Tag Archives: nature

Chez Juno

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Juno might well have been a cool urban cat. Born and raised in London, then transported by her servant to Cardiff. But she knew inner city living was shared with a variety of interesting characters. Borrowing from a Hollies song of the 1960’s… look through any window, and what do you see…

An energetic little thing getting some training in for the pet olympics, maybe…

Then tempting a dangerous eyeball to eyeball vibe…

With a ‘kiss my furry ass‘ touch of insolence…

Then, with topical timing, up steps one of the ‘calling birds’ of Christmas fame…

With a distant relative playing a poor game of hide and seek…

While the inexperienced youngsters are simply peering into dangerous places…

Looking beyond the immediate window, the 2025 brood are snacking outside the local dockside One Stop Shop. Hopefully, they dispose of their plastic rubbish after the hearty meal…

While the local heron just waits… and watches… for the next meal to swim by unexpectedly…

Until we speak again, Chez Juno remains a place of natural wonder deep in the heart of the city. But wait a minute… who’s this imposter?

Man-made trees

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Nature may well provide us with the most awe-inspiring beauty (woke apologies to the right wing bigots who simply don’t understand such concepts). It also provides the influence for breathtaking man-made inspiration.

Gaudi is known for a particular style of architecture as seen dotted liberally around the fine city of Barcelona. But, do we recognise the influence nature has as a central feature of his designs?

In the still incomplete La Sagrada Familia, the tree influences the dominant strength of the whole structure…

The playing with light also provides a constantly shifting natural life within the ongoing construction. Gaudi demonstrates a distinct sensitivity not only to the religious aspects of constructing an iconic cathedral, but also to our relationship to nature…

However, even in Park Guell, a truly nature inspired creation, the presence of trees within the design of structures is abundant. As seen in the viaduct structures at points around the park…

Until we speak again, if you must go to Barcelona as a tourist don’t forget your umbrella… but not because of the likelihood of rain. The locals are in rebellious mood these days. The focus of their ire has shifted from the interesting concept of Catalan independence to acting against over-tourism by squirting water over tourists. Now, if they would only learn to throw some of that lovely wine, I might linger around a little longer!

Recipe of the week

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A great meal starts with fresh ingredients…

Then, with a creative twist and more than a little culinary incompetence, AKA, whatever you have left in the kitchen… It’s a duck in pea soup special…

Until we speak again, the first customer is dressed for dinner down in Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff… It’s just another tale of local laid-back life!

Cats and water, eh?

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Water [1]Not usually the best of mixes; my relationship with water does not extend very much beyond what you see here… and I’m still waiting for the resident ‘nazi impersonator’ to deliver the cream!

But get a bunch of you humans together, in close proximity to water, and you just seem to freak out.

What’s with the need to jump in, float over, or just stand there looking at it?

Having said that, I do occasionally look out from my elevated platform of dryness and feel a little tempted by scenes on the surrounding canals (some say ‘dock feeders’)… lunch strangely comes to mind!

Swan family 2012 at 14

As much as the deluded one likes to refer to this area of Cardiff as ‘Little Venice‘, it seems this is only small scale when it comes to the watery realms of exaggeration. Just the other day I heard some mutterings about the Cardiff Niagara, I will leave it for you to judge… before I declare my in-house ‘agent provocateur‘ completely bonkers.

So, here is the so-called Cardiff Niagara…

Cardiff Niagara [2]

Compare that with the lesser (i.e. US) version of the real mccoy…

US Falls 2

And then there is the true majesty of the Canadian Niagara Falls (so easily confused with selective views across Bute Park in Cardiff)…

Canadian Falls 3

As if I didn’t need to already rest my case, I offer you a comparison of the raw power of Cardiff v Canada (but you guess which is which!)…
Cardiff Niagara [1]Canadian Falls edge

 

 

 

 

 

Difficult challenge, eh? Until we speak again I intend to be bone dry Bella, as for you, don’t forget your wellies!