Thursday, February 26, 2015

Dragonfly Springs Wetland Sanctuary

Earlier in the month Jeremy Busck talked to the Kamo Club about these wetlands and there was an open day on Sunday so, after we had done our dog walking and been to the gym, we drove to Onerahi with a picnic and had a thoroughly enjoyable walk around the wetlands.


 We started off by having our picnic in a pleasant shady spot near this lake.  The nesting boxes on poles are for Grey Teal.

                                  


When I saw this rock wall I assumed it was new and was amazed at the workmanship but it turned out to be 100 years old.  We didn't discover why it was there.


                                 


and here it is from the other side.


There were some very pleasant walkways




These cabbage trees (or palms as they are called in Cornwall) were on a small island.



 We came back the same way - there is the rock wall again


                                  

and next to it was this "Dragonfly"  unfortunately all the dragonflies had left for the day along with the ducks and other wildlife



We then discovered that we could have come through this way.  It was a bit wet in parts due to a spring tide but there are plans to put a board-walk in.






This sign must have been discarded by the local school.


Friday, February 13, 2015

Flowers, a Moth and a Meteor

Many years ago (30 or 40) I collected some brass and copper preserving pans.  Max had this tripod made up for one of them and we always had plants in it.  It has been sitting in the shed since our move over five years ago but as I have plenty of Streptocarpus in flower at present I decided to get it out.  It could do with a repaint but, in the meantime, I think it looks good.  I really must get going on Trade Me and dispose of the others.



This rose is outside my bedroom window.  A couple of weeks ago I counted over thirty buds on it for its second flowering of the season.  


Nothing very marvellous here just a general view of the top garden.


This morning when I got up I found this pretty moth sitting in the kitchen on my copy of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Light and Easy Cookbook.  Can anyone tell me its name please?




On Wednesday at about 10 p.m. just as Doug was heading home the sky was lit up.  We both assumed it was lightening but it didn't really seem like that and there was no thunder.  Yesterday we heard that it was, in fact, a Meteor.  Doug had a better view as he was looking up my drive.