Sunday, November 20, 2011

Bach To The Future

Hello Friends,

It's been a steaming-hot two months in northern Nam and now I'm back in the cooler southern Desert with a good internet connection. (It's cooler because I'm only 60 km from the coast - close enough for the ocean-breeze.)

I didn't have a TV at home and missed a chapter in the 'Arab Spring' with the demise of Gaddafi - perhaps it is better for my Spirit not to have seen it, I might have rejoiced ...

I also missed the beginning of what I hope is a 'Universal Spring' in the Occupy Wall Street Movement.

I have a lot of time for reflection while I'm building and in that place beyond thought, some call it intuition, I know that if we don't (and we won't) shift away from rampant greed and excess in our dealings with each other and our Planet, we will lose it all.

'When you ain't got nothing you got nothing to lose' - when we reach a critical mass, violent revolution and chaos will drag us back to the stone age.



My good news is that the Flamboyant tree which was affected by Black Frost during winter is alive - severely battered but alive ... I'm so relieved!

My neighbour told me that for two nights the temperature dropped to -6° C ... unheard of in these parts.



I love the colour Red - it'll probably take a few years for the tree to recover completely.


I built the outer rock wall of the en suite bathroom up as far as I could.

My next task is to install a corrugated roof, cut to size, which rests on the inner wall and, when that's done, I can complete the outer wall with rock.



I also installed two glass brick windows to provide additional light in the bathroom.

I had no idea what I was doing but managed to muddle through the job all-right ...

It's strange - often I put off doing something because, in my mind, there are all kinds of obstacles and things which can go wrong but, when I'm eventually forced to take action, everything goes smoothly and I end up wondering what I was afraid of. Does anyone else have this kind of hang-up?



The last two weeks were extremely hot and humid - ideal conditions for snakes to hunt and seek water. I only saw one but there were fresh tracks of different snakes in the sand every morning.

It's often possible, by examining the ridges of the track, to tell which way the snake travelled. The ridges indicate the direction the reptile was pushing as it moved forward ... the track in the pic above shows that the snake was moving away from the camera.


One of Stretch Moonman's remaining babies which I photographed when I visited.


Don't ask me what kind of bug this is - I've only seen a creature like this once before - lovely colours hey.


A pair of Damara Dik-Diks grazing near my house - these two tiny beautiful creatures have been living on my patch of ground for about five years now - they're still very shy though and bolt at the sight of a human.


Sunsets were, as usual, stunning - it's impossible to recreate them in a photo.


I'll close this post with a thought written on what appears to be an old boiler which is being used as a farm entrance marker ...

... those words seem familiar, I think someone wrote a book ...

I've just had a thought; could it be a time machine sent here from the Future ... or the Past?

.

20 comments:

  1. It is so good to have you back I've changed my picture and I'm now using my real name. Other than that everything is the same here. The work you did looks beautiful and I can recognize that tendency to worry if it will be good enough and then, of course, it usually turns out just fine. The animals and the tree are all special. The time capsule too. I think it is in the present -- a reminder from Africa where it all began. We didn't have TV here for a long time, but now we do, just in time for the Occupy movement and some comic relief from the republican party's presidential candidates and their debates.

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  2. Thank you Inger - it's been awhile since we've spoken ...

    ... now why didn't I see the obvious? ... you're right, it's a present from the present to the present ...

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  3. Welcome back Graham !!!

    you've done some wonderful work on your house, if only we could have a peek inside someday.

    As for the recovery of trees..I fear for our trees here with constant fluctuation of temperature, it can't be good for them..and yes you have missed all the action. Occupy wall street has spread across the world. I am inclined to agree with you by the time we decide to change it'll be too late..my motto these days is "enjoy it while it lasts, come what may"!

    as for ...
    It's strange - often I put off doing something because, in my mind, there are all kinds of obstacles and things which can go wrong but, when I'm eventually forced to take action, everything goes smoothly and I end up wondering what I was afraid of..
    as the saying goes..when the going gets tough , the tough get going...does that mean I need a kick in the _ _ _?


    yes it does

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  4. So happy that you are back. Wow the house is looking fantastic, I would love to see it in real life. You have obviously made a decision on the roof of the bathroom.
    I am also happy about the flamboyant tree as I knew you were really worried.
    Your photos are great as always. So often I put off doing something which I think maybe a problem and in the end all runs very smoothly.
    Keep well, Diane

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  5. Hey thanks Monica - yeah well, I've done part of the inside of the lounge in rock too but my furniture is so tattered and decrepit I'm reluctant to display it in public ... maybe when I do a spring clean and clear the room out I'll take some pics ... :)

    I think that it is already too late and that violent revolution is inevitable.

    hehe ... yeah, I always mistook my reluctance to try new things to be a result of my natural laziness but it's not ... it's always been fear ...

