Dogless Walk

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Without my faithful friend to accompany me this morning on my walk I took instead my next most trusted and reliable friends - my camera and my shadow, both of whom turned out to be the most congenial companions. My shadow found interesting photo ops and my camera willingly obliged.

I took my time, no dog chomping at the bit, and noticed all the colours, the shapes, and the unusual in the little things of everyday life.

An earing, a ponytail, an army cap; a cowboy hat...
an effort to look younger...

What's that - a shoe?

Look over there, in the grass, something pink...

Can you smell that perfume? - Let's get closer...

Two vans in my street: Swimming Pool Installer

and Fruit/Veg Man

Black clouds loomed on the homeward straight.
No sooner had I reached number 43
than the heavens opened and vented a heavy downpour

- just the way I have been feeling walking dogless...

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A Summer Dog Walk

One of the things that I love about this region of Australia is that no matter what time of year it is there are always colourful flowers to see on my regular dog walks.

And as every dog walk by nature requires a doogie, here is the star of today's show - Kealia, named by my son Sam, whose dog it really is, after a surfing beach in Kauai, Hawaii that he is particularly fond of.

















My poinciana and most others around this area flower in November- December heralding Christmas. But today I noticed that there are a few late bloomers about.
My youngest daughter and I have a competition each year to see who can spot the first red bloom on our tree. Nov 1st is our earliest sighting.

















As Kealia and I leave the house for our walk, I see across the street the trailing thunbergia on the neighbour's wall.
















Ixora or Prince of Orange lives up to its name and seems to flower most of the year.

















The yellow flowering cottonwood tree grows prolifically along the shores of many tropical coastlines. I found from experience that it is not the tree to plant on your 600 m block.





























































Crotons have to be one of the hardiest most reliable splashes of colour both in the garden and as indoor plants.















There are many boat hire outlets along the Noosa River shoreline.



































This white cockatoo and friends were resting in a casaurina or she oak many of which grow along the eastern seaboard of Qld













































I don't know what seed this is but it is a beautiful display of natural science




































































The busy summer tourist season leaves behind some remnants that perhaps we would rather not see but they served to remind me that life is composed of the good and the bad and the ugly and its the contrastive juxtaposing and dissonance of these that give life its colour, texture and edge.











































































The giant seed pods of the poinciana tree on the grass of my nature strip.















The beautiful frangipani tree or plumeria as it is known in Hawaii. The species look similar however our variety has a less leathery looking leaf and is deciduous.
We have arrived at the end of our journey for today and one hot dog, with a very droopy and drippy tongue is ready for a swim in the river.