Sunday 30 August 2015

Blazing from Winter to Spring

In no time at all it will officially be Spring here in Australia!  
It already feels like it's here with longer days, warm breezes, 
and the smell of native daphne floating on the air.
Sharing here that transition from frost-chilled orange juice for breakfast and bonfires, 
to the buzzing of busy bees around a bottlebrush in balmy Bellingen!


  the cattle were inquisitive when we cleared a fence line and had a bonfire



Crimson Rosella


Native daphne or sweet pittosporum which I read is becoming a weed in some areas.  
Sad because the perfume is delicious

flowering pear blossom 

budding tulip tree against the moon 

Australian red cedar (Toona ciliata var. australis) ~ new pink growth.  
I'll tell you more about this wonderful tree soon.

bottle brush (don't ask me which one!)


I was listening to a program which spoke about the demise of the awareness of the seasons
because so many of us have air conditioned houses, cars and work places 
and so the seasons can pass without us feeling or noticing any change.

If this is the case, then I feel very sorry for those people
but I for one will keep on seeing and sensing the seasons
 and I'm pretty sure you will too!

Bye for now


32 comments:

  1. Yes spring is certainly in the air. Love it!

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  2. Well there is no hope of us missing the seasons here in the mountains, they are so obvious in the garden. More subtle in the bush however.
    The pittosporum is a weed in our garden. We have a number of full sized trees which I have kept because like you I like them. But as a result I have lots and lots of seedlings which I have to weed from everywhere around the garden and they grow into little trees quicker than anything I know. Pear is nice, as it is one of the earliest blooms of spring. Ours has been in flower, now we are poised waiting for the cherry and full burst of spring towards the end of September.

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    1. That's really interesting to hear Joan. I never realised until today that the pittosporum was such a problem, but you have definitely corroborated that. You are right that things are a little less obvious in the bush somehow....not like full-on seasonal changes with autumn colours etc, just a gentle flow.

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  3. I would not like to live without seasons - they are the signposts to my year.
    I have a wonderful bottle brush in the garden which strangely, I am informed, should not survive our winters, but does. Mine is Callistemon citrinus
    I can feel the heat from your bonfire, and love the photo of the inquisitive cattle captured in the hazy heat.

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    1. I agree with you Rosemary, we need seasons to show us the way. Glad that your callistemon is doing so well with you, you're obviously a very good host!

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  4. That was a nice bonfire clearing up the place with wonderful pictures, especially of the cattle on the background.
    Beautiful flowering bottlebrush and the rosella, so exotic....... I looked at Bellingen, quite an amazing surroundings.
    Your spring is in the air, here we are slowly going into autumn.

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    1. Hi Janneke. Yes I hope your Autumn treats you well and I imagine you will be having some warm fires too. Bellingen is a lively and lovely place, especially now that my daughter and her family live there!

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  5. "I was listening to a program which spoke about the demise of the awareness of the seasons
    because so many of us have air conditioned houses, cars and work places
    and so the seasons can pass without us feeling or noticing any change."


    That is a really interesting point. We can insulate ourselves these days. I wonder what else we miss?

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    1. Yes, you've got me thinking now Sandi, and apart from obviously people going about their everyday, I think the night sky is something that we would miss. I really want to learn more about that...coming from the northern hemisphere to the southern there is a lot to learn!

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  6. Love your photos here Jane - the heat from the bonfire I can almost feel - and the cattle in the background - a great shot.
    Love the tree with the moon as backdrop.

    Yes I'm admitting I am somewhat of a prisoner here in summertime - longing to be outside enjoying Summer days like I did as a child in England. But, when the temps. are so high, and the humidity too, along with the dreaded mosquitoes - all of whom seem to want to take a bite of me - I stay in the a/c house, then jump in the car with more a/c, to go to the air conditioned shops, restaurants etc.
    So roll on Autumn, I'll be so happy.

    Mary -

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    1. Oh I can understand where you are coming from Mary and feel your pain. Extremes like that are indeed hard to cope with and I don't blame you at all, especially when it comes to those mozzies! Enjoy the cooler temps of Autumn coming up.

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  7. Lovely post Jane, I love all the signs of changing seasons. Couldn't imagine not enjoying them. I may not enjoy the process into hot and dry, but then I am an odd one. I love the smell of summer, the sound of galahs making their galah sound on a hot day. Or an unexpected shower of rain, then the smell of the earth after it. Rain,a rare occurrence here this year,

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    1. Yes it is dry here too at the moment, although this is our dry time so it should be expected. Our summers are the wettest time of year, but listening to you describing your hot dry summer days, I can just feel it.

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  8. Oh Jane I agree....feeling those seasons is so wonderful. I celebrate them all and have a meme quarterly for this celebration. The next one is up tomorrow on my blog if you want to join in!

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    1. Thanks Donna, I will check it out tomorrow and hope you enjoy your Autumn.

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  9. Dear Jane, it is always so interesting to see that the seasons in Australia differ from ours: in Europe autumn will start soon!
    On a general scale that shows that we tend to see only our point of view - and that it is very important to open up one's eyes and mind.
    Enjoying the seasons: yes with all our heart!

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    1. I know that you are heading for Autumn over there Brigitta, because I was brought up in England and so September, apart from being the start of the school year there, always says Autumn to me, even though I've been down under for many many years! Glad you're enjoying it too!

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  10. Not only have people become insulated from the seasons, but I hate it when weather forecasters say "it's going to be a disappointing day of rain tomorrow" when everywhere is parched and we desperately need rain. If they had their way, it would be sunshine every day.
    I can feel autumn creeping up here. Lovely to see your pear blossom as our pears are just ripening on the tree.

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    1. Oh yes I know what you mean about weather forecasters Anne. How on earth do they know what will make each of us happy? They don't and it can be very frustrating! I hope you enjoy those pears, I've no doubt you'll be doing something very delicious with them.

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  11. Oh yes! I do too. I am keenly aware that summer is coming to a close in British Columbia and just after the Labor Day weekend we will step into fall. I don't like the feel of winter. It gets too cold in Canada. As always beautiful photos Jane!

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    1. Oh I do understand Zsuzsa! Your winters are way way colder than the mild ones we experience in this part of Australia, mind you the Snowy Mountains further south so get it pretty chilly.

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  12. How moving are these images of early spring, as we are leaving summer to enter autumn here.
    I'm in love with your images of the fire. And that of the moon! Happy spring!

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    1. Thank you for your lovely words Amélie, and wishing you a happy Autumn!

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    1. I think so too Sophia, although today as I write this there is a shocking wind blowing outside!

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  14. I love spring it is always so full of fresh growth and the promise of so much more to come! It is good to share your Spring too as we head towards Autumn. Sarah x

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    1. Oh yes, that's so true Sarah, but Autumn too is a beautiful time of year when the flush of summer closes down and prepares to hibernate. Enjoy! xx

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  15. Gorgeous photos of the changing season, Jane. Love the tulip tree.
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. I love our tulip tree too Amalia, it is obviously not native to Australia but it is full of character.

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  16. Hello Jane! Nice to meet you! Thanks for stopping by my blog. It's such a weird and wonderful world that we live in where the seasons can be opposite to one another! Love your photo of the heat woven cattle! I look forward to having a look at your blog as well...cheers!

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    1. Welcome Kerry, and it will be lovely to share some of our different sides of the world together.

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