This week I have been spending time in the garden with the Garden Gnome. Not actually gardening mind you, but enjoying what is there.
Of course I had to take photos. It’s what I do. 😀
Spring is here and my garden is coming alive. Much of what I found in the garden this week is often overlooked as we go about our daily lives. It’s the little details that we often don’t see due to the bigger picture.
And it is beautiful.
The Diva moved outside with us for a little while and lay watching the world go by.
I put the macro lens on the camera and strolled into the sunshine to photograph the bees on the flowers of the Lime tree.
Apparently getting close to the bees with my 60mm macro cramped their style a little so I didn’t get too many decent shots of them. However other bugs were more than happy to pose for me.
When the wind blew up and made photographing the tiny flowers extremely difficult, I retired to our entertainment area/shade house where the Garden Gnome was watching the birds.
It appears we have a pair of Willy Wagtails who are scouting the area for new lodgings in which to rear their young. The male and female spent the morning bringing in spider web and began building. The GG placed a covering over the area of the shade house they had chosen because it wasn’t very waterproof. We’re not sure if they are going to go ahead with their building plans though as construction seems to have come to a bit of a standstill for now.
The Blue Wren and his mate appear to have developed a fondness for the mirrors on the wall of the shade house and spend a lot of time hovering in front of the largest mirror and pecking at the glass. They are such timid birds but ones that I love dearly and I have never been able to get a decent shot of one. Until now.
Unfortunately my zoom isn’t huge so I have been working on getting them used to my presence so I can move a little closer each day.
I am trying to make an effort to go into the garden each day and explore further. This morning, I went out just after sunrise (before the wind blew up) to see if the bees had woken up yet. No bees but I did discover my Irises in the front garden have come out and that the Fig tree out back is beginning to bud.
I also discovered tiny flowers on the Kangaroo Paw. All this time I thought that the Kangaroo Paw was the flower but discovered this morning that I was wrong.
My garden is looking pretty and I love it right now even though the roses are still to flower and my tulips are thinking about whether they want to flower as well. Even the greenery is looking beautiful. Birdsong is prevalent throughout the day and the sun is warm. Ahhh Spring.
We are also moving into storm season now and the storm chasers (a bit different to the tornado chasers in the U.S.) are already posting their photos of lightning bolts on social media. I took this last photo the other evening. The storms all went around us but still provided me with stunning cloud to photograph.
I have been so blessed this week and spending time in the garden has been wonderful. And when I get off the computer right now, I am going out to enjoy the sunshine on the garden bench beside my water feature. Thankfully, it is out of the worst of the wind.
Have a blessed day. 🙂
Such a gorgeous garden!! And a Wiily Wagtail, such a fun name. 🙂
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The Willy Wagtails are fun birds. I guess that is how they got their name. They twitch their tails and dart here and there. I’m sure there are many people who love watching them. 🙂
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Beautiful pictures! You would not want to photograph my garden. It was very sad this summer. LOL I always have good intentions though.
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I have a Garden Gnome lol
Truly. It’s why the garden is so gorgeous. I make suggestions but he implements them. 🙂
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I’ve just come in from the garden Suz, been working like a Trojan. Feeling good too so it’s easy work. Your place looks great, we get very few small birds here too many predatory birds around. if you want to catch them bees, up your exposure time to at least twice your focal length or more. That’ll bring them up clearer. Great pics Suz, love em.
Cheers
Laurie.
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I’m so pleased that your feeling good Laurie. Do you think the change in the weather has helped with that?
I know that this week I have felt a whole lot more positive than I have over the previous weeks.
Thanks for the advice on the bees. I was shooting on AV so my shutter speed is automatically selected however I was manual focusing my macro lens which slowed things down. The bees either flew to the flowers over the back (too far away for my macro) or flew too fast. lol
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Thanks Suz, it’s good to feel good. A couple of factors are at work here: Lorelle has me eating better, no unhealthy snacks etc and more good, fresh food. I’m now sleeping solidly for the first time since Vietnam. I now get 7 hours straight, it’s fabulous. I use back focusing on my camera, so I can focus on a flower and wait until a bee comes along, especially when they’re flitting everywhere. Then I snap the bee. I’ll use manual focus if I’m using the tripod. Then it’s easy peasy, focus on flower, wait and snap using the remote. I get my best macros using 500mm lens, it keeps me away from the subject and the glass is better than the lenses that came with the camera. I’ll use AV for stationary subjects but prefer manual mode for things like bees and flies etc.
