It's A Mid-Autumn Bloomin' Tuesday.

I know I haven't joined in Jean's great meme for quite some time, but I found myself at home, off work today, and just had to take the opportunity to join in once more.  We're coming to the end of our mid-Autumn month here in Oz, and here's just a snippet of some of the blooms around my place.

Salvia splendens 'Vista Mix' and Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender'

Costus productus

Coleus blooms

and the very common red-flowering Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.

I'm joining Jean's Bloomin' Tuesday  meme.

Flower Flaunt Friday Again ... on this mid-Autumn Friday.

Time to flaunt once more, but there's really not much blooming at the moment that I haven't flaunted in earlier Autumn posts, or shown on my other blog for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.  So I thought I would just whack all the flower photos into a couple of collages for this week's flaunt.

Cleome, Plectranthus, Salvia, Costus, Tabernaemontana and Hibiscus.

Mussaenda, Turnera, Justicia, Allamanda, another Turnera, Russelia and Acacia.

Aeschynanthus, Impatiens, Dendrobium, Salvia and Azalea.

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

and Nix for Floral Friday Fotos

Today Is A Very Special Day ... Lest We Forget.

"The tumult and the shouting dies,
The Captains and the the Kings depart.
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice
A humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet
Lest we forget. Lest we forget." ~ Bradley

April 25th is known as ANZAC Day here in Australia.  It's the day our whole nation stops to remember and mark the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australia and New Zealand.

The ANZACs - Australian and New Zealander Army Corps - landed at Gallipoli on April 25th, back in 1915, and so began an eight month military campaign that failed to achieve any of its objectives.  At the end of that campaign, the troops were evacuated with over 8,000 Australian soldiers killed during the long battle.  April 25th became the day that our country stops to remember the sacrifices made by all Australians who served and died in all wars and conflicts.

It's not very often that an Australian Prime Minister attends an Anzac Day commemoration here in Townsville.  They usually do their bit in our nation's capital, Canberra or over at Gallipoli.  Today however our current Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, was here in Townsville to attend the Dawn Service.

Townsville is a garrison city, home to one of Australia's largest defence communities.  The relocation of 3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment to our city this year meant that the three original infantry battalions would be parading together on ANZAC Day  for the first time in 60 years.  Obviously that is quite an historic occasion, and the Prime Minister needed to be a part of it.

Just to close the post today, I'm adding a heart rendering version of one of our most well-known Aussie songs.  It's Eric Bogle's 'And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda', which I think is the very best version.  Interestingly the song is used in a presentation made for students at a Canadian high school.  While there are certainly some images of Australian soldiers and the Gallipoli campaign, there are many images of Canadian armed forces members.  This just proves that no matter where you are in the world, the evocative lyrics of Eric's song still resonate.  We honour our veterans, but all their sacrifices are futile if we never learn the lessons that war teaches us all.

Last year's post:  Lest We Forget

Sun Setting ... The Year In Photographs ... April 20, 2013

After a long day's work out in the bush paddock today, it was absolutely brilliant sitting on the verandah taking in the view as the sun started to set.

Firday Flower Flaunt ... On This Mid-Autumn Day.

I'm now back home after a short mid-semester break.  My garden is not in top form at the moment.  I spent very little time gardening over our summer, and our first month of Autumn was no cooler or less humid so the garden down time continued into March as well.  I did a little bit of cleaning up at the end of March, but then of course I went away to visit with my family down south.

Upon my return home, I had to go to what we call 'Pupil-free' days, which are professional development days that all teachers are required to attend, so the garden has really had very little care and attention for quite a few months now.  Thankfully over the last two days, we've had lots of lovely gentle drenching rain which the garden really needed.

So for the flaunt today, there's really not a lot to show.

Out in the shadehouse garden the only blooms are ...

Dendrobium bigibbum

Streptocarpus caulescens,

 

and Aeschynanthus lobbianus.

Out in the courtyard garden ...

the unknown Water Lily continues to bloom,

as do the Salvia spelendens 'Vista Mix',

the Coleus,

and the Angelonia angustifolias.


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

Nix for Floral Friday Fotos

and Today's Flowers

Away From Home ... The Year In Photographs ... April 9, 2013.

I'm back from a little break spending time with my son and my grandchildren.  Of course I miss my little garden while I'm away, but during this break I spotted a few beautiful blooms in my son's garden.

I think these are Syzygium or Lilly Pilly flowers, but I'm not entirely sure having never grown these plants myself.