It's a sodden day. We all want to
stay at home, the weather is not coaxing one out of one's warm and dry homes
but we do so. We embrace the day with its elements and are prepared.
We meet in gumboots and Anne who normally wears airy shoes does not wear these
today so that's a true sign of how gloomy the weather is, however she does wear
shorts. Brave.
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| | Hypericum aethiopicum subsp. sonderi - Small Hypericum |
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Raincoats and umbrella's, clouds filled with
buckets of rain. Apps watched and seeing that the clouds are pouring
their purity down into the ocean's we march forward. Hot drinks are
poured and then "Let's go!" The elements are not on our side.
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Clouds rising from the valley below
 | Maggie and Tracy
 | Yvie botanising
 | Yvie and Anne
 | Burchellia bubalina
 | Pseudopegolettia tenella
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It's our beloved Alf's birthday. One could
easily scrape off twenty years. He doesn't show his age.
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Alf taking all the beautiful wild flowers.
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Birthday candles are accumulated each year and it is
a tribute to growing older gracefully and living with purpose. This is group of
"youngsters" who live life fully and passionately. How wonderful it
is to be in a tribe like this and the only squawking is of invasives. They are dealt with swiftly and with sure and steady hands are removed where possible.
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Gladiolus longicollis - Alf first flower he gazed upon on his birthday
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Alf capturing the beauty of the flowers.
 | | Helichrysum ecklonis - Alf's birthday candles. |
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Rain that had poured down, left their drops like
jewels on grasses and wild flowers. For some botanists the raindrops when photographing flowers were shaken off. How lovely it was to walk in chillness
and with the freshness revitalized one.
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Berkeya speciosa jewelled in rain drops.
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After the burn are the flowers and with rain
one walks into a realm of flowers. As the clouds lifted the insects
came out to busily buzzy. Praying mantis don't like to be
photographed. With praying hands folded and all the beliefs that come
with them one is drawn to them but then meanders on so that they can be left in
peace to pray.
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A Praying Mantis
 | Y.B.K. (Yellow billed kite).
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For some it's not easy to remember the names of
plants as it can be overwhelming if one's brain isn't connected on one's right
or left hemisphere of the brain but it’s the passion that follows through and
it's the teachers who gently and patiently teach. The fear is in losing
these giants like ancient trees with their knowledge. Learn from your
elders. Have respect.
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| Gail admiring the magnificence of the Merwilla's |
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Dorothy and Maggie approaching the Merwilla's and Gladiolus
 | Dorothy enjoying the Merwilla's
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To also observe the noisiness of excitement like
clan's united not seeing them after a period when in nature after a time the
stillness transcends and we become one with nature. If only more people
could connect, we would create a more harmonious world. It's tough being
an animal or a plant out there in this global need of monetary value and one
can only hope that in "Lock-downs" people begin to see the value of
their environment and preserve it. It' truly all we have. Fight it
and protect it for its diminishing.
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A field of Helichrysum ecklonis all closed up like candles on a cold rainy day
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 | Merwilla plumbea
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Gladiolus longicollis
 | Hadada Ibis - Bostrychia hagedash drying themselves on the edge of the cliff.
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One can easily from week to week miss the flowers
that flower in their time. So, keep looking. Get out there and
observe. We have life on this earth now so embrace it. Forget the
media, put down your phones. Breath in the fresh air and let go.
How incredible is this life, each flower is unique. Everything is balanced; everything buzzes without complications. Everything respects its
own environment. Humans are complicated. May we learn from this
earth if only we can connect and see...
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Rothmannia globosa
 | Rothmannia globosa
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One breath’s more naturally in nature. No
man, just nature. The Scilla's were breathtaking. One would want to place a blanket down and simply gaze up at the flowers. The colours are amazing. We
need to see that we not one, but we unique. We just different species and we can
live harmoniously. There's terrain. Live like flowers!
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Merwilla plumbea - A sea of blue
 | Merwilla plumbea
 | A white Merwilla plumbea
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And in closure having past fields of Watsonia's
and Merwilla's living compatible together we listen...
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Merwilla plumbea and Gladiolus longicollis
 | Watsonia bachmannii
 | Watsonia bachmannii - Vulnerable
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A tribute to our Alf. Quiet and never bad
word spoken about another. He come's peacefully. He's like a Masai
warrior, going on his own and keeping a watchful eye out for others.
There's something to be learnt from our friend in his gentle way.
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| Afroaster hispida - hairy stems |
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| Afroaster serrulatus - smooth stem |
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Merwilla plumbea
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Gladiolus longicollis
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Gladiolus longicollis
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| Eriocaulon dregei |
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| Eriocaulon dregei |
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| Drosera with a flower standing pencil high. |
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| Gladiolus longicollis |
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Osmunda regalis - Royal Fern
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Disa tripetaloides - photo is showing the speckles on the orchid's petals
(Photo credit - Dorothy) |
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Disa tripetaloides
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| Maggie and Yvie standing next to a Merwilla plumbea that was navel high. |
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| Picnicking. |
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| Rhipsalis baccifera cascading down the rocks thickly. |
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| Gail amongst the giant boulders |
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| Helichrysum acutatum - Sticky Everlasting |
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| Acalypha depressinerva males |
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| Acalypha depressinerva females |
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| Acalypha depressinerva |
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| Hebenstretia dura |
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| Hebenstretia dura - Eastern Shrubby Slugwort |
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| Hebenstretia dura |
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| Freesia laxa |
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| A Gerbera ambigua's double head. Twins. |
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| Gerbera ambigua |
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Nemesia caerulea
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| A very thorny Asparagus species |
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| Red thorns |
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| The red thorns on the Asapargus's base |
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| Helichrysum griseum |
Helichrysum nudifolium var. pilosellum
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| Ledebouria revoluta |
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Ledebouria cooperi
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Triglochin milnei
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| A bedraggled Senecio specious |
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Happy Birthday Alf.
Gail, Anne, Maggie, Alf, Dorothy, Tracy and Yvie.
Pondoland C.R.E.W. (Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wild Flowers). |
A wise old owl sat in an oak,
The more he heard, the less he spoke;
The less he spoke, the more he heard;
Why aren't we all like that wise old bird?
- Nursery rhyme
