Wednesday, May 20, 2020

KING PARROTS RULE


Hello from the Red Cardinal Nest...
Suddenly it is three weeks since I posted.
We have been busy in lock-down....


This morning we were greeted by a flock of about a dozen beautiful King Parrots.
They are a shy bird, very unlike the lorikeets which usually come.
Previous to this, we have only ever seen one pair at our bird feeders..


As so often happens with birds, the bright red one is the male, and the females are a dull green with a bit of pink.


They seemed hungry, but were suddenly frightened off by the arrival of a single cockatoo..


Since my last post we have been busy with the garden, and the lettuce and tomatoes are looking hopeful...

The snow peas, shallots and capsicum plants are also growing, and we hope for a little harvest one of these days.


Violas are easily grown once we have Autumn weather..


It was an unusual Mother's Day for us this year.
For the first time, there was no sighting of one of our children.
However, we had a fun Zoom meeting with them all, and a beautiful lunch from our local restaurant, the Wild Canary, arranged by our son.
We just had to drive by and pick it up, all boxed up with a red ribbon:




It was a beautiful feast, and enough to save for a meal on Monday..


Our daughter arranged delivery of a sweet African violet, with a Liberty handkerchief and luxe soap...

We were thoroughly spoiled...


Like most people, we have been doing a little more baking during this quiet time.

The result is we need to do a Lot of Walking.
We have tried several new places as restrictions ease and we can travel a little further.
A couple of long walks by the Brisbane River were nice..


Best of all was a drive to the sea, at Shorncliffe on Moreton Bay.
We walked along the cliff tops, and the fresh air was absolutely wonderful.




Looking down to the Shorncliffe Pier..


the beach at Sandgate..


There were quite a few families walking and having picnics, but there was plenty of space to maintain social distance.

Nobody goes near the picnic tables and bins supplied in the parks..

Now we all find a clear spot, and bring our own folding chairs and picnic basket. 
I felt very safe as we sat having our lunch in splendid 'isolation' looking over the bay...


A little late this year, our Snowbush has bloomed, heralding Winter just around the corner on 1st June.

It is nice to begin snuggling down in winter jumpers, boots and leggings, and wearing jeans again.

Time passes, and I have been busy doing some online staff training with the Art Gallery.  They are hoping to reopen some time soon, although no doubt it will be in a very different context.
We do not know when guided tours will be resumed and I will go back to work.

Be safe, keep baking and walking, and maintain the distance.

XXXXX




24 comments:

  1. Lovely pictures! A breath of fresh air for your readers, too.
    Greetings from locked-down California,
    Gretchen (aka stashdragon)

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    1. Hi Gretchen. Glad you enjoyed. Fresh air is what we all need these days, isn't it. Cheers.

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  2. Always so lovely to visit your world darling! I see you have been doing many of the same things we have here in Southern California! Although I have never seen King parrots here! Thank you for sharing the beauty from Brisbane! xox

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    1. We really are united around the world currently. The King parrots were a real treat, as I have never seen a flock like that before. They are very shy and hide in the bush. Perhaps the quieter times have brought them out. xox

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  3. What fun to have such stunning King Parrots visiting you, they really do look very exotic.
    Great idea receive that meal in a box courtesy of your son from Wild Canary, and the other lovely box from your daughter too.
    Hope your lettuces, tomatoes etc all grow well for you, and I'm hoping mine do the same for me too.

