Canberra (Australia) – The ground work has been done. Life in lockdown has heightened our senses. Spring tease, you flirty dear, we’re coming for you. [I am combining my Changing Seasons post with my Friday song day post. Enjoy.]

The days grow longer, the wind blows stronger, and my energy returns. There is light at the end of the Covid tunnel. Maybe. Hopefully. Not sure.

This month, I am wild about pink. I’m wild about my pink camellias and my new Pimelea physodes that I bought just before lockdown.

I’m wild about the incandescent pink spring light that recharges me.

I’m wild about our vast green/tree belts that run like veins in and between our suburbs, and the haven that these provide for wildlife and people alike during this Covid lockdown. I’m wildly hopeful that the magpies won’t swoop me when I walk through these areas and that I will see yellow-rumped thornbills and other birds in the tree canopy. I am not wild about my camera viewfinder fogging up when I try to take a photo with my mask on.

I am also wildly proud of my fellow Canberrans who have put their faith in science, masks, movement restrictions and vaccines to minimise the spread of Delta. We are not wild about these restrictions but we are wild about keeping our community safe, as well as the treatment leading to the prospect of catching up with friends. I might be one of only a few not looking forward to socialising when we have more free range. 😮 This is the first spring for a long time where I haven’t had to apologise for wimping out on social occasions because I’ve wanted to work on a mosaic or art project. This is my current project. It’s bloody hard.

On lonely rainy days, there are always photos that need rescuing. Have I told you that I am wild about pink? Also blue. I love blue too.

We are all making the best of our situation, but it has been a difficult month for everyone. I had two Covid tests in September – the first because I had some hayfever-induced asthma, the second because I was spewing my guts up (vomiting is a symptom apparently). Long story. Canberrans waiting behind me in the Covid drive-thru testing line can rest assured that when I had to leap from the car with my spew bucket, that I didn’t leave any viral vomit fragments on the grass verge. Both tests were clear. October should see a gradual easing of restrictions if Canberrans keep up the hard work but we still have a way to go to reach the Canberra government’s target to vaccinate 80% of Canberrans over 12 years of age. Hopefully, Canberra can achieve a bit better than the 80% target.

One other thing, this month I also watched a tele show about being alone. You probably know the one. It has inspired me to want to learn some survival skills, like how to start a fire with the sheer force of my will. My True Love reckons I should probably learn to start a fire with matches first! For my Friday song day, I have picked a song about loneliness. Do you like Rachmaninoff? If you do, you are going to love singing along to All By Myself, written and performed by Eric Carmen. I was belting this song out at the top of my lungs the other day when my True Love reminded me that I wasn’t actually alone. Sing it with me.

Let’s be alone together. Have a safe October, everyone.

Kind Regards.
Tracy.

59 thoughts on “The Changing Seasons – Sept 2021”

  1. I brought along Roy Orbison to sing with us–“Only the Lonely.” Beautiful pinks, Tracy. Your camellia is so pretty. Reminds me of the first house I lived in when I moved to Florida. It had the most beautiful camellia plant in the front yard–Pink Perfection. It most certainly was.

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    2. I can’t remember the name of my pink camellia, Lois, but I enjoy it very much. I love camellias. Once they are established, they are so tough. Thanks for the Roy Orbison suggestion. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I might wait for my TL to leave the house before I burst into song because he is grouchy tired at the moment. If the ground wasn’t so wet from the big storm we had last night, I would suggest he lie on a blanket out amongst the camellias.

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  4. Tracy I stand by all that I said a couple of days ago to Worms and let me add I am green with envy seeing all that gorgeous greenery and the pretty pinks aa well as the brilliant blues!! Though let me tell you I am not the envying kind. 😇

    That mosaic will turn out to be spectacular! I am sure.

    Hurray for Canberrans! And thank god you tested negative. I am bracing myself for October. Festivals will be in full swing here and so will be swarms of people! Keeping my fingers crossed.

