Settlers Park wild flowers

We spent most of Sunday in various parts of Settlers Park enjoying this magnificent natural area right here in the heart of Port Elizabeth. Over the next couple of posts I will show off some of the picture I took in the park.

Yesterday I found out that there is a local photographic competition with wild flowers as the theme and I would like to enter a couple of photos into the competition. I want to head back to Settlers Park next weekend specially with the view of taking some flower pictures to enter, but in the mean time here are a few I took this weekend. What do you think?

King Protea

A post or two ago I posted a pic of a King Protea bud and a couple of people asked me what it will look like when in full bloom. This past Sunday we spent most of the day in Settlers Park (of which I will still post more pics) and I found a King Protea in full bloom. The King Protea is South Africa's national flower and is part of the Cape Floral Kingdom (Fynbos biome) which is a UNESCO World Heritage Natural Site. A nice big King Protea can be about the length of a standard ruler (30 centimetres) from side to side.

Cullinan Mine Tower

People who live around Johannesburg are probably used to seeing mine towers and mine dumps, but us peeps from down at the coast aren't. This meant that when I got to visit the Cullinan diamond mine close to Pretoria north of Johannesburg a little while ago it was like discovering a whole new world. The thing that literally stands out like a sore thumb at a mine is the mine tower. Below are two different angles of the tower at Cullinan.

Just for interest sake. This mine is where the Cullinan diamond was found. It is the largest rough gem-quality diamond ever found, at 3,106.75 carats. The largest polished gem from the stone is named Cullinan I or the First Star of Africa, and at 530.2 carats was the largest polished diamond in the world until the 1985 discovery of the Golden Jubilee Diamond, 545.67 carats. The Cullinan I is now mounted in the head of the Sceptre with the Cross. The second largest gem from the Cullinan stone, Cullinan II or the Lesser Star of Africa, at 317.4 carats, is the fourth largest polished diamond in the world. Both gems are in the Crown Jewels of the United.

- Wikipedia

Protea blooms

While waiting for Chaos Boy at trampolining the other evening (or actually late afternoon), I strolled around the church gardens to see if there were any flowers in bloom (what with it being spring and all). The light of the setting sun on the proteas were just perfect and I couldn't resist getting the camera out for a couple of shots. Both of these are about to blossom into full bloom, but isn't quite there yet.

King Protea

Pin cussion protea

Happy Birthday to me

Last year on my birthday I went down to the beachfront and took a self portrait of myself for birthday sake, so at lunchtime I headed down to Shark Rock Pier to do it again. This time I had nothing to do a reflection or mirror shot in, so I just did the whole "hold the camera up with both hands and smile while taking the picture into the general direction of my face" photo thing. A guy was standing on the pier staring at me with a puzzled look on his face, but I thought what the hell... its my birthday.

Oh yes, and moments later I could have been wet. My timing was just right. The lesson may well have been: "Don't turn your back on the ocean when trying to take birthday self portraits!"

Little Miss Muffet

Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey;
Along came a spider,
Who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away

Bokbaai Vygies

Although my post yesterday was for Spring Day which is actually only today, I decided to stick with the spring theme and post a couple more flowers. These are Bokbaai Fygies growing in pots around our swimming pool.