tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52405444536971040582024-03-13T14:00:45.111+02:00Hedgie's Nature Journal š¾ Birds, Nature, gardening and other rambles.
Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.comBlogger532125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-44232288347395430612023-12-09T08:50:00.003+02:002023-12-09T08:58:06.194+02:00South African Paper WaspsāVespidae<p> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Donāt reach for the Doom!</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin9gypXs7An2XW6VVG7l9PALGILnco13lRTv1BUgYZ6GU3wB4dBVvwLLEvy7kq_X6G8zPpd5i-a8wbDdv2W4AnhsiVwgV3slh6Nlrqv0cpfORffnI3fryd9W5uAj8Sy_oi_rjduP-4TXQsaExjdK6pdrZ3bbAQ_10tYUzEfdhx8g1XSfubykGunGal2l06/s4032/IMG_9844.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin9gypXs7An2XW6VVG7l9PALGILnco13lRTv1BUgYZ6GU3wB4dBVvwLLEvy7kq_X6G8zPpd5i-a8wbDdv2W4AnhsiVwgV3slh6Nlrqv0cpfORffnI3fryd9W5uAj8Sy_oi_rjduP-4TXQsaExjdK6pdrZ3bbAQ_10tYUzEfdhx8g1XSfubykGunGal2l06/w480-h640/IMG_9844.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">These are the most common wasps and all species build papery multi-celled nests of chewed wood pulp and saliva. </span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">They are highly social. So if you see a paper wasp nest under the eaves, do not reach for the Doom. They are not aggressive and will not attack you. They are keeping the ecosystem in your garden in equilibrium, by preying on insect larvae and aphids.</span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4mGCAt5by4tqP4k6gvki5MeV9vdB_OKWBsSmODQB51c-zEwLRfroVd_XKX4hKk8hljRBVVPQ_qZ7AN15r255YXN8IC7G9WVoyrz35uPIvRHzEC4WQRcGxtUSncDw8iKaJvl-RADuhDvUuWnu8plnAkX9p4s5ypeAyHTgRJi_ACyGV1l-OOYhVNVo3aMI/s4032/IMG_9845.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4mGCAt5by4tqP4k6gvki5MeV9vdB_OKWBsSmODQB51c-zEwLRfroVd_XKX4hKk8hljRBVVPQ_qZ7AN15r255YXN8IC7G9WVoyrz35uPIvRHzEC4WQRcGxtUSncDw8iKaJvl-RADuhDvUuWnu8plnAkX9p4s5ypeAyHTgRJi_ACyGV1l-OOYhVNVo3aMI/w480-h640/IMG_9845.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEeQu7j4MQpjEmTxHiK5wEvYH9Mf5sxtl2ZVj235DbnbWmu-mQmjcUqQ6LreHVTaBCD_A-zLi7mngQcGsjIAHFFG_HbLjB105_lciyHZDj_6b-iwrgM0JWQuJ78eYGdji4JjqYtPYrqRRF3AuaWRvwOT92taW4Qwl6mDBjgykVXQqzFAnq3BoKwKKYSgY/s4032/IMG_9846.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEeQu7j4MQpjEmTxHiK5wEvYH9Mf5sxtl2ZVj235DbnbWmu-mQmjcUqQ6LreHVTaBCD_A-zLi7mngQcGsjIAHFFG_HbLjB105_lciyHZDj_6b-iwrgM0JWQuJ78eYGdji4JjqYtPYrqRRF3AuaWRvwOT92taW4Qwl6mDBjgykVXQqzFAnq3BoKwKKYSgY/w480-h640/IMG_9846.jpeg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwVe1y3PV0yMf0Ca9g_AW8ACN0dxTXPQUwFyGZS6hGRKlsPldnyYXwY1MRHRCcZvezM7QzN5HBe2X8OH2fmsdLZA260ky0t9MNBkXrxtcGayZiZ2HI0q6tACQciVr6fPFhz9hS7B9HzLgSNfCseX5SCq597GGxHwcE8JZsZie0-9beJl0h8Y4SFqDPpmxO/s4032/IMG_9847.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwVe1y3PV0yMf0Ca9g_AW8ACN0dxTXPQUwFyGZS6hGRKlsPldnyYXwY1MRHRCcZvezM7QzN5HBe2X8OH2fmsdLZA260ky0t9MNBkXrxtcGayZiZ2HI0q6tACQciVr6fPFhz9hS7B9HzLgSNfCseX5SCq597GGxHwcE8JZsZie0-9beJl0h8Y4SFqDPpmxO/w480-h640/IMG_9847.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They gather fibers from dead wood and plant stems, which they mix with saliva, and use it to construct nests made of gray or brown papery material. The resultant wood pulp is remarkably strong.</div></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">āPaper wasps have an interesting lifestyle. The nests are usually founded by a single queen. A mated female from the parental nest emerges in spring and starts building the nest. She becomes the queen and is soon joined by other mated females from the same nest to</span> <span style="font-size: medium;">form a colony. The late-comers are relegated to the worker caste. After the queen has started construction of the first hexagonal cell of the nest, the worker females add more concentric circles of cells to enlarge it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The queen will lay all the eggs. The worker females are destined to be the workers ā building the nest, hunting for food and minding the offspring.ā</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">ā Read more <a href="https://issuu.com/thevillagenews/docs/the_village_news_28_april_-_4_may_2021/s/12175564" target="_blank">here</a> :</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-vDDPkTC45-C2nHis9ViRIg6CPTWowuzV_9U2tQNtGDod2ZlBslBnkFIaHyrd5Iw9Vla5ZeaAm9VEoAT-r3Fn7YbKYZVMVs-jY3HGHRRT0mAPN9miJe0ierpuIJ4gWosRZANZoKMoxzrbRWI8E4gurRD9XcvtLLplOmK0RXugWu9VueMovyOuqC3wdLFf/s4032/IMG_9849.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-vDDPkTC45-C2nHis9ViRIg6CPTWowuzV_9U2tQNtGDod2ZlBslBnkFIaHyrd5Iw9Vla5ZeaAm9VEoAT-r3Fn7YbKYZVMVs-jY3HGHRRT0mAPN9miJe0ierpuIJ4gWosRZANZoKMoxzrbRWI8E4gurRD9XcvtLLplOmK0RXugWu9VueMovyOuqC3wdLFf/w480-h640/IMG_9849.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">(The pics are of 4 different wasps and they are all chewing wood on my wooden clothes drying rack.)</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-40351709544318264272023-09-30T05:30:00.002+02:002023-10-06T08:30:23.794+02:00Black Snow<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Itās sugar cane burning season in South Africa and here in KwaZulu Natal, it starts late-winter (July/August) and continues into early-summer. </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZ6pvpA5oX3sBGvcytn6Niye-BVqUqw3pVFCc-CWGL39eC9jrNZfHLMbAMSGUxfpyYojYQ3BbuePz_Bo3AywFM-wJhr85ulBggvKTy-1ShyjPITG3cx8ihwjttPDJDsCNHb1t9Qgm1ViO4DIvobKXxyjITgek9h2Rc4N8q-qk7kaOA0oSZxIxvPM5K9uk/s4032/IMG_8424.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZ6pvpA5oX3sBGvcytn6Niye-BVqUqw3pVFCc-CWGL39eC9jrNZfHLMbAMSGUxfpyYojYQ3BbuePz_Bo3AywFM-wJhr85ulBggvKTy-1ShyjPITG3cx8ihwjttPDJDsCNHb1t9Qgm1ViO4DIvobKXxyjITgek9h2Rc4N8q-qk7kaOA0oSZxIxvPM5K9uk/w300-h400/IMG_8424.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Before the sugar cane can be harvested, it must first be burned to remove the outer leaves and make it easier to cut.</div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUbjJwaGNlFVLa1dMApXzLX-P12KpViF1TEiYW3MLdcHWSsmFcjaeHkmvXbHcc1wdxjjV0-70c2BFCQtrrV_e37SyMP-Dho7VA0g9CqAZFvsZRfEbhLSH3gBYMMYavNfbxqmZa2TrMLUnrP3tGiyN3RGUiEE9BSf4EFCBTZ3vBFHy23YbLY_P1VAmXni8/s4032/IMG_8423.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUbjJwaGNlFVLa1dMApXzLX-P12KpViF1TEiYW3MLdcHWSsmFcjaeHkmvXbHcc1wdxjjV0-70c2BFCQtrrV_e37SyMP-Dho7VA0g9CqAZFvsZRfEbhLSH3gBYMMYavNfbxqmZa2TrMLUnrP3tGiyN3RGUiEE9BSf4EFCBTZ3vBFHy23YbLY_P1VAmXni8/w300-h400/IMG_8423.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">While this process is necessary for the sugar cane industry, it can have some negative effects on the environment and human health. The burning of sugar cane releases large amounts of smoke and particulate matter into the air, which can cause respiratory problems and other health issues for people living nearby.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">At the start of the sugar cane burning season in Southern Africa, many residents brace themselves for what has become known as āblack snow.ā This term refers to the thick, black smoke and soot that fills the air as sugar cane fields are burned to prepare for harvest.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3xDBMcB8lQnWsd4bSZqksZx1R5dvaziepPrOVSoP7Vn6EWSRomnRw7eitbbS0biCmydt307BLGMAbcJcNhOeV3eloonPx7wJcL4px-pG8RY6V4pCCEH7xsyoeTNSaMW6fv_QFSgjUJz6wKCKW6tnJX3FPfdKpPDQxlOnyHRItD50DGi7UJI0kMnNbiuB/s1024/7F862AE6-EB78-4F16-A1B9-AAAA661F3A1E_1_105_c.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3xDBMcB8lQnWsd4bSZqksZx1R5dvaziepPrOVSoP7Vn6EWSRomnRw7eitbbS0biCmydt307BLGMAbcJcNhOeV3eloonPx7wJcL4px-pG8RY6V4pCCEH7xsyoeTNSaMW6fv_QFSgjUJz6wKCKW6tnJX3FPfdKpPDQxlOnyHRItD50DGi7UJI0kMnNbiuB/w300-h400/7F862AE6-EB78-4F16-A1B9-AAAA661F3A1E_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">::</div></div>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-77029843916803441222023-09-28T19:00:00.001+02:002023-09-28T19:00:00.146+02:00Sunsets teach us<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0L6A5ykXYLMQ2bqwcC2TsG7YDZqH3kH6DToa7Oi5z3Dmxcsh2s3b8iYsoqLUiIUxnhErFZm4SI2upXXeXgXSmRtlw9sjee-GeCc-wBPdixdGX8Bb0qW7dwjOiHrpFtEeIlMkaUAEo1Ws5KXCCZtubiyGFe3xZt1kuRxn3EtTJ7VLal9wFx9isfbWU6Fle/s4032/IMG_8205.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0L6A5ykXYLMQ2bqwcC2TsG7YDZqH3kH6DToa7Oi5z3Dmxcsh2s3b8iYsoqLUiIUxnhErFZm4SI2upXXeXgXSmRtlw9sjee-GeCc-wBPdixdGX8Bb0qW7dwjOiHrpFtEeIlMkaUAEo1Ws5KXCCZtubiyGFe3xZt1kuRxn3EtTJ7VLal9wFx9isfbWU6Fle/w300-h400/IMG_8205.