-browed Firetails came looking for grass seeds in the front garden.
red browed finches_named_home_june 2018

A young Lewins Honeyeater found a great lookout atop a red flowering Eucalypt.
lewins honeyeater_red gum flowers_named_caniaba_june 2018

The Rainbow Lorikeets came for the Eucalypt flowers too.
rainbow lorikeet_named_caniaba_june 2018

A Rufous Whistler singing an early morning song
rufous whistler_named_caniaba_june 2018

It was lovely to have a welcome to the new place with a number of Welcome Swallows who zoom around the verandahs and sit on the fence to do their laundry.
welcome swallow_named_caniaba_june 2018

Another bloke who likes to sit on the fence to survey the lawn for insects is the Restless Flycatcher. They make the most amazing sound. I tried to make a video but it wasn’t the best sound quality.
restless flycatcher_named_caniaba_june 2018

An Eastern Rosella wanted to see what we were doing in the new garden.
eastern rosella_named_caniaba_june 2018

At my place, a number of Noisy Miners were carrying on. They didn’t like the Kookaburra being too close to their nests.
kookaburra_noisey minors_named_home_june 2018

I thought it was going to be a cold night after finding a Kookaburra family cosying up for the night in the late evening.
kookaburras_named_lilydale_june 2018

A Pacific Black Duck showing a flash of turquoise as it paddled on the creek.
pacific black duck_named_caniaba_june 2018

A young Straw-necked Ibis didn’t want me to take its photo as it strolled in a nearby paddock.
Ibis_named_caniaba_june 2018

This bloke didn’t seem to mind though.
straw necked ibis_named_lismore_june 2018

The Sacred Ibis look wonderful as they wheel about in the sky
ibis_flying_named_lismore_june 2018

A Common Tern was fishing down by the estuary. Gliding along and then suddemly plumetting into the water. I didn’t see it catch a fish though.
common tern_flying_named_ballina_june 2018

The Moon and a plane.
plane_moon_day_named_caniaba_june 2018

Well the sun is almost setting. Thanks for joining me in This is June
sunset_named_caniaba_june 2018

Hope to see you next month

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Rain or Rainbows

The rain on the window from the 75th floor overlooking Sydney Harbour

170509_blog challenge_rain

A close look at the rain on the window
rain drops on a window

What could be more rainbow than a bird bath of Rainbow Lorikeets?
rainbow lorikeets01_bird bath_home_named_oct 2014
Looking at you
rainbow lorikeet01_named_home_aug 2016
Or a tree with Rainbow Bee Eatersrainbow-bee-eaters01_named_home_aug-2016

Or just a double rainbow
rainbow_office window_named_grafton_april 2015

This is a bit more dramatic from my bushboy YouTube channel

More great rain inspired photos at Cees

CFFC

This is December

This is just the one big photo blog. I hope you have time to scroll through. It started rather small at the start of December and just seemed to grow as stuff happened. I have included some of the skies that may have been in Beckys Square Sky photo challenge or missed out. I really enjoyed Beckys #SquareSky challenge. Perhaps you may need a pot of tea to get to the end!

Lets go. I love skinks and how they just move about on brick walls.
skink_named_toowoomba_dec 2017

Come Summer and the Dragonflies are flitting about the garden.
dragonfly01_named_binna burra_dec 2017

I couldn’t find this Dragonfly at first when it disappeared into the garden.
dragonfly_named_binna burra_dec 2017

Summer in Australia with the deafening cacophony of cicadas. When the tree you were in many years ago has gone, make do with anything to get out of your shell.
cicada shell_steel post_named_home_dec 2017

Brown Ringlets have wonderful “eyes” on their wings.
brown ringlet_named_binna burra_dec 2017

I was visited by an Assassin Bug who did a bit of fluff cleaning for me.
assassin bug_named_home_dec 2017

Mud Daubers make wonderful clay pots to raise their young. They lay an egg in the clay pot, they go about gathering spiders which they comatose for the grub to eat when it hatches.
mud dauber_named_home_dec 2017

I have been watching this one build a cone shape on the architrave of the office door.
wasp_nest_named_home_dec 2017

Some mornings the chicken wire fence has lots of spider webs in the mesh.
spiders web_wire fence_named_home_dec 2017

What a fabulous green the grasshopper has which contrasts with the yellow of the Deities flower.
grasshopper_yellow dirtis_named_home_dec 2017

I love the Line Blue Butterflys antennae
line blue butterfly_named_binna burra_dec 2017

