The Redlands - Daily Photo

Scarred.. with memories.

2010-05-12T01:26:00.001+10:00

This tree at Wellington Point was full of scars from carvings.
Although I could not really make out a heart or similar, I like to imagine how young couples would meet here, maybe at night, and leave their traces on this silent witness of their love…
Well, maybe it's just 'tags'.

shellfish collection

2010-05-07T19:55:00.001+10:00

"It is an offence in Queensland for any person to take or have in their possession more than a total of 50 shellfish.
Maximum penalty $ 100 000"

I went to Wellington Point yesterday morning on a day with immaculate blue skies. I am happy to say I made a few nice photos – before I ran out of battery on my camera. The tide was down and I discovered this interesting sign before the first collectors arrived. (I think the shape of the hand is kind of odd!)

In suspension

2010-04-28T15:51:00.001+10:00

As we walked down the path, this twig was hanging right there, in mid-air, obviously suspended by a spider web.
It sort of looked a bit more spectacular in real, the background should somehow be more blurry, but there was a bit of a breeze right when I started taking pictures and the twig kept twirling around – so this is as good as I could get it.

Fireman

2010-04-26T23:49:00.001+10:00

It's not the only vocation my son has, but being a fireman is obviously still very high on his list. We are having this particular helmet now for over a year, he now insists to match the outfit accordingly and on Easter, grandma even let him put out the fire that was obviously raging in her plants… While we enjoy the peace and calm (and a cool beer) on the patio, but for a little boy, Macleay Island is full of great adventures and discoveries !

ANZAC Day

2010-04-25T09:38:00.001+10:00

Today is ANZAC Day in Australia. It's always interesting to see the different forms war commemoration days and the rituals or traditions surrounding them taking in different countries all over the world. ANZAC Biscuits are eggless cookies that are tasty and rich with ingredients like oats and coconut. The recipes vary a little when you research the net, but they seem easy enough to bake, I might give it a try some day.
They are sold all over the year, but more obviously around this time. Woolworth in Victoria Point had these nice tin boxes.

Cane Toad

2010-04-18T15:28:00.000+10:00

I caught this little fellow in my kitchen the other day. Cane Toads are an introduced pest in Australia and they are slowly working their way from the NorthEast into the country. In the Redlands these invasive hoppers with their characteristic 'freeze & stare' are are abundant. When I walk the dog at nightfall, at some places there would be a dozen toads on a space of barely 30 square meters. Nobody I know has anything positive to say about them and given their threat on the native wildlife I'd rather have them gone, but killing an individual toad seems totally pointless, so I brought my nightly visitor out of the house and let him free in the street. I was pleased I had not come home to a 'foaming puppy' this time, so hopefully Dexter has understood that he better leave these poisonous toads alone. Even in our kitchen.

Cloud

2010-04-17T23:57:00.001+10:00

This impressing cloud was building up over the bay this afternoon. Actually, the short time it took me to take it in and realize I had to take a photo, I missed out on a short stripe of rainbow it had on the right flank. Still, the first place with a full view on it, had these high palms as a bonus, so I am quite happy with the outcome after all.

grey skies..

2010-04-16T22:12:00.001+10:00

This little bug had found himself a nice spot in Redland Bay at the waterfront on a cloudy day.

Some dark clouds indeed distracting me a little from keeping up my daily discipline, but I will try to get back to it, because I actually enjoyed posting as much as looking at daily blogs. ..

Asian House Gecko

2010-03-19T23:38:00.001+10:00

When I saw my first geckos while living in the inner suburbs of Brisbane, I thought they are quite cute, even kind of useful, since they hunt down and eat bugs that might live in the house.
Now that I know that they are actually an invasive species from Asia, with first spottings in the 1980s, their characteristic (and very loud!) "chuck chuck chuck" seems less jolly to me.
Indeed, in our house in the Redlands there would be easily a population of about 3 to 5 of these geckos – inside – while I have counted up to seven geckos at the same time at the ceiling of our patio this summer !

This one was obviously interested in the (abandoned) nests of mud wasps.
How harmful these little, highly adaptable reptiles are to the native fauna, is not yet fully understood.
But there sure is A LOT of them around already.

Little Explorer

2010-03-18T22:45:00.001+10:00

On Macleay Island, my son always has lots of things to discover. He is having fun with some old goggles and a chicken in the garden.

And we were having fun watching him from the patio..

