while the temperature's rising outdoors..

 

  I've been changing the image frequently over the past hour, as the temperature continues to rise, and by the time I've uploaded this one, it's likely to have gone up again. I might be back!

 

46.6 celcius = 115.88 degrees fahrenheit

 

 I'm thinking about  hallucinating!  I keep seeing this beautiful iced-tea I sipped when at Circular Quey recently.

a duck drawing crowds

Down at Darling Harbour, Sydney, and taking part in the Sydney festival, this grand rubber duck will be resting up in this spot, through till January 23. 

Compliments to Florentijn Hofman, from The Netherlands, for his fun creation, measuring five storeys high, and wide.  According to Sydney Festival 2013,  the duck has already made its way to various cities around the world, since 2007. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Superb Fairy Wrens #2

 

 

(she's saying) check out behind, she's still there 

 

 any problem?

 

 

 

 

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday

Superb Fairy Wren

This afternoon I spent some time outdoors photographing the wrens when they came into the garden. They're the sweetest little 14 cm bird, darting about like little mice here and there and with a high-pitched trill-voice. 

Will share more during the week, but here's a favourite for starters.

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Glad I found this image nestled away under an obscure folder name; thought I'd bring it to the top again.

Location: Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria

Noisy Miners



 

Consider taking the plunge will we, won't we ...? 

 

nup, it's too early yet



 

got to do my stretches first 

 



anyone joining ME?

 

NO room for extras here!!





 

was it worth it?

Superb Fairy Wren - male

Finally!  A decent snapshot of 'the blue-boy' in the tibouchinas.

Sharing with Wild Bird Wednesday



Tank Stream Fountain at Circular Quay

Donated to the city of Sydney, by John Fairfax and Sons Ltd., proprietors of the Sydney Morning Herald ...



there are four main parts to this fountain, meandering down the square

with lots of wonderful nature's bounty in bronze

 



 

Late addition: Freeland travel writer Tim Richards, has written the best blog post detailing the history of the original Tank Stream, alongwith fabulous photos. You can read it here on Aerohaveno - a Travel Blog

Late, late addition:  About the designer, Stephen Walker

Sydney Harbourside

Meeting up at City Extra (24 hour restaurant), at Circular Quay.  Two soy mocchas and very tasty savoury muffins (bacon, cheese and herb).

the water craft came in all shapes and sizes

cruiseabout informs this ship, launched in 1995, weighs in at 50,000 ton, being one of the most spacious and luxurious cruise ships at sea accommodating 940 guests, with a working crew of 545

This special poem has remained with me since early primary-school days and this excerpt is just a snippet of the original, but seems to be the most memorable.  Embedded in the walkway, I'd never looked down long enough to discover it before. Maybe I'd simply not walked over that section of path. 

It's usually a bustling with people place, and your eyes are focussed on avoiding walking into someone, or soaking up the harbour views etc.  I was really pleased to find this plaque in honour of Dorothea Mackellar (1885-1968).

Cadmans Cottage, The Rocks, Sydney

According to National Parks and Wildlife Service brochure, this cottage is named after the third and longest serving Government Coxswain and Superintendent of Boats, John Cadman.

Government boats transported government officers around Sydney Harbour and up the Parramatta River, moved stores to Parramatta and other outlying settlements, and carried convicts to their work assignments. 

Because roads were few and unreliable in bad weather, Sydney's waterways provided the main form of transport for early settlers.  A small fleet of 20 vessels linked the settlements, including the more distant ports on the Hawkesbury River and Newcastle, Cadmans Cottage was the centre of this activity.