tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19861538708730676652024-03-12T10:19:48.595+01:00AUTRES DIRECTIONSCONSIDERING BIRDS, ANIMALS, INTERESTING TIMES AND PLACES ... OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.comBlogger1934125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-17867164305753161402021-10-14T10:29:00.000+02:002021-10-14T10:29:10.951+02:00EYABANTWANA HERITAGE RIDE 2021 #3 - THE VREDEFORT IMPACT CRATER<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The cyclists and their support team will pass a number of World Heritage sites on their way to the start of the ride as well as on the ride itself. The first of these will be the <b>VREDEFORT IMPACT CRATER </b>on the provincial border between the Free State and Gauteng.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">There are approximately 190 major meteor craters on Earth and the Vredefort Crater has the distinction of being the largest! Scientists have determined that an asteroid (as big as Table Mountain) crashed into the Earth at a speed of 36 000 km/h (20 km per second!) and formed a crater 17 km deep and 300 km in diameter. This is believed to have been the biggest energy-release event (explosion) in the history of the Earth. This event occurred 2 billion years ago - before life as we know it existed on Earth.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A similar impact event off the Mexican coast at Yucatan 66 million years ago is the probable cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Vredefort crater is best seen from Space - a NASA photo appears below</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeUwNB5XJRJHbZv6MBb4s0O_9CyTsoFkjOmP-_YW98XmBlO0UK-57z9aIlFJMYk-5nUffsTJ4ARMnuZ9EClLz-Upi_M1CCtQ8A_EzNkOaWe6rOi0jYaJBgnRqlTlOfToXXYR_48I9jPc/s720/vredefort_oli_2018178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPeUwNB5XJRJHbZv6MBb4s0O_9CyTsoFkjOmP-_YW98XmBlO0UK-57z9aIlFJMYk-5nUffsTJ4ARMnuZ9EClLz-Upi_M1CCtQ8A_EzNkOaWe6rOi0jYaJBgnRqlTlOfToXXYR_48I9jPc/w640-h426/vredefort_oli_2018178.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-80952165830497020842021-10-13T08:59:00.001+02:002021-10-13T08:59:40.519+02:00EYABANTWANA HERITAGE RIDE 2021 #2<p> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <br /></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Maya
Angelou (American poet and civil rights activist) once said:</span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">
<b><i>“I have great respect for the past.</i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t know where you’ve come
from,</i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you won’t know where you are going.”</i></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -18pt;">The <b>EYABANTWANA HERITAGE RIDE</b></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -18pt;"> is
a journey into the past reconnecting</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -18pt;">us with our past from the earliest beginning of our planet, the origin of humankind, </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -18pt;">the people that have occupied Southern Africa and their interactions over time with</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; text-indent: -18pt;">each other </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -18pt;">and the environment. </span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The ride will start on 25 October 2021 from Mapungubwe a UNESCO World Heritage Site - the "capital" of an ancient kingdom that lived and traded from the 10th to 15th centuries at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers.</span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 108.