No credit given

2010-03-17T17:05:00.000+10:00

The sign in the this tuck shop close to a high school in Cleveland amused me. The shop owners must make a fortune on sodas, candy and other treats favourite by students – and they give no no no credit. Ever!
I think the sign says : don't even ask ! :D

Rainbow

2010-03-16T22:24:00.001+10:00

Yesterday I wanted to take a quick morning walk with my dog when I realized that it was actually not all sunny but a fine rain was coming down – although there were hardly any clouds!
I didn't have to go further than to the bent of our street until I saw this beautiful rainbow.
Now – again! – I had only my camera phone with me, but even my little Canon Ixus wouldn't have been able to capture it much better I think. You had to be there ! :)

I have been slack lately with the daily posting. I am filling the gaps, but it's not the same. I do not lack photos, definitively not motives (i see them everywhere since I started this blog), and I should have the time to post daily, but sometimes the 'real life' pulls us off our recreational online activities I guess…

Moth

2010-03-15T20:13:00.000+10:00

Another find in my garden – I thought this moth looked somewhat like a Gremlin.. It was as big as my thumb, the photo makes it seem a bit larger actually. As it was bright daylight, it did not move or fly away, so i had time to make photos. In the end, I received a few tiny drops of clear liquid on my fingers – do moths pee ??

Twist

2010-03-14T13:07:00.000+10:00

Walking down a little footpath behind the dog playground with Dexter, I thought for the fraction of a second that an enormous snake was climbing up this tree. I don't know the exact name of these strangling lianas, but I am finding their growth very intriguing. This said, the tree would have probably preferred a snake.
(another photo taken with my Nokia, so it's unfortunately a bit blurry)

Odd

2010-03-13T21:45:00.000+10:00

I took this picture with my phone standing at a red light, so the quality is not crash hot.
The street art on larger Brisbane's traffic control boxes fascinates me since I live here; this is one of the odder pieces of art. The soft but crazy gaze of the blue couple and their rabbit (?!) confuses me every time I pass by. This time, the yellow car parked on the side gave it a little bit more sens. Maybe.

Mall

2010-03-12T16:36:00.000+10:00

I am finding this graphic for the "Capalaba Park" Mall (Park ??) looks like it has been designed in the 1950s. In reality, the centre has only opened built in 1981. I am probably doing the suburb of Capalaba a bit of injustice but basically if we go there it's for the shops, so this photograph illustrates it well.

Palm tree

2010-03-11T17:28:00.000+10:00

It looks a little bit as if the palm was forming an umbrella over the letterbox, but of course somehow the winds must have forced the tree into this odd shape (the one in the back is similar). Surprisingly enough, this driveway on the edge of either Redland Bay or Victoria Point was not situated in a particiularily exposed corner, but maybe the wind gets caught in the street and causes the curved growth.

Stingless bees ?

2010-03-10T22:07:00.001+10:00

My husband is allergic to bee stings but he thinks these bees who are building their odd hive(s) outside our kitchen window are OK. We have bug screens of course, and so far, none of them has found their way around the corner into our mostly open backdoor. It's true that some of the native Australian bees are indeed stingless, non-aggressive in any case, and it's interesting to watch our little neighbours progress with their work.

I am, however, quite concerned about the paper wasps that have taken residence at our garage door. Hm.
(I also could probably fill an entire blog just with bugs..)

Eastern Water Dragon

2010-03-09T22:05:00.001+10:00

This wild, but friendly Eastern Water Dragon stood "frozen" in Nielsen's Native Nursery, the garden centre a bit over the edge of my CityDailyPhoto "territory", in Loganholme.
It's obviously worth a visit, they seem to have won the price for the "best large garden centre in Queensland 2010", and I think they had won it before.
I wouldn't know, although I like plants, we go there for the annex, and equally excellent Marine Aquarium Shop Nielsen's Marine Mates. The water dragon, a good half meter from its raised nose to the tip of its tail, seems to like it there, as we see it or its friends roam around the many ornamental springs and ponds.

Redland Bay Jetty

2010-03-08T23:14:00.001+10:00

The Southern Bay Islands Service of the Stradbroke Ferries connects Russel, Lamb, Macleay and Karragarra Island with Redland Bay. We take it regularly to visit family on Macleay and actually, I think I enjoy every ride just as much as my 4 year old !

Out with the boys..

2010-03-07T22:26:00.000+10:00

A candid photo of my son and my dog Dexter who patiently wait when I take photos on our walks together. Well, sometimes a lollipop helps.. .

Stick insect

2010-03-06T22:25:00.000+10:00

I noticed this big stick insect while sitting in the patio with my husband. The body was easily over 15 cm long. The wasp cocoons look tiny in comparison.
I had never seen one 'in real' before and was – as with most of the Australian fauna – quite impressed (and a bit scared too).