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    1. They really are beautiful birds, and not at all normally seen in suburbia. We loved the King Parrots.
      Fingers crossed for our home grown salads :)

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  4. Those parrots are incredibly beautiful!
    We have been enjoying the sunny days and walking along the seafront.
    Picnics are the easiest and safest way to meet with family and friends. We have had a couple of "happy hours" in our garden with distance between the chairs.
    How lovely that you were treated to dinner and the gift of flowers, that hankie and soap. Very thoughtful of your children!
    XO

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    1. Sunny days along the seafront are just wonderful. It must be so nice for you to access it so frequently. Today we had our first 'happy hour' as you describe, with our younger son on his birthday. So pleasant after all this time in iso. We both have nice children. xo

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  5. Hello Trish! The parrots are so beautiful!! What a sight. And I'm so happy you were still spoiled and able to make the best of your Mother's Day. 😊 Your flowers look like they're doing beautifully. And what a gorgeous place for your outing and walk! Loved the pics. I pray that you continue to stay safe and that the rest of your week is blessed. 🙏 ❤️

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    1. Hi Carrie, I hope those birds come back. It was so exciting to see these secretive and shy birds and their red is just brilliant. The coast where we walk is now much quicker for us to access due to the building of cross-city tunnels. I think we will do it quite often. Be safe. xx

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  6. Hi Patricia wow what beautiful birds ,all your pics are beautiful ,thankyou for sharing them with us my friend .How thoughtful of your children ,such beautiful gifts,take care and stay safe Patricia xx

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    1. Thank you, aren't those parrots beautiful...glad you liked them. Be safe. xx

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  7. A whole load of red birds to go with your title! And what lovely gifts from your children - I would certainly appreciate a meal from a restaurant right now! You live in a beautiful place, open spaces, river and sea, how lovely.

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    1. Yes indeed, I do love a bright red bird. Queensland is a beautiful place, and we are fortunate to live in a particularly pretty semi-rural area.

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  8. How lucky DD is being visited by the lovely King Parrots. Hope you enjoyed the seashore - I was so excited to see it again last week.

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  9. Sounds like things are well under control in your home Patricia...
    We have opened our pool...the cottage is a work in progress...not sure when we will have a sleepover down there...
    No Nursery visits for me yet...too darned crowded!!
    I can wait...
    Stay safe my dear...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

    ps...lovely Mothers Day gifts...❤️

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    1. Your pool opens, our pool is closing for the Winter! I like change of season, and the cool weather is a nice change here. We went one Sunday to the nursery - big mistake, sure was crowded. Easier during the week, but we avoid crowds too. So important. As we have more time to garden, I am making use of 'free' plants, taking bits from one area, planting in another. Our lettuce are nearly ready to harvest :) Be safe too.

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  10. Oh my goodness, such pretty sights the blog today! What do you use the capsicum produce in, Trish! I bought and sent my mother a capsicum based cream which she says eases the pain of her arthritis. I bet if you know one one in pain, you could simply crush your produce and added it to lotions or creams. Also love the beach and paths you walk.

    Hope your King Parrots return!

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  11. How beautiful to see King Parrots....I have been meaning to ask you what seed do you use? Your new plantings look very lush. I enjoy a picnic too and it is great to clear the cobwebs. I am glad you were spoilt with such lovely gifts xx

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  12. Oh my, the King Parrots are beautiful! Can't believe they just come to your porch and stay for awhile. And a dozen of them! I think there's something about your house that the birds feel comfortable and welcome. Your Violas are so pretty, and I love the orange ones. That was so nice of your son to order a Mother's Day lunch for you. And a sweet gift from your daughter too. A walk along the river is peaceful and just what we need during these troublesome times. And you went to the ocean! I have been longing to visit the ocean. Jess lives about 5 minutes from the ocean, and has found a few pockets where there's no people, and it's a peaceful visit for her. It was nice catching up with you, Patricia. So glad you are doing Ok, and I hope you have many good June days ahead.

    ~Sheri

    *the doves on my post were not my photos, but it was, indeed, a wonderful sight as I just watched the whole time. : )

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  13. Wow, a very beautiful view, there are a few birds perched in your house ... that's almost never encountered in my country.

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  14. Your visitors are gorgeous, I adore their bright colors.
    Amalia
    xo

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  15. Hi Patricia, I have just found your blog and am enjoying it. I love birdwatching, and I run a birding blog, so I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the King Parrots and seeing the photos. Looking forward to exploring your blog some more. Rory.

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  16. Very mind calming pictures and view . Thanks for sharing

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