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">It was sunsets that taught me that beauty sometimes only lasts for a couple of moments. By the time I turned my back, went inside and closed the door, all the fiery orange had disappeared, leaving only a few splashes of pink and grey.</span> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWJsanzWV8OaxQWvcheKbwLJJd8sRDVkEyfnHcLCoukIEE2poTefOK7OOvY99Ormu2bV3-BfLDE3TWClIqtE81PWaJ6Dv8VW9uHdaQ7s4WnJXjN8ZFEYlSZfxyrRJZnY-Kk9hf8i41-bapMXBMaegYDghR5BcwN6Y1lDygWict5UlgXw5_hkY7BfqPVfV/s4032/IMG_7850.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCWJsanzWV8OaxQWvcheKbwLJJd8sRDVkEyfnHcLCoukIEE2poTefOK7OOvY99Ormu2bV3-BfLDE3TWClIqtE81PWaJ6Dv8VW9uHdaQ7s4WnJXjN8ZFEYlSZfxyrRJZnY-Kk9hf8i41-bapMXBMaegYDghR5BcwN6Y1lDygWict5UlgXw5_hkY7BfqPVfV/w300-h400/IMG_7850.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWuffDCZFdsW7u_1XYla5Epby6e8JCcdbQ6lQIWz7Dv6Hp_-gH486R5_SPswwNbCDgx1MkvNAtaK0Fbs36iL2I8s-9ncsx6XevKKSeArl02pLN6kEeG5G-ZT9roE6qlGkmzmPWwMK6vsQFvAncMzWJlNSa3f4y9mm4phcJy06AML5Lo1vmA1z2FCorKo2_/s4032/IMG_7846.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWuffDCZFdsW7u_1XYla5Epby6e8JCcdbQ6lQIWz7Dv6Hp_-gH486R5_SPswwNbCDgx1MkvNAtaK0Fbs36iL2I8s-9ncsx6XevKKSeArl02pLN6kEeG5G-ZT9roE6qlGkmzmPWwMK6vsQFvAncMzWJlNSa3f4y9mm4phcJy06AML5Lo1vmA1z2FCorKo2_/w300-h400/IMG_7846.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I also found out that sunset or dusk is a good time for photography--it lends a certain peaceful quality to the garden.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FMaI8K-ChN5Rhhtt3FimENTB_3NBcmkpAB21vsjXuMueJHnbd-oM4SRcUJqhOOzTyZj2L5PrttRV214U7u0LoNZs_SIyIu8YtAW1Mey7jMVwLIH4gmz98JYyZyMBDwaXqOKSZLvfmNbjxbJdVDGWmCGgWaFTg7Rd4sc0c1-ACKywz5oihFUKIQSPtc8r/s4032/IMG_6663.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FMaI8K-ChN5Rhhtt3FimENTB_3NBcmkpAB21vsjXuMueJHnbd-oM4SRcUJqhOOzTyZj2L5PrttRV214U7u0LoNZs_SIyIu8YtAW1Mey7jMVwLIH4gmz98JYyZyMBDwaXqOKSZLvfmNbjxbJdVDGWmCGgWaFTg7Rd4sc0c1-ACKywz5oihFUKIQSPtc8r/w300-h400/IMG_6663.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8obY8yA6FjNM8k0-veupKBDZ-yobBhccJLO6jVIIvswWmJU_Z8bq5nBnLqmTsY27G7-o5pehv6FLBAgO7faBRSc8-ktIhpRBCUrvHTcg7ixk-S816hctxCcV3NbayOR1GnnybC5qclVq2Q12ZL2U02zyWoR5X8BaGr3wH6qtHQYNFyVuCPgVbIhz2O81_/s4032/IMG_6669.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8obY8yA6FjNM8k0-veupKBDZ-yobBhccJLO6jVIIvswWmJU_Z8bq5nBnLqmTsY27G7-o5pehv6FLBAgO7faBRSc8-ktIhpRBCUrvHTcg7ixk-S816hctxCcV3NbayOR1GnnybC5qclVq2Q12ZL2U02zyWoR5X8BaGr3wH6qtHQYNFyVuCPgVbIhz2O81_/w300-h400/IMG_6669.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-29678427848549203292023-06-26T18:08:00.001+02:002023-06-26T18:08:27.298+02:00Everyone is in the position not to harm <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U5YtiEGshqQ/U8JdxqXiKgI/AAAAAAAAdV4/8tLMapGh2vI/s1600/DoNotHarmThem.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U5YtiEGshqQ/U8JdxqXiKgI/AAAAAAAAdV4/8tLMapGh2vI/s1600/DoNotHarmThem.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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::</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-44462766101988359942023-06-15T11:35:00.004+02:002023-06-15T11:35:26.625+02:00Moles and Leather-leaf Ferns<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvn3APRMS9caUSTFRW8A2oYXmmdKJp221B4QPec0-DSBX-W4dOZ2BTJjBeESA6wdbxJgIF24vl73FjZNqRFcmJKiSlZeU5Ky4RXguktXbQwc-rnL7DhSJ0SUmQIirtvVhOKuTZoLkvDh9Dp1sbdKTTx5X1j2FuqfnPgih0lMnaSb06OpsiVqdnB4QNvg/s4032/IMG_6664.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvn3APRMS9caUSTFRW8A2oYXmmdKJp221B4QPec0-DSBX-W4dOZ2BTJjBeESA6wdbxJgIF24vl73FjZNqRFcmJKiSlZeU5Ky4RXguktXbQwc-rnL7DhSJ0SUmQIirtvVhOKuTZoLkvDh9Dp1sbdKTTx5X1j2FuqfnPgih0lMnaSb06OpsiVqdnB4QNvg/w480-h640/IMG_6664.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">What does a Mole have to do with a Leatherleaf Fern? you might ask. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My Leatherleaf Fern is suffering from root-burn (I think) because I poured some diluted Jeyes Fluid down the Moleās hole and I think some got to the roots of the fern. The Jeyes Fluid doesnāt harm the Mole, but the smell is strong enough to send him (and me!) scurrying to the other side of my garden fence. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">He has an extensive range of underground tunnels with many air holes (those unsightly heaps of soil all over your garden or lawn), so itās quite a job watering as many of them as I can to keep him on the other side of the fence. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Moles actually do not cause much harm, other than making your landscape look messy, which to an avid gardener or landscaper, can be extremely testing. That said, moles do help to aerate the soil, which makes for a healthy and robust lawn.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Moles do not hibernate. They are usually nearer the surface in winter and deeper in summer. They love moist soil where worms are active, which is why they suddenly appear when the soil becomes cool, and moist in late autumn.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Moles, like the Golden Mole, eat insects and snails and are more attracted by such soil pests present in the roots of plants, than by the actual roots. They are sometimes referred to as āsurface molesā and are more active during wet seasons. They are completely blind and rely on their hearing and smell to capture prey.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I have a suspicion that my friend is a Molerat, which feeds on roots and bulbs (and it is these moles that push the soil from their burrows, creating molehills), so he is actually not welcome in my garden. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">āNuff said. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCXMvcEdq59DEzhn3hnaW8LztRfBnSg5iQzPD6ZFLujkLPUI-xVxLBU5t6t7BrBtCK3tXLVtlflfAZeCduGF-phM35QDKd5MRnE4eh5qiog6xVHWBRdecj5UN2crKt3oJnTzorNE1Mu47tZNJcOnhO_ZADDsjiydL8xchzvcq9zN0HBcyAAT01fi6lg/s4032/IMG_3441.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmCXMvcEdq59DEzhn3hnaW8LztRfBnSg5iQzPD6ZFLujkLPUI-xVxLBU5t6t7BrBtCK3tXLVtlflfAZeCduGF-phM35QDKd5MRnE4eh5qiog6xVHWBRdecj5UN2crKt3oJnTzorNE1Mu47tZNJcOnhO_ZADDsjiydL8xchzvcq9zN0HBcyAAT01fi6lg/w480-h640/IMG_3441.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My fern in the days before the mole :(</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">::</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-83999579169869699472023-06-10T18:20:00.005+02:002023-06-10T18:45:19.894+02:00Mousebirds (Coliiformes)<p><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; color: #3c4044; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px;">Mousebirds are </span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; color: #4d5055; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px;">slender greyish or brown birds with soft, hairlike body feathers</span><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; background-color: white; color: #3c4044; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px;">. They are typically about 10 cm (3.9 in) in body length, with a long, thin tail a further 20ā24 cm (7.9ā9.4 in) in length, and weigh 45ā55 g (1.6ā1.9 oz).</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #3c4044; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p style="color: #3c4044; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">They get their name from the way they scurry along like mice amongst the tree branches.</span> They eat berries, fruits, and buds. They have very strong claws and can hang upside down while feeding. Mousebirds are very social and often gather in groups.</p><p style="color: #3c4044; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p style="color: #3c4044; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">Way back in the day, I was lucky enough to have a Mousebird in my life after rescuing it after it fell out of the nest. She used to cling to my bra strap inside my blouse, sometimes peeping out to the astonishment of whoever was around. Interesting about Mousebirds is that they do not bathe in water like most birds, but have dust baths, like chickens and guinea fowl. And after her sand bath, she would fly up onto my shoulder and beg for some fruit. Her favourite was banana, but I also served up apples and pears, with the odd orange which she wasnāt fond of at all.</span></p><p style="color: #3c4044; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 19px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p style="color: #3c4044; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">She would also will feed on the buds of some plants in the garden and Iāve also seen her take the odd insect of it strayed too close to her. </span></p><p style="color: #3c4044; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p>
