Pieces of Contentment

A Birthday Book

2012-03-04T15:57:00.000+11:00

Last week saw us celebrate becoming a two vehicle family and also a special birthday. Miss E has turned FOUR!
I am so grateful for photos which help us remember those precious early days. Miss E was 4 days old when I took this one (and many more). As with all our children, we chose not to know their gender before birth, leaving that secret as a surprise, a reward to look forward to at the birth. She was over 4kg/9lb and simply beautiful in every way.

After the success of the Christmas Shutterfly calendars and a family yearbook which I made through Blurb, I thoroughly enjoyed creating a special little book for Miss E, celebrating her year of being three. This time I used Shutterfly for which I had a good discount. If international postage was cheaper I would create books more often.

Blurb and Shutterfly work differently to each other, yet I have been pleased with the quality and service of both. Most the photos I planned to use I had previously uploaded to Shutterfly's free online storage facility. This made the book creation process much quicker.

I chose a large, easy-to-read font as I hope Miss E will learn to read her own special book. For now she loves to "read" it making up her own sentences to fit the photos.

Another chocolate cake which Miss E very enthusiastically helped Miss E (19) to make, ice and decorate. She was also very determined to cut the cake into pieces, rapidly wielding a large, sharp knife.......thankfully she let someone else help in the end!

Everyday Marvels

2012-03-03T21:30:00.000+11:00

I spotted this colourful little fellow on a passionfruit late yesterday.

Our largest passionfruit really are larger than a tennis ball.

Covered in pollen, yesterday's caterpillar was enjoying nibbling on some passionfruit leaves today.

Four new bromeliad flower spikes are beginning their adventure.

The largest tadpoles are beginning to turn into tiny frogs.

Loving my new macro lens! The closer I look, the more miraculous I find the everyday happenings in our garden. My eyes only see a tiny sliver of all which is continually unfolding, I marvel at God's creativity.

In The Blink Of An Eye

2012-03-02T19:15:00.001+11:00

All summer long I have been trying to watch the opening of a passionfruit flower. After much observation and amazement/frustration I tracked their opening moments to the hottest part of the day, somewhere between 1:30 and 2:45pm, while we are working on our afternoon lessons.

1:39pm

They open very quickly because try as I may, I hadn't caught the critical moments once all summer. Today I just managed to catch the special moment. I saw this poised bud and decided to walk around to the other side of the fence.

29 SECONDS later!!!

By the time I walked around to inside the pool fence, it had sprung almost open! This is in 29 seconds. No wonder I have missed each one.

40 seconds more

A slight further opening, then the remaining petals sprung open right in front of my eyes.

Another 15 seconds

I was excited to have seen it and stunned at their speed. I looked around and found another bud about to spring open and just watched it. I was delighted to actually witness the three seconds of action. They really do literally spring open.

10 minutes later

The petals stretched right back over the next few minutes until the flower was merrily dancing it's short life away.
By morning it will be closed up as the fruit begins to swell.

Taken early this morning, you can see the succession of sizes along this section of the vine. Some of the largest fruit elsewhere on the vine are the size of tennis balls. Last year it had no edible fruit, I nearly removed it from the garden.

A few days ago one of the passionfruit fell of the vine. After witnessing this afternoon's little miracle, I cut this one open to taste, yes it is beautifully sweet. Many more sweet moments ahead by the look of the vine this year!

Unexpectedly Memorable

2012-02-29T21:16:00.000+11:00

Today we became a two vehicle family, the grateful owners of a car in which our older teenagers will be able to learn to drive (you can't legally learn in a 14 seater min-bus). The children were very excited to see it for the first time, not giving my husband a chance to even hop out of the car before exploring....

Due to unexpected supply issues, we have waited five months for this particular car and today it was available for collection in a nearby town where my Mum lives. The children had drawn up a rotation plan showing who would sit where in the new car on our journey home. We had two scheduled stops so the children could swap seats between our mini-bus and the new car.

Master J had been at school all day, he enjoyed a ride late this afternoon, and so did I. A short turn in the driver's seat highlighted how different it is driving a car again after four years of mini-bus driving.

February 29th comes but once every four years. This one has unexpectedly become very memorable for our family.

Sharing at Project 52: A Great Leap.

Let The Dance Begin!

2012-02-27T13:36:00.000+11:00

Join me for an afternoon at the Passion Ballet where the dance is fast and furious yet every bit beautiful too.

Each dancer begins as a bud, poised for action. Within an hour, unseen by any eye, they spring forth and dance with total abandon for a few short hours.

Wasn't that glorious, even breath-taking? A few days later the fruits of the dance are clearly evident, maturing gradually into magnificent, delicious passionfruit.

Thank you for your company.

Sharing at Shoot.Edit.Submit (chosen in Top 5), The Creative Exchange, And Then She Snapped, Sweet Shot Tuesday, Tuesday Around the World, This or That Thursday, Sneak Peek Friday.

A Closer View

2012-02-26T16:19:00.001+11:00

Raynox lens which comes with the snap-on universal adaptor, beside adaptor ring (right).

As many of you know, taking macro photos is a great joy to me. My fixed lens superzoom camera does a great job with macros shots but sometimes I have longed to be able to come in even closer with macro photography.

My camera

A couple of weeks ago I read of an exciting possibility on Amanda's new blog -the Raynox Macro Conversion Lens (DCR-250). As I googled and read very positive reviews I realised it was possible to use this lens on my "little" camera (which is not a DSLR) with the addition of an conversion adapter ring.

Camera with adaptor ring and lens

That night I sourced both products on ebay for a total of just over $100 including shipping. My husband was more than happy for me to purchase, we could call it a belated Christmas gift. Both parcels arrived during the week and I have had lots of fun playing with my new "toy".

Here are some of my favourites, none of which have been cropped. With some of these I haven't even fully maximised my in camera optical zoom either. As with all macro lenses there is a very shallow depth of field and I think I will be looking into buying a tripod or at least a mono-pod. A new realm of macro photography is opening up in front of my eyes, a sheer delight.

NB For a regular size DSLR camera no adaptor ring is required, only the snap-on universal adaptor which is supplied with the lens. The actual lens piece arrives with a plastic cover over each side. The lens screws into the universal adaptor which then snaps on and off the camera lens of your choice, making it easy to carry it in your pocket (maybe within a little bag/pouch to protect inside of lens from dust and lint) when not in use. It comes carefully packaged within a solid plastic container for safe storage.

Sharing at I Heart Macro, Macro Monday.

Paspalum Flowers or Ballet Shoes?

2012-02-25T16:10:00.000+11:00

When turning my eyes to very "ordinary" things I am often amazed at the beauty I find. Our backyard is home to many weeds and grasses as well as intended plants. Maybe this is one of the reasons it's home to a great variety of insects too. I was quite stunned by the delightful details of this paspalum seed head. Can you see the hanging ballet shoes too?

The clearly defined seed pieces, neatly aligned, look like a row of little beetles.

The top line is surely nature's rick rack. As I studied the grass "weeds" in our garden I discovered we have several varieties of paspalum, this one being the tallest. Time for some serious gardening/weeding in the next week of two.

Another joy for the week - late last week I emailed this photo to "Coastal Views", our local free paper, as a "Photo of the Week" submission. Monday night I was informed by the editor that it would be added to his bank of "pics" for publishing sometime. Late Tuesday night a new email read:

Hi Karen,

I can understand why you like this photo. I will be featuring your photo in this week's Coastal Views.

Thanks for contributing.

Last night I eagerly opened our copy, turning to page 2.

It can be better viewed in my blog post from that special day here.

Sharing at Friday Sneak Peek.

Garden Finds

2012-02-24T12:50:00.000+11:00

Flower Wasp

Found this morning, I have never seen an insect like it before.

Miss N (14) shelling a macadamia nut, our neighbour's tree overhangs our backyard.

