Compensatory Mechanism

I was on the brink of exhaustion. Half of my cerebrum told me to relax for a while, garden, watch a movie or listen to Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi or Beethoven in fugue and baroque for that matter while the other half of the hemisphere logically pointed out that there were still some work that had to be done not to mention helping the kids out with their schoolwork. As a working mom, I can no longer afford to guide them in math so I opted to enroll them in Kumon Programme (some kind of tutorial)  instead. Driving them to Kumon is like hitting two birds with one stone; I can go to the grocery or shop until they finish the session, that is if my schedule allows me to. Talking about maintaining my psychological and physiological equilibrium!

Now I'm back in my garden. I miss the plants!! Some of them changed a lot. This was how the Asplenium looked like when it was newly  acquired a year ago.

Asplenium

Look at how the fronds changed in time...

After a year....

Could it be the that the fronds reverted back to its true form? Or was it the environmental condition that caused the change?

... and this.

The plants have been getting too much water this rainy season. I noticed how the fibrous roots of  this Asplenium nidus grew rapidly from the heavy downpour.

Asplenium nidus fibrous roots

A closer look at the roots

As a compensatory mechanism to control the amount of water, there is a tremendous growth along the roots so as to absorb the excess water brought about by long periods of rain. Imagine how this plant can survive considerably in dry and moist conditions.

Spores!

Peculiar Platys

Something wonderful happened...My Platys produced a pup!

Platycerium coronarium

From the normal 80 beats per minute of the cardiac muscle, I had it at 100 bpm as a result of my excitement.  This was the first time I saw a young fertile frond growing. I thought it would take some time for it to grow but surprisingly it did not disappointment me at all. Look how fast it grows.

1st day of the young foliage frond

3rd  Day 

What is so unique about this stunning fern is its capacity to collect and trap dry leaves from the host tree to its nest where they get their nutrients for their growth. Thus, they benefit from their host without damaging the tree.  As the basal fronds age, they curl inwards into the center of the nest to contribute to the organic matter inside and to conserve moisture needed by its roots. For some reason this makes them self-sufficient fern.

6th Day

9th Day

12th Day

Another thing I like about it is the unique and odd appearance of its fronds. The basal frond that grows upward which forms the nest from their tree host makes me think they look like outstretched hands ready to catch anything thrown at them. The long fertile fronds draping from the nest  taking the shape of the antler makes it more interesting, adding a dramatic effect on the host tree.

More than 1 week

My excitation did not end there when I had another Platys with a pup. I had them hanging at the right side of our home where they get only partial early morning sun because full glare of the sun is detrimental to them.

I feed them with dried banana peel at least once a month to supplement their nutriment.

The Sound of Nature

The rain had stopped, it was calm and quiet outside. As a lover of music, I can hear how nature was carrying out melodies in the garden...It was all like music to me. The slow rhythmic sounds heard in nature is a good example of relieving stress. Babies inside the womb are influenced by the heart beat of their mother. That is why people  respond to the soothing, rhythmic, repetitive sound around them. In my work, music is an alternative measure in reducing pain and in relaxation technique.  When I garden at home, I sing.

Ranidae

The sound of the house crickets was like the rhythm of maracas. Tree crickets gave off  faint resonance of tambourines. They blended well with the symphonic low bass sound of the bullfrogs croaking harmoniously. We have lots of them in the garden at this time of the year. I welcome them for they help me get rid of snails, rats, mosquitoes and other unwanted visitors in the garden.

Bufonidae

Soft tympani drum was beating at 4/4 as the water from a tree was dripping onto the cover of an empty can. The leaves were swaying with the wind as they danced to the tune of "The Songs of Nature." 

One last look in the garden and I was pretty sure my plants were safe as they listened to the sound of nature before sleep had finally set in.

        Can you hear the sound of the moon?