Winter Sunshine Zoo Trip - Sunday 24 June 2012

Once again off to the zoo we went! 
I was hoping that, since it was winter, the critters would be all out and about, lying in the sun and easy targets to photograph! 


And what a mixed bag we got!

We had some curious individuals...

Some very, very curious...

 Some took note of us but meh, whatever...

 Some rather played with their toys and Maaaa, whatever...

 Some didn't even know we existed!

 Some knew very well we existed..

 And told us what they thought of that...

 Some paid attention, just not to us...

 Others just stared off into the distance and day dreamed...

 Others pretended indifference...

 And yet others even pulled tongues at us...

 Some were just watching out for everybody...

 While others enjoyed their breakfast...

All in all though, it was a lazy day with everyone enjoying the sun in their own way!!

Just purr-fectly!

A special event - 23 June 2012

Last Saturday I went to a very unusual event.
I don't think you could call it a funeral. Not a wake. 'Perhaps a 'laying to rest' for the romantic?Or a 'Redistribution of nutrients' for the not so.
Or as I like to call it, "Planting Granma".

I went to Brendan's Aunt Siggs place to pay respects to the memory of his grandmother and watch her ashes being added to a lovely urn to fertilize a tree that would grow there. The whole family gathered around for the event. It's amazing to see how one woman managed to have been directly responsible for such a large, varied family! Who says one person can't make a difference hey?

Compost was added to the urn and all was ready for the ashes.

Upon the urn were two plaques to commemorate the person being interred and the families who'd loved her so very much. One in English and one in German. 

We even had a curious visitor drop by to see what all the commotion was about! And indeed to cause some commotion as the kids, and a few adults, howled meows up to it. It ran off soon after.

The ashes were added to the urn. I stood back because of a sudden fear of inhalation of a relative and sneezing. (If I had I would at least have sneezed in the direction of the urn, just in case!)

The kids were a mix of fascinated, curious and just a touch bored. In other words, full on natural kids! I wonder how they interpreted all of this?

And so the circle of life continues, back to the ground from whence we came. I hope to see this tree many years from now and the majestic plant it could grow into! 

(Wouldn't be a bit awful if it suddenly died? I'd blame winter, it's been a harsh one.)

I think I'd like something like this. Take my ashes and sprinkle them somewhere where they can be useful. Don't keep me on a mantelpiece to freak out small kids or get eaten in some teenage dare. Maybe sprinkled on a mushroom patch or orchid? Or a watermelon vine! 

It's a nice way to go out.

Rest In Peace Oma

5 Jaunuary 1926 - 23 October 2011.

Lifestyle Nursery - Randburg - May 2012

I feel this is such a wonderfully interesting place that it cannot be adequately described in words, so lets use a ton of pics shall we? 

Brilliant!!

The have a ton of pets you can buy such as:

Fat fluffy bunnies!

Inquisitive hamsters!

And Guinea pigs who'd rather have slept in!

A wealth of fish

 And twice that of spiders!

Snakes

More spiders

And yet MORE spiders!

And birds in any colour you require! (I want one that eats spiders!!!)

Their flowers are a range of near edible colours!

 And the roses in techni-colour!

 Just ask any bee!

 Any plant you want, they probably have it. And in taupe!

Not to mention the standard naff pottery that every nursery seems to stock.

And a restaurant for a nosh when you're all 'tuckered' out!

And many little odd shops where you can get that clown wig you've always wanted

Up this alleyway and down that one! There's something here for everyone

Snack Break!

Care for a good book then? Or a trashy teen vampire book?

How about some stained glass for your castle Dracula?

Or maybe a little something softer?

 And silkier! A whole shop of silk that is!

 Maybe, with the profusion of life around you, you'd rather have fake flowers? Easier to care for. Why water them when you can dust?

And sticks in various shades to stick where ever you want... let's not ask too deeply on that one!

And fine woman's wear for the man of your choice! I think the T-shirt describes that headgear best!

And then what better way to end the celebration of life than with a large hunk of dried, raw meat?

May I recommend a visit to the nursery? Ideally with me? You won't leave empty handed! (If only because I'll show you a ton of stuff you can buy me! ^_-)