MY FAVOURITE BIRD

Red-billed woodhoepoe

Some of you might be aware that JOHANNESBURG (SOUTH AFRICA) is officially regarded as a forest!

Yes, we have thousands of trees which grace our big city. Some of the trees have beautiful foliage and they also provide substantial shelter for a spectacular variety of bird life.

Picture the scene:...

You are lying on your bed, on a Sunday afternoon, relaxed and stretched out after a busy week. All is quiet and contented.

Suddenly there is a loud cackling of birds, coming from outside your bedroom window. The cackling is echoed by frustrated barking. After dragging yourself, from your slumber, to the window you notice the stand-off....

Dogs are guarding their bones and the red-billed hoepoes, in the tree, are voicing their dissatisfaction!

These beautiful birds are my favourite! They have glossy plumage with beautiful zebra strips on their tails (visible in flight). They generally hang around in flocks, with all their mates, and always announce themselves in our garden.

I think what I like about them most is their relationship with my dogs. It is extremely amusing to watch them as they taunt the hounds with their loud cackles and close proximity. They particularly enjoy the remnants of the marrow bones which I sometimes give to our dogs. They peck at them when the pooches aren't watching and cackle loudly about their find. It drives our dogs absolutely nuts as they then attempt to chase them away. Generally though, these birds merely retreat to a nearby tree and voice their disgust. It becomes an absolute circus to watch.

The hoepoe's red bill is truly spectacular! What also intrigues me is its perfect design for getting into small places and snapping up grubs. They will hang onto the stems of trees as they peruse the surface for any insects whilst the dogs wait in vain at the bases.

So what do you think? ...Do you like our RED-BILLED WOOD HOEPOE'S?

AMUSING MUSING!

I revel in the times when I have an opportunity to explore 'thought' and it's link into language. To some of you this might sound very strange, but did you know that our language determines our thought. Language is an incredibly powerful tool. I thought I'd share one of my strange concepts with you today:

WARNING: PUT YOUR THINKING CAP ON!

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I just love the noun ...

“MUSING”

pronounced....mewzzzzzzing

(DEFN:...A period of thinking carefully about something or telling people you thoughts about it.)

(I encourage you to say it out loud...and slowly!)

M U S I N G

It seems to roll off my tongue in a manner that conveys its precise meaning

and sends me into a world of thought, dreams, ideas and concepts.

It wills me along this path of contemplation that generates peace, wonder and awe.

To me, it is the mental equivalent of doodling.

Musing instills an essence of calmness in me and entices me to morph into a sense of delight in my own freedom to think.

I can then relax and allow myself to be transported along its unanticipated thought patterns.

Musing points to a serene sense of consciousness which turns my mind to creativity.

The “zzz” sound at the end of the word seeks to put me to sleep

...calmness

...receptiveness

...peace.

Is it not ironic that Music itself derives from this word?!

So, if I add an “A” to this special word,

it then changes the whole feel of the word as it then becomes ...

“AMUSING”! ?

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MY WORLD... AS A SEE IT.

Hello there dear friends

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

Whilst some parts of our globe are preparing for icy winters,

here in SOUTH AFRICA it is getting warmer by the day.

I am always facinated by the costume changes in our floral kingdom and the changes amongst our living creatures when the seasons alter.

As Spring arrives, so do many migratory birds return from their excursions.

Our plants revive themselves into flowers fit to sustain pesty honeysuckers and our trees bare fruit for our animals and feathered fruit eaters.

The world of insects is no different.

The hotter weather leaves us deafened by their buzzing and we have no option but to watch their display of diversity and wonder.

Last evening a new friend arrived...

This beautiful moth graciously stood still for me to photograph it.

I've not seen one like this before.

It was small...about 1cm in size, but its colours were exquisite.

My reverie resolved into all sorts of imaginary forms...something like when one stares at clouds for familiar shapes.

This beautiful moth's colouring, if you look carefully, looks like ,,,

a traditional chinese doll.

Do you see what I see?

Or perhaps you'd like to share your own personal perspective!?

I'd love to hear your view..