Two Queens And An Old Lion From Africa

Bird of paradise flower or Crane flower or STRELITZIA REGINA

I just call them queens of Africa.

The Strelitzia is a striking flower, somewhat bird-like in shape consisting of long green bracts with purple edges that surround orange flowers with bright-blue tongues.

They are evergreen and indigenous with tight clusters of fleshy stems bearing long, oblong, grey - green leaves. 

They are Queens.

Broken Open.....

..

And the old lion in the bush.

Queens that can turn into old lions.

A life cycle.

THE HEART OF THE MATTER

IS THERE COLOR IN THE SEA ?

I was asked by my friend who lives in the Sahara and who has never seen the sea: IS THERE COLOR IN THE SEA ?

You can not know how much I loved his question because I had so much to say to him.

There is not only color but there are pink spaghettis in the sea.

There is a beautiful dead pale crab not anymore in the sea.

There is structure and delicacy in the sea.

What is inside the sea reflects it's color to the outside.

The sea is made from a painters palette.

My perfect, green shimmering, shining wave comes from the sea.

There is change and movement in the sea.

There is sculpture in the sea.

There is an indescribable abundance of good things of all colors in the sea.

 Through the sea you can understand the spirit of water and the way it moves.

 There is shape and light and reflection in the sea helping yourself getting a clearer picture of yourself.

In clear water the mermaid's golden hair flows.

And there is art in the sea.

SO MUCH, MY FRIEND SAID. AND WHAT IS A MERMAID?

Pale Dead Beautiful Crab By The Sea

A moment that I have captured during my last holiday at the sea. A pale dead and incredibly beautiful crab lying on the rocks.

Fragile and delicate like life is.

Do you remember walking over meadows?

It was the sweetest most mysterious- looking place anyone could imagine.

Frances Hodgson Burnett

I found this old color print a couple of months ago in a second- hand shop. The painter's name is John McPherson. Flower fields, squirrels, pheasants, big trees and birds in the distance. Can you imagine how it smells? Can you hear the birdsong?

It shows a scene that reminds me of the area where I grew up in Europe. My family lived next to the river Rhine, close to the french border. The natural environment next to this mighty river is very special. There are many estuaries with river-arms stretching into the interior of the country. Along these river-arms abundant vegetation grows.

The whole region is a nature reserve today. When I was young meadows where everywhere. Just recently I read in an article that meadows are disappearing. There is no more room for undisturbed growth.

In my childhood meadows were part of my life. They were everywhere. In front of our house. Even our garden resembled a meadow. On week-ends the whole family packed a picnic basket, squeezed themselves into a blue beetle-Volkswagen and headed for the woods.

Woods are always friends with meadows.

And after lengthy walks all family members would lie on inflatable mattresses or in the grass, eating, drinking, talking or sleeping. Not without the occasional curse when bitten by mosquitoes. My mother taught me how to make a little crown out of flowers.

Flowers of all colors grew in abundance- waist high for a little girl- and playing on a meadow in summer was like diving into fairyland. The time passed quick.

When did you walk the last time bare-foot over a meadow?

Watched a bee......

doing acrobatics

The beloved friend of my childhood " die Pusteblume".

Meadows had dark openings....... food for scary children fantasies

Meadows had delicate flowers

and with their grasses, herbs and flowers they gave you itchy ankles....