April 2022 - Favourite uploads.

[Alan Beastall]

Live news photo shoot this evening with Documentary Filmmaker Jay Martin.  Red ’t’ Blue.

 

Alan

 

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by Alan Beastall

[cbimages]

My first upload for April, and more of the same. A female Golden Orb Weaver which has just shed her skin and still attached by a thread, then a tiny crab spider which has captured a native earwig, an Elephant Weevil and an Australian Tiger Leech - which I was happy to see on a fern, rather than sucking at my blood!

 

 

 

 

Edited April 4, 2022 by cbimages

[gvallee]

1 hour ago, cbimages said:

My first upload for April, and more of the same. A female Golden Orb Weaver which has just shed her skin and still attached by a thread, then a tiny crab spider which has captured a native earwig, an Elephant Weevil and an Australian Tiger Leech - which I was happy to see on a fern, rather than sucking at my blood!

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful, as always.

[NYCat]

Wow. Fantastic creatures.

 

Paulette

[spacecadet]

I'm usually envious,  but now I'm not sure- perhaps I don't want those guys after my bodily fluids when I step out the door

[cbimages]

8 hours ago, spacecadet said:

I'm usually envious,  but now I'm not sure- perhaps I don't want those guys after my bodily fluids when I step out the door

They're not so bad, and just trying to earn a living! I carry a pair of tweezers, so generally get to pull them off before they've had time to sink their "teeth" in! I got an ant down the back of my tee shirt the other day, bit me and it burned like crazy for ages. And yesterday I popped up from behind some bushes and startled a lady going for a walk along the forest path. After she asked what I was finding etc, she casually mentioned there was a spider sitting in my hair.

[Ed Rooney]

You two Downunder ladies, Carol and Gen, are astonishing.

[gvallee]

44 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

You two Downunder ladies, Carol and Gen, are astonishing.

 

Are we blushing yet Carol? 

Yesterday we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn going north, so we are technically almost in the tropics. There should be more insects to look at.

 

[Michael Ventura]

3 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

You two Downunder ladies, Carol and Gen, are astonishing.

Totally agree!

[gvallee]

2 minutes ago, Michael Ventura said:

Totally agree!

 

Aww, you two are smooth talkers...

[cbimages]

3 hours ago, gvallee said:

 

Are we blushing yet Carol? 

Yesterday we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn going north, so we are technically almost in the tropics. There should be more insects to look at.

 

No blushing from me Gen, and I'm a touch jealous you're getting up north, insects etc are slowing down now it's getting a bit cooler, but still stuff around, just need more work to find things. A few fungi starting to appear now, which is a nice sideways step for me. We came across a delightful little Phasmid yesterday, it'd come out early morning into the sun, and after a  while it just wandered back into the vegetation. And, just for a treat, it was there again this morning. 
 

 

4 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

You two Downunder ladies, Carol and Gen, are astonishing.

 

1 hour ago, Michael Ventura said:

Totally agree!

They sure are Gen, lovely smooth talkers, both of them! But in reality, what's a tiny leech,or ant bite, or spider wandering around in my hair, compared to the last 4 years of cancer hell. Give me the bugs any day!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gvallee]

17 minutes ago, cbimages said:

No blushing from me Gen, and I'm a touch jealous you're getting up north, insects etc are slowing down now it's getting a bit cooler, but still stuff around, just need more work to find things. A few fungi starting to appear now, which is a nice sideways step for me. We came across a delightful little Phasmid yesterday, it'd come out early morning into the sun, and after a  while it just wandered back into the vegetation. And, just for a treat, it was there again this morning. 
 

 

 

They sure are Gen, lovely smooth talkers, both of them! But in reality, what's a tiny leech,or ant bite, or spider wandering around in my hair, compared to the last 4 years of cancer hell. Give me the bugs any day!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I purposedly don't ask you for health news Carol, you share if/when you wish to, but believe me, you're in my thoughts. I know it was going to be a tough week for you.

 

Yesterday, something magical happened. We're camped in sand dunes by the Ningaloo Reef. The door of our motorhome was left open. A Tree Martin landed on top of the door, investigated us a mere metre away, and promptly disappeared inside, thinking it was a jolly good home for a nest. It landed on my pillow. We did have a horse head poking inside before, a couple of mice, a few huntsman, some frogs but never a bird!