Number 14

2010-03-05T21:23:00.000+10:00

Bill & Diane, who live in the neighbourhood of the Redlands posted a very similar picture in their Brisbane blog, so I believe we will soon see more of these stickers around… Well, each to their own I guess ?
I personally do not even think that there is much danger in our street that a garbage bin ever would be stolen or even put in the wrong place but they certainly get noticed !
(Driving past the other day, I noticed the recycling bin also has some sort of big motive, I'll check if it is worth another post..)

"All you need is Lamb"

2010-03-04T21:19:00.000+10:00

At the best butcher in Redland Bay (and probably beyond..) – Bev & Joe's Meats.

"All you need is lamb" was the other sticker, but it came out a bit blurry as I was feeling awkward about taking these pictures.. I also like the "lamb is in the air.." but well, i just LIKE lamb I guess.

So you LOL about cats ?

2010-03-03T21:06:00.000+10:00

Without doubt, Bobcat is the coolest cat of Macleay Island. He is a rather big boy and reigns over 3 other cats, 3 little dogs and 3 chicken. And I am sure his captions would not have silly "cat spelling". But he's not into the internet's 15 seconds of fame.
He's an island king. And he has a box. What more could a cat want ?

Thinking of France…

2010-03-02T22:53:00.000+10:00

LE CORBEAU ET LE RENARD

       Maître Corbeau, sur un arbre perché,
           Tenait en son bec un fromage.
       Maître Renard, par l'odeur alléché,
           Lui tint à peu près ce langage :
       Et bonjour, Monsieur du Corbeau,
    Que vous êtes joli ! que vous me semblez beau !
           Sans mentir, si votre ramage
           Se rapporte à votre plumage,
     Vous êtes le Phénix des hôtes de ces bois.
À ces mots le Corbeau ne se sent pas de joie,
           Et pour montrer sa belle voix,
   Il ouvre un large bec, laisse tomber sa proie.
   Le Renard s'en saisit, et dit : Mon bon Monsieur,
              Apprenez que tout flatteur
     Vit aux dépens de celui qui l'écoute.
   Cette leçon vaut bien un fromage sans doute.
           Le Corbeau honteux et confus
   Jura, mais un peu tard, qu'on ne l'y prendrait plus.

Jean de La Fontaine

This crow was begging for crumbs when I was parked in the shadow close to the MacDonalds in Capalaba eating my bad food..

I lived for a few years in the region that was devastated by the bad storm that hit Western Europe on Sunday.
Just a thought for the victims in Charente-Maritime and all others that have recently been hit by the forces of nature around the globe…

(i had fallen off the internet for a few days, but have posted for everyday I missed now, if anybody noticed..)

Rain

2010-03-01T21:08:00.000+10:00

It's raining. A LOT!
We had a Tsunami warning after the terrible earth quake in Chile. It was only announced as a 'maritime danger' but we were a bit worried for our family on the Macleay Island where I had taken this photo a month ago.
Nothing happened that day, fortunately.
Instead, the water is falling from the sky and has begun to cause flooding in many regions of Queensland, also in Brisbane.
The Redlands seem to be able to soak up or derive the massive amount of rain for the time being, I hope it stays like that.

Jumping Castle

2010-02-28T19:14:00.000+10:00

My son made a little friend in a Jumping castle at the Cleveland Market a few weeks ago…They jumped around like wild little monkeys for a good while and then had a little chat. I thought it looked cute..

Story time

2010-02-27T16:25:00.000+10:00

Children are listening attentively to a story by a guest speaker in the public library of Victoria Point.

Fluffies !

2010-02-26T15:18:00.000+10:00

I love fluffy toys! Having a child was the best pretext of buying always new, original or classic animals to cuddle..
Unfortunately, he is not that interested anymore, and it's probably good, because we would run out of space !
Otherwise I would have bought the fat little donkey on the top right ! :)
Seen at Kmart, Victoria Point.

Alien flower

2010-02-25T14:11:00.000+10:00

I discovered these odd flowers planted along a street in Redland Bay.
No idea what they are, but they certainly have a very particular look !

Hog's Breath Cafe

2010-02-24T10:59:00.000+10:00

I had never noticed this fun painting on the outside wall of the Hog's Breath Cafe in Victoria Point.
Have never been to one actually, although I quite like steak house food – but I guess I always was a bit scared after this weird commercial they had on tv…. worth watching, for all non-Australians !!! (it's the cheerleader pinkness..)

NB: my son pointed out the tire traces to me. well spotted!

