Ah! The View ... The Year In Photographs ... January 31, 2013

The first week of the new school year with the students has just ended for me, and it was a very busy week.  It's an absolute joy to arrive home after a long day, and enjoy the view.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie ...The Year In Photographs ... January 26, 2013

Today is our special day of celebration known as Australia Day.  It's the official national day for our country, and a time to come together and celebrate all that's great about this enormous country of ours ... the diverse society, the varied and incredible landscape, the achievements and the challenges ... but above all, it's a day to celebrate what's great about being Australian.

So to all the other Aussies out there, I hope you have a fabulous day.  We're putting some prawns on the barbie, having a few coldies and listening to some iconic Aussie songs.  

Here's my favourite ....  "I Am, You Are, We Are Australian".  

Droopy And Drenched ... The Year In Photographs ... January 25, 2013.

The monsoonal low pressure system (which was ex-cyclone Oswald) moved off further down the coast and the rain eased off considerably today.  Raindrops still covered many plants though, and this lovely droopy, drenched Poinciana flower caught my eye as I drove in from work this afternoon.

More Rain ... The Year In Photographs ... January 24, 2013

The first decent rainfall of the wet season bucketed down yesterday.  About 145 mm or 6 inches of liquid sunshine fell from the sky in one day.  There were huge lakes of water lying around everywhere on the way to work this morning.

It's Raining ... The Year In Photographs ... January 23, 2013

What a difference a day makes!  The heavens opened last night and the rain has pelted down all day.  We are under a Severe Weather Warning for heavy rain.

You know that saying ... It doesn't rain, but it pours ... well today it hammered.  Since 9.00 am this morning, in 8 hours, we've had around 73 mm or 3 inches of rain, and it's still pouring down.

The rain is coming in squalls and at times it's almost horizontal.  A waterfall and little rivers have popped up in our front yard.

I drove home from work about an hour ago, and it was a tense ride.  Visibility was down to around 5 metres, and I drove through massive puddles of water.  I'm wondering if I'll be able to make it into town tomorrow.

Soaked Through ... The Year In Photographs ... January 22, 2013

After spending most of the day at school setting up my classroom in preparation for the new school year, I came home to drizzly showery weather and the sight of beautiful rain-soaked Eucalypt trees.

Raindrops ... The Year In Photographs ... January 21, 2013

Today there were light showers of rain sweeping in over the foothills.  They didn't last long, but it's wonderful to see tiny raindrops splashing over the plants in the garden once again.

Mosaic Monday ... Signs of the Approaching Wet Season

After a long nine-month dry season, we've been looking for the signs of the imminent arrival of the yearly monsoonal wet season. 

Over the last week or so, we've seen quite a few leaden-grey skies.  We've listened to the quiet tinkle of light showers of raindrops sprinkling on the rooftop and courtyard.  We've smelt that heady sweet smell of rain in the air.  These sights and that sweet perfume of rain coming are, we hope, a promise of decent rain on the way.

The showers are most welcome, and I really don't want to complain, but we really need the drenching saturating downpours now.

I'm joining Mary for her weekly Mosaic Monday meme.

Against The Odds ... The Year In Photographs ... January 20, 2013

Here's a glimpse of survival against the odds.

Talk about a baptism of fire.  This dwarf Hibiscus was planted in one of the most inhospitable spots on my property during our Autumn last year.   That means it was planted just after the beginning of the long dry season.  Nine months of parched thirsty conditions have not beaten this little stayer however.

Talk about standing your ground!  Slowly but surely, it begins to bloom and grow.

Guilty Looks ... The Year In Photographs ... January 19, 2013

These lyrics came to mind with the look I got this morning  ...  "It ain't me babe, no no no, it ain't me babe.  It ain't me you're looking for!"

Well at least that's what I was led to believe with this look I got when I quizzed Prince Albert about the unfortunate sighting of a deceased baby possum upon my arrival at the bottom of the stairs this morning.

I kept on interrogating, but the suspect got the huffs ... threw himself down on the verandah ... and gave me this look!

Yep, I'm thinking "guilty as charged!"

Friday Flower Flaunt ... On This Mid-Summer Friday

It's simply lovely wandering out onto the courtyard in the mornings, cuppa in hand, and heading to the pond to see another Water Lily slowly opening up to greet the sun.

After a short walk around the garden in the morning that's about it for time spent outdoors at the moment.  As our summertime rolls on and the relentless oppressive heat continues, I'm spending the last few days of the summer school holidays inside in the air-conditioning.

