Beacon Hill at The Beacon 19 November 2020

We had experienced an incredible amount of rain during the week and we looked at the weather app wondering if we were going to venture out at all, but being the Pondoland group that we are, we met at Beacon Hill in the Umtumvuna, braced with our gumboots, umbrellas, rain coats and tasty treats as not only was it our favourite day but it was also our Dorothy's 78^th  birthday.  The table was laid out with chocolate cup-cakes, brownies, fruit cake and crunchies.   With tummy's warm and full we set out into the rain and wind cheerfully.

Rain pelting down.

Leucadendron spissifolium

Pondoland C.R.E.W.

Tracey with her parachute rain jacket about to lift up into the sky.

At the Beacon we explored the rocky terrain cautiously.  Both my umbrella and Anne's broke, photographing flowers was truly impossible as the rain pelted down and the wind was relentless.  Umbrellas were more of a hazard than providing shelter and even though mine was a golf umbrella it turned inside out and it buffeted against me like a rhino thinking I was its leaning post whilst I was  trying to photograph flowers that were dizzily spinning around and around like colourful propellers.  It is amazing that they still have petals attached to their heads!  I'm sure it was a good day for seed dispersal.

Anne, with her umbrella that was more a foe than friend.

Maggie

  The camera was having a hard time focusing on anything and I was about to be blown off the cliff's like Mary Poppins.  In the end I put away the umbrella and just embraced the rain, tucking my camera under my raincoat, looking pregnant and continuously wiping water from the lens.  Not even the gloomy weather could dampen our spirits as we just took one small step in front of the other.  One must remember that in order to take a photograph of a Brachystelma one must sit in a wet puddle and get as close as to the earth as possible.  Anne found a tiny Brachystelma and we found several more in the rocky area  and the Sisyranthus. 

Brachstelma australe

Brachystelma sandersonii 

Brachystelma sandersonii 

Sisyranthus virgatus

We tottered about on cliff edges living life dangerously.  Every crevice in the rocks was brimming and full of clean fresh water. Streams ran down the earth and new little falls cascaded over the rocks.  All the plants were left freshly washed and dripping in rain drops.  What a joy it was to see!. The dry pond a couple of months ago that was cracked like a salt pan was full and the water lilies were soon to flower once again.

Hypoxis colchicifolia

Searsia carnosula

Tritonia disticha

The black grass from the terrible run away fire several weeks before had all turned to lush green and one could have thought we were in Scotland.

 

The Polystachya pubescens were glorious in their rich colours and peeking in a rock crevice a Rhipsalis baccifera was flowering.

Polystachya pubescens

Rhipsalis baccifera

Hypoxis colchicifolia flowered more brightly than a sunflower and Merwilla kraussii had set seed in beautiful mauve balls.

Hypoxis colchicifolia

Merwilla kraussii in seed.

Tiny Tulbaghia acutiloba, which could be easily overlooked, were pinkish and coral in colour and looked botoxed in all the moisture they had received. 

Tulbaghia accutiloba

We admired the single flower heads of the Aristea abyssinica.

Aristea abyssinica

Dianthus mooiensis waved its delicate pink flowers and Sopubia simplex were in bud. Chlorophytum cooperi popped out in the grass like little single white stars.

Dianthus mooiensis - short tube

Dianthus mooiensis

Chlorophytum cooperi

I admired the Ledabouria revoluta in the grass with their distinct markings. In one area the Crassula were abundant and one had to be so careful where one walked.  Delosperma that normally grew on hot rocks lay submerged like sea-weed underwater. 

Ledabouria revoluta

Delosperma subpetiolatum

With thunder threatening and sheets of rain falling down like curtains we decided to call it a day, which had been absolutely wonderful.  What a privilege it is to have a grassland/flower reserve and then to have a group that lives life fully embracing all weathers.  Here’s to our elders.

Dorothy, our birthday girl living on the edge.  The tree was trying to snatch her up and keep her.

Satyrium longicauda

Lasiosiphon triplinervis

Apodytes abbottii

Helichrysum diffusum

Canthium vanwykii

Pelargonium luridum

Front:  Maggie Abbott and Dorothy McIntyre
Back:  Gail Bowers-Winters, Tracey Taylor and Anne Skelton

Happy Birthday Dorothy!  Here is to many more years botanizing together.  We admire your persistency and perseverance, there is nothing that will stop you from doing what you love to do do and that is being in nature botanizing.  Thank you for your teachings, for your time in taking the time to teach us in looking at the detail in determining what it is exactly we are looking at.  We love your passion. We love you.