Happy Sunday ~

Hello!
Enjoy your Sunday ...

From our garden ... a little Grevillea basking in the Winter sun yesterday.
Sue xx

A little bit of what's happening in our Winter garden...

Hello!

Looking out our kitchen window, we enjoy seeing the morning sun lighting up the eucalypts on a frosty Winter's morning:


I've zoomed in on those exposed bare branches, and we can see much better that here are some Galahs enjoying the warmth of that early morning sun:

I thought I'd take a few photos around the garden.
We don't have many flowers this time of the year, but there's always something interesting.

The Camellias can always be relied on to brave the frost and smile sweetly amongst their leaves:

This Camellia is the bush that grew from the spent flower stalks from a bouquet from our late lovely elderly neighbour,  quite a few years ago now.
It's grown quite tall now,  and it always reminds me of her and the little chats we used to have over the fence now and then. 

I picked a few blooms and popped them on our table:

This is another variety of Camellia along the side fence.  It's always had a rough and ready appearance... it's got attitude!

I had to look twice when I walked past the Windflowers.  Something was occurring that I'd never noticed before:

The pods were turning into seeds... there seemed to be a soft cotton wool-like appearance to them:

So as to take some photos, I pushed an unopened one with my thumb and this is what happened:

Well, I learn something every day that's for sure.
So that's how they spread so easily around the garden.  As I watched, the breeze gently wafted some of the looser pieces away:

Another reliable Winter friend is the Abutilons... the red ones especially seem to like the colder weather:

Here's something else I'd never noticed before.
It's the eucalyptus - the Argyle Apple - the one from which I pick leaves for my flower bouquets... it's in blossom!

This is a selection of those same leaves that I found at its base - they were all from this tree and in varying stages of drying out but I couldn't get over how beautiful they are and just had to photograph them:

... one more shot 😊 :

The good old succulents can always be relied on to flower.  The bees love this one and this afternoon they were buzzing around like crazy.  Its trunk is getting really thick now:

Into the shadehouse and I'd unfortunately left the lid off the terrarium I'd made and it'd filled with water.  A bit of a drain and popped the lid back on and all will be well.  The tiny ferns seem to be thriving:

The cold weather doesn't seem to worry this plant - it's never flowered, but I keep my eye on it... just in case... perhaps one day:



Across to my stone and shell garden, the little mermaid sits very happily.  She loves it when it rains:

The Monstera is getting a new leaf and I love how they look just before they unfurl:

The crystal on my wire heart hanger was gleaming like crazy in the sun but I couldn't capture it!  Ah well, it still looks pretty.  It has hung in the garden for years now... I was sure I'd go on to make other things out of wire, but this was my one and only creation!

The Moonlight Grevillea is setting new seed pods.  I'm going to see if they will grow in a pot.  Aren't they a lovely shape:

I hope you enjoyed the little ramble.
To close I'm sharing this beautiful Winter sunset - it was the end of a really sunny day.
We're lucky to have the sunshine even when its cold I reckon:

Thanks for joining me here.  I will be on and off-line over the next little while.
We're looking forward to, and preparing for, a lovely family visit soon; and then some other matters which will take up a bit of time (all good, no problems).
So I shall catch up with each of you as I can.

Till later, cheerio and may each day be happy and peaceful...

Aloe... Happy Paint Party Friday

Hello!

Inspired by our Aloe growing in a pot on the kitchen window today....

Having fun with the watercolours... keeping it simple and loose, not overthinking,  just enjoying the moment!

"Aloe... Happy Friday"
Watercolour and inkpen

Linking to Eva and Kristin's Paint Party Friday, where the happiest of artists gather... and everyone's welcome! 

Cutie Fuzzballs having lessons ...

Hello!

I usually like to have visited everyone before I post something new, but, well, I haven't 💐

There are so many lovely blogfriends out there, all with such interesting posts to read... and I like to take my time with each one so, currently, I'm a week behind in my visiting/reading - but I eventually catch up 👓 😊 👓

The chicks are growing and we take weekly photos of their progress and this morning I couldn't resist sharing two new learning sessions in their little lives:

"The Dust Bath"

Chookie shows her chicks how to dig a nice hole in a sunny spot where the dirt/dust has warmed up.

Then she shows them how to wiggle and fluff the dirt up amongst her feathers.
One chick is keen to get in beside Mumma and have a go.  The other chick is .... "what???  no way!!"

"Here we go, jump in"

"That's the way" says Mumma.  One chick is thoroughly enjoying herself (we're pretty sure they're both hens).
The other chick is "I can't believe you want us to roll around in ..... dirt!!"

... and so the Dust Bath lesson ends - for the day.  It all happens again the next day, and the next, and so on!

"Perching"

This is Chookie's favourite perching spot... on top of the compost heap.
She can look through the wire and see what we're up to in the backyard.

So, it was no surprise to see her giving her chicks a 'perching' lesson at this spot...  but what we were surprised at was that it was happening already!  They're only 4 weeks old and their little winglets must have flapped like crazy to get up that high:

Perching is something they both love!

~ Thanks for popping by.

I hope these cutie pair of fuzzballs make you smile ~