 

Our vehicle has a stone guard in front of the windscreen. It's not always efficient in its intended purpose but super good at insect collections. We're always sad when beautiful dragonflies, huge stingers, crickets, colourful butterflies or even praying mantis come and crash into it with a mighty bang. Amazingly, occasionally, some recover and fly away. We always have a lot of takers from birds upon arrival. 

 

Edited April 5, 2022 by gvallee

[cbimages]

44 minutes ago, gvallee said:

 

I purposedly don't ask you for health news Carol, you share if/when you wish to, but believe me, you're in my thoughts. I know it was going to be a tough week for you.

 

Yesterday, something magical happened. We're camped in sand dunes by the Ningaloo Reef. The door of our motorhome was left open. A Tree Martin landed on top of the door, investigated us a mere metre away, and promptly disappeared inside, thinking it was a jolly good home for a nest. It landed on my pillow. We did have a horse head poking inside before, a couple of mice, a few huntsman, some frogs but never a bird!

 

Our vehicle has a stone guard in front of the windscreen. It's not always efficient in its intended purpose but super good at insect collections. We're always sad when beautiful dragonflies, huge stingers, crickets, colourful butterflies or even praying mantis come and crash into it with a mighty bang. Amazingly, occasionally, some recover and fly away. We always have a lot of takers from birds upon arrival. 

 

Gen, my health.......I haven't said anything, because I'm terrified I'll jinx myself. But, the news is good. Very good. At least for now. Almost unbelievable really, and I find myself struggling to get excited as I know one day in the future, I will get another kick in the teeth. The meds that I'm on, which are making me feel pretty awful, have  given me the precious gift of time. My tumours appear to have become inactive - all of them! At least the PET scan can't find them now! We don't know for how long it will work, and it may not be for long, but right now it is good. My bloods are still very high, but have dropped from 350 to 93 in just under 4 months. They need to be below 30. Both medical & radiation oncologists have been reassuring, but with the underlying proviso that things can change any time.

I love your bird story, what a treat. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall as you tried to encourage it to move out of it's "new home". Smarter than we think, our birdy friends, especially when a new "tree" arrives in town.

[gvallee]

9 minutes ago, cbimages said:

Gen, my health.......I haven't said anything, because I'm terrified I'll jinx myself. But, the news is good. Very good. At least for now. Almost unbelievable really, and I find myself struggling to get excited as I know one day in the future, I will get another kick in the teeth. The meds that I'm on, which are making me feel pretty awful, have  given me the precious gift of time. My tumours appear to have become inactive - all of them! At least the PET scan can't find them now! We don't know for how long it will work, and it may not be for long, but right now it is good. My bloods are still very high, but have dropped from 350 to 93 in just under 4 months. They need to be below 30. Both medical & radiation oncologists have been reassuring, but with the underlying proviso that things can change any time.

I love your bird story, what a treat. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall as you tried to encourage it to move out of it's "new home". Smarter than we think, our birdy friends, especially when a new "tree" arrives in town.

 

That is fabulous news Carol, so so glad! As I said, you don't have to tell us anything, I perfectly understand where you're coming from. I have a special gift to make things happen. If I say something like 'there hasn't been any traffic for the whole day'. You can be sure a car will happen within seconds. It has happened on a regular basis for a very long time. So now I know when to open my mouth. I find that this forum is full of friendly and caring people, it's nice when someone asks for news but I won't for the reason stated above, not because I'm unfeeling. 

 

I was dreading that the bird would leave a present on the bed or elsewhere. I opened the back door and he flew away through the front. No damage.

This morning, hubby called 'Gen, Gen, quick, take your zoom, there's a fairywren singing in full sunshine on top of a termite mound'. I rushed out only to hear 'but(t) you're naked!'. 'I don't care, no-one will die, or perhaps they will...' (There are a few campers some distance away). I would do almost anything for a good shot.

[cbimages]

I knew the day I was seeing the oncologist that the news was going to be OK, as when we went out "bugging", hubby parked the car in the usual spot right next to the low branch of a gum tree and I opened the door.....and there was a flutter and a phasmid flew in and landed inches from my face. I understand your "gift, as I have something similar, a sense of "knowing" things that will happen etc. Been like that since I was in my teens and it can be frightening sometimes.

Love the fairy wren story (hope you got some great shots) as it's exactly what I'd do! Clothes never made for a better photo!!!!!!!

[spacecadet]

6 hours ago, gvallee said:

I was dreading that the bird would leave a present on the bed or elsewhere.