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  6. Thank you Diane - it's great to connect with you again ...

    Yeah, I have a love-hate relationship with the Flamboyant tree but I'm so glad it's still alive ...

    I did lose some Custard Apple and a Frangipani tree though.

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  7. Your Flamboyant tree is a testament to life's enduring nature. Life always wants to live. I agree about the potential problem of a big difference in wealth distribution. I'm not sure about solutions but I know it should start with respect for fellow humans. I don't think we will fall all the way into the stone age but you have one hell of a good stone house.

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  8. Howzit Bill - yes, Life's tenacity is especially noticeable here in the desert ...

    ... hehe yeah, with my nick and my house I'll probably adapt to the stoned age quite easily ...

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  9. It's so nice to have you back! Thanks for leaving me a comment on the newest addition to my family. I don't have a photo yet but even if I did, I will not post one of him on line.

    I just love the photos. Your photos are also so beautiful and interesting no matter the subject. I'm glad the tree is reviving and the house is coming along beautifully. It seems all of us women want to see inside, lol and I too wouldn't mind seeing this unique house, in person.

    Looks like you missed the Arab spring but now the Occupy movement appears to be undergoing dismantling all over, including where I live.

    I do agree that when we fear something and put it off, it never seems to be quite as bad as we'd imagined it would be. I think that is a perfectionist trait...so not everyone has it ;-)

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  10. Your house is looking gorgeous - I've always loved glass bricks... if I was building a bathroom I'd have loads of them in different colours (in a particular pattern, not like a harlequin). As I scrolled down, I rejoiced before I read what you had to say when I saw your flamboyant tree had survived, because you told us about it at the time when my mimosa/wattle had died after a long sub-zero cold snap last winter - and this spring I was overjoyed to see a sort of mad shrub growing in all directions from the roots of the mimosa, so perhaps in a couple of years I might see those fragrant sunshine blooms in winter again.

    ...and then you go and spoil it all by showing things that go bump in the night - well hiss anyway. I'm sorry to say I'm a bit selective about which bit of nature I love and which I don't. I guess I must strive further to follow your good example...

    Hope you'll be telling us soon how your cats and monkey are, and I'll stick my fingers in my ears and shout la-la-la-la when you start on about the creepy crawlies.

    Welcome back

    Caroline

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  11. Welcome back Graham, the red on the flamboyant is blazing beautiful and so are the colors on the bug. It is wonderful to watch the Dik-Diks grazing. And I think a little boy dropped his water bottle.

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  12. Thank you Penny - hehehe ... yeah, just remember that I've only nearly completed the outside of the house ... there's still tons of work to be done inside and it doesn't look very attractive at the moment ...

    ... I am hopeful that this time the establishment and corporate interests will not stifle the protest and, I believe that the violence directed at peaceful protesters will make more people, especially youngsters, more aware and militant ... I think this is only the beginning and that governments and their wealthy supporters are almost in a state of panic - the movement is only going to grow ...

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  13. Hehehe ... thanks Caroline - yes, perhaps I should post some kind of "critter warning" on posts which might scare people ... the only problem is that I'm not always aware of peoples' likes an dislikes and then I'll have to place a warning on each post ... hisss ...

    ... and to be honest, I don't love all creatures great and small - for example, spiders give me the creeps ...

    I'm glad that your mimosa/wattle is in the process of rebirth - I bet you were excited when you saw the first new shoots ...

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  14. Thank you Fazlisa - yeah, I'm not really sure what my favourite colour is ... I love red but often choose blue ... I don't know, all colours are cool I guess when one has the gift of sight ...


    ... those Dik-Diks have the most beautiful eyes ... I'll try to remember to post a close-up for you someday ...

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  15. I found you through Inger's blog. My name is Jim and I live along the eastern shore of Nova Scotia, Canada.
    All I can say is what a study in contrasts between here and there! Your photographic skills are much appreciated.
    I know of which you are speaking re being apprehensive about starting something due to fear of not knowing the outcome....may be an innate human trait.

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  16. Hello Jim and thank you for your visit and kind comment.

    Yes, we live in totally contrasting environments - and even within Namibia itself there great contrasts between the desert areas and the sub-tropical north ... believe it or not, parts of Namibia even experienced light snow this year.

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  17. Nice to have you back. I really love the colours in your rock house. Beautiful.

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  18. I got tears in my eyes when I saw your tree! I am so glad. I just wish I could build with rock like you do - my first effort is a little off :) I must also say that I have the exact same procrastination issue with new projects - and with my paintings - drives me nuts!

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