The Birthday Birthday
This day was John’s actual birthday. He woke up as usual but this time with an excited wife and presents.
Of all things, this day was voting day, a state election. We decided to take part in a guided bushwalk and then we would go to vote. As we drove by the polling place, a school, I got a photo.
It looks much like an American voting place, I thought, Banners, lines, and volunteers helping their candidates.
Introductions made, it was decided we would take the bushwalk path towards the water tower.
Lobelia gibbosa – Tall Lobelia
Phyllis, our guide, brought her camera too.
Scholtzia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae, which are endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. The genus was first described by Schauer in 1843, who named it in honour of the physician Heinrich Scholtz.
A very interestingly shaped grass tree.
Calytrix is a genus of shrubs in the family Myrtaceae. They are commonly known as Starflowers. Calytrix are endemic to Australia, occurring in all of its states. Later this day, we went to the nursery to plant some in our garden.
Now we see it in yellow… Calytrix…from Greek words, calyx and thrix (a hair); referring to hairs at the end of the calyx lobes.
Always exciting for me, to get a close look at Australian birds. This one is a butcherbird. Butcherbirds are insect eaters for the most part, but will also feed on small lizards and other vertebrates. They get their name from their habit of impaling captured prey on a thorn, tree fork, or crevice. This “larder” is used to support the victim while it is being eaten, to store prey for later consumption, or to attract mates. This one look like he found a grub.
The rest of John’s birthday was spent going to a native plant nursery, planting our new additions, and then off to the beach at sunset.