Last year we'd opened the roof window for some air and cleaning when straight away a swallow flew in the fairly small gap, smacked into the wall and fluttered down the stair to the first-floor landing. I managed to scoop it up fairly promptly but not before it had done what all creatures do when frightened. I popped it back out, none the worse for wear, but I still suspect that the deposit on the top newel post is not, in fact, paint residue.

There is now a hawk silhouette stuck on the window.

Edited April 5, 2022 by spacecadet

[gvallee]

Point Quobba, Western Australia

Yesterday was not my day. First I fell on the rocks to get this shot and got badly bruised.

Then with my heart in my throat, I sent my drone over the edge and down to the water level. When I press Start on the controller to start filming, it did not work. So when I pressed Stop, it did start filming. I've got the whole landing operation.... Not so much the brave dive.

 

 

Hutt Lagoon, AKA The Pink Lake, Port Gregory, Western Australia

 

[NYCat]

8 hours ago, cbimages said:

Gen, my health.......I haven't said anything, because I'm terrified I'll jinx myself. But, the news is good. Very good. At least for now. Almost unbelievable really, and I find myself struggling to get excited as I know one day in the future, I will get another kick in the teeth. The meds that I'm on, which are making me feel pretty awful, have  given me the precious gift of time. My tumours appear to have become inactive - all of them! At least the PET scan can't find them now! We don't know for how long it will work, and it may not be for long, but right now it is good. My bloods are still very high, but have dropped from 350 to 93 in just under 4 months. They need to be below 30. Both medical & radiation oncologists have been reassuring, but with the underlying proviso that things can change any time.

I love your bird story, what a treat. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall as you tried to encourage it to move out of it's "new home". Smarter than we think, our birdy friends, especially when a new "tree" arrives in town.

 

Love the good news, Carol. They can do amazing things these days.

 

Paulette

[cbimages]

8 hours ago, NYCat said:

 

Love the good news, Carol. They can do amazing things these days.

 

Paulette

Thanks Paulette, I'm feeling very lucky as I was told only about 40% of women respond to this treatment, and twice the oncologist had told me to stop it due to the severe side effects, but I said I wanted to persevere. And I'm glad I have - feeling unwell most of the time is better than the alternative! And apparently some women can get quite a few months, even a year or more benefit before the cancer overcomes the treatment. My radiation oncologist told me has had a patient who got " a few years" from it, and to be careful to continue taking it, not miss a dose, and that I need to continue with the daily exercise too, as that can help. I'm going to do everything possible to stay as well as I can, for as long as I can, there is a lot of living left for me yet.

 

[gvallee]

 

 

[NYCat]

Lovely to see Kangaroos "dancing" this morning after having seen some of my favorite dancers last night at the Joyce. https://www.soledadbarrioandnocheflamenca.com I first saw them decades ago at a free outdoor show in the plaza of Lincoln Center. I was impressed by Soledad Barrio and made a note of her name and the name of the company. When they started coming every year to a tiny theater on St. Marks Place I always went to see them. One year there was a big flamenco festival at City Center with performances from many companies and Soledad Barrio got all the reviews. She is considered one of the great dancers in any form of dance. So exciting to be back at the Joyce after the pandemic shut it down. Life resumes.

 

Paulette

[gvallee]

4 minutes ago, NYCat said:

Lovely to see Kangaroos "dancing" this morning after having seen some of my favorite dancers last night at the Joyce. https://www.soledadbarrioandnocheflamenca.com I first saw them decades ago at a free outdoor show in the plaza of Lincoln Center. I was impressed by Soledad Barrio and made a note of her name and the name of the company. When they started coming every year to a tiny theater on St. Marks Place I always went to see them. One year there was a big flamenco festival at City Center with performances from many companies and Soledad Barrio got all the reviews. She is considered one of the great dancers in any form of dance. So exciting to be back at the Joyce after the pandemic shut it down. Life resumes.

 

Paulette

 

Unfortunately, this was a serious 'boxing' match. At one point, a third male even joined in. They were taller than me. You don't want to get ripped by those claws! 

[Bryan]

All these lovely shots from warm places need to be balanced by a few from the where it's grim up north.

 

 

I discovered this last evening, it was lurking within the deeper recesses of my hard drive. Taken on New Year's Day 2010.  In truth I can't recall conditions as bad since .

[spacecadet]

4 hours ago, Bryan said:

2010.  In truth I can't recall conditions as bad since .

Right. The snow was on the ground from November'10 to March 11- even here. In London.

Edited April 8, 2022 by spacecadet

[gvallee]

Heritage buildings in the gorgeous old rural town of York, Western Australia