THROUGH THE WINDOW...

An advantage to having clean windows is some of the great things you see. Sometimes I get a better shot because of the vantage spot or because I know the critter I'm spying on can't see me so doesn't take off the minute I bring out my "shotgun". 

The little brown honeyeater above is a great example. It would have taken off in a shot  had I been outside. It was raining anyway so I wouldn't have been able to use my camera unless I was also juggling an umbrella!

The male satin bowerbirds I've seen in the jacaranda have been very skittish so I usually snap them through the window.

This is Brucey who will usually turn his head before I can snap him. Don't think he could see me properly here; was probably trying to work out what I was doing.

Green catbirds hop around in the jacaranda too and are also very skittish; because of their colour are often hard to spot. Besides their famous "catcall" they often utter a high pitched "twit" first, which is usually alerts me to their presence so I can try to find them.

 I may have posted this guy before, small green banded blue butterfly. I've seen dragonflies as well on the other side of the glass.

 I'd be ecstatic to see this bird return. It's a grey goshawk and was on the other side of the tree then my battery died before I could get outside to try for a better snap and it was gone when I got back.  Gotta be happy with this though. 

 Not sure if this is the same kookaburra in both snaps but they were taken on the same day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  I could have gone outside I think though, because the kookaburras (along with magpies, currawongs and crows) are more used to human interaction.

These guys, brown thornbills, give me endless entertainment. I could watch them all day as they flit around, splash in the bird bath and admire themselves in the metal struts.

I've had a few tree snakes around and been outside to photograph them but this one (and another posted a while ago) I only took through the window. It was trying to get up into the ceiling via the deck but because I'd blocked it off, it couldn't get up and at one stage went "splat!" on the deck. This was taken shortly afterwards and it looked annoyed, or so I thought at the time. I've since had part of the deck glassed in so, hopefully, that will dissuade them from coming in, unless I leave the windows open of course. 

And lastly, a female cicada bird which I couldn't have seen (or snapped) except from inside the house. Love seeing the birds in the trees outside. Currently up to 43 different species in the trees and shrubs around the house. The latest was a male golden whistler but unfortunately he was too quick for me and I didn't get a snap of him. I'll keep watching (and window washing) though.

2016.... DOORWAY TO THE FUTURE OR WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY?

Lately, I have heard cries of "Where did 2015 go?" or "What are your New Year's resolutions?"  In my mind the advent of the New Year brings on a slight depression, to be honest.  Where did the bloody year go? What the hell can I resolve to do that I will actually stick to?  You see? Slightly depressing questions.  It occurred to me I had a window of opportunity to discipline myself to meet the challenge of 2016's doorway to the future... Only time will tell if I manage it.  I resolve to do more blogging, photography and crafting because from 1st February I will be working three days a week instead of five.  Yeehah!

All this navel gazing reminded me that I hadn't blogged for a couple of weeks and that I had taken an inordinate number of photographs of doors and windows on my recent jaunt overseas.  Here are a few of them...  

Above is an unusual looking door taken in Paris  Possibly a door to the future....  old meets new.

This was definitely a window of opportunity.  Taken from inside the Schonbrunn Palace in Austria, looking out to the spectacular gardens and fountain as we were about to pass through the barricade into the palace where we could not take photos at all!  So I figured if we hadn't actually passed through the entryway then I could take this photo in all good conscience. You're welcome...

I confess the cat is what first took my fancy out front of this sweet little house in the medieval town of Miltenberg in Germany. I couldn't help wondering what the inside of the house looked like though.

I loved the colour of this door in Paris and, luckily, no one was walking past it. Bonus!

Unlike this fantastic door, also in Paris.  I guess I could have chopped the passersby out somehow, but people keep telling me that having people in my photos gives them a point of interest.  Well, out of interest, here's half of a couple of people! 

 I was quite taken with this building in Regensberg, Germany, which had a wonderfully quirky door BUT then I noticed that the bottom floor windows were painted on the wall.  Fascinating bit of trompe-l'oeil which fooled a few people in our group who hadn't noticed it. 

In a little place called Durnstein in Austria, there is a ruin on top of the nearby hill which is where Richard, the Lionheart, was held captive for ransom. It's a big climb but we made it up there and this window has one of my favourite views from the ruins.  Imagine if this was a portal from the past and King Richard looked out to see an air balloon and below that, a contrail from a jet.  A window to the future in this case.

Demel's cafe in Vienna has wonderful Christmas windows and this one is dedicated to their famous apple strudel, telling the story of a young girl escaping her dreary life by being lifted up in a whirlwind of autumn apples and leaves.  Is the girl outside the window about to enjoy the same fate?  

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I wish you all a satisfying year in 2016, full of adventure and excitement, health and wealth.  Goodbye 2015...