Grasshoppers are cute when this small!

My favourite of Miss E's recent drawings. She is about to turn 4 and can almost write her name.

Another unusual visitor this week.

Some recent garden photos and joys to share with you.
I hope you all have a wonderful week ahead.

Sharing at Our World Tuesday.

Of Books, Birthdays and Chocolate

2012-02-23T13:30:00.000+11:00

You definitely know you have a bibliophile in the family when they look forward to an author's birthday and delight in celebrating it! February 7th marked 200 years since Charles Dicken's birth, Miss E (19), The Editrix, was very excited.

One of The Editrix' most treasured possessions is a complete 36 volume Centenary Edition collection of Dickens' works. Originally belonging to my husband's great aunt, they have moved from one family bibliophile to another.

Miss E's favourite - Our Mutual Friend. She values these 100+ year old books so much that she will often buy or borrow a copy of a particular volume to read, thus avoiding wear and tear on these old books.

I love how the pages are ragged along the side and base of each book. Only the tops of the books are neatly aligned and had been given a painted/inked finish.

Miss E continues to encourage her younger siblings to develop a love of good classical literature, with varying success. None were overly fussed about Charles' 200th birthday, until Miss E declared she was making a birthday cake in his honour so we could all celebrate the occasion.

A decadent chocolate cake was her choice. "How do you know Mr Dickens liked chocolate?" someone asked. Miss E was quick to quote the words below as assurance of her choice! No further objections were raised....

"There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate."

~ Charles Dickens

Yesterday we were reading of George Washington as we slowly move through the ages in our homeschool History/Human Society studies. Miss G (14) who was reading to us, suddenly stopped and said "Today's George Washington's birthday! He's 280!" We were all amazed at this total coincidence. George Washington was quite an amazing man. Miss G quickly completed her lessons as she had decided to make George Washington a birthday cake. We all enjoyed chocolate cake for dessert last night to mark Mr Washington's birthday!

Next week we will be studying Captain James Cook, I wonder when his birthday was......

Sharing at This or That Thursday.

Double-Barred Finches

2012-02-22T13:47:00.000+11:00

Early one morning I spotted these delightful little Double-Barred Finches in a tall, bushy shrub near our driveway.
They make a quiet, gentle noise and fly between several nearby trees, having a nest in the shrub on which they are perched here. They are even quieter and smaller than the Superb Blue Wrens which I have shared previously.

Double-Barred Finches are native to northern and eastern Australia and are only 10cm or 4 inches long. You can easily see why they were given their name. They are also known as Owl Finches, again due to their appearance. They usually feed in flocks, eating grass seeds and occasionally insects.

These photos were taken nearly two weeks ago and I have hoped and tried to capture some better photos every day since but without success. These shots aren't perfect but they are still too pretty to remain unseen. It thrills me to hear their soft songs and watch them dart around our suburban backyard.

Sharing at World Bird Wednesday.

Cute Little Frogs

2012-02-21T15:04:00.000+11:00

While the children were mowing the lawn (again) yesterday, they came across three little green tree frogs on the grass. They are delighted to rescue and relocate them to a safe spot in the garden. We had seen some similar ones at church the day before too.

Yesterday Master J found one much smaller, about the size of his finger nail while waiting for his school bus.

Our tadpoles are being eagerly watched and fed with hopes they will soon become little green tree frogs too and not ugly brown ones which also live in the area.

This morning I spotted this "shadow" on a leaf this little cutie below was the cause.

We all quite like these little green frogs, which is a good thing as we may be seeing many more in the near future!

Sharing at Our World Tuesday.

Thoughts From Today

2012-02-19T20:01:00.000+11:00

Photos taken over the last week, notes taken during today's message at church:

"Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it." Hebrews 11:1

"Without faith no one can please God. Anyone who comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who truly want to find him." Hebrews 11:6

Trust God and His word - He is our security. Don't look for security in appearance, uncertain riches, position, family or intelligence.

You (me, everyone) are valuable right now as a person......
YOU are created in God's image, to reflect God.
YOU were created with God given talents, abilities and gifts.
YOU are valued by God enough to redeem you at the cross.
God values us greatly.

"Believing you are valuable to God is a key to a successful life,"
Ps Jon concluded today.

I believe all the above is true and will ponder it further.

Sharing at Weekly Top Shot, The Creative Exchange.

Recent Delights

2012-02-17T17:12:00.000+11:00

A young zinnia standing tall in today's early morning sunshine.

Wednesday's free paper wearing pearls of rain.

Miss E drawing raindrops which have been a very familiar sight this summer.

A fresh green zinnia.

Last month I spent much time creating a special book through Blurb as a record of our family happenings during 2011. Miss E delights in looking through the photos and remembering each event.

Master T creating more memories - sometimes it's best not to ask, just to supervise carefully......

Sunset after a recent storm, always a pleasant way to end a long summer's day.

Sharing at SkyWatch Friday, Tuesdays Around the World.

Bromeliad Beauty

2012-02-16T11:29:00.002+11:00

A season of rain seems to bring our bromeliads into bloom. Two weeks ago I first noticed a new bromeliad flower spike nestled half way up our frangipani tree trunk. When we bought our home 12 years ago there were a number of bromeliad plants, all of the same variety, tied to the large frangipani tree trunk and nestled underneath it.

Bromeliads are native to tropical America and come in a huge range of colours and forms, the most familiar being the edible pineapple fruit. Many, like this one, are epiphytes, living on or around other plants without being parasitic. They live mainly on moisture and nutrients from the air. In twelve years I have given them no care at all and they continue to slowly multiply and flower occasionally.

They tend to hold rain water in the centre of their circle of leaves. Sometimes we find little green tree frogs living in this natural water-well.

Filtered light suits bromeliads best, however the position of this one against the tree trunk has made light conditions extra tricky for photos. Most days over the last two weeks I have taken multiple photos to trace this flower spike's development, here are the best for us to enjoy.

Watching this series just now I have discovered how the spike grows noticeably taller, measured against the frangipani trunk, in the early stages. Quite an amazing plant.

Sharing at This or That Thursday.

Similar Yet Amazingly Different

2012-02-14T12:52:00.000+11:00

Bowl of lychees in front of our small lychee tree

The more I know, the more I learn I don't know.... As I browse the world through blogs and have others visit my own little space, I'm realising afresh how true this is. Yesterday I read a post by Helene about lychees which were previously unknown to Helene and most her workmates (and some readers). I was amazed, I hadn't stopped to think of lychees as being unusual. Helene (and I) have since learnt that her lychees were dried ones, which I had not heard of before either.

As I was ironing school uniforms (for our teenage son who has recently started school, we homeschool our other children) in air-conditioning during the humid heat of our summer afternoon, I pondered again the everyday differences. All but the smallest schools in Australia have school uniforms. Frangipani trees are very common place in our area, yet for many they are exotic and unfamiliar.

I could hear the lawn mower as some of our children mowed our lawn, again - it currently needs mowing every few days during our wet and humid summer. Above you can see Master T, mowing under the frangipani tree, which being deciduous has begun to drop its leaves. The vine growing on the pool fence is a passionfruit vine.

Here is one of the many flowers on our passionfruit vine, which mostly last only one day.

We have a small lychee tree between the two fences behind Master T. It's a slow growing tropical tree. Last year it had many tiny flowers and just one fruit. This year it didn't flower at all, however we do buy lychees occasionally, they are currently in season and cheapest.

I snapped these this morning before they all disappeared, they are so sweet and juicy! I hope you have a chance to try some for yourself one day, they are one of my favourite fruits.

It's a wonderful world with always more to learn and appreciate.

Sharing at Our World Tuesday, Tuesdays Around the World.

Glory!

2012-02-12T19:01:00.000+11:00

"Look at everything as though you are seeing it for the first time

or the last time.

Then your time on earth will be filled with glory."