The Bromiliad flower with a bonus spider shell.
bromiliad flower_named_home_dec 2017

The Stingless Native Bees loved the Day Lily flower.
stingless native bees_day lily_named_home_dec 2017

After the rain, the Crocus flowered much to the delight of the Stingless Native Bees
crocus_stingless native bee_named_home_dec 2017

They certainly have a laconic way of flying don’y they?
crocus_stingless native bee_close_named_home_dec 2017
The red Dahlia is one of my favourite flowers.
dahlia_red_named_binna burra_dec 2017

The Tree Begonias supplied a splash of red in the garden too.
begonia flower_named_home_dec 2017

It was a great year for the Agapanthus flowers.
agapantus_blue_named_home_dec 2017

A tiny native flower with a fluffy centre.
yellow star flower_named_home_dec 2017

Another lovely flower I was given from my friend Geoff.
yellow flower_named_home_dec 2017

A very pretty Rose in a friends garden.
rose_pink_named_jiggi_dec 2017

I think this flower is an Egg and Bacon plant flower.
race horse tree_flower_named_home_dec 2017

The Hibiscus flowers welcomed the rain  in December.
hibiscus_flower_red_named_home_dec 2017

A field of Daisys on the side of the road.
daisys_named_washpool_dec 2017

The Curry Bush had a great flowering last year as well
curry tree_flowers_named_home_dec 2017

The storm season arrived a bit late last year but when it came, it was spectacular.
171220_storm on way_named_home_dec 2017 - Copy

This sky was incredible
storm02_named_home_dec 2017

And again
storm01_named_home_dec 2017

I love capturing the suns rays.
storm clouds_named_home_dec 2017

The palm leaf had shiny spots of water which glistened in the sunlight.
water drops_palm_named_home_dec 2017

People must have thought I was mad walking around trying to get the sun in the right spot.
windmill_named_toowoomba_dec 2017
This sunset was amazing. The colours changed every minute.
sunset_named_binna burra_dec 2017

It’s hard getting a sunrise photo when you live in a forest.
sunrise_named_home_dec 2017

The Spangled Drongo was wondering what I was doing interrupting bath time.
spangled drongo_bird bath_named_home_dec 2017

It isn’t often I see a Peaceful Dove at the bird bath.
peaceful dove_named_home_dec 2017

When White Ibis flocks glide overhead it is just magnificent.
ibis_flying_named_toowoomba_dec 2017 - Copy

A female Figbird or a young Figbird just getting his red mask.
fig bird_young_named_home_dec 2017 - Copy

One day he will look like his dad.
fig bird_male_named_home_dec 2017 - Copy

Check out the pants on the Channel-bill Cuckoo
channel billed cuckoo02_named_jiggi_dec 2017 - Copy

They have a very serious looking bill don’t they?
channel billed cuckoo01_named_jiggi_dec 2017 - Copy

Rainbow Lorikeets are quite raucous as they nibble about on the Lemon Scented Tea Tree.
rainbow lorikeets_tea tree_named_home_dec 2017

I am so glad the Forest Kingfisher has returned this Summer to forage around the house.
foredt kingfisher_named_home_dec 2017 - Copy

An activities box outside of a Cafe in Toowoomba.
box_named_toowoomba_dec 2017 - Copy

The Moon was just wonderful with the coloured rings on a cloudy night.
moon01_named_binna burra_dec 2017 - Copy

If pupils were white it could look like an eye.
moon02_named_binna burra_dec 2017 - Copy

Some people have said this photo has a Japanese feel about it. What do you think?
moon03_named_binna burra_dec 2017

Thanks for dropping by

Sky #22

Beckys photo challenge: Square Sky
Here is my sky number twenty two in the daily photo challenge for December

171222_blog challenge_before the storm

Again, this afternoon the clouds built and the storm approached. Unlike yesterday, I had some much needed rain. I hope to go to sleep with the sound of rain on my tin roof, water gurgling in the downpipes filling my water tanks and frogs happily croaking away.

Travel Theme: Storm

It’s storm season here. From a very dry Winter to many storms and thankfully rain to soak a parched earth. My garden is very happy now, so are the weeds in the paddocks and surrounding bush.

Here are a few storm photos gathered from around the area where I live.
171018_blog challenge_storm01171018_blog challenge_storm02171018_blog challenge_storm03171018_blog challenge_storm04171018_blog challenge_storm05171018_blog challenge_storm06

I find nothing more exhilarating than a storm at night. Fascinating and scary at the same time