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36UmJMlTZsn4EFwTY-DlqSmPNlBSU72U5ktn9om2Dr7UxFWSIyPA8eVq6KZGNjETd0dVgVEr0TlcMKV-5RTJoEz9_84qDfUwsUFre_N_CskC_Pedz1bIE8nyD1wNdRmr8a0tnufkwTj5G6VVS7hGJHHsFHLTkkYEROuqk3_3uW7tV4ak2w6xkmoZFtQ/s1024/B9D26575-BB7B-497B-B85D-F336FF109F86_1_105_c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36UmJMlTZsn4EFwTY-DlqSmPNlBSU72U5ktn9om2Dr7UxFWSIyPA8eVq6KZGNjETd0dVgVEr0TlcMKV-5RTJoEz9_84qDfUwsUFre_N_CskC_Pedz1bIE8nyD1wNdRmr8a0tnufkwTj5G6VVS7hGJHHsFHLTkkYEROuqk3_3uW7tV4ak2w6xkmoZFtQ/w480-h640/B9D26575-BB7B-497B-B85D-F336FF109F86_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These Mousebirds are newcomers to my garden since they discovered the apples I put out for the Bulbuls.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQrfTUM28P42FBvZeick7rwWnjqUAaZW91wIR18c-d5eo03G4aBNyEMPJMTn2WLnjtBY6YU6-jwkWLptzuoxPJRDL9CXLY6MfkIdFKe2sWW1uaAGOIaey39kSabI7vSZZEIUnfJiyuX0jMSufWaZnQb6Bp0vKAufFulcYVw2tBjED0uewW2zZHX8hYQ/s1024/A089B4A3-A9A0-4376-858A-D8151529EC31_1_105_c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQrfTUM28P42FBvZeick7rwWnjqUAaZW91wIR18c-d5eo03G4aBNyEMPJMTn2WLnjtBY6YU6-jwkWLptzuoxPJRDL9CXLY6MfkIdFKe2sWW1uaAGOIaey39kSabI7vSZZEIUnfJiyuX0jMSufWaZnQb6Bp0vKAufFulcYVw2tBjED0uewW2zZHX8hYQ/w480-h640/A089B4A3-A9A0-4376-858A-D8151529EC31_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAfQ4e6Q5IDDeRpb9GU9yqgz-1scIastr-oAFioBA4suyhrMYfvGIdP_nx_HxG7t4XGfsD8kGv-qhfvDoV8P8qbUUUfJ0wH5JiAtsUN4NRJMSf0Tjxz3FTAeobGzbAEW8kODsZSbSQqxfq3vTdCel48vx4GolA0r5e_56ezdVxIkOGpHG_nx-u3MDsw/s1024/18644001-CE55-42EA-98AC-86DFA2C53D7A_1_105_c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAfQ4e6Q5IDDeRpb9GU9yqgz-1scIastr-oAFioBA4suyhrMYfvGIdP_nx_HxG7t4XGfsD8kGv-qhfvDoV8P8qbUUUfJ0wH5JiAtsUN4NRJMSf0Tjxz3FTAeobGzbAEW8kODsZSbSQqxfq3vTdCel48vx4GolA0r5e_56ezdVxIkOGpHG_nx-u3MDsw/w480-h640/18644001-CE55-42EA-98AC-86DFA2C53D7A_1_105_c.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_A5osqrGkEffBeor4SRoVy_P6hsjbTuUEHuHSxRSxTeIjg7x9CRCQaFU8tQ5Xi6TO7o5Hsca2UUS79JW78HmK5pDwkvW8yxcCM7EhZawyvS9GT21W61d_RqgeTqO5pSMzpAk2e_HM4pnXyJKdAnqQpRUKzkCGuQzXOP92U5Q_qS01mVO2d_rFvuS3w/s2048/0C6B2018-EFFB-4BC7-9FCD-19F95362FAE4_1_102_a.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_A5osqrGkEffBeor4SRoVy_P6hsjbTuUEHuHSxRSxTeIjg7x9CRCQaFU8tQ5Xi6TO7o5Hsca2UUS79JW78HmK5pDwkvW8yxcCM7EhZawyvS9GT21W61d_RqgeTqO5pSMzpAk2e_HM4pnXyJKdAnqQpRUKzkCGuQzXOP92U5Q_qS01mVO2d_rFvuS3w/w480-h640/0C6B2018-EFFB-4BC7-9FCD-19F95362FAE4_1_102_a.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="color: #3c4044; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">The Zulu name is iNdlazi and in Afrikaans it is known as gevlekte muisvoel.</span></p><p style="color: #3c4044; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #3c4044; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;">::</span></p><p style="color: #3c4044; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-33318137779388071892023-04-21T09:45:00.002+02:002023-04-21T09:51:35.224+02:00Bag-shelter Moth (Ochragaster lunifer)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXkdJsMl626nOycJJ2vsDEU76l6HlmclLcwESSMd3AJvC0FQJrtzaV9s4bIBfd1gOZ9MaLj1j6eAY8UjXDQOp1leN5d1h59FyYNFeIa5RsA0TkTZMIzAwj_hRL4DYsKSmgOoP3bihF-r4p1QqCjdlKZNgtf8DqMH9MPUMVTJw1xgqYeA1LW5IZ-klVw/s4032/7681E2A2-91AE-4989-B04B-0F5B3D9A8B92.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXkdJsMl626nOycJJ2vsDEU76l6HlmclLcwESSMd3AJvC0FQJrtzaV9s4bIBfd1gOZ9MaLj1j6eAY8UjXDQOp1leN5d1h59FyYNFeIa5RsA0TkTZMIzAwj_hRL4DYsKSmgOoP3bihF-r4p1QqCjdlKZNgtf8DqMH9MPUMVTJw1xgqYeA1LW5IZ-klVw/w300-h400/7681E2A2-91AE-4989-B04B-0F5B3D9A8B92.heic" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">For about a week I've been watching these caterpillars as they crawled up the wall after some heavy rain. (This is my next-door neighbour's condo.) First of all they were all bundled together in one big mass (didn't think of taking a photo on the first day), but the next day I found them walking up the wall in straight lines.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3oaVzJVd5uk69wtxHvwWl52FNLXYvCtKfM4_gK-8sSQWAX472MnaaNtMcJw850Vt766NvRT_bFjR6wGsWUyKZ4AFcRQxMfdXLls9xCP41OWggdgm52lik18-k4-6tW9DugNMS80aiEgozzoQcmynS1B2OmdKReyqd-yG_NXq_z_7-imb7QcrBrjp3g/s1024/FC81BC61-207E-458C-B567-DB3CA2065FEF_1_105_c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3oaVzJVd5uk69wtxHvwWl52FNLXYvCtKfM4_gK-8sSQWAX472MnaaNtMcJw850Vt766NvRT_bFjR6wGsWUyKZ4AFcRQxMfdXLls9xCP41OWggdgm52lik18-k4-6tW9DugNMS80aiEgozzoQcmynS1B2OmdKReyqd-yG_NXq_z_7-imb7QcrBrjp3g/w300-h400/FC81BC61-207E-458C-B567-DB3CA2065FEF_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Why do these caterpillars go in a line? They travel in long lines of hundreds or more in search of food or a suitable place to begin the transformation into their adult form : the Bag-shelter Moth. Together they present a formidable number of irritant hairs to predators and the conga line helps prevent them getting lost.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXikpClZoZbR_r3YrVaudaTjkulF7zsZv7u_HAfJGf_D0LocChE94IaBbx4xVJCt8ewpOP__qvjsTdk-F0FPYG_u7AdwG8kTQJ7hHr9yygJ46KSjGtYdlhGnJFRaqV3YN17Jn2a5l5o1lWga1lifyBmDtqe93aiW604KvcZOUQB6jKW5ry7uzr8ODxGg/s1024/F8B4B736-E4EE-44BE-B8A7-033D383BED68_1_105_c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXikpClZoZbR_r3YrVaudaTjkulF7zsZv7u_HAfJGf_D0LocChE94IaBbx4xVJCt8ewpOP__qvjsTdk-F0FPYG_u7AdwG8kTQJ7hHr9yygJ46KSjGtYdlhGnJFRaqV3YN17Jn2a5l5o1lWga1lifyBmDtqe93aiW604KvcZOUQB6jKW5ry7uzr8ODxGg/w300-h400/F8B4B736-E4EE-44BE-B8A7-033D383BED68_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">It is also thought that they walk in line to scare off predators who might think it is a snake. How clever!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjmpe_0yc4F-BN6SszM8hDb_DkFyQAua-irQkOJ7sWT9fjCYM12-8hClb2uSQcHWzrCAiKYdcO-9tbOQRr9LX7iPgiiWgAtFspnbLsHUfGDTndx-ZEV6epWOTMNg4L7nk8TKRcFNmqTQxSWSutZ1GeySB3nf5DFyRuQ9Fk673zFTZkXeUTYTOZ7Lh-g/s1024/CA431850-6C46-4674-BACC-5D76DEF1C616_1_105_c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjmpe_0yc4F-BN6SszM8hDb_DkFyQAua-irQkOJ7sWT9fjCYM12-8hClb2uSQcHWzrCAiKYdcO-9tbOQRr9LX7iPgiiWgAtFspnbLsHUfGDTndx-ZEV6epWOTMNg4L7nk8TKRcFNmqTQxSWSutZ1GeySB3nf5DFyRuQ9Fk673zFTZkXeUTYTOZ7Lh-g/w300-h400/CA431850-6C46-4674-BACC-5D76DEF1C616_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">These caterpillars are grey and hairy with a brown head. They grow to a length of about 4cms. When they mature, they will descend from their tree (or wall, in this case) to pupate in a silk cocoon in ground debris, and what hatches is the Bag-shelter Moth.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_1bH0ORxMe2-8l7gq-IXNxHxAkFLxQnBIcKz1K6k4p3PwaEUh0B2RN0k1uak2JQMDF4OSWzupKrtJivyVt6c4nRGRG7eWt-CFx36rZ1qYpnM_D8ti0OfrEn1x2sDuO0LpfPBE8RjSLYPK0DkTrie11-EF4Sa55tMBXPjpqCk3FcCNbcOUAt7UJFXcg/s500/6ED8353F-8B9C-46B9-9141-8F4E44DCDBC5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="500" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_1bH0ORxMe2-8l7gq-IXNxHxAkFLxQnBIcKz1K6k4p3PwaEUh0B2RN0k1uak2JQMDF4OSWzupKrtJivyVt6c4nRGRG7eWt-CFx36rZ1qYpnM_D8ti0OfrEn1x2sDuO0LpfPBE8RjSLYPK0DkTrie11-EF4Sa55tMBXPjpqCk3FcCNbcOUAt7UJFXcg/w400-h235/6ED8353F-8B9C-46B9-9141-8F4E44DCDBC5.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdwbP2Gh0Cwp9LJieZWiowxzZ6C0FYcTXmZaVZWFagML4rWj99LhoUgawYLfxT11TX2hZNU5zyIuU-0N_l4K6LoysFsCG_rbAcrjrpPOF4SNAOr1O4pc__aPS4SsI5hJ66UMH2nVvZ20QSTKzwkjt6F9B97mGjVem0b-bIaqZ5F5XLE6dmJz3shJEQA/s550/678960B5-FE93-48D3-8406-07621D0A2E48.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="550" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdwbP2Gh0Cwp9LJieZWiowxzZ6C0FYcTXmZaVZWFagML4rWj99LhoUgawYLfxT11TX2hZNU5zyIuU-0N_l4K6LoysFsCG_rbAcrjrpPOF4SNAOr1O4pc__aPS4SsI5hJ66UMH2nVvZ20QSTKzwkjt6F9B97mGjVem0b-bIaqZ5F5XLE6dmJz3shJEQA/w400-h265/678960B5-FE93-48D3-8406-07621D0A2E48.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">I have actually found that not many birds like to eat this moth. When touched it curls up, showing a black and red body, which I presume signals that it is poisonous.</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQydVcA504x9S5_h3EUEZevyjUSYRmPr55jhxMsBJobv4p1sYSrW58r3PN7qT8Rf5U0u9rSCCvLa3E4ouX_wYv4i8ooaQxPQqPjwsuy6GPB8qG3M2tfERdlfskmflIXSATkyVar8RDOE_rsf2vfmZlzW4Xyt6aXStOtalpPcas8LzO6j1EOMbip_JrA/s1024/B952D484-A18C-4A3B-8CAD-4D36F9FA2309_1_105_c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQydVcA504x9S5_h3EUEZevyjUSYRmPr55jhxMsBJobv4p1sYSrW58r3PN7qT8Rf5U0u9rSCCvLa3E4ouX_wYv4i8ooaQxPQqPjwsuy6GPB8qG3M2tfERdlfskmflIXSATkyVar8RDOE_rsf2vfmZlzW4Xyt6aXStOtalpPcas8LzO6j1EOMbip_JrA/w300-h400/B952D484-A18C-4A3B-8CAD-4D36F9FA2309_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">By day three the "train" had moved higher up the wall, heading for the roof, it seemed.