Christmas weaves a magic wand over this world

 It is only a few days till Christmas and life seems to be getting crazier and crazier with shopping, baking, present wrapping, get-togethers and going out to see the Christmas lights. 

Christmas is mid summer in Australia and I have heard today that our temperatures, at least in Western Australia's capital city, Perth, for Christmas Day will be around 41 Celsius - that is around 106 Fahrenheit! 

Even though it is hot you will see a lot of bright colour around here this time of year. Below you can see some of our flowering trees which we see on our daily walk - clockwise from top left - one of the red flowering gums, jacaranda (though from South Africa you will see lots here in Western Australia), the Western Australian Christmas Tree, and lastly a creamy eucalypt which I need to identify.

In case you missed it, I shared more summer colour in our Australian bush last week: Down in the West Australian bush this week in summer

Also colourful varieties of kangaroo paw - 

In the cappuccino strip of our city a yellow flowering tree with a pea type flower makes a shady canopy over the area -  I need to also find out what this tree is.  

My front garden has a lot of gorgeous colour this time of year. 

Crazy as it may seem in 40 degree heat, many people still have a hot roast Christmas dinner. But there are also cold drinks and salads. Top left are little Christmas puddings I make - delicious and no baking! 

Perhaps my handmade Christmas cards I have made over the last few years reflect the colours of the Australian Christmas

But I also have more subtle botanical eco-dyed cards too

And some little twiggy decorations and one made with wooden pegs! 

As I look at what is happening around us in this Covid world, natural disasters, a tragic incident with school children in Tasmania, and some health issues people close to me are currently going through, I struggle to be ''merry and bright'' but I hope that these words from Norman Vincent Peale will ring true this Christmas:

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world

and behold everything is softer and more beautiful. 

You might also like:

The Christmas in Australia edition

Summer in my garden

Thank you so much for stopping by. I wish you and yours a very safe and happy Christmas.

I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 
I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
   
MosaicMonday at Letting Go of the Bay Leaf

Sharon's Sovenirs 
Our World Tuesday
Pictorial Tuesday 
ThroughMy Lens 
Image-in-ing
My corner of the world through my camera 
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity. 
       and Little bird - Pienilintu
Thankful Thursday 
Welcome to Nature Thursday
The Lovin' Life Team over at: Deep Fried Fruit

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

Summer December flowers, Western Australia

It is December, and summer is here, although with last week's torrential rain and thunderstorms it didn't feel like it. This pic I took through the windscreen of the car parked at the beach - a fence, grassy sand-dune, ocean and sky! I rather liked the pattern on the window.

But it is summer, so I share with you some summer colour from around my garden -

and some native flowers that I have growing in my garden - the reds, greens and yellows have a Christmassy feel

and our summer crops - the last lemons are clinging to the tree, the grapes are starting to fill out, the tomatoes are ripening, and the apricots whilst still green are starting to colour and will be ready to pick for Christmas - then it will be time again to preserve some and make apricot jam. Have you tried fresh apricot slices in a tossed summer salad - delicious!

Lavender is my favourite garden flower. I have photographed it many many times.
One of my lavender bushes is covered in flowers. The bees are loving it. 
I was standing in the kitchen late one afternoon a week or so ago, looking out the window while I was cooking dinner, and when I saw this magic light, I turned off the stove, and ran outside to photograph it.  Natural late afternoon light, back lit from setting sun.

This is the moon flower - the flowers only flower for one night, so you need to be looking out for when it is going to open. Beautiful isn't it? I lit the flower with a torch to capture this image.

Epiphyllum Oxypetalum or Dutchman’s-Pipe Cactus, is a large floral variety of cactus native from Mexico to Brazil.

  This past year I have been learning Flamenco Spanish dancing at the Sol y Sombra Spanish Dance Company in Bunbury. We have classes once a week in the dance room at the Bunbury Regional Art Gallery. Flamenco is not easy to learn, and I practise a lot! It certainly keeps the mind and body active learning the intricate steps and patterns, hearing the music, and coordinating hands, arms and feet and trying to remember to smile! On Saturday evening we held a performance at the Red Mill Store in Bunbury for family and friends. It was my first performance - nerve racking.

It was a wonderful evening. I especially thank Nicole and the wonderful dancers at Sol y Sombra for their support, encouragement and friendship. And hugs also to my fellow beginner dancer Emila - we made it and we did ok! I am looking forward to when classes start again next year already!

No - none of these ladies in the pic below is me! I took this image from the side lines. Next time I will have to organise a spot for me to take pics during the dances I am not in.! (smile.....)
sometimes a dancer....always a photographer.....!...

To learn more about Sol y Sombra Spanish Dance Company please click on the link here - Sol-y-Sombra-Spanish-Dance-Company-School-of-Dance

Now that the dance performance is over, I now need to start doing my Christmas cooking!

Have a wonderful week. How are your Christmas preparations going? Have you learnt a new skill this past year?

I am linking up to Mosaic Monday at the Little Red House. Please click on the link to see the work of Mary and other wonderful contributors - Mosaic Monday

You may also like - please click on the links to go to.....
December Summer Colour
The trees are blooming for Christmas
Her beauty only lasts one night
Spanish Flamenco dancing