Koalas read here…

2010-02-23T22:46:00.001+10:00

I couldn't really frame this right, as there were people standing in the way…

How cute is the Redland's council logo ? :) Shame only, that the rapid development of South-East Queensland is the very problem of our waddly grey neighbours…

Butcher

2010-02-22T23:15:00.000+10:00

I was long time fascinated by this bold shop front and only very recently found out that it's actually.. a butcher.
It looks cool at night at Victoria Point, I drove of the road and parked on the deserted parking lot to make this picture and also finally found out that 'fish head' on the side of it, is actually NOT a fish shop but it seems to have fishing gear. Funny.

Iguana art

2010-02-21T20:46:00.000+10:00

I photographed this odd iguana painting through the window of the Cleveland community center. I don't know if it was for sale.
It's not clear to me if these iguanas are wrestling or actually hugging each other, but I quite like it.

Graffiti

2010-02-20T18:42:00.000+10:00

There aren't many graffiti around in the Redlands, this one was in Cleveland on the wall of a community center. I had to take the photo through a fence, but I quite like it, it's a bit more expressive than your usual tag art.

Make it a Bundy! (Mundy to Sundy..)

2010-02-19T16:34:00.000+10:00

These signs were for sale on the market in Cleveland, but I guess they could hang in the background of bars all over Australia…

"Bundy" is the affectionate name the Australians give to the Bundaberg Rum, destilled in Bundaberg, Queensland for over 100 years.

Cricket

2010-02-18T18:22:00.001+10:00

I call this photo "the European housewife's evening scare" because admittedly I jumped a little when I found myself face to face with this big cricket as I went to collect my washing off the line…
It posed patiently for the photo though, and I actually had to touch it a little to make it bounce away.

Mates

2010-02-17T14:57:00.000+10:00

There are lots of kookaburras on Macleay Island and (not only) the Islanders handfeed them from their patio (which isn't really recommended for any wild bird). These guys were obviously waiting to see if we had something to share, but we had only beer and crisps, definitively not good them..

Pig post box

2010-02-16T14:42:00.001+10:00

Another post box, maybe not as stylish as the pelican, but certainly in a spirit of recycling and originality.
Seen in Thorneside a few months ago, but the other day i thought I saw another from the car somewhere.
Maybe someone crafts them for their friends, or there is a upcoming gas bottles to pigs business somewhere in the making..

Lavender

2010-02-15T14:28:00.000+10:00

I love lavender. The Mediterranean plant contrasted with the agave and palms in this Macleay Island Garden. The photo might be a little bit awkwardly framed, but lavender, in its simplicity and evoking its powerful scent, is always beautiful…

Attitude

2010-02-14T15:13:00.000+10:00

Another photo that is not exactly showing off the beauty of the place I live, but personalized number plates are so much fun sometimes – and the photo was taken on one of the main axes through the Redlands. The lady at the steering wheel of this car obviously has some attitude…She certainly had the look !
(I always think it makes it a bit easy for the police to pick up your number plate, but each to their own. )

Roadkill

2010-02-13T10:21:00.000+10:00

"There! It moved!".. (quoted from .. ?)

Ok, this is a bit of a different photo, but this rainbow lorikeet was lying pretty and very dead on that street 'island' when a storm cast an unreal light on the scene. (slightly enhanced, admittedly). Maybe it died of old age. Or.. "it's just resting".

Little black corvette…

2010-02-12T11:29:00.000+10:00

A 1976 Corvette is for sale in the Redlands. Seen on the road between Victoria Point and Mount Cotton.
25.000 (Aus)Dollars, some work to be done (photo somewhat flattering). Still.. pretty awesome.
If I had the cash, I would get it for my husband for Valentine's Day. Totally.

So I am thinking this might bring me a few male clicks from the CDP Portal… Hello, boys! Please comment!

Komodo

2010-02-11T23:16:00.000+10:00

This picture is taken at Nielsen's Nursery in Logan. Not exactly the Redlands, but I was so stunned by this huge garden ornament they had on exposition, that I just had to post it. Huge also was the price : 2550 (Australian) Dollars!

I have always been fascinated by the Komodo Dragon, Douglas Adams (the author of the 'Galaxy Hitchhiker' Series) wrote a hilarious travel report about his visit to Indonesia in "Last Chance to see" – a book a really recommend for a very different approach to wildlife conversation – it's funny !
Also, it has to be said that recent fossil finds in Queensland have confirmed that the Komodo was an Aussie Backpacker – surprised by the ice age and the meltdown that follows. Back home for this big fella !

No shorts?

