Thursday, November 28, 2013

Out for Early Morning Hunt

Sometimes I am so early in posting for the Wildflower Wednesday, but most of the time i forgot all about it. And this is one of those days, when i forget it totally, so I have to be quick. I searched for older photos from my already 'archived' external drive, I know there's a lot of  images still waiting there! Sure enough, a new set of wildflowers and landscapes emerge before me. They seem to be new, as if i haven't seen them before. I guess beauty can always evoke a new meaning of beauty!

I woke up early that day to look for some things to shoot, walked for about 10 min and waited for the sunrise. And while lingering around I noticed a different perspective, a landscape unfolding with its inhabitants.

Our sunrise in the province always come with the sea, because we are on a high ground.

The grasses are fully swaying with flowers, spikes with reddish brown florets dangling with pollen grains.

The flower spikes are very different in color than its yellowish hue background.


Despite the invisibility, I sense and know that billion pollen grains are soaring with the wind in the expanse of this meadow. Every stem of grass is ripe to fulfill its purpose of preserving its species, go forth and multiply!

Some closer scrutiny shows some distinct inhabitants far from their own kinds, as if they become the muse in the expanse of the landscape, or an intruder depending on your perspective. But this Mimosa diplotricha lone flower is beautiful among the ordinary.

At the next patch of growths are the blooms of this invasive species (Chromolaena odorata),  but it is loved by butterflies.

These are blooming spikes of another invasive species, that purposely made to attach to anything that lingered in their world. Those spikes are full of a lot of seeds, no need to convince you that this is invasive. 

At the side of the meadow are patches of this very ornamental-looking bushes. Those light green bracts contains the flowers, all hiding from public view. Those bracts eventually turn brown when the seeds mature. This is Flemingia strobilifera, or wild hops. 

Do you agree that an idle land is so full of life and beauty? I still haven't shown you the other inhabitants of this landscape, and you will be amazed when i will show you the smaller inhabitants. Stay tuned!


Sunday, November 24, 2013

Night Visitors

Once-in- a while i get some night visitors, my latest are these two. I will put their IDs later as I am in a hurry, a friend is picking me up for an early Christmas get-together! See you later my blogger friends.





Wednesday, November 20, 2013

My Little Piece of Sky!

Looking at my 5th Floor Window is a habit whenever I am home at this holy hour! My skies produce a lot of varied colors in my sky canvas. And the painter works so fast, that it has already changed even without my knowing it, even before i fully appreciate the view. These colors happened in just a few seconds, it sometimes doesn't even allow me to change the lens. 

Whew!




Wednesday, November 13, 2013

November Blooms as Gift to the Other Side!

The times are bad in some portions of our country. Lives, properties, and some hopes were gone. I and my family are spared from the devastation, but friends are in the midst of the drama unfolding before our eyes. We cannot do much but pray, send our loving kindness. After four days, we are slowly getting some news about our friends, as makeshift communication systems are installed, and mobile phones start to be used again. Television channels around the world are full of news about us; relief goods, services and fund donations keep pouring in, and i hope these will fuel our indomitable spirits, and we will move on and be alive again!

I am offering these blooms for those who have transcended to the other dimension. Let their experiences and lost lives be gifts of sacrifices for the living and the world to learn.. These are blooms from our own garden during this month of sorrow!

a firespike, Odontonema strictum


  a rose as a symbol of love

 Ixora, locally called 'santan'

zinnia

marigold

 cat whiskers

Eucharis grandiflora

a white Dendrobium orchid

a lily

 Impatiens balsamina

 hedge of Ixora

Dracaena surcolosa or Florida beauty


 fortune plant or Dracaena fragrans






Monday, November 11, 2013

Dripping Sweetness!

My Hoya diversifolia is oozing with sweetness! Oh My God, that is literally the truth and that is evidenced by the golden nectar captured in the first photo. I have to confess something with you my friends, but i was also tempted to taste it.  I concur with the ants, it is really sweet although i can't tell you now yet the degree Brix for the Total Soluble Solids. This is the exact technical unit we use in assessing the degree of sweetness of fruits and vegetables.

I put the photos in succession of maturity, from the newest to the oldest, and macro view to wide angle shots.

 I am also curious why butterflies are not yet coming to sip the nectar. They otherwisewill not encounter difficulty as it is literally oozing and dripping at the surface.

Above photo shows the umbel when the nectar is just slightly produced, only staining the corolla surface.       
This is the two-stage form, some are open already, while other flowers are of another stage of maturity.        

This is another umbel showing the details of the immature buds.

The above stage is already showing some hues of the anticipated colors of the eventual blooms, this stage is now very susceptible to herbivores or insects attacking plants. Of course, it looks so luscious to the taste buds, seem very inviting. 

 This is the main plant showing many umbels at different stages of growth. Even in one umbel there are sometimes 3 stages of growth,  and that means there will be the next bloom after the first set of blooms are finished. I am very glad because this plant will always have blooms for a longer time. There are still some immature umbels at the back of the pot. Oh this plant gives a lot of promise, not only for the ants, but also for me, as I just go home on weekends to photograph them and taste its nectar.

Necta tasting, anyone?