Close

I don't know about anyone else, but I agonise over crops sometimes.  I love to show intimate detail, but, in this particular instance, I also love the deeper colour of the kniphofia towards the top of the picture, and green/mauve background.

So, friends, a compromise has been reached, and there is a close crop in my extra images today.  Why I didn't think of this before?  Well, we won't talk about that.

In other news (as Mish would say), it's been busy.  This morning was a "Thank you" picnic for our local environmental volunteer groups, put on by the Government.  I'm sure it's the same the world over, but with all the funding cutbacks, and politicking that goes on, the environment would be in a dire state without volunteers.  They put on morning tea and lunch, and some talks, all in the delightful environs of Wittunga Botanic Garden, not very far from us. I'm planning to go back very soon, and do more flower photography because there is so much in flower right now.  They hold a massive collection of Proteas, amassed by the Ashby family years ago.

We did just have time to listen to a fascinating talk on bats.  Wonderful creatures.

Then, we had to leave early, to check on Mish, and secondly because the Rower's family had a Reunion lunch at another gorgeous place also not far from us called Carrick Hill.

Good job it was half decent weather for all of this - but I reckon rain is on the way.