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level3 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-V2l-rAfOvj75m489iuBc3YiTOrA5ge_EdRccBEFcavtqk7zyVfkLkbAVKSsCj2dtczXYTgxmSPnCjMunWgNCuPIL9p0xo0gYz-6tQI4xHdK6DQUlMBjdCw-iADniWmuxYcx6UHbxNho/s2048/Mapungubwe_hill_limpopo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1636" data-original-width="2048" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-V2l-rAfOvj75m489iuBc3YiTOrA5ge_EdRccBEFcavtqk7zyVfkLkbAVKSsCj2dtczXYTgxmSPnCjMunWgNCuPIL9p0xo0gYz-6tQI4xHdK6DQUlMBjdCw-iADniWmuxYcx6UHbxNho/w640-h512/Mapungubwe_hill_limpopo.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><o:p></o:p><p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-90539995887482213422021-10-11T22:35:00.000+02:002021-10-11T22:35:30.864+02:00EYABANTWANA HERITAGE RIDE 2021 #1<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">FOR THE NEXT <u>FOUR</u> WEEKS <b>AUTRESDIRECTIONS </b>WILL BE "ON SAFARI" WITH GRANDADS' ARMY AS THEY CYCLE THE LENGTH OF SOUTH ARFICA FROM <i style="font-weight: bold;">MAPUNGUBWE </i>TO THE <i style="font-weight: bold;">NAHOON FOOTPRINTS.</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>THEIR <b>HERITAGE RIDE 2021 </b>IS</span><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>IN AID OF THE <b>EYABANTWANA (for the children) TRUST</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b></b></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vMaUX7RBsYJsKCW3eQfwEU_j-wnjX0pzA6Q0be6xtwDRGDb6VQx-IXvTmG_svZSzzMHflkF6V6G81iWwAD5teoYtt1wpLL1At3p7wlBhZ_QNtMhQvPZ7I6LbE2Njn1s1j61Ln_C2fkM/s720/WhatsApp+Image+2021-10-11+at+12.33.22.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="720" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vMaUX7RBsYJsKCW3eQfwEU_j-wnjX0pzA6Q0be6xtwDRGDb6VQx-IXvTmG_svZSzzMHflkF6V6G81iWwAD5teoYtt1wpLL1At3p7wlBhZ_QNtMhQvPZ7I6LbE2Njn1s1j61Ln_C2fkM/w640-h380/WhatsApp+Image+2021-10-11+at+12.33.22.jpeg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Their <b>HERITAGE RIDE </b>will start at Mapungubwe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Limpopo River (the northern border of South Africa) on Monday 25 October and will end at the site of the oldest fossilised human footprints found on Earth at Nahoon Point on the east coast of South Africa.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This epic journey of 1 500 km consists of 14 "stages" of 107 km each.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4vQi7JMJ1vPfXU0vXKy42_5B47aY-yW9U50wPE0jE2jAEfzSgj-ueurpnDVwSxf9Ie23-dCXDnsDZSQf_HGyxvBPjwIETv8eeCZd2KY8ASLOu0kqmgnaCZcoemuzq-7GCdmWANnxRnw/s388/WhatsApp+Image+2021-10-11+at+12.35.11.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="362" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4vQi7JMJ1vPfXU0vXKy42_5B47aY-yW9U50wPE0jE2jAEfzSgj-ueurpnDVwSxf9Ie23-dCXDnsDZSQf_HGyxvBPjwIETv8eeCZd2KY8ASLOu0kqmgnaCZcoemuzq-7GCdmWANnxRnw/w374-h400/WhatsApp+Image+2021-10-11+at+12.35.11.jpeg" width="374" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-32083669687465538012021-10-07T09:40:00.000+02:002021-10-07T09:40:06.316+02:00A LA CARTE ...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWGik4mckXzl1geJI5hkODQAh3ktFxWXEm8DKT3xI7mfz9UTuEVxmipRDabyb9LauheGbUwMyEDTPaNvQYNwjCf7qpeRRTAG4AODv-euQyakTNzuMtsQojnZS3XEw7H_mO0x0tcjHz7c/s2048/7+oct.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1773" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWGik4mckXzl1geJI5hkODQAh3ktFxWXEm8DKT3xI7mfz9UTuEVxmipRDabyb9LauheGbUwMyEDTPaNvQYNwjCf7qpeRRTAG4AODv-euQyakTNzuMtsQojnZS3XEw7H_mO0x0tcjHz7c/w554-h640/7+oct.JPG" width="554" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">So what's on the menu today? Granny on the cart has all the details!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">For a moment in Montoire, I thought this elderly senior citizen was one of those "human statues" one encounters in the streets of Paris ... but she's not from Paris.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">She is, however, probably made of plaster of Paris ... LOL!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-68583849357214505072021-10-05T18:40:00.000+02:002021-10-05T18:40:00.435+02:00MONTOIRE MARKETDAY<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1wUQ2o1IHbDaowmexyDzlEBDuwa4XoQ2sKfneei-t1SwoixKjAj0mrWPozBM-ybeSh8DBn1HszjLtnYpfHtpbceZVbhtiwbfIfRHtTym7HbUQjQvIWkqDZkE_ZZQ2L6WzS0g3sxxFgQ/s2048/5+oct.