"Company" ...

...We had company down at the riverbank today...

...For as long as we can remember - we have had their company in the quiet areas of the bush, or even, not in the bush - but in one's own back garden, where they love to eat strawberries, especially, and snails of all kinds...

...But this Sleepy Lizard with several other names, was quite a large fellow, over a foot long, and well fed, so I dare say he'd be reasonably old.. He came out of the bushland whilst we were looking for a spot to have our picnic along the riverbank and tried to make himself look scarce, but no - I had my camera and I did get a really good shot of him with his face looking into the lense - but I didn't want to give you a sudden fright - and so we have one of him looking not so fierce...I must say though, he didn't like being picked up by the back of the head, by John and moved from the middle of the road - they can get pretty cranky for sure...

...They try to look mean and nasty when one goes near them, but ofcourse that is their defence, they curl up and hiss and huff and puff, like the dragons, but really, they're just eyeing one up and down and telling you to "Get out of my way, I was here first!!"... Which we generally do...

...Where I lived as a child, they appeared everywhere along the roadsides, especially near the beaches - they seem to like travelling, to and from, back and forth across the roads, and that's not a good thing to do at any time..They like to bask in the warmth of the sun on the bush roads, and ofcourse it usually ends in a sad demise..but this fellow was quite safe out there amongst the bush today..he disappeared into the long grass and reeds down along the riverbank there...Did you notice his cute little feet?