Catching the fleeting scenes of many splendored life
'Look closely. The beautiful may be small' — Kant

30 March 2011

Spring Wildflowers. Lilac, Red, White and Weird.

Whenever I go jogging or take a walk in the fields, a lot of small wonders of nature catch my eye. Spring is the best season to feast on a rich palette of wildflowers, or rather, native species as scientists put it. And they come in all shapes and colours. Here's my yesterday's treasure trove.

Lilac wildfower
Lilac wildflower. (© 2011 LightColourShade. All rights reserved.) 

26 March 2011

Spring Colours. Orange.
Orange Ice Plant.

This evergreen South African plant blooms in early spring with fire-like orange flowers — an explosion of colour that resembles a small-scale solar flare. I've always had a special liking for the red side of the spectrum, and the truth is such flowers conspicuously liven up any scenery.

Orange ice plant (Lampranthus aureus) in flower
Orange ice plant flowers (Lampranthus aureus).
(© 2011 LightColourShade. All rights reserved)

24 March 2011

Spring Colours. Lilac and Pink.
Rosemary and Peach tree.

No matter how small a flower is, it always has a complex structure and design.
Rosemary is a medicinal plant that helps to reduce the levels of uric acid in the blood. Additionally its flowers are peculiar and exquisite.


Rosemary flowers
Rosemary flowers close-up.
(© 2011 LightColourShade. All rights reserved)


21 March 2011

Spring Colours. White.
Purple-Leaf Plum and Cherry tree in flower.

This month the landscape is being painted with spring colours of blooming trees, and there’s a lot of hectic activity around them.

Trees are one of the most beautiful species in this world and some of my favourite creatures. Like the rest of the plants trees are producers, their waste product is oxygen that is indispensable for most life, while we are useless consumers smothering ourselves and consequently the planet with our waste product that is basically toxic shit. They provide shelter, food, medicines, shade, moisture, beauty, raw material for musical instruments among other countless things. And how do we treat them in return for their gifts? We fell, burn and poison them with contamination or pollution as sign of gratitude, which means we’re diligently digging our own grave.

Anyway, let’s enjoy their matchless beauty and hope they will survive in spite of us.
Purple-leaf plum or cherry plum (Prunus Pissardii Nigra) is a curious tree since it has reddish brown foliage. It's one of the first to flower in spring, and the flowers are usually pinkish white.


Purple-leaf plum in full blossom (Prunus Prissardii)
Purple-leaf plum in full blossom. (CC by-nc-sa )

17 March 2011

A Cat that Walks On Her Own.
Footballer cat.

A few months ago an alley moggy included our garden into her territory, and has kept dropping by ever since. And with a good reason — occasional bread and lodging are provided for her by the neighbourhood whenever she wants. Needless to say that the tabby is in high demand.

This is a friendship on equal terms — no one owns her, she is self-contained, free and independent of humans’ whims. Despite her cute look, the pussycat is quite dangerous — she snaps, bites and claws, especially when touched on the underbelly.

Catburglar
Catburglar

16 March 2011

Spring Colours. Yellow and Red.
Yellow clover, Sweet Easter broom and Butcher's broom.

Early spring flowers start to pop up.
Melilotus officinalis, known as the yellow sweet clover, yellow melilot, ribbed melilot or common melilot is a species of legume native to Eurasia and introduced in North America, Africa and Australia. These days they bloom almost everywhere — in the birch grove undergrowth, in the garden or at the corner of the house.

Yellow clover undergrowth
Yellow clover  undergrowth. (© 2011 LightColourShade. All rights reserved)

8 March 2011

Spring Colours. Speedwell Flowers and Birch Tree Catkins

'In all things of nature there is something of the marvellous.' (Aristotle)

Birch trees are already budding and flowering — a sure harbinger of spring.

Birch tree catkins
Birch tree catkins. (© Light Colour shade. All rights reserved)

4 March 2011

Winter Colours. Mimosa
(Lemon yellow)

Although mimosa blooms in winter, its colour gives you a feeling of spring. As soon as the tree comes into flower we know that spring is round the corner.
The name is derived from the Greek word μιμος (mimos), meaning "mimic.”

Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata)
Silver Wattle (Acacia dealbata) close-up.
© LightColourShade
(CC by-nc-nd)

1 March 2011

Winter Sketches.
The Sea.

The sea is always beautiful, even when it's cloudy.

the sea in a cloudy winter day
The sea in a cloudy winter day
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