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="2048" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1wUQ2o1IHbDaowmexyDzlEBDuwa4XoQ2sKfneei-t1SwoixKjAj0mrWPozBM-ybeSh8DBn1HszjLtnYpfHtpbceZVbhtiwbfIfRHtTym7HbUQjQvIWkqDZkE_ZZQ2L6WzS0g3sxxFgQ/w640-h416/5+oct.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Fresh fruit and vegetables, straight from the farm to the consumer - one of the joys of shopping at village markets in France. The Montoire town square bustles with merchants and shoppers every Wednesday and Saturday morning as it has for centuries - good traditions are made to last!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - reminiscing ... again</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><br /></i></span></div><p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-58155271279050425812021-10-04T08:20:00.001+02:002021-10-04T08:20:44.246+02:00MONOCHROME MONTOIRE <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtU8Ro6ViEcLE4oTx1EdDfHreWAw3CCdNC9oPt298EAwF77wLgiI00zUu0hAuNqXNRlo-O3_-O_NnCdLGyUgzfQr26x59A2pBKksvzrDzJF75Z-S5vcctEB2cwtVhX5SdQDc85b5RvgUA/s2048/4+OCT+ALT.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1375" data-original-width="2048" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtU8Ro6ViEcLE4oTx1EdDfHreWAw3CCdNC9oPt298EAwF77wLgiI00zUu0hAuNqXNRlo-O3_-O_NnCdLGyUgzfQr26x59A2pBKksvzrDzJF75Z-S5vcctEB2cwtVhX5SdQDc85b5RvgUA/w640-h430/4+OCT+ALT.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Reflections in a quiet street where history is rarely spoken about ...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Montoire sur le Loir </b>- a small French town in the Loir-et-Cher department famous for being the location of the meeting between Hitler and Marshal Petain in October 1940 where the capitulation of France was discussed.</span></div><p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-14758688712242558132021-10-01T15:40:00.004+02:002021-10-01T15:40:44.788+02:00AFTER THE RAIN<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDoUGp91T9Sn06E0vSi0CB2yMpwrK1CpVl5Xev6jeTHgDp4635HLWpHik3-NqSFYMKKKJ3y91s0UfdogzQBHWJ_7H8FxmzEAURrUTve8-XNXxdaFwXxnb9Pe1_PT8LlD1ITz0iI6A3mM/s3320/1+OCT+2021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2317" data-original-width="3320" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDoUGp91T9Sn06E0vSi0CB2yMpwrK1CpVl5Xev6jeTHgDp4635HLWpHik3-NqSFYMKKKJ3y91s0UfdogzQBHWJ_7H8FxmzEAURrUTve8-XNXxdaFwXxnb9Pe1_PT8LlD1ITz0iI6A3mM/w640-h446/1+OCT+2021.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">After the rain it's time to spread your wings and ... dry before you fly!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A Crowned Hornbill makes the most of the early morning sunshine after two days of being in the rain.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - considering the challenges that face birds in wet weather</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>Thank you for the photo MJ.</i></span></div><br /><p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-62244903168060328792021-09-30T16:35:00.001+02:002021-09-30T16:35:24.271+02:00POT LUCK<p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7yhJfzNx5cbkf-w45bdOv5_yGf918FJwuQfZU9LuktEPtg2fHmtpGzCPxorI5IS0puo7GCIRZDOfspj02myC5pdpERtYRU-b6npM2chulj3DuebW5pZyc4sn1Dxf67VFupfs7uZK3Hs/s2063/30+sep.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2063" data-original-width="1595" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7yhJfzNx5cbkf-w45bdOv5_yGf918FJwuQfZU9LuktEPtg2fHmtpGzCPxorI5IS0puo7GCIRZDOfspj02myC5pdpERtYRU-b6npM2chulj3DuebW5pZyc4sn1Dxf67VFupfs7uZK3Hs/w309-h400/30+sep.JPG" width="309" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Our resident Cape Robin Chat surveys the<br />garden from his favourite vantage point - an</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">old pot. Maybe it brings him "pot luck"!