Special Moments in the Garden

This Blue Faced Honeyeater spends a lot of time in our Grevillea Billy Bonkers. I decided to set up the tripod and see how close I could get.  He ravenously flitted from blossom to blossom, so I was quite thrilled with these shots.

 

 

 

 

 

With some time to spare the following afternoon I set up the tripod again, but to snap macro shots of the irises' growing under Billy Bonkers. As I am very much an amateur with my photography, I was again delighted with these results.

 

 

 

 

 

 
           

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Walking without Margot

Due to circumstances beyond her control, Margot gave us late notice that she would not able to join in today's walk. Jenny and I quickly decided to redo the Spit walk at Main Beach, Gold Coast, so that we could all enjoy the Daisy Hill / Venman's through walk on another occasion.

Ladybird was so disappointed that Margot wasn't with us, that she refused to come out of the backpack, even though it was a glorious winter's day for walking beside the sea.

As I have done this walk on many occasions, I managed to restrain myself and not take 'x' amount of pics.
These few give the essence of the 9 km walk from Main beach to the Spit and back, along the sand dune trail. A limited time was spent on the beach even though it was incredibly inviting.

 

    Spot the blue wren which just wouldn't keep still!

Plans to sit and have lunch on the beach were ditched when a chilly wind arrived. We found a sunny spot beside the river and were entertained by seagulls as we ate. Lovely views to the hinterland.

                   

                                              

 

                   

Happiness is ....... watching the full moon set.

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Marvellous Mt Mee

It may have been 6am when I departed, 6pm when I returned and 9pm when I got home from choir, but our walk [15 k's] this week certainly rewarded us one hundred fold for any tiredness we felt.

As we finally climbed to the plateau of the D'Aguilar and turned left onto Sellin Rd for the final few k's to Mt Mee State Forest and the start of the Somerset trail, we were treated to this vista across the ranges. On the left in the far distance are the sky scrappers of Brisbane. To the north, the gorilla like Mt Tibrogargan could be seen stretching his head above the fog.
                            

What views to set the mood of the day! A day in which we were treated to a smorgasbord of sensory delights.

Sound

Birds serenaded us from the time of our arrival to our departure.  Bell birds abounded in the forest below the Somerset lookout and frogs croaked over the babbling of a tiny stream.

                       Kookaburra

Australian Magpie

Pied Currawong

 Sounds of frogs and gurgling water.

 Sounds of bellbirds in forest below lookout.

Sadly the video of the whip birds calling, wouldn't upload.

Taste

Delighted to discover wild raspberries. Very few to eat, but this one was delicious, even though Margot thought I would be poisoned. Such a rare event!
3 pm saw us enjoying our late lunch of carrot soup, mini quiches, egg and lettuce sandwiches,  brie cheese, strawberries and chocolate.

Smell

Damp forest smells, nectar of wild flowers, eucalyptus leaves, fresh mountain air!

                   

                   

Touch

Texture of peeling eucalypt bark, fern fronds, velvet of moss, ever changing ground below our feet - clay, mud, sand, rock, leaf litter, puddles.

         

                                     

                                                                    




Sight
From the moment we 1st entered the forest, the paths and vegetation were constantly changing.

Soaring trees

Tree trunks  

Ancient vines

Wildflowers

 

                               

  This is the open seed pod of the white flower. Unopened on many bushes they looked quite ugly.

 

 

                                     

Views
Somerset Dam lookout

Same view July 2011

And on trail

And throw in a little adventure......   ascending Mt Mee's 'Uluru'.

Happiness definitely is ................. walking down under with friends!!!

                                

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