    Did I tell you I enjoyed the song! I’ll try singing along tomorrow when everyone is busy with wfh. 😉

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    1. Thank you, Punam. And since you are not the envying kind that is an extra sweet compliment. 🙂 [Elvis Presley pops into my head. I will have to explore that later! Maybe it relates to not the marrying kind. My mind works in strange ways, lol. ]
      Let me know how the solo goes, hee hee.

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      1. My pleasure, Tracy. (Ah! The king of Rock an Roll! Theme for next Friday?😉)
        The solo went pretty well!😂
        I wish I could sing at the top of my voice! Maybe I will….once the pandemic is over…it has to get over, right!!

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  5. Oh my word – that mosaic! Can’t wait to see the finished version. I love spring, it’s always symbolic of hope and new beginnings. On the other side of the world, we’re slowly moving into autumn. More orange and rusts than pinks now 🙂

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    1. Thank you! The mosaic will be a slow old process. I’m lucky if I get two done a year these days. Doesn’t help that I lose my temper at them sometimes. 🙂 Are you from Portugal, Safar? I’m a big fan of the tiles in that region. Enjoy your mellow autumn.

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      1. I live in Portugal and yes, the tiles are gorgeous. I did a post a couple of days ago showing some Roman tile mosaics that are remarkably intact. Today’s was meant to show the painted tiles in Viseu, but I failed on the photography front!

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  6. Yay for spring!! And yay for the sensible people of Canberra. I wish I could say the same about my fellow Aucklanders. Lockdown fatigue has set in, yet testing — and worse — vaccination rates, have plummeted. I’m glad your tests were negative Tracy. Stay safe and enjoy making your beautiful mosaic.

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    1. Thanks, Su. People are far from exemplary in their behaviour here and getting tested as soon as one gets symptoms. is something people struggle with here too. You would think that with an active outbreak that Aucklanders would be really keen to get their shots! Take care, Su. Hope you were able to get your shots in before you started your chemo.

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      1. You would think so! I’ve been horrified to discover a few people I’ve always thought of as quite sensible holding weird anti-vax views and propagating them on social media.
        I’ve had the first shot, and am due the second next week. My GP wanted me to talk to the oncologist before I went ahead, and thankfully she gave me the go-ahead.

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      3. Sadly probably not (to the narcissism), and we’re still trying to get enough people with their first shots; boosters are a far-off dream at the moment. My mum had hers recently (in England) which is a huge relief for me.

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  7. Fabulous Changing Seasons (linked to RDP Vast though) but still is applicable? Love that mosaic and can see the long work ahead. Glad you had the clear tests. So many wonderful photos I don’t know where to start. I have loved that song since a young man alone in his room resonated with the song. Not sure whether to play it or not, it may invoke tears.
    I don’t think the 80% target is all that it’s cracked up to be. The Gladys target is 80% of ELIGIBLE people which drops it to around 68% double vaccinated. It has to be statewide as well. We didn’t have enough vaccines here so a good percentage of our North Coast community won’t have a 2nd dose until sometime in November. Mine is the 7th. This makes us vulnerable unfortunately. Rant over 😁

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    1. Thanks, Brian. It’s definitely been an interesting month. Thank goodness for the camellias and some sunny days.
      Yeah, that 80% target of those eligible leaves a lot to be desired. My young men won’t be vaccinated down here until after the ACT opens up because they had AZ. Like you, they’ll have to be careful.
      Don’t sing if it is going to make you teary.
      PS. I did use vast periphally in my post. Since when has relevance been a criteria for RDP.? 🤣

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  9. Oh my Tracy I am wild about this post, your energy and joy of spring shines through, beautiful photos. How did you get those elongated ones they are stunning. Being surrounded by NSW and Victoria must be a real worry, so well done to everyone sticking to the rules. That mosaic looks complex, interesting and beautiful looking forewarned to seeing it finished. Stay safe.