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - so pleased to have rain - long may it last!</i></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /> </p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-71347610933655749842021-09-29T17:14:00.001+02:002021-09-29T17:14:13.545+02:00ANGRY BIRD<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJX4PKdo24Kj_qnFAHWBD0WbHbrr4TKjtf4cM0bj1qBGswXNkGKNoMJzH1q70U-ztbTaVQkBIBekegRrL4lq-T7KxrD35eogXlNIFKAFOx2K709RQbUXa_LlrpUmnZDOrNqkhtAW_N8U/s3490/IMG_6158+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2760" data-original-width="3490" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJX4PKdo24Kj_qnFAHWBD0WbHbrr4TKjtf4cM0bj1qBGswXNkGKNoMJzH1q70U-ztbTaVQkBIBekegRrL4lq-T7KxrD35eogXlNIFKAFOx2K709RQbUXa_LlrpUmnZDOrNqkhtAW_N8U/w640-h506/IMG_6158+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This Crowned Hornbill gives the impression that his <b>Angry Bird </b>audition didn't go too well.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - suggesting that a softer look might lead to a more successful outcome next time</i></span></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-46776517458027405562021-09-28T14:48:00.003+02:002021-09-28T14:48:29.484+02:00NEST BUILDING TIME<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUC7IrXxK5hBd0vQIL7XELHA7UmT7k2aoJWBWMSq6bjWME-TmaAfrjzFcyHTKtrNhYNkVHPcH-XowtnM_klsSNm_5Tro495f7zb5Nn4pND5eABFpXJlJWl61grY3hlSX3NTPQJi5-pcE/s3360/IMG_6133+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2797" data-original-width="3360" height="532" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIUC7IrXxK5hBd0vQIL7XELHA7UmT7k2aoJWBWMSq6bjWME-TmaAfrjzFcyHTKtrNhYNkVHPcH-XowtnM_klsSNm_5Tro495f7zb5Nn4pND5eABFpXJlJWl61grY3hlSX3NTPQJi5-pcE/w640-h532/IMG_6133+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It is nest building time for a pair of Hadedas. Raucous birds at the best of times and especially when they are excited by the prospect of producing another brood of raucous youngsters. Fortunately for us, they have chosen a tree in the neighbours' property and <u style="font-weight: bold;">not</u> the tree outside our bedroom window.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - congratulating the hadedas on their choice of a new nesting domain</i></span></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-63554907171843285542021-09-27T02:00:00.001+02:002021-09-27T02:00:00.232+02:00BACK TO THE BIRDS: LONGCRESTED EAGLE <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJMnBaX9DMItTDeXduJIoETaPMvh2GJXopz_s_7QfWoc8jt6oewPG80YrlC7PjGHhaAGWInKhTHWx0w2sQcPO-AsvVqWfWYH5xAcSHzG0-khLwyNl1P57KTKy3K2Fr0nyGtroJ7AHPds/s2132/27+sep+%252721+LONGCRESTED+EAGLE+mm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2132" data-original-width="2036" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJMnBaX9DMItTDeXduJIoETaPMvh2GJXopz_s_7QfWoc8jt6oewPG80YrlC7PjGHhaAGWInKhTHWx0w2sQcPO-AsvVqWfWYH5xAcSHzG0-khLwyNl1P57KTKy3K2Fr0nyGtroJ7AHPds/w612-h640/27+sep+%252721+LONGCRESTED+EAGLE+mm.jpg" width="612" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Monochrome Monday #153 - a rather fierce looking Longcrested Eagle looks down on the vacant plot next door hoping for a rodent to appear. Unfortunately this vantage point was removed when the plot was cleared and we haven't seen this eagle for months - I guess he's effectively reducing the rodent population elsewhere. His services are missed.