Author: Joanne

freedom · friends · hare · summer

Where the Wild Creatures Live

Joanne4 Comments
A wild baby hare, spending the day inside, in the coolness of our shower.

We had another unexpected little garden visitor here this morning. This creature, as opposed to the frogs and cicadas, was a quiet little thing.

At first we were not sure whether it was a baby rabbit or a hare. Either way, it would not have survived the day where it was, out in the full strength midday sun, all alone.

We put the little fellow into our shower recess with a saucer of cool water, while we scoured the internet for information on him.

By later this afternoon we had concluded that he was a wild baby hare. If we tried to domesticate him, he would have no doubt died within a short space of time. Hares need to be free to survive.

We often see fully grown hares around the garden, so it would be logical to believe that is what he is.

According to the information that we read, he needed to be returned to the garden at the end of the day, when the heat of the day had subsided; to around the same place he had been found.

We found a sheltered area, with plenty of hiding places and shelter from the elements, and left him with another shallow dish of water.

It would be nice to think he will continue to survive in our garden. I’m quite happy to share our garden with all of these harmless, wild creatures.

Such a little cutie!
challenges

Weekly Photo Challenge ~ Refuge

Joanne8 Comments
We hear him, but rarely see him.

This week’s WordPress photo challenge was announced just this morning and I have what I think is the perfect photo for this week’s theme ~ Refuge.

There are times when I’m sitting quietly at home, listening to the beautiful sounds of silence in my sleepy little village, when the silence will be shattered by a sound I simply love ~ the croaking of a green frog, coming from just outside my office window.

Over the years we have traced our resident frog families sounds to behind a block retaining wall out the front of our house. We hear them there, but we never see them there!

My only sightings of our froggy friends has been a few years ago, when for reasons only known to the frogs themselves, they took it upon themselves to hitch a ride in the boot of my car! You can imagine my surprise at opening the boot of my car at the supermarket, only to find a frog inside!

Not wishing for the frog to lose its way in an unfamiliar place, I would gently close the car boot, drive home and return him to his retaining wall.

I think the frogs became adventurous about three times, always by somehow managing to get into the boot of my car.

One night a couple of weeks ago, my daughter Emma walked out the front of the house and shrieked, thinking she had discovered an unwelcome cane toad, but no, it was one of our little green friends, no doubt thinking it was safe at night to venture out from behind his retaining wall.

So here he is; one of my little garden friends who constantly brings delight to my day with his low-key vocal chords!

Shortly after this photo was taken he was gone again, no doubt having taken refuge yet again within the safety of his home, behind the retaining wall.

challenges · summer

Weekly Photo Challenge ~ Curiosity

Joanne2 Comments
Where do these stairs and pathways lead to?

This week’s WordPress photo challenge theme is “curiosity” and what a powerful word that is!

Curiosity can to lead to many a new adventure; it opens up avenues for learning new things and can lead to many new and formerly unexplored paths.

The photo I have chosen to feature today shows pathways and stairs which I have yet to explore. They only became known to me after I came home one day with a series of photos I had taken at Point Danger last month, and I spotted this little nook as I looked through the photos on the computer.

I’m curious as to where the paths will lead and how the ocean will photograph at close range, with the waves breaking around the rocks.

When the heat-haze has cleared up a bit, hopefully during next week, my trusty little camera and I will be finding and exploring the site I have zoomed in on by editing the photo on the computer.

Because, well…I’m just plain curious! 🙂

cows · daughter

Every Picture Tells a Story, Don’t it….

Joanne6 Comments

One of Hayley’s nearest and dearest is a huge, black and white fluff-ball, who has won the hearts of our whole family with his endearing ways.

This is one of the most expressive cats I have ever met in my life! When he has something to say, he says it!

Who ever said that animals can’t talk hasn’t met Hayley’s beautiful boy!

See for yourself…every picture tells the story. 🙂

I think I see something…

Way off in the distance…what is that?

Mum! Dad! Help!!

I’ve never seen anything like it!

Open the gate!
Open the gate!

Put the camera down. Can’t you see I’m freaking out???

There's no time to waste!
There’s no time to waste!

They’re taking over the world…RUN WHILE YOU CAN!

No...wait...let me in!
No…wait…let me in!

Then we can both run!

Enough with the photos!

What is this? Are you crazy?? They’re out to get us!!

You could at least open the gate!

This is serious business…are you listening to me?

I can’t look!

I’ll have nightmares if I see them again!

Oh my goodness!!

I looked! What was I thinking??

Let me in!!!

Get this gate open…now, if not sooner!

Don’t bother, I’ve got it all under control….

Did you see the size of those dogs?

Now we can make a break…run for it!!

They’re pure evil, I tell you!

Someone should have a word with the owner of those dogs, they’re way overfed!

cows · daughter · freedom

Over the Back Fence….

Joanne2 Comments
Possum

When my first child left home, rather than being the emotional ordeal some would imagine it to be, I felt very excited for her, as she embarked on the next phase of the journey of her life.

The time was right for her to spread her wings and discover the adventures awaiting her out there in the magical world of adulthood.

I knew she would never be far away from me. Even if distance separated us, she would always remain close to me in my heart.

As it turns out, there isn’t an awful lot of distance between us, as she lives only about a ten minute drive from home and I see her nearly every day of the week, as we work together!

Over the past three or four years, my girl has become more herself, rather than a reflection of the person she thought her parents wanted her to be. And it is a wonderful experience, getting to know the adult version of the sweet little girl we nurtured for so many years.

Although she has matured into becoming her own person in recent years, one aspect of her personality has remained constant throughout her entire life ~ she loves animals.

It is a regular occurrence for me to receive an email containing a photo of her latest “friend” who she has discovered inside her home or out in the garden.

The cute little possum in the night time photo above is one of Hayley’s little visitors.

Over the back fence of Hayley’s house is a large expanse of grassy paddock. In its glory days, the area was once a well kept golf course, which contained a very well known country club, well frequented by locals and visitors alike.

Somewhere over the years, the club managed to go belly-up and the area is now kept reasonably in check by a herd of cattle!

Over the Fence

Not a cow lover herself, despite her love of animals, Hayley knew I would fully appreciate photos of her bovine visitors.

As you can see in this photo, in the foreground is a small metal gate, which leads out from Hayley’s back garden into the expanse of grass, which was once the golf course.

Grazing Cows

Tomorrow I will show you a series of photos which require no words. The expressions on the face say it all! But you’ll have to wait ‘til tomorrow for the whole story.

Clue ~ the story involves the cows….and one of Hayley’s closest friends! 🙂