Thanks goodness there are some plants that carry on blooming without much care and attention from me during these scorching mid-summer days.

Some Petunias still struggle on.

Plumeria blooms quite happily in the fierce sunshine.

Mussaenda philippica 'Calcutta Sunset' and Zinnia 'Summer Sensations' add a touch of orange to the garden.

So does Costus productus and

Ixora 'Twilight Glow'.

I love the cooling white of the Mandevilla 'White Fantasy' and

Tabernaemontana corymbosa 'Sweet Love'.

The trusty Pelargonium is still blooming,

as is the reliable Salvia farinacea 'Strata'.



I'm joining Tootsie for Fertilizer Friday / Flaunt Your Flowers

I'm also joining Nix for Floral Friday Fotos

and Today's Flowers

Sunbird ... The Year In Photographs ... January 18, 2013

The Yellow-Bellied Sunbird searching for its next sip of nectar. 

Stunning Creature ... The Year In Photographs ... January 17, 2013

A stunning insect visitor spotted this morning feeding on the nectar of the Duranta flowers.  Look at the brilliant metallic blue colour of this fellow.  I.D. would be most welcome.


Extra:  thanks to the great Google, I've found out this is a Neon Cuckoo Bee.  What a fabulous name!

Rain At Last ... The Year In Photographs ... January 16, 2013

Hallelujah!  Rain fell from the heavens today.  It was only a light shower and didn't last long, but it was very much appreciated.

Strange Seed Pod ... The Year In Photographs ... January 15, 2013

The first ever seed pod on my young Adenium obesum.  Thank you Mother Nature.

I'm so excited by this sight, but now I have to learn what to do next!

Rising From Sleep ... The Year In Photographs ... January 14, 2013

Caladium rising from dormancy.

Peek-A-Boo Possum ... The Year In Photographs ... January 13, 2013

A juvenile Ring-tailed Possum cornered and feeling vulnerable.

Rainbows ... The Year In Photographs ... January 12, 2013

A rainbow of colours in amongst all the green ... a pair of Rainbow Lorikeets sitting in the Gum tree.

A Regular Garden Visitor ... The Year In Photographs ... January 11, 2013

One of our regular garden visitors.  It's one of the flock of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos that inhabit the foothills here.

Mosaic Monday ... Bummed Out!

In reference to today's post title, I have to say I was a little 'bummed out' not to get a better shot of this marvellous creature that came visiting last night. 

Our lovely dog, Albert, alerted us to the fact that there was a very interesting visitor trying to get into the shadehouse, but unfortunately all I managed to get were a few rear end shots of this very special mammal called an Echidna.  We haven't seen one of these on our property since we moved in over ten years ago now, so it was a real treat even if we didn't get to see the whole creature.

Yes, I know it looks like a Hedgehog, but we don't have those here in Australia.  We do have the Short-beaked Echidna though, and it's not related to the Hedgehog at all. 

Echidnas are a very special animal.  Both the Echidna and the Platypus share the distinction of being the only remaining surviving 'monotremes' in the world.  What's a 'monotreme', I hear you ask?  Well, monotremes are a primitive link between the reptiles and the more advanced mammals.  Montremes are mammals that lay eggs, instead of giving birth to live young.

Now getting back to the post title ... If the real definition of 'bummed out' is "feeling depressed and sad about an issue", then this little creature fits the bill.

Our dog had a busy day yesterday.  Albert had this lovely little Ring-tailed possum cornered under the end of the verandah roof.  The poor possum was sitting there, looking very morose, for half the day yesterday.  

We tied up the dog, but he kept on barking every now and then, and the possum would be startled into inactivity every time.  It took hours and hours before the little poss eventually risked escape.  It managed to crawl along a stick I had jammed into the corner, and up onto the roof ... I'm sure I heard a little high-pitched scream of "Freedom" as the sun set in the west.

I'm joining Mary for her Mosaic Monday meme.

It's Time For The Dancing Ladies.

Hello, I'm back ... finally!  I was away longer than expected, and it's so terrific to back at home, with my computer and my garden blogging friends.

When I arrived home just the other day, I was greeted by the sight of my Mauve Dancing Ladies ... well that's the common name for these fabulous plants anyway.

Globba winitti is a member of the Ginger or Zingiberaceae family, and my one and only plant is blooming.  I just adore these stunning inflourescences with their mauve bracts and yellow flowers.


I'm joining Today's Flowers

and Weekend Flowers