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - wishing his followers a good week</i></span></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-57286522145082914702021-09-24T09:06:00.000+02:002021-09-24T09:06:13.101+02:00NARROW STREETS ... WIDE CHOICE<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmvWL2XguR3qUHQAGus2awGXeuy1AZrOiHl9D2UyPy6c-URpj-sTiGl9tCTAN5qust6zksgHPNm6WzwUnaX9CYATXEAXzxInTeVDkLGXBnKnIZOwp-Ud5KJOgNpn7gkYbL8_5bJwlOBE/s1843/24+SEP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1843" data-original-width="1408" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNmvWL2XguR3qUHQAGus2awGXeuy1AZrOiHl9D2UyPy6c-URpj-sTiGl9tCTAN5qust6zksgHPNm6WzwUnaX9CYATXEAXzxInTeVDkLGXBnKnIZOwp-Ud5KJOgNpn7gkYbL8_5bJwlOBE/w488-h640/24+SEP.jpg" width="488" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The <i>rue des Grands Augustins</i> in the <i>6e arrondissement </i>- one restaurant after another. Although the streets are narrow, the choice is incredibly wide.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - this is the last in the series of posts on the "pavements of Paris" - thank you MJ for the photos</i></span></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-81689001806502262702021-09-23T10:17:00.001+02:002021-09-23T10:17:32.382+02:00ARC DE TRIOMPHE DU CARROUSEL<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdO8McgHWZr2I6X9PR-NjdVSgnCrHYHx2Pmenea4b1JSQU9FbTwfqSJy_12WMDMwhGhtSK1Ja8rL0ONowplxLu1yETrKYTman9AHwJvu8W4ETvVqD6j8Hen2d6iMdqydlY0YmngAwBmA/s1162/2013+france+116+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1162" data-original-width="1162" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdO8McgHWZr2I6X9PR-NjdVSgnCrHYHx2Pmenea4b1JSQU9FbTwfqSJy_12WMDMwhGhtSK1Ja8rL0ONowplxLu1yETrKYTman9AHwJvu8W4ETvVqD6j8Hen2d6iMdqydlY0YmngAwBmA/w640-h640/2013+france+116+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A group of elementary schoolchildren march triumphantly toward Napoleon's arch.<br />The <i>Arc </i>was completed in 1808 with the chariot and horses on top of the arch "borrowed" from the Cathedral of St Mark in Venice by a victorious Napoleon. They were graciously returned in 1815 and replaced by sculptures made by Baron Francois Joseph Bosio in 1828.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - wonders if an arch dedicated to submarines will ever be built</i></span></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-66553369907036035772021-09-22T02:00:00.001+02:002021-09-22T02:00:00.284+02:00WI-FI HOTSPOT ON A PARK BENCH<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhg-AhJ5uWJTJ0d_c3kV-he0dOqtsEa1UD1vQq_KSNl_-zWSvC_A_wlA01GKi_vGtFwoagREwVE8Dex5vaJngaW-yfrMPirnAgfozVcanBi1yQPcJSw7ZEk1gop23xVJZqjriMM7KN18/s1793/22+sept.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1793" data-original-width="1788" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNhg-AhJ5uWJTJ0d_c3kV-he0dOqtsEa1UD1vQq_KSNl_-zWSvC_A_wlA01GKi_vGtFwoagREwVE8Dex5vaJngaW-yfrMPirnAgfozVcanBi1yQPcJSw7ZEk1gop23xVJZqjriMM7KN18/w638-h640/22+sept.jpg" width="638" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Free Wi-Fi on a park bench with the compliments of the Municipality of Paris - what a good idea! Ideal for <i>les flaneurs </i>who wish to check their messages while out walking.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: times;">OJ - impressed by the public-spiritedness of the French municipalities</span></i></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-88281051266513321642021-09-21T02:00:00.002+02:002021-09-21T07:56:49.750+02:00NOT THE MOULIN ROUGE<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggh0v_CLYZjhgZ5LECqm5yoI49pYPOU1U4CEkra6HPzXdbcb4jllcRRYpzQVOUxIJDDh09ra-0XpqmBQJP5OyeH7NypNgHaxIo5xkIGd6t26NKxZEm9IJZ9Z1NFp535M_Vlb1cQ1qpLa0/s1896/21+SEP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1690" data-original-width="1896" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggh0v_CLYZjhgZ5LECqm5yoI49pYPOU1U4CEkra6HPzXdbcb4jllcRRYpzQVOUxIJDDh09ra-0XpqmBQJP5OyeH7NypNgHaxIo5xkIGd6t26NKxZEm9IJZ9Z1NFp535M_Vlb1cQ1qpLa0/w640-h570/21+SEP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">A</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> surprise awaits the s</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">trolling visitor along the steep pavements of Montmartre. <br />It is one of the last two functioning windmills of the thirty that used to provide the flour for the Parisians' daily bread. This is the <i>Blute-fin moulin </i>(also known as the <i>Moulin de la Galette</i>) built in 1622.