Re: botanical babble
Cheryl & Wayne Renshaw wrote:
>
> Regarding Sean's charming tale of honeymoon bliss, I have to share my
> husband's perspective to the process of taking a walk with me. He says it's
> just like walking a puppy, except I *smell* the flowers.
>
> Cheryl
LOL! Moira and I have often been amused - when out driving or walking
around - how Moira will spot "interesting plants" at extraordinary
distances from the road on either side, while I (always interested in
aviation) will notice anything man-made that flies anywhere within my
range of vision! To each his/her own I guess!
I think Moira's "prize for plant spotting" was when we were on holiday
in East Africa many years ago, and on a train journey in a very remote
part of northern Kenya. (So remote that the total passenger accomodation
on the train was a single 4-wheeled carriage with two small
compartments, dating to the very early years of this century!).
The train was one of those that stop and start in a mysterious way, with
no apparent reason. On one of these stops, Moira spotted a blue orchid
growing among the grass about 30 yards from the track (we were in open,
unoccupied country - it was clearly a wild plant). She opened the door
and dashed to see the plant close up. This was long before we became
concerned about conservation and she tried to pull the plant up.
Meanwhile, I was panicking that the train might start up and go off
without us - although I had a fair idea that if necessary we would be
able to sprint after it and jump aboard! It wouldn't come - but in her
efforts she pulled the flower spike off, and bore it around for the rest
of our holiday trip - it lasted until after we got home. But we were
never able to identify the species.
Naturally, she would not try that trick today!
Tony
--
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, New Zealand
