Julienne du Toit

@washingtonpost Locust swarms are protein storms, a feast for animals and humans. Ripping off the head neatly removes the innards and the rest can be dried for future eating, or roasted and crisped in an oven.

Drivers crossing the Sahara encountered massive swarms of locusts slamming into their cars. “We went through a few intense locust swarms and happened to catch the worst one on my camera,” said Salah Abdelhadi, who filmed the video. Locusts can decimate cropland, crippling farms and leaving livestock with nothing to eat. Carried by the wind, they can travel up to 100 miles a day. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, locusts, especially desert locusts, are considered the most destructive migratory pest in the world.

All of nature is like this; we just have to appreciate it as such.

On Valentine’s Day 36 years ago, at the request of Carl Sagan, NASA turned Voyager 1's camera back toward home for one last look. From 3.7 billion miles away, it captured this: a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. Here is how Carl Sagan beautifully described it: “Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it, everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor, and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every 'superstar,' every 'supreme leader,' every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there — on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand. It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.”

Pope Leo XIV in a very practical Lenten Message to all Christians says: “I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor. Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgement, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves. Instead, let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media and in Christian communities. In this way, words of hatred will give way to words of hope and peace.” Full text here: #en" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">press.vatican.va/content/salast…

to live a happy life, you must make time to stare at a tree

RIP Dr. Jane Goodall (91). A pioneer, a protector, a voice for the voiceless. The world is better place and kinder because of you.

Cradock. Foto: Jens Friis

Kamieskroon 😍

Karoo Nasionale Park, Beaufort-Wes. Foto: Jens Friis

📹Ashleigh Herselman writes of the #ValleyOfDesolation: "There's a feeling up there... A feeling of boundless potential mingling with the energising zest of an icy breeze." #CamdebooNationalPark @SANParks

#Sunset over #CamdebooNationalPark 📷Torsten Koehler #LiveYourWild @SANParks

A family of ostriches

#MountainZebraNationalPark sentries on duty... 📷Reace Marais #LiveYourWild @SANParks

True Karoo Lamb tastes of the veld, of wild herbs, fresh air, and sunshine. Make your next braai extra flavourful! #Karoo #KarooLamb #LambLovers #SouthAfricanLamb #LambRecipe #MeatLovers #GrassFedLamb #SustainableMeat #FarmToTable #LambChops #BarbecueLamb #Karoo #KarooRegion

“Study this, not that!” – The Future of Work ASSAf’s Scholarly Publishing Unit cordially invites you to the first 2025 Online Lekgotla on Artificial Intelligence titled: “Study this, not that!” – The Future of Work. Registration: buff.ly/UsrwviU

Pale chanting goshawk in #MountainZebraNationalPark 📷gregstewartphotography #LiveYourWild @SANParks

#MountainZebraNationalPark has played an crucial role in conserving the Cape mountain zebra to such an extent that other populations have been established in various other national parks as well as other state-owned protected areas and private reserves. @SANParks

Today, 31 January, marks International Zebra Day, the day on which we celebrate this species with their distinctive black-and-white stripes. Share your favourite zebra pics with us to celebrate! #KarooNationalPark #LiveYourWild @SANParks

Never under estimate the beauty of the #Karoo mountains. Between #Aberdeen and #GraaffReinet. It's in the clouds...

The sweetest Karoo Christmas Book Conspiracy karoospace.co.za/a-karoo-christ…