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - considering that a windmill that will celebrate its 400th anniversary<br /> next year was certainly built to last!</i></span></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-19665649295184377332021-09-20T02:00:00.001+02:002021-09-20T02:00:00.207+02:00REMEMBERING THE PAVEMENTS OF PARIS<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsyeJM4fz9KqpVTfgUm_D7bKO-VdA6o0-kw3uroEldLH3eY1TwbQUI7i9GN0GHgXSX8Nb5nqiU_Jj7FS7HmcGWu3eG45bpynGVgEXzHzUvmPahEm4DqpJrZ4TeeFRLjPcBiaZawn1EUw/s1851/20+SEP+MM.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1851" data-original-width="1850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsyeJM4fz9KqpVTfgUm_D7bKO-VdA6o0-kw3uroEldLH3eY1TwbQUI7i9GN0GHgXSX8Nb5nqiU_Jj7FS7HmcGWu3eG45bpynGVgEXzHzUvmPahEm4DqpJrZ4TeeFRLjPcBiaZawn1EUw/w640-h640/20+SEP+MM.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">An early morning stroll along the <i>Quai de Bethune</i> in winter - the sun shining brightly, but not really providing much warmth.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - reminiscing about time spent in Paris with Monochrome Monday post # 152</i></span></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-53238605506973786502021-09-17T13:25:00.001+02:002021-09-17T13:25:27.462+02:00TREES<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VPd3Oz2YeUAuT6eInO4YhfQChXzOgidQRFI840M2O2OjGttX95WNhSUh8gl8NH4pnvxTHNyrknWez70s_xrK5zGMG6Dig9jevCEjj_3X2yTEBr9DePnmCQkTw-k2z2T837yY69SDFXw/s4312/17+sept.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2677" data-original-width="4312" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VPd3Oz2YeUAuT6eInO4YhfQChXzOgidQRFI840M2O2OjGttX95WNhSUh8gl8NH4pnvxTHNyrknWez70s_xrK5zGMG6Dig9jevCEjj_3X2yTEBr9DePnmCQkTw-k2z2T837yY69SDFXw/w640-h398/17+sept.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Planting trees to watch them grow</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Felling trees to make paper</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Using paper to print money</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">What is in it for the trees?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - considering the plight of trees</i></span></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-60305636468021215052021-09-16T09:21:00.000+02:002021-09-16T09:21:06.644+02:00AT THE END OF ANOTHER DAY IN AFRICA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJcLVSSx04-JymkuiiyJ2A-9Gt5d4xuHWxhN4Pm0phn_a2DmuRsca1T3dM0QWzsBmLYsOSY_3lSnI3Dc3z5oP3QWaTrYdGUv5Q8G9pA1ugaoMl7HEDMCaHKnEJ7mdoo_FeB4CZUSbFEc/s4060/P1070906+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2829" data-original-width="4060" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJcLVSSx04-JymkuiiyJ2A-9Gt5d4xuHWxhN4Pm0phn_a2DmuRsca1T3dM0QWzsBmLYsOSY_3lSnI3Dc3z5oP3QWaTrYdGUv5Q8G9pA1ugaoMl7HEDMCaHKnEJ7mdoo_FeB4CZUSbFEc/w640-h446/P1070906+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A great quote from David Attenborough:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"I just wish the world was twice as big and half of it was still unexplored"</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - considering the unexplored parts of Africa</i></span></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-49545805186844717902021-09-15T02:00:00.001+02:002021-09-15T02:00:00.226+02:00DO YOU HAVE THE PATIENCE TO WAIT?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONUziH4rWkGL9goQclYSv6ULilcHqhAW9278MqYcq6zCp4XOq6Pkx4wcEy6cudiJq6vcvjEiCmPjHzG4mo2h9TOvuCZc2aFGQXqAEpNdwZVdjeyIaHxcQ1O-w8lyHmY1UkfXFwz0IP-Q/s2536/PATIENCE+AND+HOPE.