Geranium 1
Why?
Because Little Monkey ran straight through it the day it was planted, and flattened it.
Geranium 2
Being a plucky little geranium, it survived.
Geranium 3
But let’s not chance our luck.
Hence the chair!
I’m not arguing. I’m simply explaining why I’m right.
– Anon
I expect any comments to be supportive and in total agreement with me.
If not – reread the quote!
Sea View
Yes, it is three years since I clicked the Publish button on the very first post of my brand new blog; and I haven’t looked back since.
Below are extracts from my first and second anniversary posts; because I really can’t say it any better than this.
First Year:
I’d like to thank the WP community for being so great. And I’d like to thank everyone who has popped by my blog and liked or commented on a post. I thoroughly enjoy seeing all of your amazing photos and reading your posts. I feel like I know some of my “regulars” as friends, even though we have never met, nor are likely to, being separated in most instances by vast oceans.
And Thank You to all of you out there who make the whole blogging experience a pleasant one. WP is a community, and if it wasn’t for feedback, likes and comments, what would be the point? I’d still be sitting here listening to the crickets chirp!
Second Year:
But just to reiterate; thank you to everyone who has followed me all this time and who continues to support me and offer words of wisdom and sarcastic comments. I appreciate them all! (You know people are your friends when they start being sarcastic!)
I thoroughly enjoy following all your blogs too.
Third Year:
I’d just like to say a very big thank you to all of my faithful followers, who like and comment on my posts, even when sometimes you don’t get my sense of humour, or British-ness/South African-ness.
To my old friends, thank you for sticking with me; and to my new friends, welcome aboard and I hope you enjoy the ride.
Without the interaction of my blogging friends, there’d be no fun in blogging.
And as long as I’m having fun, I’ll keep on blogging.
As a third year tribute to you all, I’ve selected some of my favourite photos from the past three years.
Just scroll down to enjoy the slide show.
Skies of Blue
Fluidity
Happy Little Monkey
Dandelion Clock
Baby Geese
Sunshine on a Cloudy Day
Pensive – Little Monkey
Fuchsia
LM and SL check out the Puzzle Tree
England
Swans 1
Mr Spaghetti Legs
Photo Frames 1
Bloom 1
Pretty as a picture – Sunset Western Cape
You Little Monkey
Blackberries and Cream
Strelitzia 1
Owl 2
The Concerns of Guinea Pigs
Baby
Little Monkey Collapsed 1
Comfort Flowers 1
Cream of the Crop 1
Little Monkey
Thank You One and All.
Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don’t have film.
– Steven Wright
Adding to this, I’d say that one’s memory deteriorates with age, due to over-exposure!
Sometimes the film gets stuck and you can’t rewind the spool to access the photos.
And we all know how photos fade over time. Just look at some of your grandparents, in blurry faded sepia prints.
Joking aside, I did know someone once with a photographic memory, at school. She could simply read through her notes the night before an exam, and then be able to recall each page to re-read it in her head and answer her exam papers.
I was so jealous!
My short term memory has always been bad. (Someone told me this was because I had filled it up as a kid . . . ?) For me to remember anything, it has to go into my long term memory. This takes time and a lot of effort. I’d have to swot for exams for many weeks/months beforehand.
However, it does mean that I can still recall odd bits that I learnt years ago. For example, one time I was home sick in bed with acute tonsillitis, but exams were looming, so I had my books out all over my bed, swotting away.
I did not like Biology, as it was pure parrot-fashion learning and regurgitating. I preferred Chemistry and Physics, which were more Maths based and therefore even if you learnt everything by heart, you still had to figure out the puzzle of the science; and I love puzzles!
Well, there I was, lying sick in bed, aged 13, with my soul-destroying Biology book open before me, committing useless facts to memory. And you know what? I can still quote you the line I was forcing into my unwilling brain, all those years ago.
Locomotion occurs when energy is provided by the breakdown of glucose during cell respiration.
I guess some things are burned so deep into the film that they have penetrated to the camera case!!
Tweety 1
Here’s a twist on the old Tweety Pie song “I tawt I taw a puddy tat!” about Sylvester the cat creeping up on the little bird.
Little Monkey and I were sitting outside in the shade of the trees early one evening, minding our own business, when I noticed movement.
A cheeky Olive Thrush flew down to the lawn and looked about. (I’ve marked his progress with a white arrow to save you having to squint to find him!)
Tweety 2
What did Little Monkey think about this?
I would say by the raspberry she’s blowing; clearly not impressed!
The Thrush, however, was completely unconcerned by our presence. He could plainly see us, but that didn’t faze him one bit.
He started hopping closer and closer to us!
Tweety 3
Little Monkey remained completely unaware of his presence;
Tweety 4
She just wondered why I was taking so many photos of her. She still hadn’t a clue that ‘Tweety” was creeping up on her;
Tweety 5
Closer and closer, till he got to where he wanted to go!
Talk about cheeky!
post script: For more about Sylvester the cat and Tweety Pie, you can click on these links:
I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat Cartoon
3D Cartoon “I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat” 2011
I must say, I prefer cartoons in the original 2D; certainly for the old ones like Sylvester and Tweety Pie.
New Rose 1
Thank goodness you’re still alive!
I found my rose bushes covered in black all over their leaves.
As I deemed this too severe to treat by spraying, I hacked away all the diseased branches.
Floribunda
I have three rose bushes in a little section all together: a pink floribunda, that is very well established, with many thick branches, producing multiple blooms throughout the year; and two smaller red rose bushes, precariously established, with one or two spindly branches, producing only one or two roses per season.
Red Red Rose
It was only afterwards, as I raked up the cuttings, that I realised, that in heavily pruning the floribunda rose bush, I had cut back the one and only branch of my deep red rose bush, that was growing in amongst the floribunda.
Shock Horror!
This poor rose bush is barely established and I molly coddle it all the time. It may produce only one bloom a season, but that is a beautiful, deep red rose with such a heavenly scent.
I silently said “Sorry” and “Goodbye” to this straggly rose bush.
So imagine my delight when I noticed the other day that it had survived.
Floribunda 2
New Rose 2
Above you can see one hearty thick branch from the floribunda rose bush, on the left, and on the right, the entire deep red rose bush.
New Rose 4
It is one little twig; with the brand new twiglet growing off from it. Down at the bottom in these two photos you can also see the top of the life-support-irrigation-system. (Plastic milk bottle!)
New rose 3
The other small red rose bush was also still alive and beginning to sprout new growth.
I hadn’t killed them after all!
“So what?” you may ask.
So, it is autumn here: June 21st is our winter solstice.
I would not normally prune my rose bushes till spring; 15th August to be precise. (I have this date from an elderly resident who grew the most wonderful roses. Everyone around our neighbourhood waited till she pruned her rose bushes, then we pruned ours!)
No-one prunes their rose bushes at the beginning of winter! It would be like those of you in the North hacking away at your plants in November! (You might even have to clear snow off them to do so!!)
I really thought my little rose bush was done for!
But here it is, sprouting away with healthy new growth.
New Rose 5
Hooray for my plants: that survive despite me!
Always remember you’re unique, just like everyone else.
– Alison Boulter
It is one of the quirks of human nature that we all want to belong, while still being that special and unique snowflake!
Side note: It is Mother’s Day here in SA. I think that all women should be celebrated all of the time; because though we may not be unique, we are special, and mostly underrated.
