An Old Plumber, An Ex-Carer, An Amateur Poet, Words From The Heart
Author: ivor20
G'day, and welcome to my blog site. My name is Ivor Steven, I live in Geelong, Australia. I'm an ex-industrial chemist, and a retired plumber, and a former Carer of my wife(Carole), for 30 years, who suffered from severe MS. I Write poetry about those personal thoughts, throughout and beyond my life as a Carer.
I've been blogging for over 2 years, and writing poems for 19 years. Of course a lot of my poems are about my favourite subject Carole, but since I've been blogging my writings have become quite varied, humourous, mystical, observational, and even a few monster/horror poems.
The Corpse Plant flower will start deteriorating soon, so we enthusiastically (maybeFrankie was not so keen!) went to the “Gardens” for another close-up view today, and we’ll probably come back tomorrow. The phenomenal event has captured my imagination and I will not miss the next stage of the ‘flower’s short existence …
Yes Frankie! we’re in the queue again …
Yes Frankie! we’re nearly there
Yes Frankie! we’re inside and I can see the ‘flower’
Yes Frankie! we’re here, and the “Corpes Flower” is ours for few moments
Yes Frankie! the ‘Flower’ was big news in the newspaper today
This afternoon, we went to Geelong Botanical Gardens again, to view the now infamous “Corpse Plant” blooming. The queue into the Conservatory stretched all the way back to the Gardens entry gate, and during my time at the Gardens, the queue was not diminishing. The rare and unique event had attracted thousands of visitors. We lined up for 40 minutes until we in the viewing area, but our wait was rewarded with the flower’s extraordinary spectacle …
In the very long queue under the shade of a large ‘Bottle Tree’
Yes Frankie, we’re nearly there!
Left: My photo at 2.30 pm — then my ‘Screenshots’ from the ‘Live-stream’ YouTube show, at 5.00 pm and 8.00 pm As you can see the ‘flower’ is in full bloom, and I am going back at noon tomorrow, hopefully, before the flower starts to deteriorate
The Geelong Botanic Gardens is an important garden that conserves plants worldwide. Walking around the gardens stimulates the senses with the colours and scents of the amazing plant collection. You can also relax on the lawns in peaceful surroundings as you experience one of Geelong’s best-kept secrets.
Built in the 1960s, the Conservatory houses a collection of weird and wonderful plants from around the world. The displays change constantly, so there is always something new to see.
The ‘Mango Tree’ and the ‘Jacobean Lily’ were impressive
The Lily Pond was the centrepiece of the Conservatory
The Greenhouse/Conservatory was full of intriguing and colourful plants.
Over at Weekly Prompts, the Weekend’s Challenge is the word ‘Method’. Please visit their fabulous site by clicking on >> Here. There was a ‘Method’ in our madness of visiting a “Corpse” today …
The “Corpse Plant” getting ready to bloom, and Frankie is watching closely
Visiting the “Corpse Plant”
Today we went to Geelong’s glorious Botanical Gardens Our main objective was to see, the “Corpse Plant” flowering Also named the Titan Arum This extraordinary plant Is renowned for the powerful smell It releases when it blooms A scent likened to rotting flesh Hence its nickname, the “corpse plant.”
Alas, “Not today Josephine” But “We’ll be Back”, tomorrow and the next day To capture a live viewing of the flower in full bloom As it only blooms unpredictably, just once every ten years The corpse plant bloom itself lasts only 24 to 48 hours So we’ll need to visit quickly to catch this unique sight
The video below is a live YouTube broadcast of the “Corpse” plant. Hopefully, you’ll be able to view the unusual flower as it blooms.
And here is a “Time Lapse” video from Dunedin City Council, New Zealand …
I had a difficult time trying to choose an appropriate music/video for today’s post, and I eventually selected this one by “Of Monsters and Men”
Again, the wind is howling Even the old owls are hiding The magpies are wisely staying grounded And at the fallen crossroad lights The traffic is totally discombobulated Again, the world is easily dumbfounded
Ivor.Plumber/Poet 