(almost) ALONE ON THE BEACH

8.30 am Saturday 28th 'social distancing' on the beach. 

I didn't really need to stand on the rocks to avoid the crowds. It was just fun to watch the waves surging through the tunnels under these rocks. 

I suppose in other parts of the world there may be other expressions for maintaining distance between people to prevent the transmission of the Covid-19 virus. We are now required to stay at home and not engage in unnecessary travel. Fortunately our home includes a garden. Exercise away from home, for example walking along the beach with members of one's household, is permitted. 

Earlier in the week we noticed this Gang gang cockatoo feeding in a small tree by the side of the path. Compared to most other wild cockatoos they are surprisingly unafraid of humans and it is fairly easy to get a close-up photo of them.

I took this photo of one of the three Haemanthus coccineus flowers in the garden ten days ago. My neighbour, who gave me this plant, is a skilled gardener. She grows further Haemanthus plants in pots from the seeds she gathers from the spent flowers.  

This is the sight that greets you as you walk down the path beside her house. Very uplifting during the flowering season.

One of the plants from Canada and northeastern USA that delighted me, when I first came across it in 2014, was Golden Rod Solidago. This particular patch above was in the Herbaceous Border of Royal Melbourne Botanic Garden and photographed at the end of January. So lush and exuberant looking.

This morning I photographed the more modest clump in our garden. This is its third season in the garden and it has flowered without being seriously battered by the dry heat of summer. As you can see, both Haemanthus and Solidago can survive in our garden. However, it is a struggle because of our hydrophobic sandy soil. They have shown me that they are tough plants and rewarding to grow. I decided a couple of days ago that I would use the Solidago as an ikebana subject.

I have created a freestyle ikebana using three flowering stems of Golden Rod. To emphasise the yellow of the flowers I have added two orangey leaf clusters of umbrella grass cyperus alternifolius, and one green cluster at the back. The radiating lines of the umbrella grass compliment the form of the creamy white spherical vessel. It is by the Tasmanian ceramic artist, Sallee Warner.

Finally a special 40th Birthday greeting to members of the Christchurch Branch of the Sogetsu School. I wish I could have been with you as planned.


Greetings from Christopher
29th March 2020