Olympic Drinks

The girls are basically supermodels.

 

Inside and out. Penelope is admiring the crimson rosella in the tree. Melantho is taking a closer look. The birds are fine. They're not stupid.

It's time for dark beers down at the pub.

And bubbles at home watching the Olympics as the steeplechasers hurdle the waterjump. 

Watt’le We Do Today?

No week is complete without a photo of a cat.

I am trying to teach myself to appreciate the simple pleasures of life - like bed-sheets hung on the line and dried in the sun (and then filtered through the Prisma app on my phone), parrots in the trees, and the satisfaction of pruning the grapevine.

As I may have mentioned before, I am also very lucky to live in such a wonderful part of the world, where my local (one hour) lockdown walks can lead me past little street libraries and golden wattle.

Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha) is the national floral emblem of Australia. It was formally adopted as such on the 1st of September, 1988 at a ceremony at the Australian National Botanic Gardens where the Prime Minister's wife, Mrs Hazel Hawke, planted a Golden Wattle. Four years later, in 1992, the 1st of September was officially declared 'Golden Wattle Day'.

The golden blooms against the green background are vivid and bright, heralding the arrival of Spring (also the first day of September in the Southern hemisphere) and the suggestion of a promising future. I think these connections could be used to celebrate the country and it seems to me that moving the National Day to this date could save a lot of controversy about the perception of 'Invasion Day' to make celebrations more inclusive. (And we could all do with more public holidays in the latter half of the year.)

I was therefore inspired to compose a dreadful limerick while out on my walk, which I share with you here. You're welcome.

Although it makes some of you wheezy,

Golden wattle really does please me.

And listen, mate,

To change the date

To September the 1st is easy. 

Birds and trees

On a walk around the Botanic Gardens one morning, I was bird-spotting and admiring the trees. Between the plumage and the bark, there are some fabulous patterns to be found.



Gang-gang cockatoo

I took so many photos of this galah, I was like a pa-parrot-azo!

Crimson rosellas

The Frog and Parrot (and peaches)

Meanwhile, back at home, here are some things found in the garden...

Crimson rosella

Eastern rosella

Wattlebird

Some type of frog on the window

The birds are very beautiful (and noisy!) but they devour the fruit from the trees and vines. I managed to rescue just enough peaches to make a crumble (and Him Outdoors made peach beer).



Peach and coconut crumble

Goorooyaroo

Goorooyaroo Nature Reserve is five minutes drive from our house. So we went for a walk and I continued to be captivated by the bouncing locals.



Crimson rosella

In-flight entertainment

Mother and child