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    1. Thanks, Pauline. I’m not sure which elongated photos you mean. Sometime WP organises them a particular way. I did use my small portrait lens this month because I wanted to take some wider angle shots. I hardly ever use that lens because I am so lazy. I was surprised about the cleaner colours of the photos taken with the portrait lens. For a couple of the photos, I lied on the ground to get under the plant so it was good exercise for me too. 🏋️‍♂️
      There are quite a few people not sticking to the rules if my observations are anything to go by. Our seven day average of new cases has been trending up and we had a big jump the last couple of days as complacency and some easing of restrictions seems to be showing up in the numbers.
      I hope you have a good October, Pauline. I think Queensland is in for a bit of a rude shock with the NRL game going ahead. But what would I know.

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  13. Pingback: The Changing Seasons: September 2021 – Touring My Backyard

  14. Came over from Ju-Lyn’s blog. Love camellias, but have only seen the Pimelea physodes at Kings Park Botanic Gardens (Perth). Sadly WA is lagging quite behind in vaccinations, people get complacent as we don’t any any cases, but they forget we won’t open up to the rest of Australia or the world either until we reach at least 80% double vaccination!!
    Hadn’t heard that song for many years, it’s beautiful!
    Keep safe and enjoy Spring and have a lovely weekend.

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    1. Hi Sami, thanks for dropping by. The Pimelea is so impressive, isn’t it? I first saw it at our Australian National Botanic Gardens. Then when I saw it at the nursery I couldn’t resist. It is grafted so hopefully that it will mean that it is not so temperamental.
      Hopefully vaccine rates will take off in WA now that people have a choice of, and access to, vaccines. It is much easier to get high vaccination rates in Canberra because we are a city state. No where is very remote in our small jurisdiction.
      I hope you are enjoying the beautiful WA spring and have the chance to travel to see some of those beautiful wild flowers. Take care, Sami.

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  15. Beautiful spring photos! We’ve actually been ‘allowed out’ Tracy, and went for dinner with friends. So exciting and wonderful to sit and talk with people. I hope you can get out soon as well.

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  16. Pink is one of my favorite colors – the other being green 😛 Sorry to hear you were sick. I hope you’re better now. And your mosaic project looks amazing! xoxo

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  19. So glad your tests came out clear, Tracy! Your octopus mosaic is going to be absolutely stunning! Love your colour choices so far. Who doesn’t love pink? It’s one of my favourite colours, and to proof my point: I baked a cake yesterday and coloured it pink! Funny coincidence, isn’t it? Hope folks will stay strong with covid restrictions, around here they just started to allow pupils not to wear masks in class – and this while our numbers are rising and we’re headed for the 4th wave! Also kids under 12 aren’t vaccinated so masks are their only protection. So why not wear them?! People/governments can be so stupid.
    Take care and stay creative!

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    1. Hi, Sarah. Nice to hear from you. How’s the study? Pink cake would make good study food. 😄
      Thank you for liking my octopus. I modelled the lady on you and my niece. Did you notice the similarity? Hopefully it should be done by the end of the year!
      I imagine many parents are both very happy and very concerned about their children going back to the classroom.
      Take care, Sarah.

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  20. I can totally relate since I’m in the Sydney area waiting for that 80% but not really looking forward to everyone going everywhere again. The end of lockdown is more concerning than being alone. Love that song though, and I hope you post an image of your mosaic when it’s done.

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    1. Thank you! Hopefully I will get back to my mosaic soon. The cold snap means it is too cold for my glues. There’s always something. Thankfully no bushfires.
      Stay safe in Sydney. It will be a nervous time, especially for those who aren’t able to be vaccinated, as NSW eases more restrictions.

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    1. Darren, lovely to hear from you, and thank you. I am so glad I am retired and no longer put up with bosses and colleagues who like to over-share! I hope you have been able to take some quiet time for yourself over the last year. The sun’s appearance here is a welcome distraction from our current restrictions.

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