There's still a Spring in my step

The paddocks near our house are beginning to change from green to a pale browny gold colour, as we near the end of Spring in the Adelaide Hills.

View of our paddocks browning off

Our garden is still looking lovely though, and a thrill runs through me as I wander around, taking in the sights and smells of our unruly but lush (at present) garden.

Roses, lavender, viburnum,  chrysathemum, geranium, plumbago, etc. etc.

Red Geraniums

Throughout Spring I've tried unsuccessfully to capture with my little digital camera the vibrancy of the new life all around me.

David Austin's Graham Thomas rose

Nevertheless these pictures still give a little glimpse of the prodigality of the season and its Creator.

Tequila Sunrise

Purple irises with Golden Celebration rose

Mystery rose (root stock from a dead Abraham Darby, I think)

Evelyn,  another David Austin rose

The Children's Rose

Mr Lincoln rose

Roses are my favourite flowers and our garden reflects this,

but everything living, growing thing has its own glory - even the weeds that share the garden beds with the plants we want there! 

Seduction rose accompanied by select weeds!

Jasmin bush covering a fire sprinkler

Apricot Nectar rose

Soon we will take on the challenge of keeping the garden alive through the warmer months, and I will dream of cooler weather again. But for now I will just drink in the beauty around me, and be thankful for today.

Another mystery rose

P.S. Guess who I found while I was wandering in the garden just now? Kelvin (I name all visiting koalas Kelvin) was grunting away in a tall gum tree just outside our house fence, so I just had to share him with you too. I am a blessed woman!

Kelvin poses for the camera

Spring has sprung!

What glorious weather - I love spring! All around us is evidence that here in the Adelaide Hills it has finally sprung. Outside the sun is shining, and up the hill I can see our neighbour's horses contentedly grazing on our pasture, basking in the sunshine.

Honey, Moni, and Sassy posing nicely for me

A symphony (or cacophony) of happy birds surrounds me, and the bird baths are getting a real work-out, with White Naped honeyeaters doing laps of the pool, watched by their mates,

White-naped honeyeaters - very polite birds.

 and New Holland honeyeaters simply revelling in a wonderful splash around!

New Holland honeyeaters - they are such characters!

Driving up our track to the road I come across a neighbour's ewe with her newborn lamb. This protective mother kindly allows me take some pictures of her precious baby.

What a gift is new life!

My neighbour Sharyn, Tuska the dog and I head off for one of our regular walks on this beautiful day.

Tuska and I blaze the trail

Yours truly

Native Grevilleas in bloom

Through the bush the spring wildflowers are just beginning to emerge, and on a day like this it's just good to be alive!

Three ducks in a row? No, three Sulphur-crested cockatoos!

Then on the way home, down our track we come across three cheeky Sulphur-crested cockatoos, feeding on nutgrass.

 Mmmm! Nutgrass - it's the best!

and as I approach our side gate, I pass the beautiful rosemary bush in full flower, intermingling with viburnum. What a day!

WELCOME TO A NEW FOLLOWER

A warm welcome to Ana Garcia, who has just joined the little company of friends who follow our blog. Ana makes the tiniest and most exquisite porcelain mini babies. Her blog is misminipekes.blogspot.com

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY!

It's hard to believe we still have another month of winter to go - this week has been so mild in Adelaide that we're out of overcoats and hats and into the warm sunshine. Our prunus tree thinks it's spring already, and is in full bloom. Because of the lovely weather I have finally started to tackle the winter pruning of roses and fruit trees - hope I haven't left it too late.




On Monday afternoon, while out in the garden I glanced up the hill and caught sight of our neighbours' horses enjoying the weather too.

Bella the silky terrier

On furry matters, a dear friend recently adopted Patches* the bunny as a companion for another dear friend who lives alone, having lost her beloved Bella (a silky terrier) some time ago.


Patches (yielding to chocolate temptation)

When Patches was with me she behaved herself impeccably, and was a fine example to my other critters. However, I'm afraid she must have witnessed too much chocolate being consumed in her presence by yours truly, because she has acquired a taste for it too. I received a report via SMS tonight (complete with pictorial evidence) that she is up to mischief, as you can see, raiding her new mother's chocolate Smarties!

Patches (a fine example of good bunny behaviour)

* I created Patches from a Monica Spicer pattern, with her kind permission - thank you, Monica!