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxd_ld29YCAmW_9SZ8fSymEhrr0vh62fp55-L0ROFE34KAIi25RmxHA5s4f8F85ZF_CZXhm9Vv8Q9NM9e0dy63mJMliqRXXm9Gt_PfqfEl4_jnEEfKbhk5hM662Zf2ssbeJfPF63SS6Mu625C-YjDgZtyaJKkrdS4qpz6kKl15F9gVsKy1tzxCKGy1w/s1024/B3C55E0F-66E7-4A1B-85C8-EDAD5E7F2D1F_1_105_c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxd_ld29YCAmW_9SZ8fSymEhrr0vh62fp55-L0ROFE34KAIi25RmxHA5s4f8F85ZF_CZXhm9Vv8Q9NM9e0dy63mJMliqRXXm9Gt_PfqfEl4_jnEEfKbhk5hM662Zf2ssbeJfPF63SS6Mu625C-YjDgZtyaJKkrdS4qpz6kKl15F9gVsKy1tzxCKGy1w/w300-h400/B3C55E0F-66E7-4A1B-85C8-EDAD5E7F2D1F_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;">Note the bunch of caterpillars behind the Sansevieria close to the ground.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_z8dmD_V1lVrj4fjrIvB5-uUzjLCR6KVK2wlNTWW5oTuhEdZpIUW_MGWVFmj8B3K56MpAhAWIe6m0k0z2597dpDMb_1RTFej-zJP-jq-j5yJpnlfTrneTyUNRDNivCVacQmq8pBSKd3vq0u-ktESe5W4Q8kg_qtb3F53aExJsWZRSBE_0LykeDdXBg/s1024/38EA2612-0471-4E1F-8386-90AA2B1493FF_1_105_c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_z8dmD_V1lVrj4fjrIvB5-uUzjLCR6KVK2wlNTWW5oTuhEdZpIUW_MGWVFmj8B3K56MpAhAWIe6m0k0z2597dpDMb_1RTFej-zJP-jq-j5yJpnlfTrneTyUNRDNivCVacQmq8pBSKd3vq0u-ktESe5W4Q8kg_qtb3F53aExJsWZRSBE_0LykeDdXBg/w300-h400/38EA2612-0471-4E1F-8386-90AA2B1493FF_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEsmfize7cZ7LLlApSEIi1cCTqTWIPyKoyJqrAaGP_-IEmxKZ4tfWX745StRZ-z7sZ6hnOqRh4nOwh4pQeLWjEu-DkNQsqmnyXtmaK_PbEWDiVzy9oY4HWq-2JH0vvG07Icf0HphmXfHJcv9HlIxJ0FsqNfA0PnSJtK02eHYkHiMTIZ7AHT3rxHgOFw/s1024/A181F878-0093-441B-9620-AF30167A8C75_1_105_c.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMEsmfize7cZ7LLlApSEIi1cCTqTWIPyKoyJqrAaGP_-IEmxKZ4tfWX745StRZ-z7sZ6hnOqRh4nOwh4pQeLWjEu-DkNQsqmnyXtmaK_PbEWDiVzy9oY4HWq-2JH0vvG07Icf0HphmXfHJcv9HlIxJ0FsqNfA0PnSJtK02eHYkHiMTIZ7AHT3rxHgOFw/w300-h400/A181F878-0093-441B-9620-AF30167A8C75_1_105_c.jpeg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">For another day or two they kept on "clustering" and forming trains until eventually, all that was left was a few stragglers - I presume that the rest had descended to complete their pupation.<br /></span><p><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">By the way, lots of caterpillars together is called an "army". These ones are also called Processionary Caterpillars or a "train".</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;">::</span></p>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-81007920195295807202023-01-07T06:30:00.001+02:002023-01-07T06:30:00.206+02:00A newcomer to my garden- White-browed Scrub Robin<p>While relaxing in my lounge with a 1000-piece puzzle a few months ago, I heard a bird-call Iāve never heard before. Grabbing my phone, I slowly stepped outside to see if I could catch a glimpse ā no luck. So my next move was to search for the bird-call on the Roberts Birds app on my iPad, and after a short search, I found him ā a White-browed Scrub Robin! (Cercotrichas leucophrys).</p><p>)Still on my patio, I played the bird-call as loud as my iPad would allow and lo-and-behold, he suddenly appeared on the fence, trying to find the interloper who was, probably, trying to infiltrate his territory!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9Vi8vzJyfOgb0M_PR05-LNc1kk5Yl8W76RnNOoiPgLr07T-YKX58mUlhjPvo5ifVGC7FZvdhDRTnFwndxbZRywMPwI6gTv5NwXR9Wkbd5eSVt00-GJjmRSrZkBVUA4yvIu3b1QBHKwWngNemjZ0ow9sl1nODLoTYx0O_ZlT25gyEKy5emfA5BQc8LA/s1916/55B4CB9A-D5EF-4DD8-A85A-A7FE592D23A8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1916" data-original-width="1125" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9Vi8vzJyfOgb0M_PR05-LNc1kk5Yl8W76RnNOoiPgLr07T-YKX58mUlhjPvo5ifVGC7FZvdhDRTnFwndxbZRywMPwI6gTv5NwXR9Wkbd5eSVt00-GJjmRSrZkBVUA4yvIu3b1QBHKwWngNemjZ0ow9sl1nODLoTYx0O_ZlT25gyEKy5emfA5BQc8LA/w235-h400/55B4CB9A-D5EF-4DD8-A85A-A7FE592D23A8.jpeg" width="235" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBDPo_4rVn6opcD0Y55m67AqEUGetdrYP4ZsI8LW90t2xH5VPysXeIEP9S7jiu9HNR5noEP8rMcQ0cHqOPUwfq50_f38mIntJ9188rHtaiAJd9HW-4necFKEAnI8DM2LDDoT-7pAZb2lUw5ssv41bDzshJvc3VLhjqtbbToxpGI_sSX9w6w25JRO6FA/s1813/5419DC18-8E6A-42D3-BF86-235A19444DCF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1813" data-original-width="1125" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBDPo_4rVn6opcD0Y55m67AqEUGetdrYP4ZsI8LW90t2xH5VPysXeIEP9S7jiu9HNR5noEP8rMcQ0cHqOPUwfq50_f38mIntJ9188rHtaiAJd9HW-4necFKEAnI8DM2LDDoT-7pAZb2lUw5ssv41bDzshJvc3VLhjqtbbToxpGI_sSX9w6w25JRO6FA/w249-h400/5419DC18-8E6A-42D3-BF86-235A19444DCF.jpeg" width="249" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">White-browed Scrub Robin flashing his tail, warning any possible interloper that heās ready for him.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6vfrgfACV3P8atKtXAjhajPxPXz1QM0BAhUfOdsxVkUZO2lA0_0TPskWOpiwjMok9sVOCYuNVqnO_dCqa1vfjoHeFlvwkIu3dehDHkCWl-SBEeUvCg-OjsmW38dXIl0AdNmHf9xqOwqV2OpcHhzDYfwIM20ODj3VqgqJJrkmLWNjWMF9DF4t98f6Fg/s1624/643624B8-3D14-4E36-8758-5413D3EC1DC3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1624" data-original-width="1125" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6vfrgfACV3P8atKtXAjhajPxPXz1QM0BAhUfOdsxVkUZO2lA0_0TPskWOpiwjMok9sVOCYuNVqnO_dCqa1vfjoHeFlvwkIu3dehDHkCWl-SBEeUvCg-OjsmW38dXIl0AdNmHf9xqOwqV2OpcHhzDYfwIM20ODj3VqgqJJrkmLWNjWMF9DF4t98f6Fg/w278-h400/643624B8-3D14-4E36-8758-5413D3EC1DC3.jpeg" width="278" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9FudSQz2uRoBAzEy6aaYJizWbU-ft_VTv_l37HXA3OHSBw2GMF3pWeLEFCXHz6RmHPUndArcXo-hPifi8Cx4jJGBBvPwwvgbBXvEv2uXHSE2PFfz3lXZVQdsBr2qEFNyhkClgBckUjsoAGVAyMzPOhHY9kl6MHtE50Cc8nBtmdOG8LSDN2k2pBuotQ/s1849/38943943-A83B-410B-B0DF-2C2C64FD859F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1849" data-original-width="1125" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9FudSQz2uRoBAzEy6aaYJizWbU-ft_VTv_l37HXA3OHSBw2GMF3pWeLEFCXHz6RmHPUndArcXo-hPifi8Cx4jJGBBvPwwvgbBXvEv2uXHSE2PFfz3lXZVQdsBr2qEFNyhkClgBckUjsoAGVAyMzPOhHY9kl6MHtE50Cc8nBtmdOG8LSDN2k2pBuotQ/w244-h400/38943943-A83B-410B-B0DF-2C2C64FD859F.jpeg" width="244" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And true to all Robins, he pranced and posed and flipped his tail in that typical Robin fashion, allowing me to get a few pics. We played this game of him listening intently to my bird-call and excitedly answering in return untill he decided that this threat was obviously not worth his attention.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since then, every time I play his call, he actually comes and investigates. But for the past two months or so I havenāt heard or seen him at all. Maybe heās raising a family somewhere. I will keep on being on the lookout for him ā¦</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Indigenous to Southern Africa, <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: Arial;">it is common across the the eastern half of South Africa through to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana and northern Namibia.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; font-family: Arial;">Gestreepte wipstert [Afrikaans]</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">***</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p></div>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-31477035343515556362022-12-31T18:12:00.000+02:002022-12-31T18:12:05.623+02:00Spittle Bugs (or Frog Hoppers)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnYySNtTmnabElh4cxRhvWNHwQg_7v9R99oaXQpu893zLgfgBdReR1-kTTGTPvXultZSPW2cfMt-fWwGxSfbglnZ3Vf9zPeMGv23JX_KxOJBaiq-g5Y7o5MgJA6bEhsHnYZukG0coQOmhTkDEQN-HQmyMaO_MdXvnux9Cm0Vz5dxQ38WGXYm7PGI5xQ/s2048/37724573-E2B6-4467-99DB-DE489B25BF87.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMnYySNtTmnabElh4cxRhvWNHwQg_7v9R99oaXQpu893zLgfgBdReR1-kTTGTPvXultZSPW2cfMt-fWwGxSfbglnZ3Vf9zPeMGv23JX_KxOJBaiq-g5Y7o5MgJA6bEhsHnYZukG0coQOmhTkDEQN-HQmyMaO_MdXvnux9Cm0Vz5dxQ38WGXYm7PGI5xQ/w300-h400/37724573-E2B6-4467-99DB-DE489B25BF87.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Raintree Spittle Bugs (Ptyelus flavescens) on a Coral tree. </div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zJUsrrvfajR_DA65KCpJetHYRT-XOM45ZeQIqI8fu1ZzLgCrDOjQRxN6IgYCeLgcRzew_9pExuQLLTVNMaOQcK6EAirz8UwvpQmEok2DuolivrixSYt2DEkLLTriGk62k2ILcTOeLo-YUx7SUaVQSRdsoIDQqyxmG85RseFEbfjsrQTC3dzFGZACwQ/s2048/85D91212-5671-444B-89F8-58D750C4D8EE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zJUsrrvfajR_DA65KCpJetHYRT-XOM45ZeQIqI8fu1ZzLgCrDOjQRxN6IgYCeLgcRzew_9pExuQLLTVNMaOQcK6EAirz8UwvpQmEok2DuolivrixSYt2DEkLLTriGk62k2ILcTOeLo-YUx7SUaVQSRdsoIDQqyxmG85RseFEbfjsrQTC3dzFGZACwQ/w300-h400/85D91212-5671-444B-89F8-58D750C4D8EE.