Oh Happy Day!

In the early morning light two gorgeous poppies pronounced glory to the day. You can see the maturing seed head of the single poppy which bloomed and dropped petals all in one day, exactly two weeks ago.

It had been 5 whole days since our last email from my husband and Miss E who are currently in India. "Internet cafe...across the road....from the hotel" they said.    

                         Then nothing........ for 5 days.

Until late this afternoon. Apparently there has been three public holidays in a row and nothing has been open. All is well, they are having an amazing time - as I had hoped.

I head out to the garden, greatly relieved and very happy! This morning's poppies have retained their magnificent petals which are now gently closed like elegant fans protecting their centres.

I let my camera dance with my heart. Oh happy day!


Sharing at Beauty Is Where You Find It [Calmness], Weekly Top Shot.

"Is it a Snake?"

That was the thought which flashed through my mind when first I saw this flower spike out of the corner of my eye. As it grew taller my curiosity grew also - what was this going to look like?

Then in the middle of one day some buds seemed to be swelling.

Five hours later when next I looked, they had sprung open.

Above and below were also taken late that afternoon, each flower appearing like a bell during its opening process.

Each day a few more buds would swell and then open late in the afternoon. Here my favourite little model  gives you an indication of the size of the flower spike (as well as the spinach/silverbeet which seems to love this particular spot in the garden).

A total of 30 days passed between the first and last photos here. It was quite a delightful experience to watch this yucca plant flower, a plant which I didn't expect any flowers from at all.

A Long Time Gift

The patterns and colours appealed to me as soon as I saw them. I ordered the fabrics (Poppy by Laura Gunn) from the US but when as they arrived I felt they were perfect for another family.

A strip quilt would bring out the best in these wonderful fabrics. Arranging and rearranging on our dining table, I took photos to better assess each layout and make decisions.

I was very pleased with the finished quilt. Then I just had to wait until the gift could be given.

The wait became longer than anticipated and the quilt became even more appealing.

For the backing I used my favourite fabric in this range - Big Poppy Spice - which is now out of print.

Freshly washed and ready to give, Miss E enjoyed "helping" with the photos. "Poppy Quilt" has now reached its destination and I'm told the new owners like it very much, which makes me happy, for if they didn't, I would have secretly wanted it back.   :)

Sharing at Mandarin Orange Monday.

Kangaroo Paw

Australia has some wonderfully unique plants and flowers, Kangaroo Paw being one of them.

There is a time difference of 11 days between the flowering photo at top (and also below) and the budding one above.

The photo above was taken this morning showing the complete plant nestled amongst the half grown Rainbow Char/Silverbeet.

Kangaroo Paw come in a variety of colours and sizes, each with the same distinctive flower form. This one above is from a much smaller Kangaroo Paw plant I bought last year which unfortunately didn't survive.

I found this beauty in a nearby garden recently. You can see why they were given their name.

If my current plant does well I think I may add more of these native plants to our garden. I've read they also make excellent cut flowers.


Sharing at Weekly Top Shot, I Heart Macro.

Solar Eclipse, Magic Carpets and Thunderstorms

The sky was a little duller early this morning and it wasn't just the light cloud cover. We had a partial solar eclipse while some areas of far north Australia had a total eclipse. Quite amazing to witness. About 20 minutes passed between the photo above and the one below.

The beautiful spread of jacaranda colour is turning into a magnificent purple carpet beneath hundreds of trees all around town. A treat for the eyes!

This evening finished with a thunderstorm and rainbow, a lovely backdrop to the frangipanis/plumeria's long green leaves and wonderful tropical flowers.

Sun and skies, a magnificent part of our world, daily presenting us with beauty, witness, warmth and  life.


Sharing at SkyWatch Friday, Our World Tuesday.