Weekly Photo Challenge – Delta

The brief of the week’s photo challenge is to show a photograph that reflects change and transition. Different countries have their unique seasonal transitions which is seen in nature. For this challenge I have decided to go into my archives and take you back to Zimbabwe and share one seasonal change which I love which is from winter to Spring, this is as from August to September.

Last week I shared the jacaranda tress which are not indigenous Zimbabwean trees, the msasa trees are indigenous and they mark the transition from winter to spring and then to summer.

This is the beginning of the transition when the trees begin to get their leaves after the winter season. The different  rusty colours  colours can be seen just beginning.

Here every msasa tree is showing the change.

In this one the different shades can be seen.

This is how the msasa trees look early in a spring morning. This is my favourite season I just enjoy driving at this time of the year because everywhere you look the msasa trees look stunning. By end of September the msasa trees are all green as summer settles in.

 

Weekly Photo Challenge – Transient

My interpretation of last week’s photo challenge of things that do not last brought to mind small pleasures I enjoy only for a limited period of time.

I have used this photograph before for another post, I feel it suit last week’s photo challenge. The beginning of Zimbabwean ‘summer’ is marked by the bloom of the jacaranda trees they only last for a month and then they are gone. They are glorious while they last once they are gone you are only left with the memories of the lilac colour which is no longer visible. The jacaranda bloom are one of my momentarily pleasures which are transient.

 

Swings are my grandson’s little pleasures so every time I am visiting one of my tasks is to go and spend time with him at the swings. He loves being swung into the air which he  loves to bits. That moment of being in the air does not last because it can not be sustained for a long time for safety reasons. The two of us enjoy it as long as it lasts.

Weekly Photo Challenge – focus

Last Friday’s photo challenge was  about showing a photo that represent focus. Focus is about concentrating, what it meant to me was about what captures my attention whether I am on a walk or something that stands out and I decide to capture every detail of it. I do not have a sophisticated camera except my smart phone.

I just want to invite you to see what captures my concentration in my daily encounters in the following photographs. ENJOY!!!!

One frost morning

February 2017 daffodils.

 

green locust

Light feather

Blue berries

The Holy

Early summer bloom 2017

 

Mushroom

Daily Prompt : Triumph

Triumph is that great feeling of happiness which you have as a result of victory or a major achievement. As I watched both the 2012 and 2016  I saw triumph written all over the faces of those athletes who had won a medal whether it be bronze, silver or gold. As each told their journey to that point of victory I heard  stories of sheer determination, and how each one of them had  given  up things they loved doing in order to achieve what they had set themselves hence the feeling of triumph.

When I saw this daily prompt  at first I thought it would not be easy to go anywhere with the prompt, the more I thought about it the more I was drawn to write a post. Most people have aspirations but they never attempt to have a go because of fear of not achieving their dream. The reason they suppress the urge to do try their dream is that people may have told them that they can not do it, or they may have heard people  say it can never be done.

To those who  against all odds pluck up some courage and give a try and the discover that it is possible to achieve what they may have dreamed of for years are the ones who have moments of triumph because they would have conquered what other people thought can not be conquered. Most of all they will have fought against their own doubts in them selves. The following photograph reflects triumph against all odds:-

This plant is blooming from what seems like a dead thorny plant yet it emerges brightly as if it to say I have  I am a victor.

Weekly Photo Challenge – Heritage

This week’s photo challenge is about sharing a photo of something which says “heritage” which can be from one’s own country  or culture. What I have chosen is not so much a “heritage” but something which is uniquely Zimbabwean.  ” The Balancing rocks” as they are always referred to. The  balancing rocks have become  major monuments in Zimbabwe.

The “Balancing Rocks” are geomorphological  features of igneous rocks found in many parts of Zimbabwe, and are particularly noteworthy in Matopos National Park and near the township of Epworth to the south east of Harare. The formations are of natural occurrence in a perfectly balanced state without other support. The formations were created when ancient granite intrusions were exposed to weathering as softer rocks around eroded. They are also known as “rock kopjes”, they are seen in the form of huge angular blocks of granite “piled on top of and beside one another, forming pillars and stacks, like a child’s building blocks.

Their popularity grew when the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe featured the formations on the last series of Zimbabwean bank notes.

Cause for Celebration

Calling all of my lovely community who have stopped and read my daily posts. While others can achieve the 1000 like post mark in a day I am just HAPPY to even reach 1000 which has been long time coming. I owe all this to you all Please join me to celebrate this land mark. This is motivation enough for me to continue posting because of  people like you who take time to visit my blog and read. A BIG, BIG THANK YOU TO YOU ALL.

Weekly Photo Challenge – Security

This week’s photo challenge invoked a lot of feelings within me. Growing up my security was in the knowledge  that I had a solid family, mum and dad who were going to love and protect me and siblings to look out for me and support me. That changed when my parents separated.

Then I told myself that I should attain the highest level of education then I would find a job then I would be secure. That all went when I stopped working after I got married, then when my marriage ended I was no longer secure at all. I learnt then everything we may rely on to give us security in the things of this life can be lost at any time.  The only thing which remained secure for me as a religious person was my relationship with God through Christ. The following picture is what gives me security

My security is represented by the cross in Jesus I know what ever happens to me God’s love is always there. I am loved not because of what I have done I am loved despite anything I may have done. It is significant that I am writing this post at the beginning of Passion Week  when as Christian we travel with Jesus through his arrest, trial, crucifixion death and resurrection. God’s love has been the only constant in my life that gives me security.

I am secure in Jesus.

Weekly Photo Challenge – Dense

I hope my choice of the following photographs are good interpretation of the ‘Dense’ theme.

Dense Clouds

Dense snow

Dense shrubs

Dense forest during recent heavy rains in Zimbabwe

Another angle of dense Zimbabwean forests.

Weekly Photo Challenge – Feeling Uplifted

This week’s photo challenge brief is about sharing photographs reflecting being on top of a thing or place or just feeling on top of the world. I felt I should share something which is making my home country feeling on top of the world at the moment  ‘abundant rains’. Some parts of central Africa are reeling under severe drought that it is pretty grim when on our screens we see photographs of people and animals in desperate need of water to survive.

Zimbabwe has been feeling down in the dumps for a while now, with the economy having collapsed, health systems non existent not to mention poor governance which has seen a lot of people struggling to survive. Zimbabwe in the past has had its fair share of droughts but we are grateful that this year we had a lot of rain and as I write all the dams are 100 per cent full something which had not happened for nearly a decade. Despite the political woes which haunt our nation the abundance of rain this year has lifted people’s spirits high and given us hope that at least some parts of the country will be  in a position to produce much needed food.

Friends have sent me photographs which show how the country is looking hopeful as the result of the much needed rains:

This is the view from on top of Wedza mountain showing the Save river full.

A view from the hills of Shurugwi the country side is looking beautiful giving people hope that whatever the political scenario those in the rural areas can get on and produce food to feed their families, people have the feeling of being on top of the depressing state of affairs prevailing in our land.

Keeping you posted I have been not been posting lately because I have been having net work problems in my flat. The problem is being sorted and I can not wait to reading your posts and posting myself. A big thank you to all my loyal followers for your patience. A big welcome to those who have started following I am grateful that you have stopped by and look forward to your continued support.