Wednesday, September 9, 2015

the wild that visits my QJD design studio

A shared with the wild contemplative space is a sanctuary of sorts , the very simple pleasure of being visited by nature is definitely most enjoyable. My just outside Muizenberg studio, in the midst of suburbia has had its share of wild animal visitors.  From several pray mantis's, a huge leopard toad , which i couldn't believe the markings,  really the most exquisite patterns I've seen. a rather large spider one summer made his web everyday at 5:30pm and then all traces of him the next day was gone. haven't seen him for awhile, could set your clock on him.

lately I'm being frequented by a southern boubou and her learning to fly chick. the southern boubou is a fiscal shrike,butcher bird or Jackie hanger. didn't know that model came this far down Africa.
A large black cat  called cola , but he is more a Jupiter to me. with the greenest eyes also visits me from time to time. He has adopted us, he sits on my car and around our house pretending not to notice us. along with our neighbor, we feed him.  the odd cicada cracks the silence, along with the apple of my eye - roary our dachshund. and the every now and  again flower ensemble arrangement.

All these odd assortment of  creatures  inquisitively peer in through my studio door whilst im busy,  before going on their way. i enjoy the quite company. I find myself talking to them as they peer in. greeted with owlish blinking.

To sit in the same space over a long time and watch how seemingly unnoticed our wild neighbors traverse past. I excitedly take the odd, extremely bad  picture, like a naturalist seeing these creatures for the first time. diving for my phone to set up a very blurred shot before the moment passes by all to quickly. i could buy a photographic marvelous book with photo's of all the insects,  birds, frogs and cats.  but wheres the fun in that - i enjoy looking at my rather badly composed pics of my naturalist endeavors and my silent company. other than jupiter and roary our dachsi ,  havent named them yet - well that would be silly really.