Betty Smith

I had never been close enough to a water lily to touch one, until early this morning. I'm so pleased I went out of my way to spend a little time at this manmade pond we frequently drive past, but never stop at.

Two varieties of pink water lily and one white. I was surprised how soft their petals are.

I can't help but give glory to God when I see such amazing beauty before me. All creation sings of His wonders!

Sharing at Weekly Top Shot, I Heart Macro, The Creative Exchange, And Then She Snapped, Sweet Shot Tuesday, Tina's Weekend Flowers, Shoot.Edit.Submit (chosen as the winner), Poetic Winter: Passion, Saturday Sareenity.

Today's Sunny Pieces

2012-02-10T20:42:00.000+11:00

A beautiful red zinnia, the same one Miss E snapped a few days ago. Buying a packet of zinnia seeds in spring has been one of the best garden decisions I've made.

A little moth with one set of wings which sit horizontally and another which stand vertically.

This Blue Triangle Butterfly was very busy, hardly landing at all.

Sunshine for a mother's heart is seeing her children developing new skills and seeing their satisfaction.
The sewing machine was in demand this afternoon.

Miss V with her cushion cover and Miss E with the cushion she made with a left over piece of fabric (no photos of her at the machine as I was closely helping).

Sharing at Shoot.Edit.Submit., Camera Critters.

Fresh Garden Treasures

2012-02-09T20:41:00.000+11:00

Duranta

Frangipani flower with 6 petals (most have 5)

Grass seed-head unfurling

Pink strawberry flower

All taken over the last few days. The rain and a mild summer are agreeing with the garden (and the weeds).

Sharing at Poetic Winter: Warmth.

Growing Wild and Free

2012-02-08T17:22:00.001+11:00

Blanketing the headland on our recent seaside holiday are these Golden Everlastings (Xerochrysum Bracteatum).
The flower is similar to the multi-coloured ones I grow in our home garden but the structure of the plant is rather different. The headland form has broad glossy leaves and stands only 20cm/8" high with the single flower heads raised slightly higher. Their bright yellow flowers dotted the headland, shining golden in the late afternoon light.

Can you see the single yellow flower facing seaward in the foreground? I can almost feel the fresh sea winds blowing.....

Growing in a slightly more sheltered spot on the headland I found these delightful little flowers - above in early morning light and below at dusk. These are commonly known as Beach Beans or Sword Beans, presumably due to the shape of their large seed pods which you can see developing below. Their scientific name is Canavalia Rosea.

A tiny flower braving the windswept headland, I don't know the name of this one.

In the bright morning light I had one last look around this headland. To my delight I was able to watch a Whistling Kite flying and preening as I snapped away. "Wild and Free" definitely applies to these large birds.

While the Whistling Kite soared overhead, bees buzzed amongst the Angular Pigface flowers, also known as Coastal Noonflower.

I love that we can each grow our choice of flowers in our own gardens yet there is a wonderful range of native plants which continue to flower and spread without help at all from any man, spreading beauty in each and every place we go.

Sharing at This or That Thursday, SkyWatch Friday, Saturday Sareenity, Weekend Flowers.

A Shared Passion

2012-02-07T15:28:00.001+11:00

Like me, Miss E loves to take photos. Today I lent her my "little" camera and handed my "big"camera to Master T.

The result, some happy snaps of zinnias, daisies, flies, hockey sticks, quilts, people and all sorts of things!
(And some rare photos of me too). Zinnia snapped by Miss E.

As seen and taken by Miss E (after a little editing).

I think I'll be needing to charge the "little" camera battery soon.....

Industrial Desire

2012-02-05T18:39:00.001+11:00

Our local art gallery has had some amazing scale model concept cars on display, produced by students at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit.

These quarter scale models were brilliantly made from special high-density foam and automative paint.

Master J first saw this "Industrial Desire" exhibition Friday on a school excursion for Design and Tech. He was keen to have another look today so we all went and also viewed the other exhibitions, all of which concluded this afternoon.

Some models contained details of their interiors too.

The art gallery has a lovely little street-front garden. Today the waterlilies were in bloom, I couldn't walk past without catching a photo of their natural beauty. What man produces is quite stunning, but God's creations are even more marvellous to me.

Beach Morning Glory

2012-02-04T21:50:00.000+11:00

The tolerance of harsh conditions which some plants show amazes me. On our recent beach holiday I took time to look more closely at this common trailing beach plant which is native to this area as well as other similar coastal areas here and overseas.

Here you can see the plants thriving on the dunes, helping to stabilise this vulnerable, windswept area. Late afternoon you can see the shrivelled remains of the day's flowers and tomorrow's promising buds.

The shapes of the leaves and buds are filled with wonderful curves.

Early in the morning each day's flowers open wide.

A very delicate flower for a plant which has hardy leaves and grows in a seemingly inhospitable environment.
Another of God's beautiful surprises for us to enjoy in nature.

Sharing at The Creative Exchange.

"Just Living is Not Enough"

2012-02-03T19:13:00.000+11:00

"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly,

"one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."

~Hans Christian Andersen

We enjoyed a little sunshine, freedom and flowers with the butterflies today.....
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend, filled with more than just living!

Sharing at Weekly Top Shot, I Heart Macro, Camera Critters, Your Sunday Best, Macro Monday, Sweet Shot Tuesday,
Kent's WW.

Disappearing Rain

2012-02-02T17:54:00.000+11:00

It was wonderful to be able to go for a walk late yesterday in the light misty rain, with an umbrella just in case.....
I love the colour of this bottlebrush flower I passed.

The river was very still, rising slightly from the previous evening's downpour.

Another treasure from a nearby garden, enjoying the fresh rain.

Today we saw these lovely ducks enjoying our neighbour's temporary "pond".

A pendant raindrop after this morning's shower of rain.

The weather is now sunny and breezy with no significant rain forecast for the next week. All raindrops and our neighbour's "pond" are vanishing quickly, butterflies are reappearing and the river is falling again. A happy day indeed.

Sharing at This or That Thursday, Weekend Reflections.

Grateful

2012-02-01T15:40:00.000+11:00

Master J had a very good first day (ever) at school yesterday. Today he is wearing his uniform as his class mates do, shirt untucked and no belt, unlike yesterday when he wore it "properly" and looked much smarter - but he is happy.
Here he is off to catch a school bus for the first time, quietly confident and a little nervous.

Mission accomplished!

While watching big brother waiting for his bus, the younger ones discovered numerous tadpoles in the street-front grassy gutter, proof of our very wet weather. Our latest "pet" adventure, currently being fed boiled lettuce.

Late yesterday Master J mowed our front lawn but our backyard was still too damp underfoot. Then last night we had 129mm ( 5") of rain, most falling within a couple of hours. This is the view today from the back deck across our neighbours' yards. The ground is so wet, the water is just sitting. The river is rising slowly but the rain has thankfully stopped. I dare not complain, one man in a nearby town lost his life in the flash flooding over a road last night.
Very sobering.

A huge staghorn adorns a neighbour's tree, looks like it has been thriving in all the rain.

I'm off to greet Master J, he's due back on the school bus any minute....

Sunshine and Beauty Today

2012-01-31T19:59:00.000+11:00

Slowly Yet Surely

2012-01-30T20:22:00.001+11:00

3 days ago, river height: 5.5m (above normal)

Thank you to all who have been thinking of us as our river rose with recent rains. Here's the latest photo update.

Today 3m and still falling

Slowly yet surely our river is falling. As the sodden grass and river mud are being revealed, the accompanying smell is decided unpleasant, drifting as far as our house when the breeze blows from the river's direction. However we are not flooded!

Just for comparison, below is a photo taken in last year's near-miss flood as it peaked at 7.7m, about 10cm short of over-topping the wall's low points.

