The Yellow-vented Bulbuls (Pycnonotus goiavier) has revisited our home, after we spotted the species laying their eggs almost year ago. This is probably an offspring, fluffier, more rounded, with hints of a muddy yellow now re-nesting in our neighbourhood. (Lumix GX85; F5.6 1/160 iso 400; Olympus Zuiko 40-150 mm, 2017)
Complex & Simple, Persons, Posts
A Leap of Faith: Discerning St Joseph’s Dream
Whereas the angel “came” to Mary (Lk 1:28) , he merely appears to Joseph in a dream – admittedly a dream that is real and reveals what is real. Once again, this shows us an essential quality of the figure of Saint Joseph: his capacity to perceive the divine and his ability to discern. Only…
Nature, Places, Posts
The Pair of Indian Ringneck Parakeets for New Year
Caught our pair of Indian ringneck parakeets as they revisited and this time, it was possible to photograph the pair of birds individually, one greener, with a brightly painted beak, and the other, more subtle hued, with a faintly faded red beak, busily feeding, and calling out to each other, they launch themselves heavily with…
Nature, Places, Posts
Return of the Epiphytic Orchids
The epiphytic pink phalaenopsis orchids make another guest appearance this New Year in the north garden. Catching them before they open, one is reminded of a storm trooper – the protective helmet, the hostile snarl, and a eye for danger, but certainly dressed in beautiful regal purple with the deep yellow stamen within. (Lumix DMC-GX85, Olympus…
Books, Complex & Simple, Posts
Paradoxology 3
As He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him (Lk 9:18). This passage is cited in Pope Benedict’s book, Jesus of Nazareth (the first of the Trilogies) as a “deliberate paradox”. He writes that “the disciples are drawn into his solitude, his communion with the Father that is reserved to him alone. They are…
Complex & Simple, Persons, Places, Posts
The Catholic Church at Tianxiang
The little Catholic Church at Tianxiang, Taroko Gorge comes attached with a hostel – basic but clean. Amidst the lovely poinsettia, the chinese Prayer of St Francis, lies a lovely Church and the Christmas Crib.
Nature, Places, Posts
The Little Forktail (Enicurus scouleri)
Nature, Places, Posts
The Taroko Gorge Arrival
The two-hour express train journey from Taipei Main Station via the Mountain Line as it emerges and hugs the north-eastern coast into Hualien City is followed by an hour long bus-ride into Tianxiang village deep within the Taroko Gorge National Park. Here the slide-show reveals the kaleidoscope of the mellowing and deepening colors of the…
Nature, Places, Posts
The Jiufen Snack Excursion
Jiufen is a small disused gold mining town in northern Taiwan, approximately 90 minutes east of Taipei by train and bus.
Complex & Simple, Places, Posts
The Christmas Parakeets
A pair of Indian Ringneck Parakeets have been visiting my garden daily for a long time, feeding on the pod seeds of the yellow Dwarf Peacock or Caesalpinia pulcherrima – but it is on Christmas Eve that we finally encounter them (and photographed one), as the worries of the world is set aside, to spend…