2010-02-10T17:24:00.000+10:00

The palms lining the Victoria Point Mall are getting a little haircut for the storm season. Builders, gardeners and other 'tradies' in short pants are the norm in sunny Queensland, something that struck me as totally odd coming from more cooler climates.

Thinking this again, and also considering the fact that this man is manipulating a big chainsaw, I suddenly noticed the pedestrian sign, that – clearly!- prescribes long pants !?

Snakes in the mall

2010-02-09T12:33:00.000+10:00

During the school holidays, the most divers events and shows are organised in the malls, like here in Capalaba. This man has a 'Snake Awareness Show' where he shows and explains about the most venomous local snakes – which happen to be in the top 10 of the most deadliest in the world as well…
Obviously, you don't meet an Eastern Brown Snake, or a Taipan everyday, but the possibility alone stresses me somewhat when taking my son and dog for a walk... I like my foot paths cemented now!
And I bought a 'snake kit' from this very entertaining and educational 'snake man' whose name I did not get, unfortunately.

Fire truck

2010-02-08T12:07:00.000+10:00

In addition to yesterday's post, here another related photo. My son was in awe in front of a fire truck parked at a little shopping centre in Redland Bay. The 'firies', as they are affectionately called here, would have seen us admiring the truck - so one came over from the shop or cafe where they were taking a break to let my son sit in the cabin. You bet he was proud!
I think EVERYBODY likes firemen. I certainly do.

Fire

2010-02-07T20:59:00.001+10:00

Australia remembers today the 173 victims of the 2009 bushfires in the state of Victoria.
A thought for the thousands of humans, animals and also plants that were lost in these fires, many of which would have to be laid by criminal and sick people. It's just so sad.

Since I am living here, only a few light fires have broken out in the Redlands, following the 'century drought' of 2008.
This fire-like sky is only another amazing sunset as seen from my garden, fortunately.

Another bird!

2010-02-06T14:45:00.000+10:00

On a rainy day, I finally came past this AWESOME letterbox in Redland Bay again, and could only snap it with my phone.
I don't know if it's a custom made letter box, but it definitively is one of the coolest I have ever seen.
Especially, when you know that pelicans are indeed frequently flying over this house that would be, at the most, 300 m off the shore.

Seeds

2010-02-05T17:28:00.001+10:00

Taken in August last year, after a few storms, the beachy little bays in the Mangroves of Redland Bay were covered with seeds washed ashore. Some were germinating, forming bizarre little alien lifeforms.

Ibis having breakfast

2010-02-04T11:05:00.000+10:00

A group of Australian White Ibis doing what they should normally be doing. Wading in the mangroves of Redland Bay for food.

Anybody from the Brisbane area, and apparently all other cities on the East coast of Australia, would probably agree that this poor bird has become an urban pest – and it smells like the junk it feeds on, too ! My son calls them the 'stinky birds'.

As wikipedia puts it dryly in the 'Feeding' section :
"This ibis feeds on various fish, frogs and other water creatures, and also insects and garbage."

Galahs bathing in the rain..

2010-02-03T18:21:00.001+10:00

Here a little follow-up to yesterday's picture of the Cleveland Lighthouse. (vandalized by Galahs..)

I wish I had had a better camera with a killer Zoom (as in awesome, not to actually kill the birds), as they were acrobats on a wire - bathing in a long-awaited rain in the early evening, but still lit by the sun that was shining through the clouds…
On Macleay Island, as we were watching from the patio..

Playground at Cleveland Point

2010-02-02T13:48:00.000+10:00

Another beautifully set playground in the Redlands, here at in Cleveland at the tip of the tongue of land that is Cleveland Point.
End of last year, part of the set for the new NARNIA movie was filmed here and the Point was adorned with a huge (fake) fantasy dragon boat. Not long after I took this photo (sept09), the old lighthouse had to be renovated due to vandalism .. by Galahs !
(you can see on the edges where the birds, also known as Rose-breasted Cockatoo have worked on it)
The lighthouse, built in 1864 is one of the historical monuments that remind of the early settling and trading in Cleveland.
A few more facts about it HERE.

Panther

2010-02-01T13:00:00.000+10:00

I fell in love with this old panther (?) with his big paws, resting in the garden of my husband's family on Macleay Island.
If it wasn't already such a serene place, the mild look of this little statue would immediately relax me anytime.
( In a 'Jardin des Plantes' but, fortunately for the panther, not that of Rilke.. )

Exploring the Redlands

2010-01-31T23:55:00.000+10:00

My son (3 in the photo) studying our local map.
After 31 photos (posted in 2 weeks, because I cheated a little to start with the New Year), I am happy to say that keeping a CityDailyBlog is a fun and interesting thing to do, thanks to those who commented and my 'followers' !
Many of you have great blogs and take amazing photos, I feel I also learn a lot.. and I am hoping that I can keep the pace.

