Happy birthday to my wonderful wife. Her celebrations at La Provence D’Afrique were part of the reason that she found herself in this position.
However, she was able to extricate herself unaided.
The mighty Magaliesberg River. No banjo music and not a croc or a hillbilly in sight
Look, but don’t touch!
Datura is a genus of nine species of highly poisonous, vespertine-flowering plants belonging to the nightshade family. They are commonly known as thornapples or jimsonweeds, but are also known as devil’s trumpets. Other English common names include moonflower, devil’s weed, and hell’s bells.
Datura, commonly known as ‘Thorn apple’ or ‘Olieboom’, is a very common weed in most crop producing regions of South Africa. It drives us all mad and they never seem to stop emerging. This weed can be an absolute curse to control and can have severe negative impacts on your crop if left unmanaged.
Be aware…Scopolamine is also found in the plant, which makes it a potent cholinergic-blocki hallucinogen that has been used to calm schizoid patients. Its leaves, containing hyoscyamine and atropine, can be used as an immensely powerful mind-altering drug
Did you know?
Some of the uses of the Canna include…
Some species and many cultivars are widely grown in the garden in temperate and subtropical regions. Sometimes, they are also grown as potted plants. A large number of ornamental cultivars have been developed. They can be used in herbaceous borders, tropical plantings, and as a patio or decking plant. Internationally, cannas are one of the most popular garden plants, and a large horticultural industry depends on the plant. The seeds are used as beads in jewelry. A fibre obtained from the leaves is used for making paper.
Aseroe rubra, commonly known as the anemone stinkhorn, sea anemone fungus and starfish fungus, is a common and widespread basidiomycete fungus recognizable for its foul odour of carrion and its sea anemone shape when mature.
FYI:
Because stinkhorns can grow on dead organic material, they actually are beneficial in that they contribute to the recycling of plant debris into nutrients that improve soil fertility and can be used by garden plants.
The light on the thin branches attracted my attention.
Just one of the many sculptures that can be found scattered around the grounds.
Arrow-marked Babblers that came in for a late afternoon drink.
This sculpture by respected sculptor Charles Gotthard was outside our door.
The nymphs proceed through about a dozen moults as they grow. In the later stages, the wing pads become visible. When fully developed, the nymphs climb out of the water and take up a firm stance, the skin on the thorax splits and the adult form wriggles out. This has a soft body at first and hangs or stands on its empty larval case. It pumps haemolymph into its small limp wings, which expand to their full extent. The haemolymph is then pumped back into the abdomen, which also expands fully.
Zygoptera (damselflies) means “equal winged,” while Anisoptera (dragonflies) means “unequal winged.” When they are not flying, damselflies usually hold their wings up over their backs (with the exception of spread-winged damsels), but dragonflies hold their wings open and to the sides.
This species of Verbena is not indigenous to South Africa, but comes from South America.
What sort of butterfly or moth will this caterpillar become?
A river runs through it? Not quite.
The Magaliesberg River runs at the bottom of the property and just relaxing here, listening to its sound and watching the swirl of the water was enough to induce sleep.
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