Here are the rules for the “Five Photos Five Stories” challenge: “Post a photo each day for five consecutive days and attach a story to the photo. It can be fiction or non-fiction, a poem or a short paragraph and each day nominate another blogger for the challenge. (Sporadic posting is alright if you’re unable to post each day.)
Once more I must step in to the WorldWideWeb and pluck a name for this challenge. My last time. Thus I must choose wisely…Sharon. Again…feel free to ignore my request if you will.
It is blowing a gale here and looks like rain so I will not feel guilty by hanging out inside with the computer one teeny tiny bit.
Here are the rules for the “Five Photos Five Stories” challenge: “Post a photo each day for five consecutive days and attach a story to the photo. It can be fiction or non-fiction, a poem or a short paragraph and each day nominate another blogger for the challenge. (Sporadic posting is alright if you’re unable to post each day.)
Sue Dreamwalker is quietly encouraging me to get my feet wet again with blogging by challenging me to do the Five Photos Five Stories challenge. Which could be a good thing as it may well work. I fear I have been away too long.
Tui
a song and soul on the wing,
you and I…
the music and lyrics of a spring day
as we play I spy amongst the blossoms
Well there is number 1. It may not be a consecutive daily thing. After all I am just getting my feet a bit wet in this wonderful blogging world. I have so missed you all.
I am supposed to challenge one person each time I post.
The Rules are as follows..
Here are the rules for the “Five Photos Five Stories” challenge: “Post a photo each day for five consecutive days and attach a story to the photo. It can be fiction or non-fiction, a poem or a short paragraph and each day nominate another blogger for the challenge. (Sporadic posting is alright if you’re unable to post each day.)
Please fell free to ignore my challenge if you so desire. I know how time consuming these things can be…but…today I wish to challenge the ever irrepressible Gilly. Seeing as she is such a great writer and photographer…this might be something she would consider I hope.
I may be a bit late on here…but this week I am joining in Jo’s Monday Walk.
As always with a bit of a twist.
Chevvy and I make a regular walk along the Uretara Estuary. It changes everyday. Some days I notice the scenery, some days it is the people while other days I take in the wildlife…I have even been on a ‘let’s look at the houses’ walk.
Today I am going to share what I was taken with on my latest walk…the bird life.
Two Pied Stilts in the water and on land what I think is the South Island Oystercatcher. In the photo below amongst the South Island Oystercatchers you might notice one completely black bird. This I think is the Variable Oystercatcher (Haematopus unicolor, torea or toreapango) and is found on rocky and sandy beaches. It is rare bird – there were around 3,500 birds in 1994, and they are found only in New Zealand.
South Island Oystercatchers taking off.
Racing off in the other direction I spotted some Black Swans.
A bit further and Chevvy and I surprised a flock of sparrows.
This sweet Blackbird was not at all bothered as we walked past.
As we continued I heard a familiar sound and after some searching was thrilled to spot a Tui.
For info on the tree see the comments.
Actually…a couple of them.
Just a bit further and a very hard to get close to New Zealand Kingfisher [kōtare, kotare, green kingfisher, tree kingfisher, wood kingfisher] popped up. It stayed beautifully posed on a flax plant for me.
A few paces on and a cheeky Fan-tail swooped in and settled itself on the flax plants as well.
Further along I was thrilled to see a Little Shag, also known as the white-throated shag, little pied shag, little cormorant, kawau paka, little pied cormorant having a swim.
We also have the Pied Shag whose other names include: pied cormorant, kāruhiruhi, karuhiruhi, kawau, yellow-faced cormorant , large pied shag.
Across the Uretara Stream I spotted a gathering of shags which also included a few Black Shags [black cormorant, great cormorant, kawau, large black shag].
Of course no walk along the estuary would be complete without a few ducks. One Mallard Duck thought a bit of a show was in order and set about chasing off the others.
Everyday the ducks wait…and are rewarded with a feed of bread by this lady.
The Mallards Ducks, Peking Ducks and what I think are Black Swedish Ducks come fast and furious to get their share.
And they are still at it.
Some ducks never know when to stop.
As well as the ducks the Pukekos are not shy about coming to get their fair share of the bread.
Pukekos co-exist with the other water fowl however are known for killing young chicks in their nests.
Keeping an eye from a perch high above is the White-Faced Heron…also known as the matuku moana, matuku, blue heron, blue crane, whitefaced heron, white faced heron.
As Chevvy and I headed for home…we were rewarded with a wonderful sight. Not one but two New Zealand Kingfishers just across the road from my house. The perfect way to end this wonderful walk if you ask me. I got so excited at seeing two of them I nearly peed my pants.
So I took a couple of photos…
As we crossed the road to head up my driveway…one more surprise. A Eurasian Collared Dove wandering around.
Well that’s it for my walk. I know it was long…but it was worth it don’t you think ????
Blossoms…having reverted to rather chilly mornings having blossoms as the travel theme this week brought me back, if only in my dreams, to the softer days of spring. I am missing them. Last week my fire died, well the flue part of it, and I am waiting on it to be repaired, keeping my fingers crossed the temperatures don’t drop any further until it is.
I would really love your help identifying some of these. I do love flowers, and grow a few but am hopeless when it comes to knowing what it is I have half the time.
I do know that this is a protea. hard to miss that one. No idea what type though.This is a nasturtium right ? Again…no idea what type.Help !!! What the heck is this ??So out of my league here. I found this beauty on a walk with Chevvy.I admit defeat with this one. Found in a garden in Matamata.Thought I should end on a high note. These are daisies…right ???
Yesterday I lay down in grasses green,
touching the footsteps of long ago todays,
silent they left trace, a guide between
exposed and hidden worlds, small inlays
under my hand a flutter spread, awake,
it seemed to call, and they came from near
and afar, protected, to undertake
no small business in their hemisphere,
but such a sham shelter they lay under,
makeshift at best, leading the false, foolish
are they, trusting in that hushed languor
my grace and goodwill they overembellish
a storm comes forth, high pitched and keening,
inside silence, mourn not their mute drowning.
Of all the cliches in the world ‘time flies when your having fun’, actually appears to be true !!
I have forgotten the extent of the pain I went through [actually – NO – I haven’t] that afternoon. What I know is that it was worth every minute of it.
Did I really just say that ????
The Daughter is in America today. It was a quarter of a century ago that I met her for the first time, and tonight I will raise a glass to her across the sea.
I will whisper to her that…
you are a new delight each time I have the sight of you,
and in the darkness you comfort me in the knowing
of your existence,
there is not enough laughter
that your voice can’t bring more,
there are not enough tears
that your absence doesn’t
wash over me in a flood,
there is not enough music
to carry the soft lilt of your tones
to my ears,
travel well through life
knowing your first steps
left little footprints
on my heart
Finally…a university graduate !
The Daughter holding wee Katie.
Australia
No mother has ever burst with pride the way I have with you. You are my laughter, my tears, my joy, my fears…you are a precious gift that lightens my soul.
If life ever takes it toll…remember beautiful girl…let the world hear you ROAR !!!!
