Tough times for plants and trees

©2019 Barry Smith - Beautiful Black Pantha agapanthus - first year we have had to water them

We are still in a very dry spell with no real sign of rain. The trees and plants on the block are showing signs of stress - dropping leaves and immature fruit. The veggie garden needs to be watched and watered. This is all very unusual for where we live.

The same situation was evident on my walk this morning - leaves down and blossoms looking worse for wear; and even the bees are looking thin and tired.

©2019 Barry Smith - Leaf litter everywhere 

©2019 Barry Smith - Unusual total blanket of pine needles

©2019 Barry Smith - This bee just appeared to be clinging on 

Still some blossoms-plants were surviving - a bit more dry tolerant?

©2019 Barry Smith - Gorgeous detail of a baby stag horn fern leaf

©2019 Barry Smith - Gradually unfurling - anticipating rain?

©2019 Barry Smith - Isolated blooming plant on the roadside

©2019 Barry Smith

©2019 Barry Smith - I think it is a passionfruit blossom - very strange

And the Satin Bowerbird is still working on mating.

©2019 Barry Smith - An enticing pathway? 

©2019 Barry Smith - Again unusual - I have never seen agapanthus blossoms in a bower before

It is hard not to conclude that something is seriously wrong with the climate given the dry, the heat and the fires. As you can see from the photo below we still have smoke in the valley below - thinner yes but still there.

©2019 Barry Smith - Smoke haze in the valley