Cheers
Laurie.
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I find that eating better certainly helps. I have tried to eliminate as much sugar as possible from my diet (but still need a biscuit or two each day) and I am juicing and making smoothies. I find juicing is great for getting those vegetables into me. lol
I’m pleased you’re sleeping better. That has certainly got to help.
I generally find that if I am using my zoom, I get better bee photos but the other day I was using my 60mm macro so it was up close and personal or nothing. lol
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Can’t go wrong with good food, sleep and being loved. 🙂 What’s the best camera to use for a bee shot? The one you have in your hand at the time. 😉
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That’s the second time this week I’ve heard that lol
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Beautiful Beautiful! Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting 😀
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Thank you so much for sharing Suz. The photos are beautiful.
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Thanks Paul. I’m glad you enjoyed them.
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Love, love all of them but the yellow daises (?) took my breath away, how wonderful Sue, what a beautiful garden and perfectly done. I am so jealous, I need to get me a macro and try my hardest to live up to your standards 🙂
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I love yellow flowers. They are so incredibly happy. Our garden isn’t that big but when you are focusing on small parts of it with a macro lens, it brings it to life.
Thanks for the comments on the photos Karen. I would never say that I set the standard with a macro lens because it’s hard work trying to learn how to use it. lol
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Spring is my favorite time in the garden, going outside and finding something new peeking out of the ground each day. It gives me a feeling of energy and optimism. We are heading into fall, which has its own beauty, but it creates a different mood for me, more reflective perhaps?
Great photos!
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I love Autumn as well. The depth of colours in colder climates are truly stunning.
But Spring? Spring has days that are neither too hot nor too cold and nights that are pleasant. It is the perfect time of year for me. 🙂
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It’s delightful to have friends in the other hemisphere. Just as my garden is waning, yours are coming to life! What a pleasure it will be to watch gardens grow while blankets of snow cover everything here! 🙂
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I hope to get out and about a lot more in our garden Joey and share some more photos. Especially if the Willy’s ever finish building their nest. 🙂
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I love these images Sue. So pretty! That Diva though……oh my gosh….I could just pick her up and smother her with kisses! What a gorgeous shot! Have you seen that Mr. Bowie blog? I’m sure that Diva and Bowie are related. 🙂
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I can’t say that I have seen that blog Laura.
We all wish that we could pick her up and smother her with kisses but it just can’t be done. Unless you plan on losing an eye. 😉
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LOL
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Thanks for linking to me. I really enjoyed your spider photo and believe me, I can’t stand spiders up close. lol
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Powerful and beautiful photos and subjects. Thanks.
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Thank you Mona. 🙂
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What a lovely garden. Spring is my favourite season. Sadly, here in the UK we are coming into autumn.
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I too love Spring (and the early days of Autumn before it gets too cold). They are ‘just right’. I hope you enjoy your Autumn before the cold really sets in.
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Such a peaceful sounding place. I loved the bird photos…and of course, Her Highess.
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*Highness
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Oh Her Highness hates to be left out of anything. If we leave her inside, she gets on the window ledges and reminds us of our transgressions. 🙂
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What a lovely tour through your garden. I’m so glad that you had such a lovely week and found so much contentment in the garden.
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Thanks Laurie. It is certainly a peaceful place to spend an hour or two.
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A pleasure to linger in your beautiful garden Sue, great pics.
I have a canon 400d and still can only operate by auto.
Will have to learn its capabilities one day for the close ups.
My outside night shots dont work at all on auto.
Regards
Emu aka Ian
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Outside shots are the hardest to get. I find I need a tripod and then I still luck out most of the time lol
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