• ABOUT ME

    Facebook Timeline cover photo

    I am so loving the new timeline. I’ve changed the cover to a picture that I love the most; me under Quercus Robur, an European Oak tree. The tree is so huuuuuuuuuuge.

    Have you changed your old layout to timeline layout? You should. It records everything about you. You can get the timeline layout here. And to change the cover header, find your best photo and adjust the size to 851 x 315 pixels.

    Now go get Timeline and change your cover header.

  • kids arts

    Kittens with her mom by Sara

    Today I received a beautiful gift from Sara. It’s her own original drawing (using Paint program) of my missing kittens and their mom, Mel. I shed some tears of joy looking at it. I miss my kittens very much and pray everyday that they are safe.

    To Sara, thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. This means a world to me.

    Kittens and their mom

  • Cape Town, SA,  TRAVEL/HOLIDAYS

    Cape Town’s Flat Flowered Mountain Aloe

    I like to look back at my photos and among my favourites are those from Kirstenbosch Gardens, Cape Town. The flowers are beautifully breathtaking. One of the flowers I observed was  Aloe Marlothii or Flat Flowered Mountain Aloe. I have never seen such a big aloe in my life. The one that I have in my front yard is very small and does not have flowers.

    Aloe Marlothii is a striking, robust, large, single-stemmed aloe with a majestic presence. The mountain aloe is undoubtedly one of southern Africa’s most rewarding aloes to grow and adds an interesting slant to aloe culture.

    Aloe Marlothii is a succulent and therefore well suited to withstand periods of drought, owing to reserves of water stored in the leaves and stem. The thorns on the leaves and very rough, hard, dried leaves along the stem act as a defence against browsing animals. In times of extreme drought, kudu has been observed browsing the leaves despite the plants’ defences and may denude the leaves of the plant entirely. If conditions are favourable, plants recover within six months. Another defence against browsing is the eventual height obtained by A. Marlothii to escape browsing animals. By growing out of reach of browsers the species has a greater chance of surviving drought.

    So, if you are into flowers and aloe species, and will be visiting Cape Town soon, do consider visiting Kirstenbosch Gardens situated at Rhodes Drive, Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa.. It is the largest of a country-wide network of nine National Botanical Gardens administered by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).

    Operational hours are as follows:
    Sep – Mar (Summer): Mon-Sun
    08h00 – 19h00

    Apr – Aug (Winter): Mon – Sun
    08h00 – 18h00

    Conservatory: Mon-Sun
    09h00 – 17h00