The visible structure of bracket fungus growing on dead wood in our garden; the whorls and striations are complex and striking. Continue reading “Wonderful whorls”
Birds sunbathe too – not all species, but many do. Continue reading “Birds do it – sunbathe that is”
Nougat the cat got cornered when doing some high-altitude exploring. Here he is apparently stuck on the corner at the top of the grocery cupboard in a corner of the kitchen. Continue reading “Cornered!”
I have always regarded this plant as a mountain dweller, as I first fell in love with it in the Drakensberg mountains in KwaZulu-Natal. Continue reading “From mountains to gardens: Scarlet flowers that brighten winter drabness”
Named for their soft ‘swee swee’ call, the small and colourful Swee waxbills are guaranteed to distract me from my work on their occasional visits to our garden. Continue reading “Diverting and delightful Swee Waxbills”
It is always a pleasure to watch wild creatures going confidently about their business without fear.
Continue reading “The dancing dove”
Transmuting earth, water, fire and air
Formed by hand from earth and water and finished in the heat of fire fed by air, this pot from Inhambane district in Mozambique is created using the four classical elements. Continue reading “Transmuting earth, water, fire and air”
Many species of fly are pollinators, a role for which they receive little common recognition. Perhaps also not so well-known is that some species of flies indulge in bubble-blowing. Continue reading “Flies as pollinators and bubble-blowers”
For birds, regular preening of feathers is essential for flight. Continue reading “Feather texture revealed”
