Native Geraniums

Geranium homeanum. Only about a cm across, sweet as. Identification thanks to the Botanic Gardens, and they have a great pic on the interesting way the seed pods open: http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/science/hot_science_topics/Ecology_of_Cumberland_Plain_Woodland/woodland_plants/geranium_solanderi

Yes it's Geranium, not Pelargonium. I've named the pics wrong, and maybe I'll fix that one day, but not this morning! Don't pull these out of the reserve.

ps, this came in the mail.

"Tregear Reserve Community Bushcare and Regenesis Tree Planting Day. RSVP Thursday 13 November, 2008 on 9839 6283" (yeah, I know that's today - I forgot until just now). Meeting in Tregear Reserve, Wilkes Cres, Tregear (Behind the softball fields) 15th November, 9am-12. Council staff will be there to talk about the new group, provide a tour of the reserve and carryout a community planting. They will provide all tools, materials, supervision, technical advice, and light refreshments. Wear enclosed shoes, a hat and sunscreen.

Have a good one..

More pics

Todays offerings. I'm too sleepy this morning to much else. Have a lovely day.

Boom!

Did you hear 3 booms yesterday morning? Early? This is the cause. The car was removed during the day, gone by the time I got home, but I managed to get these pics before I went to work.

Public Transport

Did you know they are thinking of changing the bus routes all through the western suburbs? If you ever catch a bus you should check it out and see how the proposed changes will affect your ability to get around. I don't know if it's going to work or not. I know there's going to be less buses past my place. Go here: http://www.nswbusnetwork.com.au/ to check it out if you haven't got your hands on a leaflet and they have a survey you can do so you can give your opinions. I'm totally cynical, I don't expect improvements, I expect more difficulties getting around. I don't drive so I'm stuck with public transport and I am totally sick of the whole system, public, private, trains, buses, how late and unreliable they all run, how expensive it all is, how the trains are far too crowded.

If I could get a job close enough to home so that I didn't need buses or trains (and would still give me a liveable wage) I'd go for it. I could ride my bike to St Marys, and with a bit of practice I could get to Mt Druitt and back each day. Of course I'd end up incredibly fit as well.... but I would be such a write off for a few weeks until I got use to it!

More pics soon.

Flowers this time.

When I first saw this I was very excited, I'd never seen it before and I was hoping it was a native plant. I saw it first about 5 years ago but I didn't have a camera with me. I couldn't find any info about it and I obviously haven't been in the reserve at the right time since. So, it's Herbertia lahue subsp. caerulea, also known as Prairie Nymph. It's an Iris, introduced, naturalised, mild weed. Very pretty though. It comes from North America. There are other pics on the net but this is the only pic I've seen with the yellow markings, so maybe we have an interesting colour variation. Seeing as it isn't a native plant it doesn't matter if some are taken out of the reserve. I'd like to see what this pretty would do with a bit of water and fertiliser. And thanks to the Botanical Information Service on the Royal Botanic Gardens site for the confirmation of the id.

Fungus

With the very large close up I have you can see clearly the green on top is moss. This fungus sort of fits into this area nicely: looks worn out, interesting shapes and colours, provides a home for other species and still growing and thriving!

The ugly side

So much for idyllic! This must be the social comment part. Poor old creek. But even though it's really quite ugly, it's also functional. This is the footbridge over Ropes Creek! Washed away every time the creek floods and rebuilt out of shopping trolleys and other refuse when the water goes down again. In the twelve or so years I've been here there's always been at least one shopping trolley incorporated into the bridge. Also concrete pipes, pieces of carpet, corrugated tin, tree trunks, milk crates, mattress springs, car tires ....

More Reserve Pics

I really did have fun taking photos over there.

Tregear Reserve

I went walking in the reserve yesterday. Took lots of photos. I'll put a few of them in here over the next few posts. It's a lovely place to walk with a big variety of spaces to photograph. Some are wonderful and some are downright ugly. These are todays two.

Cold again!

Coldest October day in 60 years? And didn't we notice!

I'm told there was a brawl that broke out twice a few nights ago. People heard it and it got into the local paper. Eventually the cops arrested them. And if you look to the right on this page you'll see a news item about it. I guess some people have no life. Their lives must be sad bad and boring if that's the best thing they can find to do.