Recent Delights

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

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

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!

"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

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.