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2536" data-original-width="1924" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONUziH4rWkGL9goQclYSv6ULilcHqhAW9278MqYcq6zCp4XOq6Pkx4wcEy6cudiJq6vcvjEiCmPjHzG4mo2h9TOvuCZc2aFGQXqAEpNdwZVdjeyIaHxcQ1O-w8lyHmY1UkfXFwz0IP-Q/w486-h640/PATIENCE+AND+HOPE.JPG" width="486" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Do you have the patience to wait until your mud settles and the water is clear?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">- Lao Tzu</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Can you remain unmoving until something scrumptious falls from the kitchen counter all by itself? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">- Cadeau and Rosie think they can</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ with apologies to Lao Tzu (Chinese philosopher 571 BC - 531 BC</i></span></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-33217517021366140422021-09-14T02:00:00.001+02:002021-09-14T02:00:00.251+02:00GONE FISHING<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzJIH-dnVHwkCpBiijsNu0lgzthP3ESOwudZSqqYd-meSwE4CiODi2-b8wtR7Y1Nc0toB6VAOO8-0dji53nbAY5e8osjbhpfKh2tVuvsaJR8Lz_nvIcpHQrmZ0CStdtYvZc52hHeUAps/s1384/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="858" data-original-width="1384" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzJIH-dnVHwkCpBiijsNu0lgzthP3ESOwudZSqqYd-meSwE4CiODi2-b8wtR7Y1Nc0toB6VAOO8-0dji53nbAY5e8osjbhpfKh2tVuvsaJR8Lz_nvIcpHQrmZ0CStdtYvZc52hHeUAps/w640-h396/3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Let the photo tell its own story #1</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: times;">Umngazana October 2020</span></i></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-67399023689919503652021-09-13T02:00:00.001+02:002021-09-13T02:00:00.243+02:00BOSBERAAD<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjji4K9cliYU_c6B1EuLcXqV5wNytPVntv97OWNHeYo3sU-cZ7svfKPytro7mDsiliZsHX_rWD6MfdLehl9d9ACvaJH0AOJKI34IZ6GNv17l43Ho0odZb_nvSaXj5Z1gv0DoWij455dePw/s2048/bosberaad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1490" data-original-width="2048" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjji4K9cliYU_c6B1EuLcXqV5wNytPVntv97OWNHeYo3sU-cZ7svfKPytro7mDsiliZsHX_rWD6MfdLehl9d9ACvaJH0AOJKI34IZ6GNv17l43Ho0odZb_nvSaXj5Z1gv0DoWij455dePw/w640-h466/bosberaad.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><b>Bosberaad</b> </i>is an Afrikaans word that literally means "a conference in the bush" and refers to a meeting held in a place where none of the distractions one would encounter in a busy urban environment exist.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This group of zebra photographed in the Kruger National Park seemed to be engrossed in an urgent <i><b>bosberaad</b>. </i>I wonder what was on the agenda ... </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - posting Monochrome Monday #151</i></span></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-27331594328361823622021-09-10T10:10:00.001+02:002021-09-10T10:10:36.562+02:00A FLASH OF RED<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihObE8MWAYPQr-lkX6XPSJTJIkKUQiKuHqIaU6LobvkOnOZTMHyj7xMfPeUK-4QuKlWDI94BRxH0euGsjYRPOY74MIzB649cx8vy843EkDlttmpvfMmYp_QGsj6UBj9Xnhalv6bp4JbUY/s639/10+sept.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="638" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihObE8MWAYPQr-lkX6XPSJTJIkKUQiKuHqIaU6LobvkOnOZTMHyj7xMfPeUK-4QuKlWDI94BRxH0euGsjYRPOY74MIzB649cx8vy843EkDlttmpvfMmYp_QGsj6UBj9Xnhalv6bp4JbUY/w638-h640/10+sept.jpg" width="638" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A flash of red is what catches one's eye as a Knysna Turaco glides from one branch to another. Early explorers in the Cape forests were convinced that the turaco was incapable of flying as it was observed hopping and gliding through the trees.