My next-door neighbour told me about these mantids in a rose bush in his garden. Three of them have taken up residence in a pink-flowering rosebush and have been there for over a week. Continue reading “In the pink: Flower mantids in the garden”
This was the sunrise on the day after my mother died. She died on the 23rd April 2018, two days before her birthday and the day before the anniversary of my father’s death. Continue reading “Sunrise, sunset”
Although cities have their attractions, I prefer more natural places. We are fortunate to have a suburban garden that backs onto a quiet plantation. Continue reading “Back to the garden”
Just like our dog, Rory, when being indoors feels confining, I’d rather be outside.
These old bottles were all dug up in a long-disused household rubbish pit behind our house. Variations include bottles for medicines, tomato sauce, beer, lime juice, milk, hair oil, Vicks, Marmite, and liqueur. Continue reading “Bottle variations”
The Cape White-eye is another of my favourite garden birds that is no less special for being a familiar presence in suburban gardens. Cape White-eyes forage busily in small groups and they are enthusiastic visitors to the bird baths where, after drinking, they bathe with much exuberance. Continue reading “Small and gregarious charmers: Cape White-eyes”
This weathered wood was found in hot sand next to a sandy road in Botswana many summers ago. It was weathered in desert extremes, scoured by sand and bleached by the sun so as to resemble bone: the bones of a tree. Continue reading “Weathered wood and woven wire”
At the end of each year, many people comment on how fast the year went by: “where did the time go?” So a sluggish start has much to recommend it. Early one cool and damp morning, two African banana slugs in a large fern outside the bedroom window showed me the way. Continue reading “A sluggish start to the New Year”
As this is the season of goodwill these photos feature close animal relationships, be they breeding pairs, mother and baby, or animals that simply hang out together. And as this is holiday season, I decided to make a break and feature photos taken on our last bush holiday, a change from my usual practice of focusing on nature in our suburban garden. Continue reading “Something completely different – homage to holidays”
