Forgotten garden

My poor garden has been well neglected these past few months..and before i know it my Irises have bloomed by the dozens and i had almost missed out on their beauty.

Ironic that my photography is all about capturing those beautiful images and yet between computers and practical aspects to getting my images out there for a market place i am losing myself in a less than natural place..

My back is still trying my patience as i found today when wandering the property , trying to manage cameras and gear and being mindful of where i was stepping because of  snake season, well i am paying for it tonight..

But this afternoon as i looked out the window i spotted a stumpy tail..he was happily munching on weeds that have flourished in the barren dirt we laughingly call grass!

I went out and took some shots of him..all the time wondering why i was having a hard time focusing..and why i was having to get so close to him to get what i wanted..it was not until i spotted just how many Irises i had that i realised..i had the micro lens on..seriously..really..good grief..between that and this mornings episode of no sd card in my camera and wondering what was going on!

Yes it appears i have spent so much time on developing my photos that i have been sitting on my brain!

The good thing was that the shots i took of the Irises are lovely..go figure 🙂

So be not afraid..the Stumpy Tail is  NOT  a snake..believe me there is a lens for our Eastern Browns and it is called Brutus! my lovely  500mm telephoto that will keep me at a safe distance!

I have kept the Stumpy Tail pictures to last for folks who freak out over them 🙂 ..the last shot he is headed in a drain pipe i sure hope he comes back out..i have been worried all day! i am sure he will he has a girlfriend who has made a nest under the mulch in my fig garden 🙂

So my garden today..a nice place to get away from technical nightmares..

And a song from my youth that i think is appropriate 🙂

 

 

 

 

Iris in bloom

 

 

Iris in the sun

 

 

Purple Iris

 

 

 

Captivating Iris

 

Stumpy Tail and the weeds

 

How rude!

 

 

 

Such a sweet prehistoric face and love those feet!

 

Really..dude has a ‘tude!

 

 

I am amazed at the ancient faces on these sweet lizards

 

Bye bye mate

A little Friday Therapy

There are times a girl just has to grab her camera and hit the road..and that is exactly what i did yesterday.

I needed to get out and get some therapy and nature is my therapy.

I read and article our friend Brian’s Dad Terry had shared about nature and the health benefits..of course i know this ,but it was a good reminder that maybe now ,when i least felt like it, was a good time to get out and absorb some of that natural therapy.

So i headed to the Canola fields again, the skies were dark and gloomy which was perfect..i really wanted some action in the sky.

Of course as i drove, in total 179 kilometres, the sun came out..but like life itself the skies changed..at times bright blue ..really vivid blue with puffy white clouds,then they would come over grey or almost black.sun peeking through.

It was a perfect reminder that nothing stays static.And that change can bring good things to us also.

So i found several fields,some down badly pot holed roads..well really pot holes with some gravel road attached!

I love the sense of freedom that i can just drive..no real destination often following the skies or distant vistas.

I would pull my car over get out open the boot and out comes the step ladder..and the tripod and of course my dear friend the camera.

There i am 54 years old with a tripod over 6 foot high precariously perched outside a farm fence..a step ladder and up i go..what a sight!

Farmers drive past very rarely but the customary nod or wave and off they go.

The sun was so lovely when it came out..the breeze was warm and scented and almost like a summer evening..and the sights were glorious.

And so i sit or stand atop my ladder taking pictures of the things that make my heart skip a little beat..the things that fill my eyes with joy and my body with energy..these are the gifts we get that cost nothing and give so much..a farmers back breaking work provides me the therapy i need.

Before i leave you to hopefully feel some therapy from these images i want to say thankyou for the wonderful feedback from my little venture i am starting.

Monday i shall be mailing the card sets to the winners..and soon i hope to have the finalised details of what i am planning..

As always please enjoy my day out with me..the bonus is your butt will not get numb from all the driving i did !

Loves Fozziemum

I love the different contrasts here

Crouching down to see what i could see

You know me and lone trees

Neatly lined up

Clouds coming in

Skies changing moods

Taking over the shot

Views to sooth the soul

Again contrasts make views interesting

Heading to where..i was winging it

Rust and gold

I hardly touched this is processing..amazing colour

I know this is technically weird but love this anyway

Expanse

Like a painting

Lovely

What the field is all about precious Canola

Then white..not Canola but just as glorious

Fields of beauty everywhere

Those skies ever changing

Close up of the white field flowers most likely fodder

Farm gates cannot keep the beauty from escaping

Tracks through the crops

The trees look very ominous against the vivid crops

Such a lovely sight

I made a Uturn so i could take this shot.i was so happy to see these sweet lambs

Life returning to the landscape

Yesterday was beautiful..too nice to be home on the computer..so off i went dragging hubby along…well not really we love going off on jaunts!

