Spring Beauty

Wow!! Two days in a row. Let's hope I can keep it up!

Just wanted to share some details of my September garden. A lot of it has gone now, to make way for the October flush. There is always something finishing and something starting. I think that's what I enjoy most about a garden, even though at the time I wish the current beauty would stay for longer.

As usual the camellias have been lovely. Such a hardy plant and so easy to grow up in the hills. Here are a few of many.

We have a variety of flowering trees of the prunus and malus species. They always put on a good show.

I was almost about to do it again - overload the blog with too many photos. I'll save some for next time.

Thanks for visiting.

Liz Needle

Oh Dear!!

Oh Dear!!!  Was it really January when I last blogged? How slack am I?

Nothing has really been going on in my life, but I never seem to have the time to sit at the computer and write up my blog. I really must make the effort because I do enjoy it. Perhaps instead of trying to fit in a myriad of photos in one hit, I should pace myself a bit and put in less more often.

At the moment most of my time is taken trying to keep up with my far too large garden. It seems that as soon as I get around it with the weeding, trimming, lawn edging etc., then it is time to start again.  And then I can't go past a garden shop without coming out with more plants!!

The garden is looking quite lovely at the moment as it has been for the last 2 months. Here are some of my Spring shots.

OK. Pacing myself. That's a bit of an overview. Next time some close ups. And that's only September!!

Probably there will be noone to read this - all my followers have probably abandoned me in disgust. Thanks to those of you who haven't . I will try to do better.

Liz Needle

Babies on Display

Over the last week we have had hatchings of Red-browed finches, Sparrows and Blue Wrens. We are so lucky that the parents trust us enough to bring their precious little ones onto our front lawn to play and feed. I am sure there have also been honeyeaters hatched, but they are far less confident and rarely go to ground.

We have had hours of pleasure watching the antics. especially of the wrens.  They are so funny chasing mum and dad for a feed, little round bodies, long spindly legs and little tails wagging. Impossible to get a focussed shot as they are never still.

The baby  finches lack the red markings on their heads. Apart from that. they are hard to distinguish. They are quite independent and you rarely see them demanding to be fed, like the baby wrens.

And my favourites. These little fellows are just so cute and so unafraid.

They remind me of the three wise monkeys.

We have had three days of 40C degrees here. Oh for some cold, wet weather.


Liz Needle  - linking with "Our World Tuesday", "Nature Notes"  and "Wild Bird Wednesday".

Skywatch

A change from sunsets. These beautiful clouds fascinated me earlier this summer. I find cloud formations so beautiful and varied in their form.

Liz Needle  linking with Skywatch Friday.

Glorious Sunset

I haven't caught a lot of sunsets lately - never there at just the right time, or maybe a lack of really good sunsets, but this one a few days ago was a beauty.

Whoever makes sunsets does a brilliant job some days.

Liz Needle  -  linking with Skywatch Friday

Hydrangeas

Despite a few days of blistering heat, the hydrangeas are looking stunning this year. I am always amazed at the variety of colours we get in the one patch of garden under the Mulberry tree. One would think that the soil in the one area was of similar composition, but it does not appear so here.

They do make a lovely show in this hot dry weather. So cool and inviting.

Liz Needle

New Life

Well, it is nice to know that not all my blogging friends have given up on me - thanks for your perseverance Pennie.

We have been swamped by birds this Spring - not always in a positive way - see my last post about the rosellas!!  Now the Lorikeets have arrived in the district and are wreaking havoc in the orchards, despite the very expensive and extensive netting program. We hardly saw a loquat this year - and the tree was loaded. Now they have started on the quinces, despite them being hard and green.


This is probably one of the reasons why the Rosellas have been hanging around this year.

On the other hand we have babies everywhere. The front garden wrens have hatched out a brood of four and they visit the lawn each day. They provide hours of laughter with their antics. The poor little mother - quite thin and scrawny after weeks on the nest' is driven mad as she is chased by four fat babies all wanting to be fed. Not easy to get good shots as they are constantly on the move

We have discovered at least four Red-browed finch nests in the trees around the front  lawn and we are waiting with anticipation for those babies. In addition the pair of resident crested pigeons appear to be nesting, but we haven't gone looking for their nest as they are very shy.

The finches make such a big messy nest for a tiny bird.

Liz Needle - linking with Our World Tuesday and Wild Bird Wednesday.

Where has the time gone????

Oh Dear!!!

I look at my last post and it was July!!  Where have all the weeks gone? What has been keeping me so busy that I can't spare the time for my blog? I really don't know - I seem to have frittered it away. 

When I was teaching full time I seemed able to achieve so much more - was so much better organised. I got all the housework done on the weekends, I found time to keep the garden neat and tidy, I quilted, I crocheted, I got projects finished, I took photos, I read,  I went out with friends.  Now I don't seem to even have the time to keep up with my blog!! Is it age catching up with me??

I do have to admit to becoming somewhat obsessed with Lawn Bowls and my garden is looking so much better and I sleep in a lot more and I waste time on my iPad!!

Christmas is almost here. Today my daughter Jo and I spent a day in the city and actually got most of the Christmas shopping done - mind you we usually have it done by the end of November!! Christmas will be here this year - the Sydney contingent is staying in Sydney this year so it will only be nine of us for lunch. Mark is cooking (he is a talented chef) so the food is out of my hands, though I dread cleaning up the kitchen after him.

I have been busy in the garden - between games of Bowls - getting it ready for Christmas visitors. We have had a mild, wet Spring, so everything is growing madly - especially the weeds!! My only hassle has been that the Rosellas have devastated the roses to such an extent that a lot of the older bushes still are without any Spring growth.  As soon as the new shoots appear, the naughty birds nip them off . I am not sure whether some of them ( the rosellas and the roses) are going to survive. 

Everything else is growing well as you can see from the pictures below.

The irises were stunning this year!!

 This old rose is a beauty and although it only flowers once in Spring, it is a delight for the eyes while it is in flower.

One of the few roses that the birds did not touch - a Persian rose - one of my favourites.

 Exhaustion has set in. I am off to bed with my iPad and my games.  More soon.

Liz Needle