January 12th LAST YEAR: 7.7m

All the land is saturated and our yard is a little like a soaked sponge under foot. Light showers have continued and no sunshine has been seen for days. We are very relieved to see the river falling but in this condition the whole region is vulnerable to a another bigger flood if heavy rain were to fall (which is elsewhere in our state at this stage).

Even this frog was seeking dryer vantage point this afternoon, sheltering in our letter box.

I spotted this spotted beauty in our yard, yet another variety of ladybug to add to the surprisingly long list.

Raindrop Fun

2012-01-29T20:48:00.000+11:00

All taken this afternoon. I had fun!

Sharing at Weekend Reflections, I Heart Macro, Macro Monday, The Creative Exchange, Aussie WW, Tina's WW,
Kent's WW, Shoot.Edit.Submit (chosen as a top 5 winner), Saturday Sareenity.

Discoveries

2012-01-28T19:41:00.000+11:00

When I saw these in the garden one evening recently I didn't know what they were. They have a resemblance to ladybugs but they certainly don't look like lady bugs. Then I had a lightbulb moment - maybe they are ladybug larvae!
A google search confirmed my suspicion.

I had never thought about lady bug larva before. The larvae hatch from tiny yellow eggs and shed their skin four times, changing appearance each time. I think these larvae are near the end of their changes, almost ready to pupate.

Late yesterday Little Miss E showed me "something strange" she had found low on a tree. It's a brand new adult ladybug just hatched from its pupa case!

When the adults first emerge their spots aren't visible, they apparently become visible over a few hours as their exoskeleton hardens.

The pupal stage lasts one to two weeks, which accounts for the spider web.

Early this morning I went looking for the ladybug but it had flown to a safer spot, leaving the empty pupa shell behind.

No spotty ladybugs today but I did find another spotty Oleander Butterfly feeding on our Duranta shrub.

As you may have guessed, I love butterflies!

Sharing at Saturday Sareenity.

Bugs, Boats, Birds and Brown Water

2012-01-27T17:31:00.001+11:00

Like the ladybugs, beetles and butterflies, we are drying out and feeling rather relieved to have a rain-free day.
This ladybug is by far the largest kind we have seen in our yard.

All is very sodden underfoot but the river peaked this morning at a "safe" height and is now very slowly receding.
We're trying not to think about the additional rains forecast for the coming week....one thing at a time for now.

This Purple Swamphen was enjoying some additional territory to check out for food sources.

Standing on the levy wall, looking over what is usually grassy riverfront gardens.

Another ladybug coming out of hiding this afternoon. I wonder where they all go when it's raining?

Sharing at SkyWatch Friday.

Wetter and Wetter

2012-01-26T22:21:00.000+11:00

Our river is a BIG river, she rises slowly and falls slowly. Here are some photos from late this afternoon. You can see the rise in water clearly compared to the photos in yesterday's post, taken 23 hours earlier.

The river is still steadily rising but the rain has eased and the smaller rivers feeding into this one have steadied. We are all somewhat relieved at the most recent forecast update of an expected peaking about one metre/yard higher than these photos show. The river and bridge are more beautiful under "normal" circumstances.

There is also much local "ponding" in the area. Just one block further down our street runs a natural waterway which is usually dry ground. In continual wet weather like this week, it begins to fill and move into some of the nearby house yards. Lovely weather for ducks! I took this photo while standing on the street looking to one side, the photo below is the view looking in the opposite direction. A couple hours after these photos the water had crossed the road which is now closed to traffic.

I found this little beauty on my walk too, looking all the brighter for the dreary weather.

We are safe and dry inside and looks as though things will stay that way, thankfully.

Sharing at SkyWatch Friday.

Wet, Warm and Well Fed

2012-01-25T21:40:00.000+11:00

The rain continues, thankfully it's mostly light rain today as everywhere is very wet.

Miss E (19) made some delicious Apple And Cinnamon Spiced Danish Pastries for dessert tonight. The pastry contains yeast and is very similar to croissants, filled with fresh apple, sultanas (raisins) and cinnamon.

They were quite sweet enough without icing on top.

After dessert I tried out one of our new umbrellas and took a quick walk while the rain was lightest. There won't be any fishing at this jetty for the next few days.

The river is at minor flood levels at the moment. All boats in the sailing club were removed early this morning. It's built below the levy wall and designed to withstand floods (after the previous building collapsed under the weight of silt following a flood a few years ago). The view is quite different from "normal" yet the river height is far from a serious concern for the town at this point. Although still rising, the rain has eased in most catchment areas.

Something pretty to finish with - I saw these flowers on my walk. They look rather much like hibiscus flowers but the leaves don't resemble hibiscus.

Does anyone know what shrub this would be?

Update: I have since met the gardener and she says this shrub is a Rose of Sharon. The bud opens white in the morning, turns to pink during the day and then drops off the tree. It sure is pretty.

Sharing at This or That Thursday.

Lush and Wet

2012-01-24T19:51:00.002+11:00

Summer showers and rain are keeping the garden very green and wet. This morning I bought some decent sized umbrellas to help keep us dry. Miss E thought they were wonderful!

Our folding umbrella snapped at the handle yesterday. Master T had fun making an umbrella hat from it today.

Love this fern frond in a corner of the garden. It will soon look like the beauty below.

This native Blue Wren was taking advantage of a break in the showers this morning and so was my little butterfly friend.

I don't know the name of this plant but suspect it's poisonous. The flowers close each night and reopen in the morning. Here it is in some sunshine last Friday and below, one of the last bell flowers this morning.

I love the colour and beautiful shape of the buds.

Hoping we won't need to give the new umbrellas too much of a work out just yet. Some areas in our state and the next have have much more rain than us and are carefully watching rising rivers.....

Sharing at Foto Friday.

Beasts, Bugs and Butterflies

2012-01-22T23:01:00.001+11:00

Hello from sunny Australia again. Couldn't resist snapping these kangaroos up at church this morning. The tall one would be nearly as tall as I am as it stands upright looking at me (I'm a safe distance back, zoomed in).

I just love it's beautiful big eyes. Here we are cropped right in so the definition isn't the best but check out those eyes and lashes!

On to the recently found bugs in our garden now. If you're not a fan of bugs, scroll down over the next few photos with one eye shut ;)

From what I can gather these may all be differing varieties and/or stages of growth of stink/citrus bugs. If anyone can enlighten me that would be great.

The bodies on each of the three above is about 3cm (1 1/2inches) long.

This one is much smaller with a body about 1 1/2cm (under an inch) long.

This is one of the Bronze Orange Bugs which are still living around and on our old cumquat trees.

Ok, enough beastly bugs. Here's a Scotch Thistle (a weed) in flower in the garden. Quite pretty to look at but not to touch!

Last but not least, a couple of little butterflies.

This one is quite tiny and appears as a grey blur while flitting around. I was thrilled to catch it feasting on a daisy yesterday. Quite sweet isn't it.

Hope you all have a wonderful day/evening!
Karen

Sharing at Shoot.Edit.Submit (chosen as a Top 5 Winner), Look Whooooo's Snapping.

Delectable Day

2012-01-20T20:44:00.000+11:00

Warm homemade croissants, too delicious to pass up! Miss E (19) completed making several trays in time for morning tea, served with jam and cream.

"There's one of your bug friends on the screen door!" I grabbed my camera to investigate. This little Spotted Flower Chafer was inside the house. "Mummy's talking to an insect".....Carefully I pried him off the screen and took him outside where he happily flew away just after I snapped this.

Master T (12) has been very keen to make hot cross buns. Doubling a recipe from a rather old book, he had to convert the measurements from imperial to metric. I caught him half way through and discovered he had no intention of reading the instructions, instead he was just adding all the ingredients to a large bowl. Too late to do anything else, I left him to the mixing and kneading. With a little instruction from Miss E he made two and a half trays of jumbo buns, crossing them ready for baking.

He even made and applied the glaze to make them look and taste even better.

