It is only when we are aware of the earth and of the earth as poetry that we truly live.
- Henry Beston, 1935, Herbs and the Earth
It's January 1st 2007, and not only is it the beginning of a new year, a new sunrise greets me as I step outside at 5am to check why the ducks are squabbling so noisily - could be a stray cat or, even worse, a mongoose. They're avid little hunters and I wouldn't put it past them trying to tackle a duck, but all seemed quiet and peaceful when I got there.
Beautiful sunrise January 1st 2007
The Carolina pair swimming peacefully after their squabble...
The fountain at the pond
Found a broken pot and decided to utilise it behind some Echevarias -
added a couple of stepping stones, some pebbles and a couple of grasses.
April 2007 - Full moon through the branches of an old peach tree.
Enjoying the cool Autumn evening after a hot summer.
May 2007 - absolutely freezing conditions - looks like the
Pachypodium won't make it this time...
The Aloe thriving in the freezing weather...
June 2007 - this is the most severe Winter we've seen for a long time -
looks like the Coco Splumosas are also not going to make it... I'm sure snow
would have been kinder than this terrible frost.
July 2007 - and true to nature, the Aloes are in full bloom. Did you
know that, if you planted this same Aloe in Europe, they will flower
during the European summer in June/July, our Winter time here
in South Africa.
December 2007 - The Erigerons on a beautiful summer's night.
Erigeron close-up
30th December 2007 - Finishing off the year sitting outside on
a lovely summer's night enjoying the frogs croaking at the pond.
One of the frogs joining in the chorus. When I was taking the
photograph, he ducked away as if he thought I would not see him!
And so it's farewell to a fabulous 2007 and looking forward to 2008!
.