easy start - stressful end

When I set out this morning with Klaas (to make up to him for being alone for too many hours yesterday when I joined the most important part of my life: my grand-children) - it started out so very nice...

On my way back I decided to 'follow doctor's orders' and check upon my blood pressure. After not having consumed alcohol since the weekend and taking the pills he prescribed obediently - I thought I wasn't in for any surprises. BUT when the pharmacist almost panicked when reading my results - a sudden heart-ache set in that haven't left me until I took my first glass of Martini this evening (and still... it is lingering on some). Psychosomatic? Well, I know that for sure. I was feeling FINE until he panicked.

Photos of my wonderful outing this morning until I did 'the' test:


this gorgeous smelling flower:


the colorful world nature is giving us as a present to enjoy:





The color Purple, from beginning stage until full bloom:



The basking turtle who hurried away when I got too close and made me feel guilty about that :(


The extremely beautiful Bottlebrush tree:


The story of the Coypu. Climbing up the edges of the Protection Isle. Only to find that Mother Goose wasn't all that protective for anyone else but her own kind. Climbing up;



Being chased away by Mother Goose:


and finally leaving the 'scene' all together:


(I've seen him steal a piece of bread from the Isle a few weeks ago. No goose was spotting him then. It was a nice thing to see)

When I went up to another 'island' near duck-pond (there were no people around like there are on Saturdays) I saw an egg that had probably fallen out of a nest. I also saw a loudly squeaking duck. So I decided to leave it alone and just zoom in heavily when taking a picture of the egg.


These delicate flowers are around everywhere now. In quantities unknown... How come I never noticed them before? Were they here? They aren't only very uplifting to see from afar but close - up they are so very delicately looking. Isn't life gorgeous? When seeing things like this...



I saw the Pied Kingfisher hovering over the water again. Many times I see him do this but never does he allow me to shoot him on camera. Even this time he looks elusive, not wanting to be related to anything else but survival (which isn't built for pretty pictures)


And then, when he finally made his way into the dive and up, he didn't show interest in being in my photo:


The night-Cereus near Parakeet territory was again looking amazingly charming and mysterious (to me that is)


Now comes a series of photos of the Nile Goose and babies. It was such an endearing sight watching them. A lesson to many humans... Defend and never let go of guard:






And two other Nile Geese flying around that same pond:


OK, I'm tired (It's after 24:00 now) and I will just place the photos I took this morning, this wonderful morning, until I had my blood pressure test:

protection island:


Resting on a leaf:

Resting on a petal:




Starting to bloom:




One tree reaching out the another standing right beside him, as if in to say he wanted to be in contact (whatever that means) with her:


On the way back home (and later on to work which kinda dismisses the home part) - I saw this boat floating around while playing very loud Arabic music. I watched it for a while because just a minute before that I had seen an all-boys-only outing from some school at the zoo near to the lake. I liked the mix. I really liked it...


Next time more. I'm too tired now...

R-e-l-a-x-e-d......

Is how I entered this Shabbat. At first Klaas was complaining and whining to go out and usually I would quickly dress and comply. But today I felt I didn't really care for being pushed to do things because during the week I am very much flexible and take on any 'mission' at an instant. So, I let him go out by himself. Irresponsible? Yes. But I just couldn't care. Today I wanted to do what I w-a-n-t-e-d to and w-h-e-n I wanted to do it. And so, after having spent something like two hours on the internet dreaming away on sites that memorize and re-live the neighborhood of my birth (Crooswijk, Rotterdam) - I found Klaas sitting outside the door and I started to dress to take him out - but this time for a long, far walk.

It was around 11:00 a.m. already and the sun had come out...



I saw this gorgeous flower branch growing on a bush or small tree in Abba Hillel. I didn't want to make many photos today but just HAD TO get this shot because it made me feel happy instantly. I wonder about the name....

After shooting the above I had taken just a few more steps and looked up... There he was again this Whitebreasted Kingfisher (I seem to see him or his brothers or sisters) every week). He was quite close but an elderly couple passed me and off he flew (I didn't like that elderly couple at the moment). He flew to a nearby tree in the gardens adjoining Abba Hillel and that's why I still got some pretty decent photos of him:




As I entered the park I noticed it was snail-time again. Last year I was very amused to notice them clinging to the leaves of the plants at the side of the path meant for walkers and cyclists because they looked like 'another kind of flower'. So, this year they're back:



Near the first bridge I noticed the Sweet Acacia was blooming voluptuously.




After crossing the bridge I saw something colorful and shining on the street. It was a dead green insect. Poor bugger. He must have been beautiful when he lived because he still was so now, being dead :-(



I spent quite some time on 'my mezah' just like in the bad 'good old days'. Klaas is totally bored there but I couldn't care less. I didn't put my feet in the water because I didn't feel like it but as can be seen in one of the following photos, the water wasn't too bad probably (though it seems more like parents drop their children in the water while they, themselves, stay out):




I decided to walk back home through the park again but this time from the other side of the Yarkon (and it honestly felt different, real "yuppie", bleehhhh). I only made one photo there and that's this Pluisbloem (I should look up how that's called in English but I don't feel like it now).


When I was back on more familiar terrain again (near the Yarkon at the outskirt of Shikun Vatikim, also a far cry from "me" - whom I wish to be identified with as a descended of Crooswijk) I saw this insect sitting on this yellow flower. I had seen this one many times during my walk and so I decided to shoot it and perhaps later ask its name. When I came too close with my camera he flew away..


In Shikun Vatikim I walked quite fast because on the last traject home, but these three mus..........hrooms did really catch my eye:


I REALLY would like to know the name of the following flower in the next 3 pictures. I by chance smelled at them when passing them on my way out of Shikun Vatikim and was startled by the absolutely wonderful scent. I know this scent from perfumes or body-lotions or whatever but don't know its name...




And this has been an old fashioned entry at this blog again....