They were a hit with everyone!

One of the other delights of my day - finally capturing some shots of this lovely "Blue Triangle Butterfly" which I have seen flying around our yard recently. Love the colours!

This one looks like it's seen better days, yet it's still very beautiful.

Hope you are able to find something "delectable" in your day too!

Labybug Booking Sheet?

2012-01-19T18:07:00.000+11:00

Seems to me the ladybugs in our garden have been running their own booking sheet! As I've been looking more carefully, there seems to be a whole new world waiting for me in the garden, almost an unseen realm often hidden from mind (reminds me of the spiritual realm with angles and demons). I have noticed so many different "new" insects, but for today let's enjoy the lovely lady bugs.

The circular ladybug above looks as if it's been polished. I love the little black lip around the edge.

Above and below are similar to the top one but not quite as circular or shiny. Each one has slightly different markings too. I presume each has a unique pattern and could be identified using their markings, like giraffes.

Here's something different, reminiscent of a big drop of black oil, yet definitely an insect/ladybug.

A couple I haven't seen before. Maybe we'll see more of them around in the future.

This shy little one has a more oval shape.

Black and yellow and covered in a fine dusty yellow fuzz.

I love the deeper colours of this one which I shared last week. All the others above I've spotted in the last few days.

This morning I wasn't expecting to find any new ladybugs but look what I found! I've never seen one like it before.

This Oleander Butterfly was out collecting nectar in this morning's sunshine.

No, not a ladybug but a delightful sight all the same.

Thank you for enjoying my finds with me today. It's just a year since I began blogging, I'm lost for words to express how enriching this journey has been for me so far, let me just thank you for making it such an incredible experience.

Sharing at This or That Thursday.

All New

2012-01-18T19:31:00.000+11:00

Master J (nearly 17) has always wanted to be a pilot. The best next step forward is for him to complete his last two years of schooling in a small local high school with particular attention to Maths and Physics, as well as other required subjects for pilot training. Up to now, we have home schooled all the children. School in Australia entails school uniforms, freshly purchased this afternoon. A rather happy-sad moment.

Earlier this afternoon Master J sat the theory test (with a perfect score) to obtain his car Learner Driver's licence. Only one problem....he can't legally learn to drive in our only family vehicle, a 14 seater mini-bus. There will be a small car joining the family soon, which will be very useful for more than learning to drive.

Sunshine came our way today and yesterday's gerbera bud-to-flower was quick to throw open its beauty for us to enjoy. It's a very bright and happy colour.

Sharing at Look Whooooo's Snapping.

Still Hopeful

2012-01-17T20:33:00.000+11:00

12th January

One of our neighbours has a row of beautiful gerberas along their driveway. Doesn't this one have a gorgeous sunny face. If you look carefully you will see a small bud at the far right of the photo. Let me share its story with you.

11th January

12th January

13th January

14th January

At this point our current wet weather set in. Each day since has been cloudy and showery with more predicted.

16th January

17th January - Today

I think it's beautiful, keeping its head bowed over as if just waiting for some sunshine so it can show it's pretty face, radiant to the world. I'm hoping it has the chance to do just that.

Sharing at Alicia's WW.

Dancing With Danger

2012-01-16T16:23:00.002+11:00

Rock fishing is quite popular along much of Australia's coastline and I guess with pleasant weather and views like this I can understand why. It is also the most dangerous form of fishing. Can you spot the fishermen in the distance?

A primary safety rule is don't fish alone and I was pleased to see these guys enjoying each others company and also choosing a relatively safe location. The next three photos were taken over a couple of minutes.

A walk around the headland was a beautiful way to end to New Years Day, with Master J enjoying a sunset fly overhead, you can just see his r.c. plane in the top left corner above. I enjoy sorting through our holiday photos and look forward to visiting the seaside again, but you won't catch me rock fishing!

Sharing at The Creative Exchange, Our World Tuesday, Communal Global, SkyWatch Friday, Saturday Sareenity.

A New Love

2012-01-14T20:11:00.000+11:00

If you had asked me two days ago if I had ever seen an Australian native bee I would have said "No". I knew next to nothing about native bees and had no idea they were happily buzzing away in my own garden until yesterday. This morning I found they were still enjoying my garden (which may well be their home). Then I noticed a larger bee.....

These are Blue Banded Bees, another species of Australian native bee which are larger than the first native bees I "discovered", have a furry golden thorax and quite different eyes. I have found quite a number of both species in the front and back yard today.

They love feeding on the nectar from many different flowers in the garden, the Australian Everlasting Daisies proving to be quite popular today! I'm learning to move slowly, take time to stand still and listen as well as look when I take a walk around the garden.

Sharing at Camera Critters, Today's Flowers, I Heart Macro, The Simple Things, Macro Monday, Sweet Shot Tuesday,
Shoot Edit Submit (weekly winner - first photo).

Insect Booking Sheet

2012-01-13T16:43:00.001+11:00

Large Citrus Butterfly - Australian

"I'm thinking that the insects and small creatures in your garden are fond of your camera - it's almost like one of them has a clipboard with a booking sheet and they're all scheduling in a time amongst each other for when they're going to be on show incase that nice human comes out with her camera."

So read the first half of a comment by my lovely friend from Seeing Each Day in response to Monday's post.
I'm beginning to wonder if there may almost be some truth in this!

Early yesterday morning I had the pleasure of capturing some photos of a Large Citrus Butterfly as it hovered over our plumbago, never once sitting still.

Yesterday afternoon two red dragonflies kept flying around and resting on the garden in our pool area.

Spotted Flower Chafer

Early this morning I found this beetle sunning itself on an everlasting/straw daisy. I have never seen one of these before.

It must have had some thistle seed "hairs" stuck underneath.

Reaching over to open our garden gate to camera-check the front yard, I felt something....then I looked. I think I'll look first from now on! He was still there an hour later.

Now this variety of green grasshopper which I also found today is much more to my taste (visually) in grasshoppers!

This morning (notice the everlasting daisy is still closed up - they open each sunny day and close again) even a fly looked pretty in the sunlight.

Here's a flower on the same plant (I don't think it's the same flower, but it could be) this afternoon, fully open to the summer sun. So can you spot the insect? It was only as I zoomed it on the computer that I realised there is a tiny insect in the middle of the front row of yellow stamens.

Australian Native Bee

Last but not least on today's insect booking sheet is an Australian native bee. They are smaller than European bees and more efficient pollinators. Apparently there are around 2000 species of Australian native bees, most solitary (don't build bee hives). Some are stingless, others have a mild sting and are supposedly non-agressive. However as I tried to take several photos, about five of these little bees started buzzing all around me, I wasn't about to test the information I had just read, so left them in peace.

Sharing at Look Whooooo's Snapping (butterfly photo chosen as a favourite), Shoot.Edit.Submit.

Humbly Remembering

2012-01-12T17:15:00.000+11:00

12th Jan 2011
The Sailing club is built below the levy wall, designed to cope with flooding.

Exactly 12 months ago today our town had a very near miss with major flooding. Many other Australian towns didn't fare so well last January. This afternoon I took a quiet photo walk, humbling remembering and thanking God for sparing us. We have so much to be grateful for.

Today, 12th Jan 2012

12th Jan 2011

Today, 12th Jan 2012

12th Jan 2011

12th Jan 2012

I shared more on this near-flood experience last July. The media coverage of other towns, cities and country-side which were badly flooded, as well as lives which were tragically lost, added to our own sense of vulnerability. In my July flood post I mentioned some of the changes and impact this had on me/us. It was in the wake of this experience which I started this blog, a concrete reminder to help me focus on the good and positive things surrounding me, choosing contentment and gratefulness everyday.

Sharing at This or That Thursday, Sneak Peek Friday.

