Photos in Gordon's back yard

I shared proper tea with Gordon on his back deck, this morning. He is a bit of a connoisseur of the Camellia sinensis drink.
Then I took a few pictures.

They are visible on this Facebook album - which is open to the public - no need to join anything.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152482521509829.1073741874.809229828&type=1&l=4dd7db6865

Christmas Lunch with Lee and Robyn and Gordon

Here are some true species Christmas Lilies (Lilium longiflorum) which have been in flower for about 10 days, but they warrant posting now.

Lilium longiflorum

Photos from Christmas Lunch with Lee and Robyn and Gordon.
It is a Facebook album but is open to the public. You do not have to join up to see these images.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152476315874829&type=1&l=ca0814e06f

Robertson Gothic
with with apologies to Grant Wood
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
File:Grant_Wood_-_American_Gothic
_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

Rare Orchids at East Lynne - the very southern edge of Shoalhaven Shire

Yesterday, Alan Stephenson and I travelled to East Lynne, to check some Corunastylis vernalis which are known to exist near East Lynne. We found a small number of these plants still in flower. A number of pollinated plants were also seen, but not photographed.

They are fairly hard to see, (even if you know where they are said to be) as they are small, dark purplish-red flowers on stems a mere 150mm high (they grow taller once pollinated).

Corunastylis vernalis flowers

stem of flowering plant
and a young plant coming up.
Both show typical red base to the stem.
Corunastylis vernalis

 These plants are now thoroughly documented, courtesy of the Federal EPBC  listing and the associated detailed National Recovery Plan prepared by NSW NPWS.

After recording these plants, we drove up the track a bit further, and I found a single specimen of a Beard Orchid, which Alan identified as Calochilus gracillimus, the Slender Beard Orchid. It is also known as the "Late Beard Orchid" because of its delayed flowering season, compared to others in this genus.

Calochilus gracillimus

I cannot resist showing this lovely
Dipodium variegatum

If you are feeling peckish, after looking for these Orchids, you can take Tim, The Yowie Man's culinary advice and call in to the East Lynne Store (roadhouse, and cafe) just up the highway a little way, and have a coffee and one of their own genuine, home-baked pies which both Tim and I recommend.

Rainy Carols, Foggy day to follow.

The Tourist Road Oval Christmas Carols and Picnic was held yesterday, despite a light drizzle.

The Wukka Plukkas, a local Ukelele group

Margaret Whatman and Lucy Palmer
the driving forces behind the Tourist Road Oval carols.

This morning I read the rain guage, and recorded 9 mm overnight. Then it rained some more during the morning. Then a heavy fog rolled in.

Green foliage glows in low light

The new growth on the Bunya Pine
always fascinates me

Recent photos

Here  are some recent photos - from today, Friday 13, and several preceding days.

Lulu resting at Gordon's place
She had been doing
"Figure of 8" runs around his back yard.

My first photo of the "Little Wheels"
which I have had to purchase to replace the beloved 4WD
which has a terminal sickness in its motor.
This one runs well.
Hard for an old half-cripple like me to get in and out of.

Hyacinth Orchid which I showed to Cathryn and
her fellow botanical artist friends..
Dipodium roseum

He holding a single flower
Dipodium roseum

A full stem flower
Dipodium roseum

The local Helicias are ripening
These plants are right on their southern distribution
here in Robertson.
I am always intrigued as to whether they fruit colour
is related to the Bowerbirds
as potential dispersers of seed.

They have a low fertility rate, it seems.

A hot, mothy night in Robbo, (last night)

It is cold and windy tonight and no moths are around.

By contrast, last night was "one of those nights" when one could not move for the moths around the front porch light.

Also a Dobsonfly which I have only previously seen close to the Wingecarribee Swamp, and last New Year's Eve when one flew into a Party at Dan Beville's place.

Have a quick look at these photos of insects and moths from last night.
Few names as yet, but I hope to track down some names for the more distinctive ones over the next week or so, I shall add any names I can track down,

Feel free to email me with name suggestions.
peonyden (at) gmail (dot) com.

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Not often I can show Alan Stephenson a new Orchid species (for him).

It is not often I can show Alan Stephenson a new species of Orchid (for him).
So, please allow me some indulgence.

Alan photographing his first
Thelymitra circumsepta

Sorry about the background. It was Alan's back-pack.

Thelymitra circumsepta (in this region)
has a pinkish post anther lobe.
Photos from Victoria and Tasmania
do not show that colour.

I wrote a full report about this species back in 2010 when I first found and identified this plant, locally.
That was in Kangaloon, but the time was very similar. It is obviously a late blooming species of Sun Orchid.