I have always wondered what else there is. Some web forms ask you to tick male, female or other.
What could the "other" stand for? That reminds me of a deliriously happy guy, who is asked if his new born is a girl or a boy. His answer was an enthusiastic YES!!
I can also report that the predicted snow did not come. How wrong can weather forecasts be? So I stood outside the whole day, camera at the ready, and nothing to photograph!
What did come from nature, and this occurred 2 months before they were expected, are the flower fields of Namaqualand.
Namaqualand is a region in South Africa that stretches from Cape Town up the West coast to the Southern border of Namibia. It is an arid landscape which, once a year, in spring, especially after good rains, practically explodes into a miraculous natural flower paradise. No human hand touches this world of wonder (as in gardening) and every year they sow themselves out again. They stay alive under ground even in years, when no rains fall, but are sure to explode once again, when the circumstances are favourable for them. AMAZING!
No image can do justice to the splendour I was privileged to experience, but still I would like to share some with you. Wayward souls might just start believing again....
Artist's impression
Breath taking fields of pink, purple, blue, white yellow...... In this landscape you will see many artist behind their easels trying to capture this super show. And , of course, countless photographers from all over the world are snapping away, seemingly on the edge of madness.
I do not want to drown you in all the available really unbelievable images, so I collected some more facts about the area.
Namaqualand is populated chiefly by the pastoral-agricultural Nama (Hottentots), who speak a Khokoi (bushman) language. They and almost all other inhabitants of the region are also Afrikaans speaking.
Near the Atlantic Ocean are extensive alluvial diamond beds; copper is mined in Little Namaqualand. Karakul pelts are a major export of the region. Very unfortunately these pelts are harvested from day old karakul lambs, to maintain their tight curls which you see in "Persian fur coats".
Otherwise it is a wilderness strewn with mines and mission stations, diamonds and dust. Except from the few weeks in spring, when the granite hills and lava lands erupt with flowers.
And I say good bye for today with yet another couple of images from the garden of the Gods.
To all my Africa loving friends out there: Keep well and remember the Power of Flowers!
Barbara
PS: Some of the above images are other Namaqualand fan's copyright. I acknowledge them in gratitude!
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