From little seeds...

SEEDS SOWN TODAY...

Dreams are the seeds of change. Nothing ever grows without a seed, and nothing ever changes without a dream. (Debby Boone)

 A friend gave me two lots of seeds for Christmas.
Spring now, so it's time I got them planted.

One set contains seeds of favourite kitchen herbs: coriander, chives, basil and curly parsley.
The other is fruits: alpine strawberry, honeydew melon, sugar baby melon and kiwi fruit. 

Love them all! So I got started today and tipped half the compost into the seed tray provided. Into each of the four little compartments I sprinkled the different miniscule natural jack-in-a-boxes, all ready to burst and sprout with goodies later on!

Nom nom nom! Can't wait! (Gonna have to!)

Being me, even this simple operation wasn't without setback. I covered the seeds with the rest of the dry compost. To save my limited energy, I decided not to go digging out my watering spray but stuck the whole tray under the tap to moisten.

You guessed it! Turned on the tap (faucet, for my American chums) and - nothing. Zilch. Waited, turned at bit further...nothing...nothing.... then a quick burst of Niagara Falls and half the seeds and compost were in the plughole down the sink.

So another clean up job, not saving any energy, natch!

This was a really neat kit. The lid of the each seed pack doubled as a sun-trapping top for the little propagators.
Popped the perspex lid over each of the two sets of seeds and - four different patches of fertile ground with seeds sleeping till the right moment for sprouting luciously for dinners, salads and general munching delights!

My mouth's watering already!
Watch this space! 

"To see things in the seed, that is genius" - Lao Tzu

Catfish growing old disgracefully!

Lady J shows her age. Don't we all some days?

Lady J (name changed from Jethro when I discovered she was female as she matured!) is beginning to show her age. After years of regular egg laying, she's no longer quite as frisky. She's getting a bit grey about the gills. Her dorsal fin's showing signs of wear. She likes to sit under the filter lately rather than dancing with her boyfriends! Even Napo Corys have their twilight years. She's pushing four years old after all!

But you're never too old for a cuddle. Jesse nuzzles up to Lady J for a kiss-me-quick on the barbels!

Jonty thinks he's ageing pretty well for an old bloke!

Jocasta's not so sure: "Are those age marks or beauty spots?"

Meanwhile, in the background, the rest of the aquarium crew party on regardless. Life's too short for regrets when you're a tropical fish!

Left to right: Kenton & Kelita (Cardinal Tetra); Tobit (Black Harlequin Rasbora); Thirza, Throstle, Thistle and Thekla  (ordinary Harlequins) shoaling for the fun of it

...plus Romi (extreme left centre of shot) and Rother (bottom centre), Rummynosed Tetra who were hiding in the previous shot! Erm...and Thalassa, blurred with speed, the other male Harley!

 

 

 

 

Sam the Red Dwarf Gourami; never made it to old age...so make happy hay while the (artificial) sun shines, gang!

Earth Hour 2011

Might not have been well enough to wander round the countryside sporting lanterns and light sabres, but had a quiet night in with Mum and a candle. Aquarium light off, laptop unplugged.

We love you, little Earth. You're the only one we've got.

However, a quick sneaky look through the blinds shows not everybody had got the Earth Hour message. Local pub strewn with fairy lights as per usual and lights blazing in windows across the street.
Keep spreading the word.

 

Link to official Earth Hour website

Spring comes March-ing in

Heart of gold with skirts of a scarlet woman

Lemon meringue froth

Sulphur set alight by sunshine

Mirroring the sky on earth

Which colour shall I be today?

Tempting the birds to a banquet

Green's not just for leaves, you know

Ding a ling Ling

Not so green as you're cabbage looking

Pining for Christmas

Skimmia does this season's catwalk colours

Who stuck me up in this hanging basket? Put me down!

Do TWO coos, Paddy: the love of two Woodpigeons

Here's lookin at you ,  kid!

Woodpigeons are having a high old time at the moment! This pair spent most daylight hours for the last couple of days wooing each other. Well, Lady Woody fed herself up, ready for egg-laying and Mr Woody followed her round, rolling his bloated crop and tummy on the grass while "mooning" his back end where he hoped she might notice!

 

 

Ignore him, he might go away

 

 

 

 

 

Like the Collared Doves I blogged about yesterday, there was plenty of shouting the odds today.
The Collared Doves do a relatively genteel: "U-ni-ted! U-nit-ed! U-ni-ted! U-ni-ted!"
The Woodpigeon's usual chant goes more like: "Do TWO coos, Paddy! Do TWO coos, Paddy!"
No wonder the missus looks like she doesn't want anybody telling her how many coos to do!

"Better spruce myself up...oooh! Where's me head gone?"

Lots of preening went on. Nobody seemed all that impressed.

Right, blow this for a game of soldiers, I'm legging it!

Collared Doves billing and cooing!

First there was one little dove all on its own...

Then along came another one...

Cuddling up real close...

Billing and cooing...

 

"Have I preened under this armpit?"

Whispers of wonder

Just stop for a moment.

The world won't stop turning.

Pause and celebrate the whispered miracles.

The extravagant, tender touch of God.

You are very loved.


Much more than you can ever guess.


The signs of this are everywhere!

The proof of it is the empty cross.

Yet here, in Lent, in crevices and corners

The word is already urgent with the heartbeat of hope

Sunshine minting melt out of the throbbing seed

Birds blogging their falling forward into light

All chase and chirrup

Life that won't languish 

The crocus opens its smile for you.

Where are you rushing? Must it be now?

Whispers of wonder don't bawl, "Look, I'm special!"


Here's invitation, not mandate.

So stop - if you care to.

Then pass on, stroked and cherished,

Restored to the rush

More healed, made whole.

Jesus chose not to cope without these moments stolen


From crowds chasing


By the lapping shore's lulling,




Up the mountain among the studded, modest blossoms.

Stop. 

Let the breeze sniff you, surround you and drink you in.

Let the trees hold patterns of dappled canopy over you.

Let the leaf litter sink you a carpet of crunching to dance on.


Let yourself be embraced, just as you are, against His heart


Who knows you, and without flinching, loves you.


While spring comes tickling, transforming in!