Sky blue

2010-01-30T22:31:00.001+10:00

These courts looked abandoned in Thorneside in the Sporting Grounds in Mooroondu Street.

I'm not a big follower of tennis, but I know there are blue courts nowadays, for better visibility for the players and for TV..
still I don't think I have ever seen them in this really sky blue colour before. It might have something to do with the strong heat we are getting here…

Girls on the ferry

2010-01-29T14:15:00.000+10:00

The handful of small Southern Moreton Bay Islands that lay along the shore of the Redlands, "enjoy a quiet, relaxed lifestyle with many retirees, pensioners and more recently, an influx of younger families looking for some safety and security". The flora and fauna is more undisturbed as on the mainland, although there is an increase of 2nd homes built for people from the Brisbane area as land and rent prices are cheap too.

It's great for a weekend getaway (my husband has family there) but honestly, as much as theses girls on the ferry seem to enjoy the sight of the glistering water and the islands in the haze…. there is not much to do there for them.

Home port

2010-01-28T21:59:00.001+10:00

Obviously the owner of this little 'tinny' hopes to get it back should it ever set sail on its own….
I found it anchored – you guessed it - close to the shore in Redland Bay.

Funky little spider

2010-01-27T19:21:00.001+10:00

This small green spider was climbing over my bag on the playground. I believe it to be a 'Pink Flower Spider'. Although I am usually not a friend of the local spiders (and for a reason, some are big and nasty), I somehow liked the "look" of this one.
It looked good on my bag, anyway.

Australia Day

2010-01-26T08:42:00.001+10:00

I had another little project for today's Australia Day – a photo of a tall standing Australian flag in the Capalaba area with the big Holden emblem of a dealership in focus – but once I had stopped the car at the right spot, I met with the limits of my camera – and the limits of what risks you can take as a photographer : To take the photo in the right angle, I would have had to basically stand right in the middle of the busy peak hour traffic.
So instead it's this other Australian icon, that caught my eyes in Target right after. These proud Australian Volleys are right there with the multitude of other patriotic items that will be on display (and on people) today.
I bought my first volleys this year, but although they are light and comfy, I seem to stub my big toe against that typical upper rubber lip…ouch.

Banksia..robur?

2010-01-25T15:24:00.001+10:00

My botanical knowledge is quite limited, but I first noticed the distinctive 'head' of a banksia in what is called a 'native Australia Bouquet', there seem to be many varieties and many interesting particularities about this plant. I actually quite enjoyed reading about it, and am glad that, not quite on purpose, I snapped a very Australian Plant on my walk..
This one was at the entry of my favourite waterfront footpath in somebody's garden. (I could have tried to focus more on the critter on the bulb but I wanted the palm trees in the back.)My online research makes me think this is a Banksia Robur, the leaves are usually much more on the spiney side, with most varieties. It's obviously post-blossom, but what a beautiful colour…!

Red feet

2010-01-24T16:54:00.001+10:00

"The redness of Redland Bay soil derives from iron oxides present in lava from a volcano that erupted (millions of years ago) in northern New South Wales, some 100 kilometres to the south." (says Wikipedia here)

Maybe this time it was more the red bark of the playground that is a family friendly feature in the outside area of the Redland Bay Pub .. So we all had fun ! (and my son is his original colour again, after a good scrub in the bath)

Give way.

2010-01-23T12:11:00.000+10:00

Maybe that's just me, but I thought these signs, all around a roundabout in Cleveland's shopping zone, struck me as a bit bossy and weird. I gather it's to keep the traffic flowing (this is a Sunday pic), but in my head I saw a line of aged persons, mothers with children and dogs and school kids, waiting their life away, while the traffic kept kept flowing… and flowing.. and flowing.

Sunset over the bush

2010-01-22T13:43:00.000+10:00

From 'The Heights' of Redland Bay, I am watching the sun go down over Mount Cotton's bushland.
Another 'pretty sky' picture.

Hommage – Paris, as seen from the clouds…

2010-01-21T17:00:00.000+10:00

I have stumbled over Eric's blog again and again in the past. It seems today is a special day…
Once I had also found the CityDaily Portal, I now realize how entertaining and innovative, yet simple and consistent Eric Tenin has managed to keep his blog. He is an example and impulse for all of us. And a favourite of many, as far as I can see.
The Redlands are not a pulsating, historically loaded, European metropole. (They're only acquired their 'city' status a year ago)
My blog is only 21 days old (and I cheated to start with the New Year), but I want to share what I see on a daily basis, the beautiful, the curious and the odd views of the place I live now. Just like Eric does, with ParisDailyPhoto.com.