I had been to these places a few weeks ago in my 260 kilometre search for inspiration..well to say a few weeks makes a difference is an understatement!

We have had some rain..not a lot but some and it seems that the fields all over our state are saying thankyou..what a sight to drive and drive and see nothing but gold and green..far and wide..sun shining down..sky blue..puffy white clouds..a gorgeous day for the eyes and the spirit.

 

Add to this a lunch break at a country bakery with great food and coffee and i am one happy girl.

And now the pictures hubby took yesterday may make some sense.

Enjoy the Canola..as it turns it’s blooms to the sky and show’s the beauty of our farming landscape.

 

 

 

Hidden by Canola

 

Perspective fun

 

I cannot go past those lone trees

 

Drained of almost all water yet lush beyond

 

Green and Gold the colour of our great country

 

Skies and fields

 

Whispy Clouds hang gracefully over Canola fields

 

Odd shapes of twisted trees frame the fertile fields

 

Fun with panoramas

 

Going for Gold

 

 

 

Spring and the feeling is sunny..

Well we have been so lucky to have some beautiful days this last week..just as i thought Spring had given us the slip..the nights are cold..and in the shade it is still cool with the wind ripping at you now and again to remind you that Winter still has some scores to settle.

But when the sun comes out it is glorious..and it seems all manner of creatures are enjoying those moments.

Yesterday i looked up from the kitchen window to see a small mob of roos having a snooze out the front..i grabbed the camera ,snuck the pups in the laundry so as not to start barking..and then in what can only be described as a military operation i snuck out the side door..

Ok so i have my glasses on a chain..on and off all the time..but for photography i do not use them..so i swung the chain backwards..so they would not clack on my camera.and slunk down the steps..went around to the side steps and then..yep…belly crawled along the verandah..bare in mind i look like an idiot..a common occurrence for me…and inched my way along the verandah until i could get to a good vantage point.

Now the reason for this is not what you may think…yes i want to take a picture..i can’t help it..but the real reason is they were so enjoying the sunshine.

They were grazing ,some were sleeping..and so i did not want to disturb their enjoyment.

As it turns out they were less than concerned and when i was spotted they were as always wary but not distressed.

We have it seems three young Mum’s at the moment…all with Joey’s in pouch and one with a young Joey at foot..a couple of young but strapping boys too..and they all look healthy so i am very pleased..

Mum has a snack while Joey just hangs out  in the pouch

Goodness Mum has her pouch full with this Joey!

Mum Joey at foot and one on board

A face to make your heart melt

Such lovely family groups

Mum wants to go one way..Joey the other

So as you can see Spring is here now and all creatures are glad..and as for how ridiculous i look trying to get these shots..well here are some shots Hubby took today as i took him on a road trip far and wide..yes..i must look like an idiot ..but hey i have fun 🙂

Have a super weekend guys..tomorrow is Father’s Day here and so a big shout out to all those Dad’s out there..human and non human 🙂

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Forgotten Spring

Seems Mother Nature has forgotten Spring…as beautiful as Spring is i have found this extended Winter brings it’s own beauty..

A mere 15 minutes away from home and i can find a reason to be thankful ..i can stop on a road and capture the glorious landscape..

I can breathe in the cool fresh air..see the clouds and mist gently envelope the mountainside and feel free..

• It has been brought to my attention..thankgoodness..by my friend from MELBOURNE Leanne Cole that indeed we have winter until first of September..no idea why i got it in my head it was Spring..i was sure i heard somewhere it was…Holiday ..STAT! 🙂

Forgotten Spring..remembered Freedom

Spring on the wing

Spring is such a wonderful time …as busy as I am ..and I am up to my neck..i have been making an effort to really indulge in the changes around the property..in doing so I have spotted a few new species of birds that have made an appearance… become entranced with the Stumpy tail family that has taken up residence in my garden and have been loving the incredibly large group of bees that are collecting pollen from one tree in particular..