Lovely Ladybug

2012-01-11T06:50:00.000+11:00

Sharing at Aussie WW, Tina's WW, Mom Daughter Style WW, Kent Weakley WW.

White-Faced Heron and Corellas

2012-01-10T16:44:00.003+11:00

The White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) is the most commonly seen heron in Australia. Every few months we even see one having a wander in our own suburban backyard. While on holidays over New Year I spotted one walking along the edge of the Bay, looking for something to eat. They feed on fish, amphibians, crustaceans and insects, although it caught nothing while I was watching.

This one is a young White-faced Heron as it has not yet developed the characteristic white plumage around the face. The male and female have a similar appearance and while breeding have long feathers along the head, neck and back.

They do not migrate and can be found in nearly any habitat where water is present.

You may remember me sharing about the flock of Corellas flying with Master J's r.c.plane a couple of weeks ago, also while on holidays.

As mentioned, one of our other children caught the incident on their iPod but we didn't have sufficient internet coverage to upload at the time. Now home, we have uploaded it.

You can stop the "blog music" by pressing pause on the You-Tube clip at the very bottom of the page so as to appreciate Corellas, they are quite noisy! You'll understand why I asked Master J to stop flying with them so early in the morning. Corellas feed mostly on the ground, eating grains, grass seeds and sometimes fruit.

Sharing at World Bird Wednesday.

7pm to 8pm - Colours!

2012-01-09T22:46:00.000+11:00

A quiet wander around the garden this evening and I spotted these little moths having an evening meal.

Check out the eye-lash-like antennae on this one!

Over the bridge and back to enjoy the beautiful sunset. Lots of swallows flying around in the cooler evening air following a very hot summer's day. It was refreshing to end the daylight hours with some wonderful bright colours.

Sharing at The Creative Exchange, And Then She Snapped, Sweet Shot Tuesday, The Simple Things,
SkyWatch Friday.

Fun In The Shade

2012-01-08T15:46:00.000+11:00

Headless Jellyfish???

Too sunny to swim in the middle of the day today so our Terrific Trio did some more lateral thinking.
They constructed the roof of our shade gazebo and perched it over one end of the pool to provide the required "shade".

Snacking on frozen raspberries, they had a wonderful time for hours in their shady "sauna", without being sunburnt!

Sharing at Weekly Top Shot.

Timeless

2012-01-07T16:42:00.000+11:00

Lego, one of those toys with a timeless appeal. The last few days the three younger girls have enjoyed having the Lego accessible all over the lounge room floor (on a sheet for easy pick-up). Accumulated over the years, some of the pieces are from my own small childhood collection, some 40 years ago. Love seeing it being played with again and again.

An Australian Lucid Beetle which I found in our yard this morning, this one was on our Grevillea Lavendulacea bush. Apparently short lived and not a pest, they are toxic and offensive in taste to most predators. I love the texture on his wing covers (elytra).

Roses also have a timeless appeal. This one, still in its pot, was given to me by a special friend three months ago.
This morning the long-stemmed bud was beginning to open. As I looked down on it, guess what I saw?

No, not another insect......I saw a heart of petals! Gorgeous!

This afternoon it is a mass of tightly ruffled petals.

One last find for the day, a dainty little damselfly, enjoying flitting around in our pool area.
The marvels and joys to be found in God's creation, timeless indeed.

Sharing at Foto Friday, Today's Flowers.

Crocosmia

2012-01-06T14:03:00.000+11:00

The little flower buds from Wednesday's post have begun to open this morning, they are rather delightful.

These Crocosmia are native to the grasslands of South Africa. There seems to be quite a few South Africa plant species which thrive in our climate. I love low maintenance hardy plants when it comes to my often neglected garden.

This is the third day in a row I have discovered a new-to-me insect in the garden. This one, feasting on another insect while perched on a zinnia, is about 4cm/2inches long, just a little longer and much bulkier than yesterday's Robber Fly.

Sharing at Macro Flowers Saturday.

Amazed....Again.

2012-01-05T17:49:00.001+11:00

Isn't that one amazing insect!!!!! Sitting right on our handrail late this afternoon. After a Google search we have identified it as an Australian Robber Fly also known as an Assassin Fly and Bee Killer. They can catch their prey in flight...and I'll spare you any more gory details. Another surprise which I have never seen before.

A couple of beautiful dragonflies, also snapped this afternoon. Much more pleasant to look at and equally as fascinating. Our pool area seems to be an attraction to dragonflies. :)
The second, smaller dragonfly is perched on a grevillea flower spike in bud.

Here is the last half of a grevillea in full flower on the same small bush. Yes, we certainly are in Australia, I do love these pretty grevilleas.

Sharing at This or That Thursday.

Home Sweet Home

2012-01-04T18:41:00.000+11:00

It seems a little "ordinary" to be posting photos from my own suburban yard again after the wonderful scenes from our seaside holiday. However, most of life consists of "ordinary" days which really are special in their own way when we stop to think about it. There is still beauty and unexpected joy to be found right where we are, every day.

I can't remember ever having seen an insect like this one which I "discovered" this afternoon in our backyard. I wonder how many more surprises I will find this year, right under my nose.

These lovely little flowers, also in our yard, are beginning to fill out. I have never really appreciated the details of their beauty before. There always seems to be something new to see when I look with fresh eyes.

Sharing at I Heart Macro.

Whistling Kite (Haliastur Sphenurus)

2012-01-03T22:54:00.001+11:00

It's a wonderful thing to watch a model glider plane soaring silently and effortlessly through the sky. To see large birds flying with the glider is just awesome.

Sunday evening master J was enjoying flying one of his gliders again, high off the top of the headland - can you see the tiny rock fishermen just to his right below on the shoreline? Soon we noticed a Whistling Kite keeping the glider company.

Another of those wonderful experiences to remember.

I was delighted to find the same bird (presumably) circling around the headland early the next morning (yesterday).

The Whistling Kite is a medium-sized raptor with a wingspan of 120cm to 145cm, the male and female have a similar appearance, with the female being slightly larger. They are quite widespread throughout Australia. I think it's magnificent to see such large birds up close in the wild.

I was a little disappointed when it was no longer visible so started searching for other points of interest to photograph. My attention was taken by the little pointy tip of the rocky cliff corner.

Beginning to zoom in I could notice the old rusty discarded wheels on the ground from when the rock face was quarried many years ago.

Then as I continued to zoom in I realised the rocky corner was in fact the Whistling Kite!!!

With Miss E clinging to my hand, we managed to walk a little closer before he flew away to another vantage point. I was thrilled to have captured some shots of this wonderful bird as well as the beautiful scenery that morning.

Sharing at World Bird Wednesday, Sneak Peek Friday.

What To Do?

2012-01-02T20:32:00.000+11:00

When you wake to the best weather of your holiday on the last morning, what should you do?
Head to the beach really early to enjoy it all one more time!

So early that you have the beach almost entirely to yourselves.

I mostly prefer my camera to my beach towel, so I headed off for a walk to the next beach with little Miss E, leaving the older ones to enjoy one last swim with my husband.

I found some wonderful birds during our holiday and will show you more another time. Loved watching this one, which I will introduce to you shortly.

When Miss E and I returned to the swimming beach, we found the Life Guard had arrived to watch over the safety of the swimmers for the day. This beach is only patrolled for a few weeks during peak season each year. No fancy towers or stands, rather casual and quiet to suit the beach.

We are now safely home again, missing the wonderful holiday environment, yet enjoying all the comforts of home, including a "good" internet connection! :)

Sharing at Our World Tuesday.

A Glorious Beginning

2012-01-01T22:39:00.001+11:00

Blue skies and great flying conditions marked the beginning of 2012 in our corner of the world. Master J (16) has been flying nearly every day on our holidays but today was the most pleasant by far.

Beautiful weather for a swim while J was flying on the hill.