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Spittle bugs (or Frog hoppers) on a Coral Tree (Erythrina lysistemon), indigenous to South Africa. </div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">As I was photograohing them, the sky was blue, and I wondered why it was raining? I actually just happened to pick a spot just beneath a family of raintree spittlebugs! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">These white foam blobs are produced by the immatures, or nymphs, of spittlebugs, small insects related to aphids and other true bugs, in the order Hemiptera. Young nymphs blow bubbles with their excretions, and so they live and feed in a glorious soggy huddle. The dripping foam keeps them moist and cool and keeps predators and parasites away.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5T5Y1Fh_82qSMhcCHL3Jb3tXn2Rj7LbSxVPtH7RDzUHXyNJWYivdu4KWkUkKVN1qCXHh1toHYivXZagNYZYf0GUXv-edYwaGCUPzaBwxpSJx0gA4Aph05NI5-YyWyDyegSiDzZPyEq4pZXsNXEBLIGeg7gh8qnKESRRsU4GJODsShzRJoEfAAQ1hEpQ/s2048/FC36D463-63A6-4C50-B9CF-F62221B57D0B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5T5Y1Fh_82qSMhcCHL3Jb3tXn2Rj7LbSxVPtH7RDzUHXyNJWYivdu4KWkUkKVN1qCXHh1toHYivXZagNYZYf0GUXv-edYwaGCUPzaBwxpSJx0gA4Aph05NI5-YyWyDyegSiDzZPyEq4pZXsNXEBLIGeg7gh8qnKESRRsU4GJODsShzRJoEfAAQ1hEpQ/w300-h400/FC36D463-63A6-4C50-B9CF-F62221B57D0B.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Empty skins and some adult Spittle Bugs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBo1rQ18elO2Jq3L4H0fYie9dy-1bdmGthxDAucEUDsHaSrBGo9xqbD7hldLmHK9p4hUW4awpO7fHbUE0BqEoyOwrHOnk7FVlgKlaXXgqSDVSMPhLax5lekxqp5y-IPHowWvRlUwatpeLc3ToVXxI112LAaR_x0sJbOYWAPIZHnjDX19vXYd9wgOb6jw/s2048/5A6F4349-277F-4208-9C02-20C5F4970C6B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBo1rQ18elO2Jq3L4H0fYie9dy-1bdmGthxDAucEUDsHaSrBGo9xqbD7hldLmHK9p4hUW4awpO7fHbUE0BqEoyOwrHOnk7FVlgKlaXXgqSDVSMPhLax5lekxqp5y-IPHowWvRlUwatpeLc3ToVXxI112LAaR_x0sJbOYWAPIZHnjDX19vXYd9wgOb6jw/w300-h400/5A6F4349-277F-4208-9C02-20C5F4970C6B.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhktr6zFbgAjdI914NvE1uccYTUW0hUfkcr-JGUZshkpTf-yC-Au0MoiChIiMEj6JYHuyNOF1i3em-Bwti1vU2YdYS12C-YQKf53n1qReOu2xsr3cHSrftjSvyHMBdHc546JmIInazrPooqNEGyo5jFrV4zrJKx4zkZCn557UM2ngHFSUf9aR6y_eRdA/s2048/EFF62189-6CFE-4DBC-BF2E-77CFB71669FF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhktr6zFbgAjdI914NvE1uccYTUW0hUfkcr-JGUZshkpTf-yC-Au0MoiChIiMEj6JYHuyNOF1i3em-Bwti1vU2YdYS12C-YQKf53n1qReOu2xsr3cHSrftjSvyHMBdHc546JmIInazrPooqNEGyo5jFrV4zrJKx4zkZCn557UM2ngHFSUf9aR6y_eRdA/w300-h400/EFF62189-6CFE-4DBC-BF2E-77CFB71669FF.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjpdZCGZ6WweFOLaYKJF-ztpOO2o7cWFPDyfvPGBlCnqqwCRRAH2vWJAGx9zjbTjzFafGpizSiJdsTKUMZrcwF907hgXt2DWxdtOfuVGfFJ5ikPtfHH6H1NHFYqKfaT8q_6XPJFAJwLkRY99Bwb7Eb-51GLnfrDagTmvIoGFRmVZuwO9nZxaX2iXPEA/s2048/A7BB0B5E-1ED0-447B-A78D-88192E887910.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjpdZCGZ6WweFOLaYKJF-ztpOO2o7cWFPDyfvPGBlCnqqwCRRAH2vWJAGx9zjbTjzFafGpizSiJdsTKUMZrcwF907hgXt2DWxdtOfuVGfFJ5ikPtfHH6H1NHFYqKfaT8q_6XPJFAJwLkRY99Bwb7Eb-51GLnfrDagTmvIoGFRmVZuwO9nZxaX2iXPEA/w300-h400/A7BB0B5E-1ED0-447B-A78D-88192E887910.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They suck the sap of a tree <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">through a drinking straw, called a ārostrumā or āstylusā. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); color: #444444; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left;">Plant sap is not all that nutritious, so the bugs have to work through a lot of it to get sufficient proteins. But this Coral Tree doesnāt seem at all the worse for the wear and as I got close to some of the bugs, they would shoot of as if out of a catapult, so I presume they disperse fairly quickly when disturbed so wonāt cause too much harm to the host tree.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">::</div></div>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-12672052570097037752022-12-11T20:12:00.002+02:002022-12-12T08:24:13.795+02:00A new discovery -- Leather-leaf Fern<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74v9tIE8KG2HFBz_GTcunW7jPWFg_OHbTsb-TJONmW9kop1Kv1HvyxfsC4cPftoKHHh7dVL9ePUZp_CvbFD8QNDvcM_1NHZDsy1N9Gbcek_rvm7--vzA_9leP5Oz52xQ5Ax63P_ZsFUyy768J0u_oGRYCVQiXY9gmAhw4HVi7VnI6bLpzflCrlWZAPA/s1000/LeatherLeafFern1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74v9tIE8KG2HFBz_GTcunW7jPWFg_OHbTsb-TJONmW9kop1Kv1HvyxfsC4cPftoKHHh7dVL9ePUZp_CvbFD8QNDvcM_1NHZDsy1N9Gbcek_rvm7--vzA_9leP5Oz52xQ5Ax63P_ZsFUyy768J0u_oGRYCVQiXY9gmAhw4HVi7VnI6bLpzflCrlWZAPA/w300-h400/LeatherLeafFern1.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">During winter I discovered this beautiful fern just popping up between some pavers in a shady corner in my garden. It was so pretty and green so I decided to make a special little corner around it, incorporating a bird bath for my feathered friends.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbboP113coHWb6uOFTy4x2TCYV9PFwpYSegoyFCM1i35QB_qeAfG8LWitgaULzEChx6L_5nne8MJq3VlrJBBde9SfiwLjPchqE6ifjcslDUDHRYXi7obX4kcmfV5dM-W6vBHbg4VGawcph9FKIG5KNmCzip066BluxVDYD_Gm1pbMzLzFuz8gAWuT0g/s3856/LeatherLeafFern2.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3856" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitbboP113coHWb6uOFTy4x2TCYV9PFwpYSegoyFCM1i35QB_qeAfG8LWitgaULzEChx6L_5nne8MJq3VlrJBBde9SfiwLjPchqE6ifjcslDUDHRYXi7obX4kcmfV5dM-W6vBHbg4VGawcph9FKIG5KNmCzip066BluxVDYD_Gm1pbMzLzFuz8gAWuT0g/w314-h400/LeatherLeafFern2.heic" width="314" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It wasn't belong before they discovered this new feature, and soon they were flocking in and vying for the best bathing spots.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VLXHZeTXID3VjylYI16sp0Mf4M3AHz31nzQWyTxfQqGdggldik0MxFOmboZ3qOkXJEG9DZ-iLaswc_dbj_wU9Ij_FUgNLDprHLoL-U3ec9Sy_9NsaPBhLUpu1kQPqHFD8xGVTioTOPq71XmZrLKsPp1sWGBdO2ewHrtSYmWl-jC3KtukBe2P6NBhtg/s3024/LeatherLeafBirdbath2.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2703" data-original-width="3024" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VLXHZeTXID3VjylYI16sp0Mf4M3AHz31nzQWyTxfQqGdggldik0MxFOmboZ3qOkXJEG9DZ-iLaswc_dbj_wU9Ij_FUgNLDprHLoL-U3ec9Sy_9NsaPBhLUpu1kQPqHFD8xGVTioTOPq71XmZrLKsPp1sWGBdO2ewHrtSYmWl-jC3KtukBe2P6NBhtg/w400-h358/LeatherLeafBirdbath2.heic" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Pennywort-looking weed actually adds some charm to this area. It also just started sprouting by itself in this shady spot, the only bit of shade in my mainly-sun succulent garden.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAg3hIEbyO7MiuK3f88XCn-9W4YxEOFZr53HblNUOPGDyiDNIz2BetrkOUKvhVt3Mv15Y6NA1yChXdvf9d2LPQf0Pwi42gAPW9Y63GmOu_wb3FCxjL4I8vKNdQ3JEF1yUTGjS3P1JU4FhHj3Mnv47bObIABB6bK_hwLI2FU6SG3wqehcjvW0UfYPFotQ/s1024/LeatherLeafBirdbath1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAg3hIEbyO7MiuK3f88XCn-9W4YxEOFZr53HblNUOPGDyiDNIz2BetrkOUKvhVt3Mv15Y6NA1yChXdvf9d2LPQf0Pwi42gAPW9Y63GmOu_wb3FCxjL4I8vKNdQ3JEF1yUTGjS3P1JU4FhHj3Mnv47bObIABB6bK_hwLI2FU6SG3wqehcjvW0UfYPFotQ/w300-h400/LeatherLeafBirdbath1.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #3c4044; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #18191b; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Rumorha adiantiformis loves a spot away from direct sunlight in a partly to fully shaded spot. </span><span style="color: #18191b; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Water regularly so that the soil remains moist but it must be well-drained. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #3c4044; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #18191b; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;">Afrikaans name : Seweweeksvaring (I have no idea why!)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #3c4044; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjao7ghjLJ6gftI1Ik_zDHLCX7vKSkJ_AWrKVdqILgGQ8C3s4tr-Ec4dGI7_mYI1IFZXFTYKVc7m6S1iIW9n7--hjrKYAcrNgx5VaGPhV5_tOxfR44cEw16kMe-2Br_SbY7FUVCg99C136HcRNfpK5RsA6OU7Uy48avZMFeUs2l4KWGYalkwUzUhWKenA/s2048/D1780065-35D4-48F5-84C1-4E2CD6D30DA5_1_102_a.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjao7ghjLJ6gftI1Ik_zDHLCX7vKSkJ_AWrKVdqILgGQ8C3s4tr-Ec4dGI7_mYI1IFZXFTYKVc7m6S1iIW9n7--hjrKYAcrNgx5VaGPhV5_tOxfR44cEw16kMe-2Br_SbY7FUVCg99C136HcRNfpK5RsA6OU7Uy48avZMFeUs2l4KWGYalkwUzUhWKenA/w300-h400/D1780065-35D4-48F5-84C1-4E2CD6D30DA5_1_102_a.