House guest #2

Manny, the schnauzer is hanging out with us this week.

Remembering Miss Orlando

who went to ceiling cat a year ago. Dearly missed.

typical Cooks River scenes

New phone, new movie camera! and so now hopefully some better movies to upload. Typical scenes on the walking path by the Cooks River: A sunbathing skink.

And a White-faced Heron hunting in long grass. White balance not so good with this clip- also the phone camera doesn't seem to like the zoom. But I think it has a little lizard, which it swallows then it continues to hunt. Notice the way he shakes the grass with his feet in order to flush a frog or lizard.

House guests

Now that the weather is pleasantly warm we open the back window wall of the house in the evenings. This has meant an increase in the number of house guests.
The moth that camouflages with the kitchen tiles:

Our long term guest: the insect who loves the blinds in the lounge room and makes a strumming sound like a cricket in our ears while we watch TV:

One of the most beautiful moths I have ever seen. His camouflage of a new lillipilli or gum leaf was a bit of a waste in our kitchen:

And this house guest who arrived very late last night attracted to the lights in the living room and who couldn't find his way out. He flew around the room bumping his body in the ceiling making a dull thud. He sure is one big moth! He sound of his thumping work me up a few times last night so I was very keen to liberate him from the living room this morning. Not before getting some photos though!

garden wonders

Flowering Lillipilli Casade; the Swamp Banksia with it's massive production of flower candles; a strange cocoon, which feels very light and papery - any ideas?; and the biggest surprise- a stick insect! Maybe Ctenomorpha chronus? suggestions welcome! He was hard to photograph.

UPDATE: the cocoon is a Praying Mantis egg, which will hatch with lots of little nymphs. Thanks R.M for the info! Further update: In this very windy weather we have getting of late the cocoon disappeared.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Vanessa Berry also recently had an very amusing encounter with a stick insect in Sydney.

Hard rubbish #4

I think this was that best pile of hard rubbish for the year.

Ecountered in September on Warren Rd encountered on the way to the supermarket.
Not only was it was probably the biggest pile I have seen in Marrickville this year, but it was the best because I actually gleaned two items, and I especially enjoyed its many clashing patterns.

The 3 stoneware Mikasa plates I took home and the lovely faded draw-lining paper I did not take home.

You can't see the black&white with fluro highlighted pattern shorts and top (with shoulder pads) that I took home and gave to the stylish and vibrant Dionie, but believe me if I was 12 years younger I would have been rocking the retro 80s look.

I also would have taken the painting 12 years ago but I am now in an expelling rather than acquiring phase.

It was a close call but this pile that appeared a few days before Xmas on School Pde was a pretty interesting temporary sculpture too. I did notice that chuck outs increased dramatically in Marrickville in the week before Xmas. Check out the vintage of the TV!

Happy New Year! I hope you have luck with both gleaning and chucking!