We also had a wonderful time exploring the nearby rock pools. (Can you see the eight legged orange starfish? There's a brown one immediately below it too). One of those magnificent days, I have shared just a sampling of the day's treats. We are due to return home tomorrow, but no one is in a hurry to leave....

Sharing at Weekend Reflections, Our World Tuesday.

A Beautiful End

2011-12-31T21:50:00.000+11:00

Today, like our year, began rather wet and uncertain. Thankfully our day and also our year, has finished with unexpected joy and beauty.

As the sun sets on this day, one never knows what joys and opportunities lay just around the corner.....

Thank you for helping to make this year one of my best ever. At the beginning of this year I had no intentions of even beginning a blog. I am filled with wonder and thankfulness for the year just finishing and all which it has brought. May we look forward to 2012, not knowing what it will bring but knowing we can each find beauty, joy and contentment every day if we look with an open heart and mind. A very Happy New Year to you all!

Karen

Sharing at The Creative Exchange, Kent Weakley WW. Top photo published in "Coastal Views" as Photo of the Week.

Can You See It?

2011-12-31T07:21:00.000+11:00

We were treated to beautiful sunset colours at another nearby beach late yesterday, truly delightful. Master T was about to walk through the water amongst these rocks, as we have often done before, when he suddenly stopped, he thought he saw something......

Can you see it? It has moved away from its hiding spot in the shadow of the rock and is more easily visible here.

Just in there, is it a rock, no, it's alive but what is it???

Now can you see it? It's a Wobbegong, an Australian shark. This one was about one metre/yard long and they will bite if feeling threatened.

About 20 minutes later it swam away. I had never seen a Wobbegong before, not the most beautiful of our native wildlife but certainly interesting. I'm sure we'll be more cautious around those rocks from now on!

Sharing with SkyWatch Friday, Look Whooooo's Snapping, Shoot.Edit.Submit (chosen in the Top 5), Camera Critters.

Upside Down Flower

2011-12-30T14:51:00.000+11:00

Wanted to share this little flower with you from my parents'-in-love garden. Between gusts of wind (still very windy) I've taken photos of different flowers to show the opening process. Quite a fascinating upside down flower with petals which curl right back once open and change colour as the flower matures.

I suspect it is becoming a nuisance in the garden as its leaf tips curl around surrounding plants allowing it to climb over other vegetation like a vine, but I do like the flowers!

A big thank you to all who have been leaving comments while we're on holidays. The internet connection here is so slow it has taken many, many attempts intermittently over many hours to even upload these photos and text. I am not able to visit blogs or leave comments until we return home in a few days. It will be a treat indeed to be back to our "normal" internet access. Thank you for being understanding, it certainly is lovely to be able to share some of our holidays and read your wonderful comments.

UPDATE: Thank you to Bernie who has correctly identified this plant as the Gloriosa Lily. When I asked my parents-in-love if they knew what it was, my FIL said it had a very long and difficult name to pronounce and then proceeded to spell it for me "W-E-E-D"! MIL was a little more helpful and thought it was a lily of some sort.

Sharing at Weekend Flowers.

Sshhh.....You'll Wake the Neighbours!

2011-12-30T10:36:00.001+11:00

Early this morning Miss G and Miss E were still asleep on an air-matress on the floor. The joys of holidays. Soon most were up, ready for a day of flying, fishing, jobs and play.

Master J couldn't resist an early morning fly from the front lawn with his light-weight r.c. glider plane (no motor and therefore silent) before the wind became too strong again. However he quickly drew the attention of a very noisy flock of corellas who wanted to fly with this amazing new "bird"!

I asked J to stop, we didn't want to wake all the neighbours so early! One of the children caught the incident on their iPod, maybe when we return home to decent internet connection we'll try to upload onto YouTube. It was quite amazing to experience. (Now uploaded, you'll find the link here).

When J landed his plane the corellas had a brief rest in a nearby tree before flying away.

Ah yes, this is a quieter early morning fly.....

Windy But Still Fun

2011-12-28T22:27:00.000+11:00

One of our favourite things about holidays at the Grandparents' village is an evening play on the beach. Although this week is very windy on the coast, it isn't raining, and the temperature is delightfully moderate for summer.

A beautiful way to finish a day.

Sharing at This or That Thursday, SkyWatch Friday.

A Little More

2011-12-27T23:05:00.001+11:00

A new little surprise in my garden,

and a little more Christmas, this time with my parents-in-love.

A little more fun,

and a little more time at the bay, and hopefully the beach.

We're having a few days with my parents-in-love, holiday/helping.
They do have internet (yah!) but it's very slow.......

Sharing at Sweet Shot Tuesday.

Wonderful Day

2011-12-26T09:06:00.000+11:00

I truly hope you have all had/having a wonderful Christmas Day. We shared gifts, with much excitement, everyone being thrilled with what they received.

My Mum had Christmas with us for the first time (my father passed away last year). She loved her Shutterfly calendar, filled with photos I have taken this year.

Church was lovely, as always. Ours is only a small church, we make up about a fifth of the congregation most weeks.

Christmas in summer brings with it much fresh fruit, including these mangoes which Mum brought with her. We also enjoyed cherries, lychees, peaches and other fresh fruit.

A selection of the fresh homemade treats made by our eldest Miss E (19), snowballs made by Miss G (14). Miss E also made her very first boiled Christmas pudding, a very large delicious one for all to share. I didn't cook a thing this year and didn't even ask the children to either, they just wanted to. What a blessing.

A cool summer's sunset walk is one of my favourite ways to end the day, just enough light to snap some flowers too!

The sun sets on a wonderful Christmas Day, yet each day is special for Christ lives in my heart. Warm Christmas and holiday greetings to you all!

Sharing at Macro Monday, Our World Tuesday.

He Gave :)

2011-12-24T12:14:00.000+11:00

"God loved the world so much

that he gave his one and only Son

so that whoever believes in him

may not be lost,

but have eternal life."

John 3:16

Let's rejoice and be grateful.
It's early Christmas morning here and most everyone is up, waiting patiently as they look at wrapped gifts under the tree, without touching....lots of anticipation in the air.
It's going to be a good day. Off to church for a 9am service, three of our girls will be playing music and/or singing with a song leader. My mother has come to share the day with us and mother-in-law is in her home. Peace and joy to all!

Home For Christmas?

2011-12-23T17:24:00.001+11:00

It was dusk, and beginning to lightly rain.

Even a lady bug needs a home and this rose was just fine!

My dear mother-in-love is having an unplanned hospital stay tonight, maybe she's been too busy, like a lady bug. However she should be home tomorrow, in time for Christmas. Our 16 year old son has gone to spend the night with his Grandfather, to keep him company.

Hoping you all make it home safely for Christmas, wherever home may be!

Sharing at This or That Thursday.

Gingerbread House

2011-12-22T22:05:00.000+11:00

Tonight we drove around our town, looking at the Christmas lights. This house is one which draws many visitors every December night each year. For the first time we stopped to have a closer look. I call it The Gingerbread House.

The local ice cream van was parked outside selling ice-cream cones, being summer here. We were in for a surprise as reshuffled with the crowd through the driveway to discover this huge reindeer the backyard!

Nature Sings

2011-12-21T13:43:00.001+11:00

Early yesterday

Joy to the world

The lord had come

Let earth receive her King

Let every heart prepare Him room

And heaven and nature sing

And heaven and heaven and nature sing

Four hours later.....

When first I looked at this second photo, I felt in my heart that the flower was singing, clearly proclaiming God's glories. The words of the well known carol above came to mind. At CHRISTmas we remember afresh the host of angels who appeared to the shepherds, praising God, "Glory to God in heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favours".
We also recall the wise men who saw his star in the east and came to worship Jesus. The night sky, the day sky, the angels and even the little zinnia flower in my garden "sing" and proclaim God's glory if we will but observe and listen with our hearts.

Sharing at Rachel's WW With Words, Macro Flowers Saturday.