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="color: #18191b; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Ferns reproduce from spores, not seeds. If you see small brown dots on the undersides of the leaves, they're probably <b>sori, which are groups of sporangia that serve as spore cases</b>. These spots may cover the entire underside of the leaf, but they aren't harmful to your plant. </span></p><p style="color: #18191b; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: #18191b; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"> With all the rain we've had over the last few weeks, it's grown so much that I had to remove a paver to give it some space to expand. </span>And I've discovered two more ferns sprouting just opposite this one, will keep an eye on them and maybe find a spot for transplanting them.</p><p style="color: #18191b; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="color: #18191b; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">::</p></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #3c4044; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-71266251453399519262022-08-19T16:14:00.004+02:002022-08-19T16:14:53.189+02:00Because I could watch you<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUct5BL2o5Z9D2smK35g62MEP56F9fPUTXROkEM0GO8c1gNs9r6EAsKC9QyRRCwmpQgSsKzxuyH8p8VWHI_lT0Ft28o-ffLospIIJeAo1PiJwGuiiqI4-d6qguq4Sc7O6RbGGsmSQwf2LST2il6k2UEK4IDAe7Xz2O3lB9iiv9dG4BazohpxsA6vS8g/s3024/2B4DA04B-FAC6-4C8F-ADBE-1A6814F49311.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1971" data-original-width="3024" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUct5BL2o5Z9D2smK35g62MEP56F9fPUTXROkEM0GO8c1gNs9r6EAsKC9QyRRCwmpQgSsKzxuyH8p8VWHI_lT0Ft28o-ffLospIIJeAo1PiJwGuiiqI4-d6qguq4Sc7O6RbGGsmSQwf2LST2il6k2UEK4IDAe7Xz2O3lB9iiv9dG4BazohpxsA6vS8g/w400-h261/2B4DA04B-FAC6-4C8F-ADBE-1A6814F49311.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Nasty weather in Ballito on the Dolphin Coast (Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa) (reports of hail storms inland), cold for this time of the year, and two Laughing Doves (Spilopelia senegalensis) seeking shelter on my patio. š¤</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznMd3VNQolCTkQcBFQTEJBMOSWaEtfQykdC6C6IBAOOXCR-Gt5utY3rsimREFGa3PK0-838oh9OBJxeV20BQCmfMe2G8MxhIYKJcf5-iAOoAkwi7ZuHiK3vottQKmwJkXDSNzPB-uMtRl_42QRQ7wsrrz4izm1mKq8IMYjr3tBmLCQ4wy8nVrtYAfDA/s2048/869B93BB-87AC-4552-B7BE-52739A393B96.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznMd3VNQolCTkQcBFQTEJBMOSWaEtfQykdC6C6IBAOOXCR-Gt5utY3rsimREFGa3PK0-838oh9OBJxeV20BQCmfMe2G8MxhIYKJcf5-iAOoAkwi7ZuHiK3vottQKmwJkXDSNzPB-uMtRl_42QRQ7wsrrz4izm1mKq8IMYjr3tBmLCQ4wy8nVrtYAfDA/w300-h400/869B93BB-87AC-4552-B7BE-52739A393B96.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>They are the most common little dove found in South Africa and are a resident breeder in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and Western Australia.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9v0fo20sLOkqrbhrHAsI2LAO6yx876VxyNjdfyE9WelHxGUWIQCQUrC48lPNGVZa5TK2LhYgqB9cFRpcb6qS1VI8qRzQCdKqg4fSqDGazWOQgMufZIZ061dNL_xcYcBnNRpe5phw77CDIKWthNfook4qEm8cyIFqPZW7BN57L9PCeyFWbB0QkZtl1g/s2880/26757F91-AD5B-402F-A8D0-40153762CF64.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="2880" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ9v0fo20sLOkqrbhrHAsI2LAO6yx876VxyNjdfyE9WelHxGUWIQCQUrC48lPNGVZa5TK2LhYgqB9cFRpcb6qS1VI8qRzQCdKqg4fSqDGazWOQgMufZIZ061dNL_xcYcBnNRpe5phw77CDIKWthNfook4qEm8cyIFqPZW7BN57L9PCeyFWbB0QkZtl1g/w400-h266/26757F91-AD5B-402F-A8D0-40153762CF64.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Males and females look the same, but they can be distinguished from one another by the maleās courtship bobbing up and down when pursuimg a female. Mating pairs are monogamous and often mate for life.</p><p>because</p><p>i could watch you</p><p>for a single minute</p><p>i found </p><p>a thousand things</p><p>that i love</p><p>about you</p><p>ā unknown</p><p><br /></p>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-85680196489773237342022-05-16T06:00:00.001+02:002022-05-16T06:00:00.208+02:00This is where I live (4)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtKw9ITiPIDWw0zeY99-Dy7nB7NWWAhk8gogFc6D3z45U28TefyrtdN1b6l6qWP-dOkg6FVo9HkjsKFuHT5yPdbkIpJlVNNR84IOb3whKNAQTnec32jkvvsa88bX67KiVyvEQORqp--6z64vG_j7kPGwX47b0ZLarqUhb1V8cjIyHuGr7-hzK5MyYU5w/s640/HomeOffice_1532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtKw9ITiPIDWw0zeY99-Dy7nB7NWWAhk8gogFc6D3z45U28TefyrtdN1b6l6qWP-dOkg6FVo9HkjsKFuHT5yPdbkIpJlVNNR84IOb3whKNAQTnec32jkvvsa88bX67KiVyvEQORqp--6z64vG_j7kPGwX47b0ZLarqUhb1V8cjIyHuGr7-hzK5MyYU5w/w480-h640/HomeOffice_1532.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is where it all happens -- my workstation. </div><br /> <p></p>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-72838568815603059922022-05-15T18:24:00.005+02:002022-05-15T18:24:41.953+02:00It ebbs and flows<p> It ebbs and flows</p><p>and comes and goes ...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvQGIkNZl-qQmdFQDY53TJN7IvCtHv_uRZm2no5cAMcUspcRgNs1ckAvhqQEC33kBOhUNy89k-gFocFuOug4VMPk0NqVKNIUUYy6K9mXrogVwGjMu-NcYH-W-A2fkPeuZX2M5FpmVsJLwb3p-Yw1wAaCeJX0GDl8kplGPO6aqHXqt0NK8LlVewlFsKA/s1081/EbbAndFlow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYvQGIkNZl-qQmdFQDY53TJN7IvCtHv_uRZm2no5cAMcUspcRgNs1ckAvhqQEC33kBOhUNy89k-gFocFuOug4VMPk0NqVKNIUUYy6K9mXrogVwGjMu-NcYH-W-A2fkPeuZX2M5FpmVsJLwb3p-Yw1wAaCeJX0GDl8kplGPO6aqHXqt0NK8LlVewlFsKA/w400-h400/EbbAndFlow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Itās a year since I lost my fur baby to cancer and it still ebbs and flows and comes and goes. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">RIP Jacko.</span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEntnaqP2tcpaROh1DwRGFVpJ51szaO9G6IdfXEjMp_j7qul_slUVPmT3Wn6_NE6aCsIvES7u3-9coGZZ70gQ6b2UN6IWHCyvnYZJxqm89J72ZhmL6EYoeWo_t1JHiObmO5MGR6iaY_ejU3TC8CM3vDrtsZXrsxI8ns8DAuVcQjzq4KuNjrw1h9ioCHg/s1280/JackoSheffield2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEntnaqP2tcpaROh1DwRGFVpJ51szaO9G6IdfXEjMp_j7qul_slUVPmT3Wn6_NE6aCsIvES7u3-9coGZZ70gQ6b2UN6IWHCyvnYZJxqm89J72ZhmL6EYoeWo_t1JHiObmO5MGR6iaY_ejU3TC8CM3vDrtsZXrsxI8ns8DAuVcQjzq4KuNjrw1h9ioCHg/w400-h300/JackoSheffield2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">::</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7cvbZxXPPueJ1709y6GWTSuHvXTIBdbZIALRh-8QRTPywPL18E-yh4CJfdJ2diXLplIKm8zRk3KZko1YsnhkD-PHjBUn68MJaImeNStdVRRDFx_GHINasOehA031haPGHBrziHHeV-EWMVEic7yjfRJ4fkUp6GLfihh29mTBwEk4yqubU0YLMfGlNQ/s720/280596396_10159090429762983_1608769022155617205_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="515" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7cvbZxXPPueJ1709y6GWTSuHvXTIBdbZIALRh-8QRTPywPL18E-yh4CJfdJ2diXLplIKm8zRk3KZko1YsnhkD-PHjBUn68MJaImeNStdVRRDFx_GHINasOehA031haPGHBrziHHeV-EWMVEic7yjfRJ4fkUp6GLfihh29mTBwEk4yqubU0YLMfGlNQ/w458-h640/280596396_10159090429762983_1608769022155617205_n.jpg" width="458" /></a></div>Pic credit: Sam Toft</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">::<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-89177879392508751812022-05-11T06:00:00.001+02:002022-05-11T06:00:00.230+02:00This is where I live (3)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNIaE-8cPOQlGGbceC2IOV7JK2rrmGWaVxqRDixsNhwkwFxDDPxkmBdJmusdo9PWTtHq_IW22mOQ0eJmUz7WmdO6Ed5EaTbt1eodkyM_rI9TggEz9pJCN5QcYI-CG7O_wBCpRoVyEZeoB/s2048/Sunset_1493.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNIaE-8cPOQlGGbceC2IOV7JK2rrmGWaVxqRDixsNhwkwFxDDPxkmBdJmusdo9PWTtHq_IW22mOQ0eJmUz7WmdO6Ed5EaTbt1eodkyM_rI9TggEz9pJCN5QcYI-CG7O_wBCpRoVyEZeoB/w480-h640/Sunset_1493.heic" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">View from my bedroom window -- Sunset over the sugarcane.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-44730134071189276582022-05-07T06:00:00.001+02:002022-05-07T06:00:00.208+02:00This is where I live (2)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Rg3F5SUlyLFtN1Hhka_eiq9xKQq359X4Bxzvz4g7SflFNXARWaNI17r1Ek1aSqsoeYeYV1Ok7WSg8l8LyosV2-z0AA8sa9TMVTzq5RgWWRydnVt3bS2Sml1V_gfFEyWSLmfsSVZYYQQv/s2048/LandscapeMist_2797.heic" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Rg3F5SUlyLFtN1Hhka_eiq9xKQq359X4Bxzvz4g7SflFNXARWaNI17r1Ek1aSqsoeYeYV1Ok7WSg8l8LyosV2-z0AA8sa9TMVTzq5RgWWRydnVt3bS2Sml1V_gfFEyWSLmfsSVZYYQQv/w640-h480/LandscapeMist_2797.heic" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Early-morning mist -- view from my patio.