Back home again

We had a good holiday, a break from our normal routine, arrived home a couple of days ago.....and now it almost seems that we haven't been away!  Very few photos were taken, mostly because it's difficult to take a picture of a wide river or beach in strong sunlight, but here are some.

Who's a pretty boy then?  A male King Parrot, apparently the only Australian parrot which has an entirely red head.  Females are green with red underneath - a pair together is a gorgeous sight.

 He is rather pretty, there were three males sharing a cage with no girls to keep them company.  The pale patches on the wings glow in bright light.

 A pale pink Callistemon (bottle brush), so pale that the colour almost can't be seen - just the yellow stamens.

 The morning we left home this stunning moth or butterfly was sitting on our front lawn, so using a leaf as a 'finger' I very carefully picked it up and placed it on a rose bush, then took a couple of photos.  The spots on the wings look like drops of water, don't they?  I have no idea what it is, but it was quite large; you can see some of its tail to the right.

The gardenia did, of course, flower while we were away - but hasn't quite finished yet, so I am able to enjoy its prettiness and scent!

The music festival was good, getting together to sing and play music with friends was fun as always, and the uke group in one town where we stayed let me join with them for their monthly night at a local pub last week - so it was quite a musical holiday.

One sees some amazing sights in beach towns, you know.  Sometimes those sights are better off being forgotten, so I will spare your delicate sensibilities the gruesome details.  Just because one can wear a particular outfit doesn't mean that one should.  There is obviously something about the sub-tropical climate that makes people shed their inhibitions as well as their layers.

But not me, you will be pleased to know.  Modest as ever, that's me.  Even in the camp ground shorts.

Even the sub-tropical north hasn't been spared the dry weather of the past months; the usual lush green scenery is pale and dry.  It's raining lightly here at present with more forecast for the next couple of days, but we need several downpours to do much good.

Only nine days until I Go Under The Knife.  Erk.

"Your children will form habits of evil-speaking if they hear you deal lightly with the reputation of another - if they hear you slander or revile your neighbour.  If you wish your children to show charity toward the erring, you must set the example by the habitual exercise of that virtue yourself.  Without this your teaching will be of but little avail.  If you take pleasure in dwelling upon the faults of others, if you refuse to cover over their infirmities with the mantle of charity, your example will nullify your teaching, and your admonitions will be lost."

This is true.  However, we still reserve the right to criticise.  There is eccentricity which can be tolerated and enjoyed, and there is appalling bad taste......which makes us shudder.

Enjoy your days!