I took this photo 2004 on a flight to Paris, when some waiting time forced the plane to circle and because of the good views, the Air France pilot decided to loop over the city rather than the suburbs. (Just imagine what a better camera could have done!)

Happy Birthday, Eric!

Little shopper

2010-01-21T16:54:00.001+10:00

My son is contemplating the prices at Burgo's Fruit Barn (again) in Victoria Point.
Ok, maybe he is just looking at the pictures of the happy fruits and veggies...

OBSERVE DON'T DISTURB

2010-01-20T23:37:00.001+10:00

Below this sign in Redland Bay, there is a waterfront pathway with relatively untouched mangroves, a red muddy beach and a slim bush 'jungle' lining the coast. It's my favourite walk around here with a view over the bay with the tongue of Victoria Point and the bay islands Coochiemudlo and Macleay giving the illusion of another shore..
I like how the bushes are reaching out at the obviously already weather-worn sign.

Feel good.

2010-01-19T23:07:00.001+10:00

This life-size bull stands, I have been told, for many years in front of the 'Redlands Meat Hall', a butcher in Cleveland.
It looked freshly painted and i was glad to find it back, after I had looked for it in vain on Sunday (shop was closed, so they must put him inside, probably for fear of getting it stolen or vandalized.. ).
The tragic look in his eyes contrasts a little with the feel good message of the butcher, but i guess that's understandable..

Golly!

2010-01-18T23:26:00.001+10:00

I did not even know golliwog dolls exist up until beginning of last year, when there was big titles about 'the Queen selling golliwogs in her souvenir shops' in the UK.. I researched it on Wikipedia (HERE) .. Back in Australia, I then saw a postcard with the doll in a newsagent. There is even a website, selling 'Gollys Down Under' ..

The Redlands have a high percentage of elderly people. The idea of 'politically correct' might not reach them all. This lady was selling knitwear for babies, knitted koalas and owls.. well, and golliwogs.
(She was, however, quite obviously not exactly thrilled with me taking photos of her stand. )

Sleeping Beauty

2010-01-17T22:21:00.001+10:00

Ok. The title is a bit of a cliché, but indeed someone had parked this beautiful HOLDEN FJ (1953 or about) in the shadow of a tree in Redland Bay. I am sure the owner must have kept an eye on me, maybe from the cafe across the street, as I stopped and hopped around it with my little boy to take the photos.

Piano Shoes

2010-01-16T10:58:00.000+10:00

On the ferry to Macleay Island, a young woman stood out from the country/small town appearances that usually make the crowd on the boats and on the islands. My son was amazed by her 'Piano Shoes' and kept pointing and giggling.
I later asked her if I could photograph the shoes for him and although she gave me a bit of a look, she obliged and also showed him her big plastic ice cream cone finger ring.

In the end, the shot i had already taken secretly was the better picture, with this girlish way to point the toes together and the very normal looking sneakers on the side…

Wally the Clown

2010-01-15T14:47:00.000+10:00

The Jumping Castle and the face painting were already over at the school holiday event 'Fun in the Parks' in Betty Boyd Park in Thorneside on Thursday. But we came in time to see the Clown show !
'Wally the Clown', was, in turns, funny and clumsy, then skilled and grumpy with the crowd. The teenage helper seems less impressed but the little ones were screaming with joy.

I moved out of the shadow of a tree were everybody was sitting to get better photos – and got a sunburn as well. My nose was as red as the clown's in the evening…

Little Pirates

2010-01-14T14:30:00.000+10:00

My son made a friend on the playground in Beth Boyd Park in Thorneside, another great spot directly at the water.
The main play area has a sun roof, as usual for playgrounds here, but the pirate ship was directly on the beach.

In the background, on the right Wellington Point and the island in the middle should be the tiny King Island (Conservation Park).

Strange caterpillar

2010-01-13T00:12:00.000+10:00

This odd camouflage construction hides a caterpillar, who had decided to stick itself on the pillar of our patio to morph into – as I found after some research on the net – an even odder looking moth.
We don't know if the metamorphosis was successful, though, one day it was gone altogether.

Burgo's Juice Bar

2010-01-12T00:08:00.000+10:00

This juice bar attached to a fruit shop in Victoria Point has not only excellent Smoothies and Juices, the staff is also very friendly and is rather generous when it comes to sharing one large smoothie with my son in two regular cups.
And we love the painted, happy fruits!