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">::</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-68398624923430493842022-05-03T06:00:00.001+02:002022-05-03T06:00:00.219+02:00This is where I live (1)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikHeGdg_-A0GvwvjQfwEbFesX0S8R91yMTIWfIdvHfF9m-JKdIGJj2CM0PPQmlW0mZ2zHMUbGdBh6v802XbDsI8ZcFe1n3WxwHnfvUxn4gWsNH8Y3pjU1iemT73TuOsbqz32rVhzoJggJVx35BwvsIFFzYIOzvnYM4dCPCejylwJ9aQCe2WZpga8HEQ/s640/ClarkeBay_5535.JPG" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikHeGdg_-A0GvwvjQfwEbFesX0S8R91yMTIWfIdvHfF9m-JKdIGJj2CM0PPQmlW0mZ2zHMUbGdBh6v802XbDsI8ZcFe1n3WxwHnfvUxn4gWsNH8Y3pjU1iemT73TuOsbqz32rVhzoJggJVx35BwvsIFFzYIOzvnYM4dCPCejylwJ9aQCe2WZpga8HEQ/w300-h400/ClarkeBay_5535.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; text-align: center;">This is where I live. No, not right under the Palm tree, just close-by.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue Light", HelveticaNeue-Light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; text-align: center;">::</span></div><p></p>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-60490918443730631272022-04-20T15:41:00.000+02:002022-04-20T15:41:00.631+02:00After the chaos, blue skies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TghFPqKYFDN7lPqALmQExcHM6xbNV_McESS3eektR12s9KyhBRAtO5j-eZN0XHc8BYM-s3wSCr7fTflvTlvd6cvKnudL_Ujn3S58cJhILofzvdtZwQ9h0RpiBSCYtO-xvUc1i5ld78BvkY434GM18HqoPyA5CiSrbdVrW4lG_FhEm-60Hlti75U9-A/s2048/AB88EE43-A780-4634-A83C-F071E23319B9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TghFPqKYFDN7lPqALmQExcHM6xbNV_McESS3eektR12s9KyhBRAtO5j-eZN0XHc8BYM-s3wSCr7fTflvTlvd6cvKnudL_Ujn3S58cJhILofzvdtZwQ9h0RpiBSCYtO-xvUc1i5ld78BvkY434GM18HqoPyA5CiSrbdVrW4lG_FhEm-60Hlti75U9-A/w300-h400/AB88EE43-A780-4634-A83C-F071E23319B9.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After the storm ā Ballito, Dolphin Coast, KwaZulu Natal</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>Once in a while</div><div>I am struck</div><div>all over again...</div><div>by just how blue</div><div>the sky appearsā¦</div><div>on wind-played</div><div>autumn mornings,</div><div>blue enough</div><div>to bruise a heart.</div><div>āSanober Khan</div><div><br /></div><div>A few days before I took this picture, KwaZulu Natal (South Africa) was devastated by the worst floods in 60 years. Days of heavy rain (we had more than 240mm of rain in 24 hours) across the province led to deadly floods, destroying several thousand homes and killing hundreds. So waking up to this incredibly blue sky yesterday morning after a week of stormy weather was absolutely glorious!</div><div><br /></div><div>::</div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-65681957537829486602021-01-22T06:14:00.004+02:002021-07-28T09:36:15.451+02:00This is home<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Izt5kgM6M6k/YApK1pci1vI/AAAAAAAAxjE/QG6FAcsnTHoAzlGtVRdLX8WOfVXNVPtxgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/FE12A2DF-C7E3-4603-911D-8848C86C3FC5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Izt5kgM6M6k/YApK1pci1vI/AAAAAAAAxjE/QG6FAcsnTHoAzlGtVRdLX8WOfVXNVPtxgCNcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/FE12A2DF-C7E3-4603-911D-8848C86C3FC5.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">My gardening shoes - Home</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Normally I just do my gardening in my flip-flops, (itās not as if Iām doing major landscaping! Iāll show you the size of my garden and you will understand) but last week I decided to put on my hardly-ever-used gardening shoes as I was going to be carrying some VERY heavy paving slabs, wouldnāt want to drop those on my toes! From previous experience Iāve learnt not to just put my feet into ANY shoes without checking whatās inside, and as I turned them over, out fell Mister (or Mrs) Frog.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">No sweat, she hurriedly scurried into the garden and as far as I was concerned, that was that.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M25wp526DZs/YApOk5DQW4I/AAAAAAAAxjQ/7nOWgHM5wN0iuHGvZ21yxDKNlYuliHLMQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/C8592CE7-0DCC-4A1F-BA53-BFCB21511786.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M25wp526DZs/YApOk5DQW4I/AAAAAAAAxjQ/7nOWgHM5wN0iuHGvZ21yxDKNlYuliHLMQCNcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/C8592CE7-0DCC-4A1F-BA53-BFCB21511786.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Snugly inside the shoe</span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The next morning at about 4.30am, I was having my first cup of coffee, a frog hopped onto the patio and started heading for the corner where I kept my gardening shoes. I watched in fascination as she clambered up one shoe and disappeared inside. I couldnāt resist taking a peek and there she was, nicely nestled right in the toe section.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lzN-vyyLoRQ/YApPGyWqHMI/AAAAAAAAxjY/9TcMSqoVZ3EnG-yc2VlBXpPeb-QoXSlbACNcBGAsYHQ/s2028/6C03228A-C1B8-4EE1-B1D3-26CB782D280C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2028" data-original-width="1550" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lzN-vyyLoRQ/YApPGyWqHMI/AAAAAAAAxjY/9TcMSqoVZ3EnG-yc2VlBXpPeb-QoXSlbACNcBGAsYHQ/w306-h400/6C03228A-C1B8-4EE1-B1D3-26CB782D280C.jpeg" width="306" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mrs Frog on her way back to the shoe, i.e. Home</span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So for the past week Iāve managed to catch her leaving home at dusk to go food shopping (we have a garden light on at night, perfect for hunting frogs, bats and geckos) and for a few mornings now, Iāve watched her return, settling snugly into the shoe.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Doesnāt Nature just constantly amaze?! I never knew that frogs would return āhomeā every morning, just goes to show, youāre <b>never</b> too old to learn!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">::</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-53103748281438850912021-01-08T08:02:00.004+02:002021-07-28T09:36:36.286+02:00Early-morning dew<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ie0Y_5Lb5lQ/X_fz7vPD5jI/AAAAAAAAxgg/_sE66dsIO3wCkwLSDqL_wibQO84jLQ66QCNcBGAsYHQ/s602/EarlyMorningDew.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="479" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ie0Y_5Lb5lQ/X_fz7vPD5jI/AAAAAAAAxgg/_sE66dsIO3wCkwLSDqL_wibQO84jLQ66QCNcBGAsYHQ/w319-h400/EarlyMorningDew.png" width="319" /></a></div><br /><span title="Edited"><span style="font-size: medium;">Early-morning dew beautifully highlights this spiderweb amongst all the green foliage. For me, about 5am (in summer!) is the best time to do gardening to escape the midday heat. I also find the most amazing things on my early-morning walks.</span><br /></span><p></p>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-33450592606838006102021-01-07T07:11:00.000+02:002021-01-07T07:11:05.952+02:00A new start!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iRli-0XATzE/X_aTzeJE1PI/AAAAAAAAxgE/hEbSD-_SOmc55NkSlPE9FILoGiEgQR0NwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/8144D218-DF2D-421A-8C34-13C7DFA68A8C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iRli-0XATzE/X_aTzeJE1PI/AAAAAAAAxgE/hEbSD-_SOmc55NkSlPE9FILoGiEgQR0NwCNcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/8144D218-DF2D-421A-8C34-13C7DFA68A8C.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">An early-morning scene from our patio.</div><p></p><p>Itās a year later and here I am... I was reminded by an Instagram friend that my last post here was a year ago and inspired me to reconnect with all my readers. Hope you are all still around. I know life throws us curve balls and that things change, but we āarise from the ashesā (a good thing, right?) and if weāre lucky, continue on our merry way.</p><p>Since moving to the coast (KwaZulu Natal) in December 2017, my muse (whom I thought had stayed behind in Gauteng) has been coming round more and more and Iām glad to say, I think sheās here to stay.</p><p>So hereās wishing each and everyone a grand and happy new year and, as I said previously, may the tears you cried last year, water the seeds you plant in 2021. </p><p>xxx</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-46932922947747386462019-12-31T07:07:00.003+02:002021-07-28T09:33:52.852+02:00Happy New Year 2020!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6fJ9EOoAvPE/XgrXT66d62I/AAAAAAAAv7s/5s-esEVD71wev2ZIcczOCv86iE2oceTSACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screenshot%2B2019-12-27%2Bat%2B06.12.06.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="933" height="393" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6fJ9EOoAvPE/XgrXT66d62I/AAAAAAAAv7s/5s-esEVD71wev2ZIcczOCv86iE2oceTSACNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h393/Screenshot%2B2019-12-27%2Bat%2B06.12.06.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-75326411648963904562019-11-16T07:45:00.005+02:002021-07-28T09:37:39.330+02:00The Bliss of life on a smallholding<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.369793993.5968/flat,1000x1000,075,f.u30.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
