Jack’s Walk

These big rocks form a breakwater protecting railway tracks that run alongside the beach for miles. It’s not the prettiest breakwater I’ve ever seen, but that bright orange lichen on the rocks makes it one of the most interesting. It’s been there as long as my husband can remember and it never seems to change. That colour is fairly true if it looks like Cheetos on your screen and it stays that bright in all seasons and temperatures. I think it looks like paint splotches and it makes a great foil for all the blues that like to blend at the beach.

Flowering Money Tree

This is one of my most precious bonsai trees – Crassula ovata. My mother has got the plant before I was born and she tells me it was already relatively big at that time. It is therefore safe to assume the tree is at least circa 50 years old. I started converting it to bonsai about twenty years ago. It continues to grow succesfully each year after pruning, and in case you wish to start growing bonsai yourself, this species is ideal for a beginner. It responds well to pruning, it grows quickly but not too much so, insects do not infect it much, and if you forget to water it from time to time, nothing happens.

I want to share a picture this time around, because this year something special happened – the tree flowers. It has done it once already a few years ago, but not as much as this year.

Roses for Monday

Today we have one last look at Ruston’s Roses courtesy of DavidinOz. It’s been a real treat for me to see such fresh, lush roses at this time of year. Although this is the last post about Ruston’s, David has sent us a few more flower photos that we’ll be posting later in the week. I guarantee they’ll chase away the winter blues for at least a moment or two, so please check back.

Thanks David.

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Let’s end the week with roses

These bright, cheerful photos are from Ruston’s Roses courtesy of DavidinOz. This area of the gardens looks perfectly set to host a wedding. The path is lined with pure, white roses and at its end is a lush canopy of deep red roses signifying love. David didn’t specify, but I think Ruston’s must host a few weddings here. I was most delighted by the wandering red rose who has traveled far from home alone. Perhaps it was for love.

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I did promise you a rose garden

More roses from DavidinOz. Today he’s taking us on a country path that winds around the rose garden’s perimeter.

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Tree Tuesday

This week we have an incredible tree from Down Under that’s full of big, bright, colourful flowers, courtesy of DavidinOz.

The first 3 are of a huge Bottle Brush tree, an Australian native that has been exported to other climes.Look closely in 2 & 3 and you will see bees had at work.

4 & 5 are of a different tree, but all the better to see why they are named …. Bottle Brush.

Cheers, David

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Let’s Start the Week with Roses

More photos of the famous Ruston Roses courtesy of DavidinOz. The pink roses at the end look so fresh and fragrant that I wish there was “smell-o-vision.”

Some photos showing the scale of the garden at Ruston’s Roses. You can also see the potential if the new owners succeed.

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David Ruston’s Roses

From Lofty, the story of the man behind Australia’s famous Ruston’s Roses.

This is a statue of David Ruston in a park in Renmark, a tribute to the man and his contribution.

… Ruston’s Roses in Renmark, once Australia’s biggest rose garden. David Ruston began working here at 18, and developed a life long passion for roses. He became world renowned, and was for a time President of the World Federation of Rose Societies. He built his father’s original collection of 500 rose bushes in to over 50,000 bushes. But he didn’t just grow roses, he was also an expert floral arranger.

Sadly, his health declined, as did the gardens, although they are still open to the public and with new ownership I hope the garden will return to its previous splendor and supply roses to the world once again. The garden currently has a contract to supply rose petals to the Nineteenth Street Distillery in Renmark for use in their Gin.

David had a fall a year ago, and although he was present for the opening of the Renmark Rose Festival he was unable to participate.

I like the use of hard steel to display a man of flowers.

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Ruston’s Roses

It seems like a good day to spit in the eye of approaching winter with some bright and colourful spring flowers from the Renmark Rose Festival courtesy of DavidinOz.

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Roses

DavidinOz has sent us photos from the Renmark Rose Festival and Oh My but they’re gorgeous. Filled with light and colour they’re a real burst of happy on these cold and dim November days. We’ll be featuring David’s photos over the next couple of weeks as a tonic to help fight winter gloom. Spring roses from Down Under, what luxury!

There are roses in this set, but the main feature is the Harry Clark fountain commemorating the 1956 floods. The main fountain structures represent wine glasses as this is a major wine growing region.

It was quite breezy that morning, so the water plays well. You can see the Murray River in the background.

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Jack’s Walk

It’s been raining since Saturday morning and all of Jack’s treasured snow is gone. In its place we have gloomy skies, stick-to-your-shoes mud and slippery decaying leaves. I did manage to find some colour in the neighbourhood, though. This is a burning bush from down the street and it just isn’t ready to drop its leaves yet. All the other burning bushes around it are bare, but this brave fellow wants to shine. It made me smile so I’m sharing.

Wednesday Wings

Goldfinches from Nightjar.

I simply love the light in these.

November Light

Capturing light is where all the magic happens in photography and Nightjar is a master at it. Her latest photos come as a gift to us all at a time when light magic is scarce. Please be sure to click-through to see all the photos. They’re brilliant.

As promised, to cheer up Voyager and everyone else who may be struggling with a gloomy and gray November. All photos taken on November 10. The light is already not as warm as in October (https://proxy.freethought.online/affinity/2018/11/09/october-light/) and when combined with raindrops it becomes magic. There are still hawkweed seeds suspended from single threads of spider silk but now they are wet. There are mushrooms and pink heather flowers. Vineyards are putting on a show. When the sun shines, November light is lovely.

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Affinity

Art, Fun, & Nonsense.

Once more unto the breach

Why libertarian cities fail, part 2

Life List: Killdeer

Remember What I Said?

Peter Yarrow (1938-2025)

Negative feelings about things.

Origami: Three-headed Crane

Walking Disaster, Chapter 19

Hippo New Year (with plush)

Jack’s Walk

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Flowering Money Tree

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Roses for Monday

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Let’s end the week with roses

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I did promise you a rose garden

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Tree Tuesday

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Let’s Start the Week with Roses

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David Ruston’s Roses

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Ruston’s Roses

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Roses

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Jack’s Walk

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Wednesday Wings

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November Light

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