For the identification of insects and other fauna and flora of South Africa.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Winter walk - Part 1

Before I get to my post today I want to put in something I received via e-mail called:

Miscommunication
Memo from CEO to manager:
Today a1 11 o’clock there will be a total eclipse of the sun. This is when the sun disappears behind the moon for two minutes. As this is something that cannot be seen every day, time will be allowed for employees to view the eclipse in the parking lot. Staff should meet in the lot at ten to eleven, when I will deliver a short speech introducing the eclipse and giving some background information. Safety goggles will be made available at a small cost.

Memo from manager to department head:
Today at ten to eleven, all staff should meet in the car park. This will be followed by a total eclipse of the sun, which will appear for two minutes. For a moderate cost, this will be made safe with goggles. The CEO will deliver a short speech beforehand to give us all some information. This is not something that can be seen every day.

Memo from department head to floor manager:
The CEO will today deliver a short speech to make the sun disappear for two minutes in the form of an eclipse. This is something that cannot be seen every day, so staff will meet in the car park at ten or eleven. This will be safe, if you pay a moderate cost.

Memo from floor manager to supervisor:
Ten or eleven staff are to go to the car park where the CEO will eclipse the sun for two minutes. This doesn’t happen every day. It will be safe and as usual it will cost you.

Memo from supervisor to staff:
Some staff will go to the car park today to see the CEO disappear.

It is a pity this doesn’t happen every day.LOL!! Is there a moral in this story too??

It is full winter here so there is not a lot around, yet if you look close enough, you can still find some interesting things.

This day, I stared out early and made an interesting discovery (for me, that is). I had always imagined that there was only one type of Lantana. This is an invasive plant which spreads very rapidly as the birds love the berries. The government actually gives people a free spray for this in order to get rid of it. My discovery was that there are actually two types with different color flowers.

Although I could hear the Guinea Fowl, all I saw of them was this feather left behind in the grass.
A Painted Lady flutters into sight and pauses conveniently for me to take a quick picture.
Wild cacti are everywhere.
…and some interesting fungi grow on a fallen log. When wet, this is the most brilliant orange color.
Pretty wild flowers are still in bloom......
…and the grass is standing tall.
Now here is something interesting. This creeper has flowers of about 1 inch in diameter. It get fruit which has spines on and when ripe, it loved by the birds. The red seeds inside are extremely sticky and attach themselves to parts of the birds, who fly off, and when the seed eventually drops off, has found a willing host to propagate it.


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