LAND, RIVERS AND LAKES FROM THE SKY

Flying over land presents a different view of the earth we live on. Whereas every day we walk tall on the earth and look in awe at the various majestic mountains in our midst a fly past them shows the top of the hill and their majesty sort of diminishes. The mountains and their majesty can still be appreciated though from such heights. Seen from about 1100 metres above the hills that make up the Kruger National Park one is presented with a beauty of hills and valleys. The picture is able to show that in the greater scheme of life on earth the majestic mountain range is just a small beautiful piece of the jigsaw.

A fly past Lake Malawi further reinforces the beauty of the lake as spelled out in lake of stars-tribute to an emotionless model The coastline of the lake is even further defined. The contrast between the land, lake and the clouds does reinforce the amazing beauty of the lake.

At the same time that a fly past shows the beauty of the land below it also gives a glimpse into to damage/destruction that human are effecting on the land. Take the beauty of the lake and land above however another part of the lake you find that the mouth of a river emptying into a lake is one point where erosion upstream is exhibited. The blue waters are replaced by brown water which are a by-product of the silt that has been eroded upstream.

Major rivers seen from up in the sky do present their own fascinating side. At about 10,000metres above sea level the river below appears as if it is just a junior primary school kid’ s art works. The meanders of the river are so vivid that one would choose to believe that the mighty river that gashes as much as 10,000 cu. m every second! A river captured between Mozambique and South Africa shows this.

In another view a river’s impoundment shows the reservoir that has been created clearly.

Every day walking or driving or cycling on land presents a view of the world. However, looking out of the window (when flying up in the air) does give another dimension of the beauty of our world. If one goes over the various fears associated with flying one would really enjoy the beauty below!

THE COLOURS ARE BACK – SPRING IS HERE!

Spring is an interesting period of the year with the cold of winter just having gone there is a period of unease. The weather can be quite unpredictable. The beginning can wobble between cold and hot but once the heat has taken root then everyone knows spring is bidding farewell. In as much as the YO-YO type of weather is an issue it is what happens with the vegetation that is even more interesting. A number of plants have chosen this period as the best period to show the artistic side of nature. It is not for fun though this is part of the whole plant pollination cycle that enables plants to produce fruits and (in a number of instances)  lead to new plants … sustaining the specie!

The mixture of colours is just breath taking to say the least!

A brown tree truck with green leaves and flowers that have white, violet and purple (all in one!) set against a brown landscape of a residential neighbourhood.

A creeper on a neighbourhood plot displays its bright colours ...

A tree on the road side is drenched in white as if to show that it is too old for the landscape. The golf ball shaped white flowers are responsible for the trees apparent old age!

Another tree on the road side is draped in white. On closer inspection one can see the white flowers that have blossomed from the tree. The white flowers are in very large numbers comparative to the green leaves as such they give a deception that the tree is wholly white!

In the wild a tree looks strangely bleached green from a far. A closer inspection shows the culprits!

Even in the dark the beauty of while flowers on a tree are just stunning. It looks an eerie picture. The darkness fails to hide the effect of the flowers on the tree.

With all these colours on display it is official winter is gone; the colours of nature confirm the demise of winter and the official setting of spring in readiness for summer! Everywhere one looks the eyes are met with the various colours that the artist, that nature is, has kept hidden for a while. In the radiant colours it appears as if a giant lady’s dress has been draped over the land, it is time to go out and enjoy this display of nature!

HAPPINESS IN THE EYES OF A CHILD

In this world there are quite a number of afflictions. Life presents so many challenges that it is easy to forget that smiling has a lot of benefits to the human development. In http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm people are encouraged to laugh as in the end this simple act is very beneficial to human development. Amongst adults it is very seldom that you find adults letting out the laugh however in our young in spite of moments of ‘craziness’ children express themselves with laughter.

Sometimes kids do laugh at ‘awkward’ times to say the least. Imagine a kid running from a bath having stripped off all clothes. He goes all berserk laughing his way around as he is being chased out!

Then there are those times when the young ones seem to find laugh in everything surrounding them. They just laugh and make you wonder what is going on in the little head.

 It is usually understandable when you encounter kids playing and there is laughter all around.

But whatever the circumstances the laugh in the young reminds the general population that laughing is an essential human element. In appreciation to the goodness all around laughing would not be a bad thing at all.

OF THE PAST AND THE FUTURE

To onlookers an old woman holding a baby boy appears like an everyday occurrence. But looking closely the picture does say a lot! What is the old woman thinking about? She is looking so keenly at the young boy who is oblivious to all that is happening.  The grey hair and the wrinkled skin do bear witness to the period that the woman has spent on earth. This is a big contrast to the young boy’s skin that is still tender and soft.

The woman looks proudly at the child and loudly says, “I thank God I have lived to see and interact with 3 generations of my direct family”; of course she is holding her great grandson!