🐾 Maybe the reason I love animals so much, is because the only time they have broken my heart is when theirs has stopped beating.

Sunday 14 October 2012

Sunday pleasures

“A Sunday well-spent brings a week of content.”

::


I was sitting in the garden this morning, having my first cup of coffee, enjoying the sounds around me and watching a Sparrow replenishing last year's nest - he was piling fresh leaves and grass on top of the previous lot and I thought I even saw him doing a few little jumps, as if flattening it in place. "How industrious", I thought, "and even clever, using last year's platform!"

There was even a Weaver close-by, starting on a new nest, which the ladies will shortly be inspecting and, if one finds it to her liking, she'll move straight in, decorating it with feathers and other soft material.


As I was sipping my coffee, relaxed and lost in thought, I heard voices on the other side of the garden wall. I got up and dragged my little ladder closer to the wall and peered over. There was Solly's wife busy doing the dishes just outside their house's door and just a few houses away, Chrissie was busy sweeping her front yard and her daughter was busy hanging up the washing.


After I'd settled back in my chair, picking up my cup of coffee, the above quote came to mind, "A Sunday well spent, brings a week of content", and I thought, "Ne'er a truer word spoken!" I was spending my Sunday exactly the way I wanted, relaxing and enjoying nature, which will hopefully set the mood for the rest of my week!

::

Friday 12 October 2012

The Way of the Crow

"If men had wings and bore black feathers, few of them would be clever enough to be crows." 
-Rev. Henry Ward Beecher mid 1800's 

Coco on a rock in my garden - watercolour on Visual 200gsm - Maree©

There is little wonder that crows are very often the subjects of legends, folktales, and storytelling traditions around the world, all of which is very deep-seated and arising from myth and folklore thousands of years old. Anyone that has ever spent time with a crow will know how absurd these myths are and that Crows are no more 'evil' or 'dark' as depicted in these legends than a canary in a cage. 

 I make those remarks in light of the life I shared with Coco, a Black Crow (Corvus capensis), over a span of twenty years. She was keen of sight and hearing, and her other senses were no less acute. As was her sense of humour! She loved to mimic men laughing, producing the exact deep resonance of the male voice. She would also have a conversation with herself, changing voices as she went along, which she reproduced from the garden staff talking to one another. 

Another favourite of hers was hooting like a car, getting everyone in the household to go outside to see who has arrived. She would also call someone by their name at the top of her voice, also getting that person rushing outside to see who was calling, then uttering a long, low laugh, as if enjoying the havoc she's causing. 

She loved to play tag, pretending to peck your foot, getting you to chase her around the garden. And of course, one 'myth' that is absolutely true, is a Crow's love for shiny stuff. No tea tray was safe unattended outside, as all the spoons would disappear and any jewellery lying around the house was at great risk! 

A valuable lesson we could all learn from a crow is that they never "stuff" themselves with food. She would only eat until she was satisfied and then take the rest and hide it all over the garden, ready to be picked up at a later stage. 

 It is this kind of sensitivity that makes crows and other corvids legendary birds. 

Coco passed away at the age of 27 after a stroke and I can honestly say no other animal enriched my life like she did. 

::

Wednesday 10 October 2012

My mind is at ease in Africa

I wanted to say something about the beautiful country I live in, but I guess I can't say it any better than the words below ... 


Driving down the road under the southern light 
Looking back to see where we've come from 
As we watched the sun go down 
Rain it fell like diamonds from Kimberley mines 

On the road to Jo'burg with the dying light 
Farewell Durban City of Natal 
Stopped a while to stretch my thoughts 
As we crossed the borderline and into Transvaal 

I saw the sun go down 
 Under the southern skies 
Over and over 
I'll always remember those beautiful African nights 

In the old V W, we'd count the miles 
We travelled with a friend whose name was Farr 
The stories that he told us talked of faces times and places 
 Sang and played his guitar 

Driving down the road we hear the morning rise 
Leaving all the past so far behind 
The sound man played the Eagles as we listen 
 'Take it easy' Echoes on through our lives 

I saw the sun go down 
Under the southern skies 
Over and over I'll 
always remember, I still hear them call 
No matter how far those beautiful African nights 
- Unknown 
::

Monday 8 October 2012

Angel wing

Angel wing 
you inspire 
light 
hope 
love 
:: 
You faded away... 