Stormy Beauty

2011-12-21T12:17:00.002+11:00

Mid afternoon yesterday we watched dark storm clouds moving our way. It was fascinating seeing the tumble and roll and move over us.

During the storm it became quite dark inside, Miss E was much happier with a torch, although still a little unsure.

Beautiful bright sunlight breaking through after the storm. Lots of rain, a bit of wind but thankfully no damage.
*** UPDATE***Apparently some areas close by did have significant hail and wind, with some friends sustaining considerable damage to their home and possessions in the worst hit area.

Early evening, the storm clouds receding into the distance make an interesting backdrop for the setting sun.

Sharing at SkyWatch Friday.

SSHhhh.....Shutterfly

2011-12-20T13:49:00.000+11:00

Can't share any more just yet.......

Sharing at Aussie WW, In Him We Live WW.

Layer Upon Layer

2011-12-19T15:38:00.000+11:00

You may recall the Zinnia Delight post which traced the almost daily development of one particular zinnia flower from the tight bud (below) through to the beautiful flower it was becoming. Being the first zinnia flower I had ever grown, I couldn't wait to share the joys of its beauty with you.

29th November

Below is the stage at which we left this zinnia flower in the earlier time lapse series. Let me share the rest of the story with you, right up to today.....

8th December

9th Dec

11th Dec

12th Dec

13th Dec

14th Dec

15th Dec

16th Dec

17th Dec

18th Dec

Today, 19th Dec

A long-lasting, ever-changing flower, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching and photographing this zinnia. There are several other zinnia flowers in the garden of various colours yet none of them have had the number of layers nor depth of this particular flower.

The photo at the top of this post was taken just a few minutes ago, looking deep into the heart of the zinnia. Thank you for letting me share the fun with you! A joy shared is a joy multiplied indeed.

Sharing at The Creative Exchange, Sweet Shot Tuesday, Shoot.Edit.Submit.

Delightful Brights

2011-12-18T21:26:00.000+11:00

A 6pm walk in the pleasant warmth of a mild summer's day yielded more delights than expected. The Rainbow Lorikeet is one of our magnificently colourful, medium-sized native parrots. They fly around (even in town) in pairs and in flocks, noisily squawking as they go. They eat mostly fruit, pollen and nectar. The pair in this small native eucalyptus tree were busy feeding on nectar, until they flew off. At times we have even seen a pair in our own backyard.

Being an older area of town, there are some beautiful and unique older houses. The tree in the photo above is a frangipani with unusually large, pink flowers.

This agapanthus is one of the less common, very dark purple flowering ones. There is an abundance locally of the mauve and also white agapanthus, as seen in the photo above this one.

A beautiful and bright finish to my day.

Sharing at Our World Tuesday, World Bird Wednesday.

Velvet Petunia

2011-12-17T13:56:00.000+11:00

Today I have another beauty form my garden to share. I love having a closer look at each flower as it opens, a treat afforded to me by digital photography.

Thursday

We've had a few pink petunia flowers open on the little seedlings, so with anticipation I have been waiting for this deep purple bud to unfold. Early morning two days ago this is how it looked. I thought it was going to open that morning, but it didn't. It stayed looking like this all day.

Friday 8am

Then yesterday morning the action began. Both the photo above and below were taken around 8am.

Friday 8am

Friday 9am

The photo above, just an hour later. Notice the pollen-containing anthers are just beginning to open.

Friday 12 noon

Another three hours later and pollen is spilling everywhere. The flower is more of a crimson/pink than purple, very lovely and appearing to change according to the light.

Friday 5pm

Another view and a new bud with a beauty of it's own.

Saturday 12 noon

Still looking gorgeous in today's sunshine. Such a huge flower for a tiny plant.

Saturday 12 noon

And to finish, a favourite from 12 noon today. I am amazed at the intricate beauty God puts within every small flower, just glorious.

Sharing at Macro Flowers Saturday, Shoot.Edit.Submit, Look Whooooo's Snapping, Today's Flowers, I Heart Macro.

No Longer Too Busy

2011-12-16T15:41:00.000+11:00

You may remember a few weeks back when Master T was busy building with Lego Technic. This is what was under construction, all built according to the instruction booklets which came with the kit.

He made this crane when he bought the kit last year, good to see him enjoying it again. He seems to have no trouble following the visual directions.

Cookie Factory

2011-12-15T12:41:00.001+11:00

Miss V (7) has been very keen to do some baking this week, deciding yesterday on gingerbread men. With some (lots) of help we made a double batch of Christmas shaped gingerbread cookies, most of which were safely put aside for decorating this morning.

Miss V (rear) loved decorating her fair share and assisting some of the volunteers.

Happy children and gingerbread men were the result, although I doubt any of these cookies will last until Christmas!

Sharing at This or That Thursday.

Zinnia Highlights

2011-12-14T13:51:00.001+11:00

Taken this afternoon

Love both of these! This zinnia flower continues to delight.

Sharing at Rachel's WW, Kristi's WW, Better in Bulk WW, Alicia's WW.

The Prettiest

2011-12-13T20:21:00.000+11:00

One special young lady in our family has been waiting patiently for her first pair of glasses to be ready. This afternoon we received "the phone call", her glasses were finished! Now she can read and enjoy so much more without the persistent headaches of the last few weeks. They are the prettiest glasses I have ever seen!

Summer Sunset

2011-12-13T16:10:00.002+11:00

A pleasant end to the day.

Sharing with Tuesdays Around the World, Friday SkyWatch, Weekend Reflections.

White Ruffles

2011-12-12T13:48:00.001+11:00

Wow! I have a new love for gladioli after studying them more closely. The deep purple/cerise gladioli flowers have been deliciously velvety and almost iridescent. Now my first white gladioli is unfurling, showing delicate ruffled edges. Delightful indeed.

A little tweaking of the colours on this photo gives us a touch of midnight too!

Sharing at The Creative Exchange, Capturing Beauty, Sweet Shot Tuesday, And Then She Snapped,
Sneak Peek Friday.

Seasons

2011-12-11T14:08:00.001+11:00

Another zinnia, I love the brilliant colours.

Corn! We only have a few stalks, I love watching them grow.

Lemon Myrtle (Australian native) with a bee at church this morning.

"No winter lasts forever;

no spring skips its turn."

Hal Borland

Sharing at Today's Flowers, Macro Monday, Our World.

Well Enough

2011-12-10T14:52:00.001+11:00

Too well to sit out and cause the team to forfeit......

Too sick to bowl or run hard........

Well enough to wicket keep and field at first slip!
The twins LOVE their cricket, and yes, their team won, again.

Fresh Pickings

2011-12-09T13:56:00.001+11:00

Favourite animals, arranged by colour.

Remember this photo from Tuesday?

The same two flowers on Thursday (yesterday) tightly closed against the rain. Today they are open again.

A cicada on my 16 year old's fingers.

Hot apple pie, made from scratch by Miss 19.

Yesterday morning.....

Four hours later!

Last but not least, this morning's fresh pickings, a sweet way to finish my breakfast.

Sharing at Shoot.Edit.Submit, Macro Friday, Look Whooooo's Snapping, Camera Critters.

Zinnia Delights - Take Two!

2011-12-08T11:36:00.001+11:00

The animation from the last post was fun but needs some work (anyone got suggestions - using iPhoto, I don't have PS or PSE), so for now I'll show the photos here as have done in the past.

One photo per day, finishing today except for a missed day between image 2 and 3. Enjoy!

8th December

That's better, I like good definition. Maybe I'll be able to work out a better animation one day!

Hope you find pieces of joy, beauty and contentment in your day/evening too!

UPDATE!!!!!!
The following ten days of this flower's opening are here for your further enjoyment!

Sharing at And Then She Snapped, This or That Thursday, Sneak Peek, I Heart Macro.