Since the end of the year, they are offering with juices with a little extra punch – Red Bull.
Although I have energy drinks myself, I am just not sure if that doesn't defy the whole idea of giving your body a natural boost ?

Good Throw

2010-01-11T00:20:00.000+10:00

These sneakers hang very high for quite some while now over these wires in Redland Bay. It seems to be a quite common joke in Australia, and now I have seen it in US movies as well, but I must admit, I can't remember ever seeing shoes dangling on electric wires in Europe…

Kookaburra

2010-01-10T23:47:00.000+10:00

Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree,
Merry merry king of the bush is he.
Laugh, Kookaburra, laugh, Kookaburra,
Gay your life must be!

Of all the new bird sounds that I have gotten used to by now (think: European ears), the laugh of the kookaburra is among the most distinctive and mood enhancing for me. I love kookaburras.
I already loved the song, before i even knew what they sounded like – or where they actually lived. This one I photographed on Macleay Island last year.

Surfing for further lyrics of this song, I sang as a child back in Europe, I just stumbled on these kind of suitable alternative verses :

Kookaburra sits on the electric wire,
Jumping up and down, with his pants on fire.
Ouch, Kookaburra, ouch! Kookaburra,
Hot your tail must be!

(But I think this one was fine.)

Red skies over the Redlands

2010-01-09T23:44:00.000+10:00

In the evening, I keep running out in the garden or in the street to take photos of 'pretty skies' as we call them with my son.
This red glowing was one of the first ones, still in our old neighbourhood.

I am now taking these pictures always from the same angle over our fence, where i can see the sun go down over the bush, maybe one day, i make a series on flickr. It's just too pretty!

Spring

2010-01-08T23:37:00.000+10:00

While the leaves were falling in the Northern Hemisphere, this garden was full of lush pinkness in blossom in Thorneside, in September 2009.

Lunchbreak

2010-01-07T23:31:00.000+10:00

With my son, I was at one of our favourite playgrounds in Redland Bay, when this elderly lady started practising her saxophone nearby. In the back, a tradie is having his lunchbreak at the waterfront… A lovely, peaceful moment in the bay.

Camels ?

2010-01-06T23:22:00.000+10:00

Oddly enough, on what would be rather expensive land in Redland Bay, close to the water, someone has been keeping camels for quite a while. We are thinking that – maybe – these are wild caught. For those who don't know, Australia is the last region in the world where ex-domesticated camels roam free in the outback. Maybe the quiet Redland Shire is a quarantine station for future 'expats' on their way back to the deserts of Arabia ? Who knows.. the camels won't tell.

Damp Doggy

2010-01-05T23:04:00.000+10:00

Mobile dog baths are one of the best inventions ever ! (And our dog seems to enjoy it too..)

Once per month or so, our two hounds get groomed by Sue from 'Damp Doggy'. She handles them secure and friendly, they love her for the treats and we get them back smelling of herbal shampoo and protected against fleas. For Christmas, they even got a card from her three pooches, that are always placidly watching from the back of her ute.
For my 4 year old son, it's every time a lot of fun. And it's not at all expensive actually. Thank you, Sue !

Angry Lorikeet

2010-01-04T23:03:00.000+10:00

From his safe perchoir up in the tree, this rainbow lorikeet kept screeching and flapping while i was trying to take photos of him and his mates. Photo taken literally 10 m away from my house - on the other side of the fence - where blossoming 'bottle brush trees' (?) along seemed to attract them last May.

3 Pelicans at Cleveland Point

2010-01-03T22:37:00.000+10:00

Pelicans are still so exotic to my European Eyes !

These were taking a rest on poles at Cleveland Point. In the background, the channelled Raby Bay Estates.

Photo taken in August 2008, on one of my first dates with my (now) husband. Still setting up this blog and filling it with some 'Archives'.

Convenient.

2010-01-02T10:38:00.000+10:00

We have two IGA shops in the neighbourhood, one even in walking distance. Open 7/7 from about 8 to 8, they are a convenient alternative to the drive to the mall with the bigger supermarkets.

I made this photo more by accident through the windscreen of our car and with my old phone, a Nokia E65.

New Blog!

2010-01-01T09:50:00.000+10:00

This gorgeous platypus is painted on a big traffic control box on Wuduru Road, which strictly spoken, is in Cornubia, and not part of the Redlands, but Logan I believe.

Nevertheless, after admiring Brisbane City's Boxes while I was still a "City Girl", I was surprised to find this one in my larger neighbourhood and the beautifully painted platypus on the side of a small road through the bush gave me the idea to look for and show pictures of the Redlands in a Daily Photo Blog. So there.