A few years ago I was heavily into Begonias and a favourite was the "Angel Wing", a beautiful plant with exquisitely coloured leaves and beautiful pink flowers. I also had a couple of the more usual Begonia cultivars, but seeing as there are more that 1,500 species, I rarely even knew the names of those I bought. (Information from some nurseries regarding the plants they sell is sometimes pitiful, leaving you up to your own devices of trying to identify something.)

Begonia "Angel Wing" (Begonia aconitifolia × B. coccinea) is a hybrid Begonia which resulted from a cross between Begonia aconitifolia and B. coccinea. The hybridization was made by California plant breeder Eva Kenworthy Gray in 1926.

The plant gets its name from the shape and colors of its leaves. Usually, 'Angel Wing' grow upward on one stem. They flower and produce blooms that range in colors from red to white. The leaves grow with a wide range of colors also. The top of the leaf is often a dark green with metallic silver specks. The underside is a deep red.

Often, these plants are used as year-round houseplants. They are fairly easy to grow for a gardener that understands begonias. Since they are native to the tropics, the ideal growing conditions include high humidity, good circulation of the air around the plant, a lot of water, and a lot of light. The more light, the more brilliant the color of the leaves.

Angel Wing Begonias will grow well under shade cloth, lattice or in early morning/late afternoon sun. They will burn if grown in direct mid-day sun. The flowers are edible, with a sweet tart taste. 

Sadly I gave my Begonias away when we moved and maybe, just maybe (because they take a LOT of care!) I might consider getting another one.

:: 


Friday 5 October 2012

Early morning walk

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks. 
- John Muir 

 
An early-morning walk on our smallholding is something I enjoy immensely and even though the landscape sometimes seems very ordinary, hidden amongst the grasses is the most beautiful delights, from lovely tiny, almost unnoticeable little flowers like the one above, scarcely 5mm in diameter, to insects, Dandelions, Sunflowers, stones, twigs and even the odd ground bird's nest.


::

I had a keychain once, with  long rubbery tendrils, which looked just like this wild flower I found hiding amongst the grass. At first glance it was just another weed, but through the camera lens set on Macro, it's true beauty was revealed.


This little Dandelion flower amazes as it goes through its metamorphosis from bud to floret to seedhead, dispersing in the wind like tiny little parachutes.


::


::


A newly-born sunflower struggling its way through the tall grass, soon to become Queen of the field, standing taller than the rest, showing all those around her which way the sun will be rising tomorrow morning.


::

A perfectly camouflaged praying mantis waits patiently for some unsuspecting insect to come past. She almost escaped my eye she is so perfectly at one with the blue gum leaves.


A cluster of Ladybirds on an old piece of wood made me wonder whey they would be sitting there...?


A small yellow surprise basking in the sun...


And, of course, no outing is complete without the odd spider! Not a very good photograph, but I wasn't going to interfere in there to see what else might emerge!

Hope your early-morning walks also delivery some lovely delights and surprises!

::

Wednesday 3 October 2012

Mating season sunset

"Mating Season" watercolour on Bockingford 150gsm watercolour paper - Maree© 

Here in South Africa, we are blessed with these lovely little buck called Springbok (Springbuck) and they differ from Impala in that their horns are shorter and they have a slightly different colouration. Spring and summer spawns many fights over females and I caught these two on camera during one of our visits to the Kruger National Park, sparring over the prettiest lady in the herd. 

The Springbok, Antidorcas marsupialis, is the Southern African representative of the gazelle group of animals. It is only found in Southern Africa on the central plains, where it flourishes on the grassveld, despite the aridity. Male and female springboks have horns, are handsomely marked and are particularly distinguished by a dorsal fan. 

Springbok are known to leap up to 4 m (13 ft) in the air in an activity known as pronking. While in the air their body is curved, and their legs are stiff, close together and point downwards. Upon landing they immediately leap upwards again and during this period the crest on their back is raised. It is unknown why they pronk but it is possible they do it to indicate to predators that they have been spotted. A bit of a stupid activity, as it actually slows them down and can make it easier for a predator to catch them. 

 ...................... Springboks 'pronking' ..................
 

:: 

Monday 1 October 2012

October Gifts


– Hot, sunny weather

 – afternoon thunderstorms 

 – a warm, earthy, uniquely African smell in the air.

::

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...