Welcome back to Sunday
Selections!
This once-a- week-meme
was originally begun by Kim of Frog Ponds Rock, as a way to showcase some of
the many photos we all take, but don't get around to showing on our blogs.
The rules are very
simple:-
1. post photos of your
choice, old or new, under the Sunday Selections title
2. link back to me,
River, somewhere in your post
3. leave me a comment so
that I know you've joined in and can come over and see what you've posted.
Kath and Andrew often
join in as well, although Kath has been quite busy lately and unable to join
us.
There are several other
participants now though:
I usually go with a
theme for my Sunday Selections and this week I'm showing you the gum trees I walk through on my way to the Tai Chi classes.
Gum Trees for Marie, in Sweden.
this is the view from across the road as I waited for the traffic light to change.
this is the path I follow through the trees
as I enter the path, on my right is one of the biggest and oldest trees. This is the middle section just over halfway up......
...and this is the base. You can't really tell how big it is from the photo, but I think it would take four of me with arms outstretched to reach around it.
on the other side of that same tree is this lopped branch. See the knot hole up there?
I heard buzzing as I walked by, so zoomed in....
can you see the tiny yellow specks in there? Bees!! There were so many, buzzing busily, entering and leaving, a marvellous hidey hole for their hive.
some of the younger trees off to the left....
and the road is visible too.
the end of the path leads over a little bridge. There is nothing under the bridge so I'm not sure why it is there, perhaps there used to be a creek. On the left there you see a car in the carpark of the Community building I am headed for.
and here it is. Fullarton Community Centre, a wonderful old home, one of the originals in the area I believe, left to the community with its surrounds, to be used by the community, for the community, with repairs to guttering and trim well underway. Inside is a small library and several rooms used for various activities such as Tai Chi, Yoga, seniors exercise, Reiki, and a few other things.
I've passed the front porch and I'm headed down the side to the newer brick extension at the back, you can just see the edge on the left. The section with the blue blind is the small library.
I have a photo of the carpark area, but it refuses to load, so you don't get to see it.
I'll be walking through the carpark area, accessed from the footpath, in the coming winter months when it may be too muddy to walk the path through the trees.
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Love that you spotted the hive. What a wonderful find - and the honey that bees who feed on Eucalpyt blossoms make is WONDERFUL.
ReplyDeleteThe community centre is a lovely looking building - what a great use for this elegant old home.
I must remember to take my camera with me when I go out! I must remember to take my camera with me when I go out! I must remember to take my camera with me when I go out! I must remember to take my camera with me when I go out!
ReplyDeleteI'm always in a hurry to get out and get home again! This will have to stop!
Have a good week, River. :)
I love our gum trees to look at but the best part is the smell there is a spot down by the creek just after rain where it smells like like heaven and good way to clear the breathing too
ReplyDeleteMerle..............
It is wonderful house. Slightly odd being set so low to the ground. I guess there is no risk of flooding.
ReplyDeleteLovely old trees. I'd like to see a photo of that big one with a person in front of it to give me an idea of its size.
ReplyDeleteHives are scary, but fascinating as well. Magnificent trees!
ReplyDeleteI agree with EC, so nice to know the bees have a busy hive and well protected home.
ReplyDeleteWonderfully quintessential Aussie images. Thanks River.
And, what a beautiful community house to arrive at after such a lovely walk. I imagine any activity is made all the better in such surrounds.
I would love to do yoga in such an environment.
What a magnificent tree. I wonder how old it is? I've read various info on how old gum trees can get, but it seems some can be 200+ years old.
ReplyDeleteElephant's Child; the one problem I can see is harvesting the honey. It is quite high up.
ReplyDeleteLee; you must remember to take your camera when you go out. If it is small enough, as two of mine are, let it live in your handbag or backpack, whatever you use. Then it is always with you.
Merle; I love the smell after a good rain too clears the sinuses nicely.
Andrew; it's possible the house has settled over the years. I'll check on when it was built next time I'm there, but I believe sometime in the 1800s. Then again maybe the grounds have been raised with added soil for plants, mulches and the carpark too, over the years.
Delores; I may be imagining the girth of the tree. It just looks so large to me. I'll take my tape measure along next time I go. And a small piece of chalk to mark my spot, because my tape is only 5 feet long.
Susan Kane; I've never seen hives as scary, but then I'm not allergic to bees. This one is very high up anyway.
Vicki; it's a very Australian area. I believe it was stated in the will of the final owner that it should remain so. I once photographed a hive in a ground level meter box and posted about it. The lid was off the box and I could see hundreds of bees buzzing on the comb.
Jackie K; I have no idea of the age this tree might be, but it is quite a bit larger around than the others.
I do so love our eucalypts. That is a very lovely walk you take and the little bridge adds a mystery to it. We have different eucs to those in SA and our marri is just coming into bloom now. I believe that is a good honey tree. Trust those bees to find a good spot for their hive and well up the tree too so not dangerous for passers by.
ReplyDeleteLovely old building put to good use.
The trees are majestic, and look cool and shady, but they may not have been this past hot summer. Mother had a bottle of eucalyptus oil. I wonder what she used it for.
ReplyDeleteOh! Gum trees for me! Thankyou, River - I do really miss seeing them and can never get enough eucalyptus shots. I keep eucalyptus oil at home as much for the smell of home as it's usefulness.
ReplyDeleteI haven't gone completely senile because as soon as I enlarged the first photo, I knew it was Fullarton Park (the painted stobie pole is new, though) - I used to drive past there every day and never forgot those trees. It's looking very lush for being just after summer.
The bees are very inventive to find a nice protected space for their hive. Leabrook Farms Yellow Box Honey was one of my favourite honey varieties, along with Blue Gum and Leatherwood. I wonder from which flowers these bees collect pollen?
And you are right - there used to be a creek there - Keswick Creek, which still runs through the area and weaves its way up through Myrtle Bank to Ridge Park in Glen Osmond. We used to go tadpoling in that creek when we were kids.
The house itself is lovely. In lots of ways it looks not unlike Ayers House, with those colonial regency lines. The bay windows are particularly beautiful.
Mimsie; I have to admit I don't know one eucalypt from another. To me they're all gum trees, some have white trunks, some red, others papery bark which is quite soft and easy to peel. There are so many different types and colours of flowers too.
ReplyDeleteJoanne; yes, cool and shady even in summer although not as cool as one would want. Eucalyptus oil has many uses. It helps to remove sticky residue left from stuck on labels, chewing gum, also it's good for clearing the sinuses when you have a cold. In years past many kids here went to school with a eucalyptus soaked hanky pinned to their chest. On their clothing of course, not pinned to the skin, ha ha.
Marie; I thought you might recognise the area. Just a couple of streets back towards Unley from there, is the Fern Avenue Community Garden, I'd imagine the bees go there for pollens and to all the surrounding gardens where flowers are plentiful. Even after summer, there is so much blooming.
I'll see if I can track Keswick creek through my street directory.
I hadn't noticed the resemblance to Ayers House, but you're right, they are similar.