The sandstone rock platform that runs along one side of our property is proving to be a wondrously diverse and relatively undisturbed piece of habitat. As the weather warms up, I'm discovering increasing numbers of plant species, which is such a joy. This is where I found the Cryptostylis subulata I recently blogged about, and there are also Lomandra longifolia, Lomandra filiformis, Lomandra obliqua, Gahnia sp., and a range of monocots I'm yet to identify.Yesterday, looking out the bathroom window, I noticed a Stylidium productum in flower!
Some while back, when we were still living in Turramurra, I had the same species growing in a pot. It resulted in a far better photo (which was published on Botany Photo of the Day), but having it growing wild is much more satisfying.
An utter favourite of mine is Caustis flexuosa, also known, appropriately enough, as Curly Wigs. I'd love to try propagating it, although I hear it's not an easy task.
(Of course, instead of taking photos and blogging, right now I should be studying for a uni exam on Monday, but to be honest, my brain is in a state of jangling anticipation: today is election day. I've been out to vote and there is nothing to do but wait now to see what the rest of Australia's decided. The tension is excruciating! Please, please, please, let this be the last day of the wretched Howard Government....)
Amen to that, Margaret.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your exams!
Steve (melaleuca)
You got your wish! Congratulations on finally throwing the bums out (well - perhaps 'bums' isn't the proper term - maybe criminals?). I can only hope and wish (I'd almost PRAY, if I thought it'd help...) that we follow your lead up here come November 2008...
ReplyDeleteBrian/Woodie/(and many others)
Steve, we did it. I can't quite believe it. I cried my eyes out last night, out of pure relief and joy. At last, at last, I can feel proud of my country again.
ReplyDeleteA victory for morality, decency and hope, and with the Greens looking set to hold the balance of power in the Senate--maybe even for the environment.
Now, I really have to go and study! ;)
Brian, thanks. :) I really hope that you can rid your country of the evil neocons too.
ReplyDeleteWho do you think is most likely to get the Democratic nomination? Who would you prefer?
I'm afraid that unless the Clinton-haters pull some seriously dirty Karl Rove/Swift Boat stunt, Hillary is pretty much a shoo-in for the Democratic nomination. I think the Repugnic*nts actually WANT her as an opponent to energize their 'base' (in more than one respect!) voters, though...
ReplyDeleteGiven the miserable selection of candidates (on both sides), I'm at a loss to determine which is/are the least offensive! Dennis Kucinich makes a lot of sense when he isn't discussing his UFO encounters, and I'd certainly like to THINK that the US is ready for Barack Obama - not that I'm at all sure HE is ready for the job...
As of now I'm just gonna sit back and wait for the first few 'beauty contests' (AKA primaries...), and see who's still standing after all the fur, feathers, dust, and assorted manures have settled.
I see you peeked in over at A/A just a while ago - that place hasn't been the same since you and a few other old-timers wandered off, yanno...
<:^(
Good news on the election front!
ReplyDeleteGo Kevin. I like your use of the term wretched. Indeed they were.
Brian, I've found the last few months absolutely exhausting (being a political junkie and spending way too much time on politics forums and reading the entrails various opinion polls), but when I think about how it drags on for you guys--another year--I wonder how you cope!
ReplyDeleteGood luck. I hope someone good turns up. Rudd is by no means perfect (he's far too conservative for my tastes, frankly) but he's lightyears ahead of Howard. He'll do. :)
It's weird, David, but I can't quite believe it's happened.
ReplyDeleteMy head's been telling me for a while now that it would have been unprecedented (short of a complete Rudd meltdown) for Labor to lose given the polls over the last months, but my heart only recently believed it. But it seems that there is another part of me that reckons it's all a dream and Howard is still in!
I know it's a little superficial, but Rudd actually looks like a PM should. Articulate, polished, intelligent, presentable. He's the kind of person I'm really happy will be representing us out in the world.
First stop, the Bali Meeting on Climate Change. Finally, Australia is taking it seriously!
I may have to take back SOME of what I said about A/A up there - turns out that RH3 is back with a *vengeance*, and things are getting more interesting by the hour!
ReplyDeleteOh don't you go trying to tempt me, Brian! Just because I've finished uni for the year, and no longer have to spend my time obsessing with politics, doesn't mean I have time!! ;)
ReplyDeleteI guess you guys are not terribly interested in European politics but it was the same relief over here when the new French president got elected. I know he's listed under 'conservatives' but here the 'labor' are actual socialists and prone an old fashion vision of society, old fashioned and stale! Anyway, I'm boring you...
ReplyDeleteFar be it from me to try tempting any young, attractive, intelligent, red-headed ladies in ANY way, at my advanced age...
ReplyDelete