Kipsie

By Kipsie

With wings outstretched

Not taken today, taken back in 2016 when I was living in Thailand. I got really interested in the wildlife that I was coming across on my daily walks and exploration of the surrounding area, but was having difficulty identifying much of it as it was so unfamiliar. My love & knowledge of European plants was okay but not amazing, so I started searching the internet & came across a worldwide wildlife mapping & info site called Project Noah. It was brilliant, as I could load images and relating info including the coordinates where spotted, as my little Lumix had that option, onto my page within the site and 9 times out of ten someone would be able to give me an identification. I loaded just over 3,500 spottings both from my time in Thailand & my travels elsewhere. I also met through the website two other expats, who were far more knowledgeable than me,  creating a Thai Wildlife website in English so some of my images from wildlife spotted down in the south of the country were also added. I could sit for hours watching dragonflies & damselflies, I found them inquisitive and very cheeky, loving to pose, & what beautiful subjects they made. This one, believed to be a Gynacantha sp., had sadly met its demise and was on the beach one morning. The open wings remind me of stained glass windows, so delicate & yet so strong. I think I'm correct in saying that dragonflies perch with their wings open, whereas damselflies don't.
Bob was'nt fussed about stretching his little legs this morning so it was just Lola & I. Had an early walk as I volunteer at the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust (DPHT) on a Tuesday morning, working with students in the equine assisted learning programme called Ponies Inspiring People. I'm also responsible for planting up the beds & borders around the centre. We have an Open day this Sunday so need to pop back out before then and get everywhere looking tip top. We are on the edge of the Dartmoor National Park so get a lot of visitors passing by. Members of the public can volunteer to help at the centre, & or,  conservation work on Dartmoor. There are free guided walks available for 6 persons or more. A great way to learn something of the moor with a very knowledgeable local guide. Great for children as there is an opportunity to learn about Dartmoor Letterboxing, a good family activity. There also opportunities to adopt a Dartmoor pony through the Trust, so plenty of ways to support and help protect the breed.
This afternoon, I spent a while scratching my head working out  the required new curtain tracking & curtain header tape, as Mum is having her house decorated throughout, & I'm chief seamstress, well the only seamstress actually. Hey ho!! It's all good fun.

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