So today I am showing those avian friends that are busily preparing for or raising young…I hope you don’t mind the change from the Roos..

 

Busy bees

Superb fairy Wren

Dragonflies

Welcome Swallow

Horsfields-Bronze Cuckoo

Red Rumped Parrot

Kookaburra

Mistletoe

Spring and the lizards are enjoying the garden

Well I was pretty excited yesterday..i spotted a Blue tongue lizard while I was making a coffee..grabbed the camera and off I went..he was beautiful..not happy with me bursting in on his sunbathing though…I took some pics..guided him off our driveway and came back in..

Blue tongue

Enjoying the sunshine

Later as I was heading out to the shops I found two Stumpy Tail lizards heading towards the garden..i went and grabbed the camera again and spotted a third one! talk about a busy yard!..

Two Stumpies heading to the garden

The lush garden full of snails is the big drawcard for the lizards

I love this ones dark colouring

This big one heading into the garden with a snail in it’s mouth

Eventually one of the Stumpies headed off back to the bush…and then this one did the same thing..off through the fence..

Off back to the bush

So later in the evening when I was watering the garden I spotted a small burrow in the sugar cane mulch…

A little burrow

I had a peek and it was the darker Stumpy..but guess what….
Yep this dark Stumpy was not alone….

Baby Stumpy!

So the darker one is a mum! and this little guy was in the burrow with mum..

What a busy busy garden!

Baby was very light in colour so different to mum!

So it seems we have four Stumpies in residence..and because the pups and kitties are all out the back I have no worries about them sharing the garden..i won’t need snail pellets at all now!
Just have to watch for snakes..they all like the same thing..

Springing into the week

Thought i would share with you all some of the spring colours that are arriving here at Samovila..after such a cold Winter and some really nasty frosts it is lovely to see life is coming back into my garden.

We have not had enough rain at all and so i am already watering..it does not bode well for Summer….but we are having some lovely warm days and sunshine and myself and the animals included are making the most of sunpuddles and pretty colours..soon enough it will be hot hot hot and brown…

So let’s spring into the week…

Hellebores also called Christmas roses..rallied after a beating by the frosts

These Ranunculus are all starting to bloom….they were planted mid winter and I thought they had died

Wee little and wee wee little look after my pots on the verandah

Wanted to add a dash of colour in the back while we clean the mess and get the Catio organised..so these will hang along the length of the fence

The beautiful but deadly Euphorbia..the sap is what is used in poison darts! when the centres get little pods they pop out and you wonder what the noise is..but they shoot up everywhere..so I have been pulling them out even in the backyard..nature makes sure she finds a way to procreate!

Irises line the length of the front garden and the back..they are all doing really well despite severe frost bite..i have been pruning all the frost bitten plants and now they are happy again

Doc enjoying the sunshine

I planted these daffodils and have had a 100 percent success rate so I am really happy

Forrest enjoying the sun too

The mystery fruit tree..with the first little blossom ..small fruit fuzzy like apricots..ripe when green and taste like peaches..we call it the peachnectaapriplum tree …

Pickles getting a sunpuddle on her sweet little feet after her big week..

One of my greatest loves..the Grape hyacinth

Felix and Oscar enjoy a bit of free ranging before they head to the back paddock ..Jock was somewhere eating my wattle trees when I took this..

Plum tree blossoms

Cleo in with the flowers hiding behind my Fig tree..

Dinnermintz getting her sunshine fix on the verandah

Wild on Wednesdays

Today was overcast..windy and very gloomy..in all I saw three roos today..even they have headed to shelter it seems..so I packed the camera and headed to a local Reservoir called Crusoe..

Here are some of the pictures I took today..not all brilliant as the lighting was shocking…and since my eyes were on birds..of course that adds to the complexity of getting a good shot…bad lighting..fast moving erratic creatures..wind…oh and a head ache 😉

Rufous Whistler

Black Pacific Duck..showing me his rear end

Welcome swallows had a nest under this floating pontoon

A section of pathway showing egg and bacon plants wattles and gums

Yellow Tufted Honeyeater

Grey Currawong

Caterpillars eating their weight in gumleaves

Monday Morning Visitors..

So busy and trying to catch up..so a quick series of cute shots from this morning…first day of Spring…and this mum and her young male joey were enjoying some grasses in the rain…she.. as you can see.. has another wee joey in her pouch…which remained out of sight…