Kentucky in the middle of his moult </span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
Life
on a farm or smallholding is certainly exciting and
out-of-the-ordinary, to say the least. The thrill of having a big tract
of land at oneās disposal conjures up images of green fields, herds of
cows, goats, sheep or whatever and neat, tidy and sturdy fences keeping
everybody organised and in their place, sheds for lots of storage and
the farm cat lazily strolling around on the look-out for those pesky
rodents. The (old) tractor and trailer is loading and moving bales of
food and the sprinklers are gently wetting the earth and getting
everything to grow, grow, grow into MONEY!<br />
. <br />
For the lady of the farm, there are images of a rambling, yet
comfortable, old farmhouse with chimneys and wrap-around porches,
rolling green lawns and a herb garden close to the kitchen. Home-made
butter, full cream Jersey milk, home-made bread and fresh garden
vegetables are first on the list of things to do.<br />
.</span><br />
<img alt="" src="https://ih1.redbubble.net/work.7770942.1.mtd,375x360,n,s,VGhlIENoaWNrZW4gUnVu,ffffff.jpg" /><br />
. <br /><span style="font-size: medium;">
And of course, there have to be chickens (for Sunday lunch ā except
we canāt slaughter Kentucky, the rooster, because heās such a character,
or his wife Hendrina, because sheās so sweet, or Betsy and Babs because they're best friends...) and eggs for breakfast,
to go with the home-made bread. You might have a couple of pigs (for the
bacon ā just not Miss Piggy because we reared her with a bottle) and
then the kids want some rabbits, because there will be lots of carrots
to feed them.<br />
<br />
So now the vegetable garden has become a priority (after all the pens
for chickens, pigs, rabbits, goats and sheep have been erected). And
after all the beds have been properly prepared, fertilized and planted,
at great expense, the first seedlings start showing their heads. Your
next priority is a scarecrow or SOMETHING to keep away all the birds
destroying the seedlings (after you have put up bird feeders all over
the garden to attract garden birds!).<br />
. <br />
The vegetables are ready to be harvested and suddenly you find that
EVERYTHING is ready at the same time! You now have 20 bags of cabbages,
thousands of carrots (the rabbits canāt keep up! even though the
original two have now become 11), enough beetroot for several
restaurants (a business opportunity?), every shelf and drawer of the
refrigerator is packed with tomatoes and you have enough green beans and
peas for six months. And family and friends canāt understand why they
have to pay for āfreeā vegetables from your own garden!</span><br />
. <br /><span style="font-size: medium;">
You also have so much milk and butter and cream now, that you decide
this is definitely worth the trouble of selling it. You spend your
mornings in the ābakkieā (pick-up) delivering milk (which has to be in
an utterly bacteria-free bottle otherwise it goes sour within a couple
of hours, so you spent the whole of last night sterilizing bottles and
getting up early was a nightmare) ā¦ and thereās still so much to do when
you get back ā¦ The chickens and rabbits have to be fed (and thereās a
hole in the fence so the rabbits are all in the vegetable garden), the
milk from the cows that were milked at dawn has to be de-creamed (for
the butter), the butter has to be made and bottles sterilised once again
ā and some of the neighbours never left their bottles out, so you
actually have to rush to town as well to buy a dozen more. And the local
market where you established a contact for selling some of your
vegetables expects their delivery before 7.30am. You suddenly remember
that you also have to be back in time for the truck collecting the pigs
you sold because everybody at home suddenly had an aversion to bacon and
besides, nobody wanted the job of cleaning the pig sties ā¦ besides, the
tractor broke down last week, so the trailer couldnāt be loaded with
all the muck to be taken away ā will have to wait a while now ā¦</span><br />
<br />
<img alt="" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yb312NAt7vA/TrJYcMH8Z0I/AAAAAAAAMQM/YhntOtVUO8w/s400/4.SittingPorch.jpg" /><br />
. <br /><span style="font-size: medium;">
Youāre sitting on your wrap-around porch, exhausted, having a
well-deserved cup of tea, admiring your green fields and neat fences and
your heart swells with pride and gratitude ā this is ALL YOURS! No
matter all the hard work and early mornings ā you now have a steady
income from the vegetable garden, which has grown to three times its
size, and the milk and butter, and the kids are enjoying the new pony
enormously. You have learnt what to cut down on (like rabbits, for
instance) and everybody has fallen into a comfortable routine, knowing
exactly what needs to be done when.<br />
. <br />
Your thoughts stray to a new idea ā how about a strawberry patch?
Surely thereās a big market for strawberries ā and mushrooms, maybe ā¦?<br />
. <b><br /></b><br />
<b>āWhatever you put your attention on gets energy from you and grows.ā</b></span><br />
.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fcVHOD1uqnQ/Xc-MJgd8VOI/AAAAAAAAv5Q/PsK_vkBN3fc0axxmmDDyyEfEQpBjBkGmgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screenshot%2B2019-11-16%2Bat%2B07.39.45.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="643" height="299" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fcVHOD1uqnQ/Xc-MJgd8VOI/AAAAAAAAv5Q/PsK_vkBN3fc0axxmmDDyyEfEQpBjBkGmgCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h299/Screenshot%2B2019-11-16%2Bat%2B07.39.45.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
::</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-36678860492504739362019-09-15T06:00:00.001+02:002021-07-28T09:35:18.125+02:00Here comes the rain...<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
Here comes the rain </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
Falling on my head like a memory<br />
Falling on my head like a new emotion<br />
I want to walk in the open wind<br />
I want to talk like lovers do<br />
I want to dive into your ocean<br />
Is it raining with you?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iicmWA7AXhA/XXsxp5BY1xI/AAAAAAAAvyY/vC0XQInK-48jH2UgNfiHm7uuOl576UAfQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Hedgie.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="497" height="398" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iicmWA7AXhA/XXsxp5BY1xI/AAAAAAAAvyY/vC0XQInK-48jH2UgNfiHm7uuOl576UAfQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h398/Hedgie.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Photo credit : Unknown</div>
Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-76890750257321359402019-09-13T07:30:00.002+02:002021-07-28T09:44:41.283+02:00It's Friday the 13th!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CpcndevSlNQ/XXspXHAepHI/AAAAAAAAvyM/ztUURKwlJGMkRv2kqov9R0nw1G6F8wsMQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Fri13.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="680" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CpcndevSlNQ/XXspXHAepHI/AAAAAAAAvyM/ztUURKwlJGMkRv2kqov9R0nw1G6F8wsMQCNcBGAsYHQ/w336-h400/Fri13.png" width="336" /></a></div>
<br /><div><br /></div>Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5240544453697104058.post-82335504987814958192019-08-08T07:38:00.003+02:002021-07-28T09:45:20.522+02:00The life of our Planet...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">... <span dir="ltr"><span class="_3l3x"><span> Planet Earth will not be able to exist longer than four years without them...</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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Maree Clarksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274329795088706720noreply@blogger.com1