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - wishing his followers a pleasant week-end</i></span></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-50786881778522165632021-09-09T08:47:00.000+02:002021-09-09T08:47:25.413+02:00PHOTOGRAPHING BIRDS 101<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1qg4eBB54dq30kQGYYVqROkSkW9dhqK0ubBRIHgIOR7773xW3p6a8WbI8f8uRNXWq6jxPK7onWchRoxSt3M9ii8PnMDLv0yW8Z_WPz0c5KKghLBcFRqzgjeQkeOKE-pDtuqUJQhwe5U/s2902/BLOG+PIC+9+SEP2021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2291" data-original-width="2902" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1qg4eBB54dq30kQGYYVqROkSkW9dhqK0ubBRIHgIOR7773xW3p6a8WbI8f8uRNXWq6jxPK7onWchRoxSt3M9ii8PnMDLv0yW8Z_WPz0c5KKghLBcFRqzgjeQkeOKE-pDtuqUJQhwe5U/w640-h506/BLOG+PIC+9+SEP2021.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I have been photographing birds for a number of years and it is interesting to note how my approach has changed. Initially, my emphasis was on identification so my photos resembled bird book illustrations - colour, form and shape were important.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Now, I tend to consider the bird's surroundings, its attitude and the background - with the result that I find the photos more pleasing and interesting. It requires more patience and the birds don't always wait around, but maybe they'll come back tomorrow.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Black-headed Oriole above was most co-operative.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - continuing to learn new skills</i></span></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-66719720883067259032021-09-08T02:00:00.001+02:002021-09-08T02:00:00.239+02:00A STRIKING POSE<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6JiDQJBRhH4LtI4K8b-impKYHOg5PYgA7132VllKGb8uEvcOWwXWuWr81NapFr9CDdCbdaMC1HxGd_A-CkA8A1ncIP9OXLZtIPte79hKgeUK9bnrebOWuFBktmFlfBh9KTUd3IiQnaE/s2048/LINCOLN_MOUSEBIRD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6JiDQJBRhH4LtI4K8b-impKYHOg5PYgA7132VllKGb8uEvcOWwXWuWr81NapFr9CDdCbdaMC1HxGd_A-CkA8A1ncIP9OXLZtIPte79hKgeUK9bnrebOWuFBktmFlfBh9KTUd3IiQnaE/w640-h640/LINCOLN_MOUSEBIRD.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A Speckled Mousebird enjoying the early morning, but wait a bit ... there's something familiar about that pose - right arm resting on a twig, the downward, thoughtful gaze ... where have I seen that before?</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">And then it struck me ... is that mousebird channelling Abraham Lincoln as depicted in his statue in Washington DC?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I think he is! What do you think?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - interpreting a mousebird's striking pose</i></span></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1986153870873067665.post-72796679578905106122021-09-07T02:00:00.001+02:002021-09-07T02:00:00.224+02:00IT'S RAINING<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_RtDgsjYKurfLTdI3Mhnuq-zjTIDGopzk43EKgBkxnOz9pC021gXgbuj81fjcg7JfRgGuqvVhUx3JWP4AmVwZVMu3le0AfLklljCHW8AHmuzZmfQh5GJNWwiQJMYiIWkTre00Zfegig/s3784/blog+pic+7+sep+2021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2921" data-original-width="3784" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_RtDgsjYKurfLTdI3Mhnuq-zjTIDGopzk43EKgBkxnOz9pC021gXgbuj81fjcg7JfRgGuqvVhUx3JWP4AmVwZVMu3le0AfLklljCHW8AHmuzZmfQh5GJNWwiQJMYiIWkTre00Zfegig/w640-h494/blog+pic+7+sep+2021.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It has been raining steadily since lunchtime - great weather for ducks they say, but actually after a long dry spell, it's great weather for everyone!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I've measured 50 mm so far and it's still pelting down ... lovely!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The "ducks" in the picture are actually called Egyptian Geese, but they are classified as goose-like ducks residing in Southern Africa, not Egypt.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: times;"><i>OJ - continuing to be amused by the names given to birds</i></span></div><br /> <p></p>OJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05746394253615506242noreply@blogger.com1