Spring continues springing!

We continue on towards summer as spring blooms sprout everywhere. Mind you, there is always something growing, here in Australia throughout the year, but especially in the springtime. Like in the States, the quick transformations happen magically overnight!

This first image is of an Aussie native species called a "bottlebrush" (1). It comes in a variety of reds, from these candy-apple reds to more orangey ones growing up around the office. I have also seen white blooms! Compare the first photo (taken last weekend) to the shots taken today (2-4)…now the whole bush is aflame!

These purple irises bloom up around our statue of St. Francis, right next to the church (5-8). Too bad they only bloom once a year! What a delightful and delicate flower! (Did you know that all flowers are but modified leaves? Isn't that something?)

Even thorn bushes bloom; we have two different varieties on our property, in red (9) and creamy white (10). These thorny plants sit up in our friary courtyard. We also have this plant that is currently covered in tiny purple clusters (11); I haven't the foggiest what it is called! And this cluster of orange "floppy-ears" sprouts from a stalk that grows out the center of a succulent (12). It does well here in arid Australia. Here are some tiny pink and yellow aster-like flowers (13).

These last set of photos are of various plants growing by the friary (14-18). They look like orchids, but they're not. They also come in different shades. Notice how much more yellow these flowers appear (16) compared to those in (14). I have also seen them in redish to purplish hues, though those don't grow on our property.

I haven't had time to go out and about as I'm expecting my mother, godmother and a pair of friends from a former parish who are all coming to visit this week for a fortnight (14 days). I'm so excited and happy to be able to share Australia with others from home. Next week: some pics from our adventures!