Australia · autumn · clouds · mist · Mount Warning · native Australian birds · pets · rain · Tweed Valley · University

Sun and Rain

At around sunrise on Thursday morning, Mount Warning looked clearer and the crevices in the ranges more well defined than I have seen in a long time. Mist dancing across the valley floor contributed to the beauty of the view, so I took an early morning photo to capture the moment before the day grew any older.

I feed the birds their breakfast at around 7am each day, but this butcher bird must have thought he was in with a chance of an early breakfast. I told him to come back in half an hour.

Little Mr. Bowie doesn’t always mind his manners! He’s been told – several times – that the kitchen bench is no place for a cat, but when he sees a bird outside the window he simply can’t help himself! He only stayed there long enough for a photo before I shoofed him down. (There’s a tiny glimpse here of one corner of my new kitchen too. 🙂 )

Thurday was a warm and sunny day, but from Thursday morning onwards, I have been chained to my computer, writing and reading, reading and writing some more, until finally, at 10pm last night, I submitted the assignment I’d been working on. It was due by midnight, so I got it in just before the deadline.

I don’t know whether the mountain was visible yesterday or not. I didn’t stop long enough to look, but I have a sneaking suspicious it may have been hidden by clouds.

Today, we definitely have cloud, and mist, and rain. I took this last photo during the afternoon, just before the rain began. Even though the mountain isn’t clear, I rather like the effect of the various shades of white and pale grey, and the ghostly mist obscuring the greenery.

Next week I have another assignment due, plus a few other smaller tasks that need to be completed for uni. After next week, I have a couple of easier weeks before I begin work on my final two assignments for this semester. Hopefully tomorrow will be a fine day, so I can spend a few hours in the garden before I am chained to my computer again.

Australia · clouds · garden flowers · Mount Warning · native Australian birds · photography · summer · Tweed Valley

The Moodiness of Mount Warning

A slither of blueness returned to the morning sky today, just a slither, but enough to give me hope that today might just be the day the mountain would reappear, after sulking behind a wall of clouds for the past four days.

Little Hoppy (of gammy leg fame) was on standby, watching the mountain with me. I can always count on Hoppy to drop by every morning.

But wait – the Three Stooges are here as well, with clean and fluffy feathers after several days of being washed by the rain – repeatedly.

Not to be outdone, baby magpie waited patiently for me to turn around and take a photo of him as well.

Meanwhile, the mountain remained mostly hidden for most of the morning.

Early in the afternoon, most of the cloud cover had disappeared. Seeing the beautiful vivid blueness of the ranges is good for my soul, even if a few clouds lingered.

Less than an hour later, we had a complete mountain view!

I kept on checking the mountain today, and she was full of surprises. At dusk, even though she had caught a few clouds again, the setting sun’s dazzling rays shone across her lower ranges.

Quite a few daylilies appeared today, so while I had my camera in hand, I thought I’d better preserve some of their splendour. They are called daylilies for a reason, and will be gone by tomorrow.

During the few short minutes while I had wandered off to visit the daylilies, the mountain had changed again, this time darkening in preparedness for nightfall. Today, however, Mount Warning had one last treat remaining …

Goodnight mountain. ❤

 

Australia · garden flowers · gardening · in my garden · Mount Warning · native Australian birds · summer · Tweed Valley

Around the Garden

Little Hoppy – of one gammy leg fame – stood nice and still on his healthy leg this morning while I took a photo of him. I had run out of fresh meat and had to thaw a batch from the freezer in the microwave, and he was very patient indeed.

Baby Magpie simply looked bewildered. If he could speak, I’m sure he would stamp his claw and demand his breakfast. 😉

The weather appeared to be threatening rain all day, but when no rain had fallen by this afternoon, I ventured outdoors to pull out a few weeds. All the rain we have been having has encouraged a new crop of weeds in several patches through my garden beds, so I’ve made a start on getting rid of a few. I also dead-headed my flowering plants. This rose bush still has several fresh roses on it, so nothing needed to be removed from this plant. 🙂

I had my iPhone in the garden, so took a photo of the valley from the top of the garden with my phone camera. There’s really nothing going on down in the valley today except heat haze or mist, but as always, I can’t complain when it is not an overly hot day.

We are having rather a mild summer this year! 🙂

Australia · clouds · floods · in my garden · Mount Warning · native Australian birds · subtropical weather · summer · Tweed Valley

Every picture tells a story.

There was no sign of Mount Warning today, not even a tiny glimpse.

 

One lonely Butcher Bird sat in the shelter of the back veranda for ages, while the rain pelted down for most of the day.

 

Even though I told this kookaburra that there was plenty of room on the veranda to share with the Butcher Bird, he insisted the top of the clothes line suited him just fine!