Monday 6 February 2012

Nature's Beauty and A Deep Sea Realm

January 10th
Walking home at eleven : fifteen pm, red velvet coat fastened tightly. Under the watchful gaze of mother moon, I passed the last house on the right (a small fire was ablaze in the garden). The sky was beautifully clear, and stars twinkled down from galaxies afar. I brought a lantern with me to guide the pathway, but I had no need for moonlight was bountiful.
A fox cried out in the distance, (an early spring mating call) and I echoed it with my voice.
When I reached home the rooks were still awake in the pine trees.

January 11th
Today I took a few moments to enjoy the countryside where I live; to feel grounded. I saw a dozen magpies up to their usual mischief, two felines; poised for fight or play, a field of crows, the usual friendly goats, and birds warbling merrily from their perch on the highest tree branch.

January 22nd
I miss the beauty of winter, I feel as if it has bypassed the south west this year. There was a brief spell, when it rained for days and nights, and the ocean raged with nineteen foot high waves. Wind tore the landscape to pieces. I adore its freezing wrath, the season soothes me like a blanket does a child.
The epitome of winter; frost that lingers on ground, plant and wood, icicles that hang from the cliffs above the beach, frozen streams, the beautiful snow coloured light, leaves crunching underfoot, white fields that stretch for miles, snowflakes falling, a monochrome scenery...


February 1st
Today marks six years with my soul’s other half. We visited the local Aquarium located near the shores of towan beach. It was incredibly peaceful and enlightening. We watched the giant pacific octopus (did you know they have three hearts and blue blood?) being fed his lunch; a crab which was devoured almost immediately and the tropical ocean feed (with port jackson sharks, stingrays, puffer fish and coloured tangs). Baby seahorses were resting in the nursery and pot bellied seahorses performed an aquatic dance ritual. A blind loggerhead sea turtle rested for a while on the bottom of the underwater tunnel, starfish populated the tanks and venomous lionfish took up residence with the gentle cowfish. We saw displays of living corals, jellyfish, nautilus (living fossils), wolf fish, native sharks, territorial fish, lobsters, cuttlefish, piranhas, clownfish, eels, baby banggai cardinalfish and a curious pig nosed turtle. The Cuvier’s dwarf caiman shared its dwelling with the terrapins.

February 2nd
Beira has reclaimed her wintry throne. Frost has begun to gather, the buds of flowers are furled; shielding their delicate petals from the chill.
Jupiter is bright in the sky, and it is witchy outside. Branches are creaking, twisting, rasping, snarling with the burden of winter.